Most Popular Baby Names in 1941

In this article we'll look at what the most popular baby names were for the year 1941. 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 1941, 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 James 66,743 Mary 58,041
2 Robert 64,240 Barbara 39,539
3 John 57,521 Patricia 36,903
4 William 47,792 Carol 24,181
5 Richard 39,108 Linda 23,721
6 Charles 32,740 Judith 23,318
7 David 30,552 Betty 20,905
8 Thomas 26,642 Nancy 20,883
9 Ronald 24,401 Sandra 19,500
10 Donald 22,637 Shirley 16,953
11 Larry 20,132 Carolyn 16,273
12 Joseph 19,803 Margaret 15,698
13 George 19,261 Joyce 15,682
14 Jerry 16,801 Dorothy 14,568
15 Kenneth 16,138 Sharon 14,271
16 Michael 15,934 Judy 13,967
17 Edward 15,580 Joan 13,383
18 Paul 15,165 Janet 11,139
19 Gary 14,565 Karen 10,830
20 Gerald 10,943 Donna 10,446
21 Frank 10,794 Elizabeth 10,268
22 Raymond 9,949 Janice 10,061
23 Dennis 9,559 Virginia 10,042
24 Harold 8,101 Helen 9,888
25 Roger 8,093 Martha 9,157
26 Walter 7,747 Gloria 9,007
27 Billy 7,657 Susan 8,888
28 Henry 7,165 Ruth 8,864
29 Carl 7,160 Beverly 8,727
30 Joe 7,155 Marilyn 8,557
31 Daniel 7,050 Frances 8,468
32 Jack 6,950 Jean 7,840
33 Arthur 6,738 Bonnie 7,760
34 Lawrence 6,652 Alice 7,446
35 Bobby 6,588 Phyllis 7,348
36 Willie 6,531 Kathleen 7,160
37 Wayne 6,109 Ann 7,122
38 Ralph 6,039 Doris 7,077
39 Roy 5,946 Peggy 6,559
40 Albert 5,929 Diane 6,426
41 Stephen 5,808 Brenda 6,332
42 Eugene 5,754 Marie 6,153
43 Fred 5,619 Lois 6,107
44 Peter 5,610 Elaine 5,378
45 Jimmy 5,335 Geraldine 5,226
46 Anthony 5,241 Jane 5,089
47 Howard 5,069 Norma 5,021
48 Harry 5,056 Carole 4,965
49 Norman 4,458 Rose 4,952
50 Louis 4,445 Evelyn 4,929
51 Bruce 4,301 Catherine 4,882
52 Philip 4,165 Patsy 4,790
53 Douglas 4,148 Wanda 4,735
54 Leonard 3,984 Joanne 4,665
55 Johnny 3,983 Charlotte 4,564
56 Melvin 3,952 Anna 4,433
57 Stanley 3,926 Dolores 4,385
58 Earl 3,804 Joann 4,275
59 Dale 3,788 Annie 4,073
60 Francis 3,738 Sarah 3,982
61 Ernest 3,725 Sally 3,964
62 Clarence 3,670 Louise 3,911
63 Marvin 3,626 Rita 3,879
64 Terry 3,606 Mildred 3,847
65 Samuel 3,536 Sylvia 3,787
66 Don 3,533 Jo 3,756
67 Leroy 3,521 Ellen 3,664
68 Bill 3,453 Gail 3,609
69 Frederick 3,287 Ruby 3,583
70 Patrick 3,155 Kay 3,536
71 Tommy 3,088 Marjorie 3,517
72 Gene 3,072 Roberta 3,396
73 Allen 3,059 Jacqueline 3,388
74 Alfred 3,052 Irene 3,370
75 Russell 3,032 Sue 3,359
76 Herbert 2,963 Darlene 3,346
77 Phillip 2,870 Arlene 3,290
78 Eddie 2,849 Eleanor 3,249
79 Ronnie 2,848 Connie 3,205
80 Jim 2,843 Delores 3,159
81 Lee 2,743 Loretta 3,100
82 Andrew 2,708 Anne 3,096
83 Ray 2,696 Marlene 3,068
84 Alan 2,624 Juanita 3,044
85 Martin 2,605 Katherine 3,004
86 Glenn 2,523 Rebecca 2,924
87 Bernard 2,509 Kathryn 2,868
88 Tom 2,499 Julia 2,847
89 Jimmie 2,472 Edna 2,834
90 Steven 2,466 June 2,766
