Most Popular Baby Names in 1927

In this article we'll look at what the most popular baby names were for the year 1927. These names are taken directly from the Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.

The table below shows the top 250 most popular baby names in 1927, with a total count for the number of births registered with that given name.

You can also use the links below to research more about the most popular baby names.

Top 1000 most popular boy names: 1-250 | 251-500 | 501-750 | 751-1000

Top 1000 most popular girl names: 1-250 | 251-500 | 501-750 | 751-1000

Boys Girls
Rank Name Count Name Count
1 Robert 61,671 Mary 70,640
2 John 55,954 Dorothy 35,989
3 James 53,674 Betty 35,425
4 William 51,480 Helen 25,321
5 Charles 31,938 Margaret 21,963
6 Richard 26,767 Ruth 19,417
7 George 25,950 Doris 16,508
8 Donald 23,836 Virginia 15,727
9 Joseph 23,503 Shirley 13,315
10 Edward 19,114 Barbara 13,160
11 Thomas 17,028 Mildred 13,055
12 Frank 14,379 Frances 12,988
13 Paul 13,605 Elizabeth 12,526
14 Harold 13,228 Jean 12,511
15 Raymond 12,806 Evelyn 11,496
16 Jack 12,801 Anna 11,216
17 Walter 11,344 Alice 10,681
18 Kenneth 10,848 Patricia 10,553
19 Henry 9,868 Lois 10,505
20 Eugene 9,744 Marie 10,314
21 David 9,425 Irene 8,607
22 Arthur 9,340 Gloria 8,535
23 Albert 9,128 Rose 8,498
24 Ralph 8,436 Martha 8,305
25 Harry 8,019 Marjorie 8,116
26 Carl 7,281 Norma 7,996
27 Willie 6,969 Louise 7,704
28 Howard 6,830 Florence 7,645
29 Louis 6,665 Phyllis 7,424
30 Joe 6,541 Ruby 7,264
31 Billy 6,463 Catherine 7,256
32 Clarence 6,458 Lillian 7,181
33 Earl 6,405 Eleanor 6,962
34 Roy 6,387 Dolores 6,769
35 Fred 6,312 Joyce 6,685
36 Francis 5,644 Annie 6,561
37 Lawrence 5,572 Gladys 6,416
38 Gerald 5,511 Thelma 6,304
39 Norman 5,492 Josephine 6,109
40 Leonard 5,311 Edna 6,086
41 Ernest 5,208 Joan 6,032
42 Herbert 5,019 Pauline 6,011
43 Anthony 4,919 June 5,737
44 Stanley 4,904 Lorraine 5,728
45 Alfred 4,757 Lucille 5,633
46 Daniel 4,617 Marilyn 5,554
47 Marvin 4,397 Ethel 5,485
48 Melvin 4,202 Edith 5,402
49 Samuel 4,187 Bernice 5,306
50 Bernard 4,165 Grace 5,303
51 Leroy 3,912 Marion 5,211
52 Michael 3,607 Theresa 5,128
53 Floyd 3,548 Hazel 5,096
54 Russell 3,540 Rita 5,084
55 Leo 3,537 Juanita 5,073
56 Andrew 3,438 Nancy 5,022
57 Edwin 3,390 Beverly 4,932
58 Lloyd 3,324 Geraldine 4,930
59 Peter 3,304 Ann 4,782
60 Ray 3,253 Jane 4,696
61 Elmer 3,206 Sarah 4,556
62 Theodore 3,122 Audrey 4,375
63 Ronald 3,113 Clara 4,366
64 Frederick 3,048 Esther 4,328
65 Clifford 3,031 Emma 4,326
66 Alvin 2,884 Wanda 4,302
67 Wayne 2,881 Beatrice 4,240
68 Clyde 2,879 Wilma 4,152
69 Bill 2,865 Elaine 4,109
70 Herman 2,855 Donna 3,992
71 Vernon 2,853 Willie 3,884
72 Gene 2,802 Elsie 3,806
73 Calvin 2,692 Katherine 3,723
74 Gordon 2,679 Marian 3,721
75 Philip 2,677 Charlotte 3,677
76 Glenn 2,670 Julia 3,586
77 Vincent 2,649 Vivian 3,509
78 Leon 2,601 Gertrude 3,508
79 Warren 2,555 Eva 3,408
80 Charlie 2,513 Bertha 3,380
81 Dale 2,504 Laura 3,339
82 Lewis 2,498 Agnes 3,338
83 Lester 2,441 Kathleen 3,265
84 Roger 2,408 Ida 3,205
85 Chester 2,407 Jeanne 3,158
86 Lee 2,392 Rosemary 3,153
87 Martin 2,383 Maxine 3,093
88 Milton 2,358 Bessie 2,975
89 Jesse 2,319 Vera 2,942
90 Don 2,303 Kathryn 2,933
91 Bobby 2,286 Anne 2,929
92 Cecil 2,227 Eileen 2,929
93 Jerry 2,216 Ellen 2,866
94 Harvey 2,201 Lillie 2,862
95 Allen 2,102 Jessie 2,858
96 Wallace 2,009 Peggy 2,857
97 Arnold 1,998 Alma 2,847
98 Victor 1,983 Ella 2,843
99 Gilbert 1,976 Carolyn 2,804
100 Bob 1,970 Bonnie 2,796
101 Benjamin 1,927 Viola 2,769
102 Sam 1,904 Pearl 2,718
103 Eddie 1,859 Violet 2,694
104 Douglas 1,821 Margie 2,681
105 Johnnie 1,795 Nellie 2,678
106 Willard 1,734 Carol 2,644
107 Edgar 1,723 Maria 2,592
108 Jimmie 1,719 Arlene 2,563
109 Roland 1,714 Billie 2,551
110 Rudolph 1,689 Myrtle 2,549
111 Jerome 1,686 Janet 2,544
112 Jose 1,637 Lucy 2,542
113 Oscar 1,635 Mattie 2,499
114 Claude 1,622 Minnie 2,469
115 Glen 1,617 Jacqueline 2,447
116 Manuel 1,603 Sylvia 2,347
117 Marion 1,591 Christine 2,346
118 Curtis 1,588 Velma 2,284
119 Junior 1,588 Geneva 2,263
120 Everett 1,570 Georgia 2,254
121 Virgil 1,498 Leona 2,242
122 Maurice 1,493 Roberta 2,232
123 Jessie 1,461 Stella 2,111
124 Bruce 1,458 Rosa 2,109
125 Stephen 1,445 Mae 2,073
126 Leslie 1,441 Genevieve 2,032
127 Sidney 1,380 Loretta 2,018
128 Hubert 1,374 Delores 2,015
129 Homer 1,370 Sara 1,994
130 Wilbur 1,361 Lena 1,985
131 Hugh 1,357 Jeanette 1,970
132 Johnny 1,350 Harriet 1,965
133 Dean 1,334 Mabel 1,954
134 Wesley 1,324 Eunice 1,947
135 Billie 1,320 Jennie 1,851
136 Jim 1,292 Claire 1,836
137 Nicholas 1,272 Naomi 1,825
138 Tom 1,269 Muriel 1,808
139 Luther 1,258 Dora 1,789
140 Patrick 1,253 Carrie 1,788
141 Keith 1,232 Opal 1,738
142 Max 1,228 Alberta 1,707
143 Morris 1,226 Marguerite 1,696
144 Franklin 1,183 Hilda 1,669
145 Horace 1,180 Beulah 1,657
146 Alexander 1,093 Emily 1,656
147 Duane 1,083 Sally 1,630
148 Earnest 1,062 Anita 1,629
149 Salvatore 1,060 Inez 1,591
150 Willis 1,058 Lula 1,586
151 Lyle 1,054 Blanche 1,568
152 Phillip 1,040 Rosie 1,561
153 Tony 1,033 Verna 1,535
154 Steve 1,026 Lola 1,532
155 Irving 1,020 Constance 1,521
156 Ben 1,011 Hattie 1,508
157 Oliver 1,002 Imogene 1,494
158 Jimmy 993 Cora 1,492
159 Delbert 963 Janice 1,468
160 Edmund 929 Fannie 1,447
161 Dan 923 Erma 1,378
162 Guy 921 Miriam 1,377
163 Clifton 920 Madeline 1,374
164 Dennis 920 Mamie 1,354
165 Clayton 919 Ada 1,346
166 Julius 916 Laverne 1,333
167 Otis 901 Flora 1,302
168 Angelo 893 Patsy 1,302
169 Alex 888 Rachel 1,286
170 Tommy 878 Rebecca 1,260
171 Jay 870 Mable 1,250
172 Jacob 855 Daisy 1,242
173 Orville 855 Estelle 1,239
174 Bennie 851 Teresa 1,211
175 Archie 849 Bette 1,189
176 Larry 836 Eula 1,188
177 Leland 823 Rosalie 1,176
178 Alan 808 Irma 1,169
179 Merle 808 Caroline 1,167
180 Mike 800 Eloise 1,162
181 Clinton 795 Joanne 1,158
182 Ira 792 Marcella 1,154
183 Matthew 790 Joy 1,127
184 Marshall 788 Susie 1,112
185 Wilbert 778 Darlene 1,109
186 Dick 775 Olga 1,102
187 Nathaniel 769 Faye 1,093
188 Ivan 765 Maggie 1,089
189 Ervin 763 Nora 1,078
190 Ted 762 Bettie 1,072
191 Juan 760 Johnnie 1,066
192 Alton 759 Colleen 1,062
193 Lowell 756 Lila 1,060
194 Wilfred 743 Bobbie 1,058
195 Jesus 727 Nina 1,057
196 Allan 721 Antoinette 1,033
197 Dewey 720 Ernestine 1,025
198 Freddie 713 Iris 1,021
199 Lonnie 709 Carmen 1,019
200 Mark 701 Yvonne 1,017
201 Antonio 700 Winifred 1,014
202 Carroll 694 Lorene 994
203 Isaac 693 Jo 974
204 Rufus 690 Gwendolyn 959
205 Elbert 677 Regina 959
206 Nelson 673 Victoria 959
207 Irvin 668 Della 946
208 Myron 654 Sadie 946
209 Eldon 640 Jeannette 910
210 Nathan 636 Angelina 899
211 Karl 630 Henrietta 898
212 Gerard 629 Priscilla 898
213 Wendell 626 Melba 892
214 Julian 621 Katie 885
215 Emil 620 Sophie 883
216 Nick 616 Olive 879
217 Malcolm 613 Lydia 876
218 Sylvester 611 Susan 868
219 Forrest 610 Fern 845
220 Johnie 610 Therese 841
221 Neil 609 Charlene 833
222 Loren 607 Freda 819
223 Norbert 603 Adeline 806
224 Darrell 603 Rosemarie 796
225 Pete 599 Ora 791
226 Loyd 599 Joann 784
227 Perry 584 Essie 783
228 Laurence 583 Annette 782
229 Ellis 579 Ollie 780
230 Bert 571 Nadine 779
231 Ramon 571 Veronica 777
232 Doyle 570 Jewel 775
233 Seymour 569 Nettie 772
234 Felix 563 Lottie 769
235 Fredrick 563 Amelia 754
236 Rodney 562 May 744
237 Troy 559 Connie 740
238 Mack 552 Jewell 735
239 Owen 552 Isabel 730
240 Aaron 548 Janie 729
241 Burton 545 Reba 726
242 Carlos 544 Luella 723
243 Francisco 542 Lucile 716
244 Elwood 534 Adele 714
245 Byron 532 Dorothea 707
246 Sherman 524 Addie 703
247 Amos 522 Iva 700
248 Percy 519 Dorthy 695
249 Rex 518 Angeline 689
250 Grady 518 Lela 682