91 Barry 2,464 Anita 2,741
92 Gordon 2,403 Josephine 2,726
93 Leon 2,375 Lorraine 2,688
94 Clifford 2,364 Rosemary 2,676
95 Theodore 2,331 Theresa 2,674
96 Lloyd 2,252 Glenda 2,643
97 Edwin 2,214 Suzanne 2,611
98 Franklin 2,205 Jeanette 2,597
99 Jesse 2,185 Emma 2,545
100 Curtis 2,164 Diana 2,544
101 Jerome 2,155 Christine 2,470
102 Floyd 2,108 Maria 2,468
103 Bob 2,074 Edith 2,462
104 Vincent 2,050 Lillian 2,460
105 Warren 2,041 Marcia 2,430
106 Alvin 2,016 Wilma 2,427
107 Harvey 2,016 Florence 2,391
108 Vernon 1,976 Thelma 2,368
109 Lewis 1,973 Pauline 2,353
110 Jackie 1,966 Sheila 2,341
111 Mike 1,933 Clara 2,299
112 Steve 1,881 Cynthia 2,297
113 Clyde 1,872 Vivian 2,279
114 Herman 1,778 Constance 2,276
115 Charlie 1,758 Laura 2,273
116 Leo 1,727 Ethel 2,272
117 Gilbert 1,704 Audrey 2,233
118 Victor 1,667 Gladys 2,223
119 Keith 1,650 Lucille 2,203
120 Danny 1,644 Yvonne 2,198
121 Timothy 1,632 Eileen 2,196
122 Mark 1,624 Margie 2,149
123 Arnold 1,601 Grace 2,103
124 Benjamin 1,579 Sara 2,071
125 Lester 1,563 Charlene 2,060
126 Leslie 1,557 Jeanne 2,060
127 Rodney 1,551 Georgia 2,051
128 Jon 1,545 Annette 2,023
129 Duane 1,534 Maureen 1,992
130 Darrell 1,529 Marion 1,986
131 Johnnie 1,514 Hazel 1,981
132 Cecil 1,512 Priscilla 1,970
133 Calvin 1,509 Bernice 1,932
134 Jeffrey 1,500 Pat 1,900
135 Allan 1,492 Eva 1,861
136 Chester 1,448 Willie 1,860
137 Jay 1,415 Deanna 1,856
138 Freddie 1,413 Esther 1,810
139 Glen 1,410 Maxine 1,749
140 Milton 1,385 Bertha 1,723
141 Lynn 1,351 Ella 1,697
142 Joel 1,338 Marian 1,678
143 Dean 1,288 Beatrice 1,665
144 Roland 1,287 Lillie 1,655
145 Tony 1,226 Bobbie 1,634
146 Nicholas 1,212 Dianne 1,631
147 Lonnie 1,204 Maryann 1,612
148 Elmer 1,202 Ida 1,610
149 Jose 1,194 Billie 1,554
150 Sam 1,189 Joy 1,550
151 Claude 1,186 Paula 1,540
152 Dan 1,154 Rosalie 1,513
153 Brian 1,123 Lynda 1,490
154 Manuel 1,121 Rosa 1,475
155 Wallace 1,117 Pamela 1,468
156 Ted 1,096 Lucy 1,443
157 Wendell 1,094 Elsie 1,416
158 Wesley 1,090 Harriet 1,396
159 Willard 1,085 Rachel 1,385
160 Hugh 1,082 Faye 1,376
161 Neil 1,074 Myrna 1,372
162 Jessie 1,038 Emily 1,368
163 Maurice 1,026 Mattie 1,364
164 Marion 1,025 Alma 1,363
165 Oscar 1,020 Jessie 1,355
166 Edgar 989 Minnie 1,355
167 Everett 989 Nellie 1,284
168 Lyle 939 Gwendolyn 1,268
169 Max 931 Julie 1,267
170 Virgil 922 Vera 1,266
171 Dick 893 Lynn 1,259
172 Sidney 891 Sherry 1,252
173 Stuart 886 Bessie 1,176
174 Morris 875 Caroline 1,173
175 Marshall 869 Rosemarie 1,168
176 Dave 865 Patty 1,138
177 Lowell 865 Rosie 1,106
178 Karl 864 Jackie 1,094
179 Luther 843 Agnes 1,093
180 Bennie 839 Geneva 1,049
181 Benny 835 Dixie 1,047
182 Nathaniel 829 Marianne 1,032
183 Gregory 824 Carrie 1,030
184 Alexander 818 Stella 1,023
185 Earnest 812 Claudia 1,019
186 Nelson 791 Cora 1,007
187 Donnie 786 Gayle 1,007
188 Carroll 783 Velma 1,001