What's in a (Popular) Name?

How do we know which baby names are hot each year? It's simple! The Social Security Administration collects data as parents register their newborns for a Social Security card. So, instead of waiting for the 10-year census, we get an annual update on the trending names!

Popular Baby Names vs. Popular First Names: Any Differences?

If you're wondering why the most popular baby names and the most popular first names aren't the same, remember: first names include everyone, not just babies. With 16.5% of the population over 65, names popular in their generation, like 'Byron' or 'Addie', still top the charts. As the birth rate declines, we won't see baby names like 'Robert' or 'Mary' topping the overall popular names list until the Baby Boomer generation decreases significantly.

What Factors Influence Baby Name Popularity?

Ever wondered how a name like 'William' or 'Virginia' hits the charts? It's not an exact science, but here are some cool factors:

Celebrity Influence

Americans adore their stars! A favorite celeb can influence baby names, so if you see more little 'Jamess' or 'Dorothys' running around, you might have a Hollywood A-lister to thank!

Character-Inspired Names

Bookworms and movie buffs often name their kids after beloved characters. If 'Charles' or 'Doris' sound familiar, check out the latest bestseller or box-office hit!

Following the Trend

We humans are trend-followers. So, if a friend's baby 'Richard' or 'Shirley' has a cute ring to it, don't be surprised if it catches on!

The Power of Recall

Names heard repeatedly stick in our minds. So if 'Edward' or 'Helen' are on repeat, you'll likely see them in the baby name charts.

Family Tradition

Some names like 'George' or 'Elizabeth' stand the test of time, thanks to the tradition of naming babies after older relatives.

Religion and Politics

Religious texts and political figures inspire many parents. Evergreen choices like 'Donald' or 'Ruth' show the lasting impact of religion and politics on baby names.

So, while we can't always predict why a name like 'Joseph' or 'Norma' becomes popular, these factors give us some fun insights into the ever-changing landscape of baby names!

Historical Data for Baby Names

If you're interested to see how the trends and popularity of baby names have changed, you can use the links below to view the historical data by decade.

Most popular first names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Most popular boy names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Most popular girl names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Data Source(s)

All of the data on this page is sourced from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and excludes any names with fewer than 5 occurrences in any geographic area.

Link To or Reference This Page

We spent a lot of time downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

  • "Most Popular Baby Names in 1927". NameCensus.com. Accessed on March 29, 2024. https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1927/.

  • "Most Popular Baby Names in 1927". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1927/. Accessed 29 March, 2024

  • Most Popular Baby Names in 1927. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1927/.