189 Homer 776 Gertrude 998
190 Ben 767 Leona 998
191 Guy 760 Mae 993
192 Delbert 756 Johnnie 987
193 Horace 741 Naomi 987
194 Clinton 737 Myrtle 965
195 Otis 735 Carmen 956
196 Hubert 731 Claire 953
197 Matthew 729 Dora 951
198 Fredrick 728 Jeannette 948
199 Eric 702 Kathy 946
200 Gerard 689 Lynne 944
201 Willis 685 Madeline 940
202 Kent 676 Viola 901
203 Clifton 675 Marsha 895
204 Wilbur 667 Deloris 888
205 Clayton 662 Nina 877
206 Juan 661 Alberta 864
207 Archie 656 Verna 862
208 Sammy 652 Hattie 853
209 Roosevelt 646 Nora 845
210 Alex 641 Veronica 837
211 Alton 636 Lola 836
212 Leland 636 Pearl 835
213 Randall 633 Shelby 826
214 Myron 623 Lula 824
215 Christopher 619 Angela 822
216 Carlos 614 Victoria 814
217 Garry 613 Hilda 795
218 Ira 604 Janie 795
219 Oliver 600 Lena 795
220 Rudolph 600 Myra 788
221 Perry 593 Ramona 786
222 Doyle 577 Jacquelyn 782
223 Tommie 577 Violet 780
224 Wilbert 577 Marguerite 778
225 Edmund 576 Irma 774
226 Troy 568 Eunice 770
227 Loren 562 Sondra 770
228 Aaron 562 Ernestine 763
229 Jerald 559 Valerie 752
230 Sherman 558 Bette 747
231 Rex 557 Bonita 742
232 Julius 551 Susie 742
233 Neal 543 Daisy 740
234 Winston 542 Antoinette 732
235 Byron 539 Bettie 731
236 Craig 539 Bettye 729
237 Sylvester 538 Erma 727
238 Dwight 536 Regina 727
239 Pete 534 Fannie 724
240 Salvatore 533 Andrea 720
241 Pat 530 Teresa 716
242 Reginald 529 Melba 715
243 Nathan 527 Miriam 713
244 Laurence 524 Jennie 712
245 Ross 513 Flora 702
246 Carlton 510 Iris 700
247 Elbert 505 Lydia 682
248 Julian 501 Marcella 678
249 Malcolm 497 Ada 677
250 Ivan 496 Della 673

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 'Ross' or 'Iris', still top the charts. As the birth rate declines, we won't see baby names like 'James' 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 'Nancy' 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 'Johns' or 'Barbaras' 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 'Richard' or 'Betty' 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 'Charles' or 'Sandra' 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 'Donald' or 'Carol' are on repeat, you'll likely see them in the baby name charts.

Family Tradition

Some names like 'David' or 'Joyce' 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 'Thomas' or 'Judith' show the lasting impact of religion and politics on baby names.

So, while we can't always predict why a name like 'Ronald' or 'Gloria' 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 1941". NameCensus.com. Accessed on March 28, 2024. https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1941/.

  • "Most Popular Baby Names in 1941". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1941/. Accessed 28 March, 2024

  • Most Popular Baby Names in 1941. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1941/.