Most Popular Baby Names in 1943

In this article we'll look at what the most popular baby names were for the year 1943. 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 1943, 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 80,274 Mary 66,173
2 Robert 74,871 Barbara 43,432
3 John 68,922 Patricia 39,622
4 William 55,905 Linda 38,440
5 Richard 46,331 Carol 31,684
6 David 37,238 Sandra 25,988
7 Charles 36,632 Judith 25,212
8 Thomas 32,870 Sharon 24,712
9 Ronald 29,236 Nancy 23,988
10 Michael 24,745 Betty 21,596
11 Donald 24,420 Carolyn 20,366
12 Larry 22,976 Shirley 17,814
13 Joseph 22,831 Judy 17,381
14 George 21,688 Margaret 17,151
15 Kenneth 19,113 Karen 16,816
16 Gary 17,868 Joyce 16,485
17 Jerry 17,732 Donna 14,915
18 Edward 17,713 Susan 14,889
19 Paul 17,251 Dorothy 14,793
20 Dennis 14,114 Janet 13,316
21 Frank 12,246 Joan 13,229
22 Raymond 11,393 Kathleen 12,153
23 Gerald 11,361 Elizabeth 11,645
24 Roger 10,766 Diane 11,326
25 Daniel 9,167 Virginia 10,844
26 Walter 9,037 Janice 10,652
27 Harold 8,669 Marilyn 10,144
28 Douglas 8,238 Helen 9,800
29 Stephen 7,931 Martha 9,706
30 Arthur 7,783 Gloria 9,683
31 Henry 7,626 Frances 9,445
32 Lawrence 7,580 Beverly 9,433
33 Carl 7,468 Ruth 9,366
34 Jack 7,398 Bonnie 8,869
35 Joe 7,309 Brenda 8,436
36 Willie 7,181 Jean 8,096
37 Billy 7,013 Ann 7,829
38 Roy 6,933 Alice 7,648
39 Peter 6,878 Phyllis 7,607
40 Ralph 6,771 Doris 7,127
41 Wayne 6,762 Peggy 6,512
42 Jimmy 6,443 Carole 6,506
43 Albert 6,304 Lois 6,132
44 Anthony 6,204 Jane 6,031
45 Fred 6,169 Marie 5,980
46 Bobby 6,124 Elaine 5,966
47 Eugene 5,902 Charlotte 5,482
48 Howard 5,737 Catherine 5,426
49 Terry 5,735 Joanne 5,267
50 Harry 5,720 Rose 5,207
51 Bruce 5,431 Geraldine 5,190
52 Johnny 5,380 Rita 5,011
53 Louis 5,032 Evelyn 4,912
54 Stanley 4,698 Pamela 4,839
55 Leonard 4,614 Gail 4,810
56 Norman 4,522 Wanda 4,705
57 Philip 4,473 Sally 4,659
58 Steven 4,269 Norma 4,543
59 Dale 4,233 Connie 4,511
60 Earl 4,186 Joann 4,463
61 Ernest 4,173 Patsy 4,353
62 Samuel 4,139 Diana 4,337
63 Melvin 4,068 Jo 4,298
64 Francis 4,067 Anna 4,232
65 Bill 3,989 Jacqueline 4,188
66 Marvin 3,938 Roberta 4,169
67 Alan 3,855 Ellen 4,153
68 Clarence 3,855 Eileen 4,092
69 Patrick 3,848 Annie 4,069
70 Frederick 3,840 Louise 4,044
71 Ronnie 3,828 Sarah 3,987
72 Don 3,816 Sue 3,850
73 Russell 3,751 Darlene 3,774
74 Leroy 3,740 Dolores 3,698
75 Jim 3,681 Kathryn 3,647
76 Allen 3,627 Mildred 3,626
77 Tommy 3,613 Sylvia 3,624
78 Alfred 3,446 Katherine 3,615
79 Andrew 3,351 Marjorie 3,608
80 Eddie 3,279 Anne 3,535
81 Phillip 3,250 Kay 3,492
82 Barry 3,193 Ruby 3,466
83 Martin 3,079 Glenda 3,403
84 Ray 3,063 Christine 3,314
85 Glenn 3,051 Irene 3,298
86 Herbert 3,044 Suzanne 3,280
87 Tom 2,909 Rebecca 3,268
88 Danny 2,898 Dianne 3,193
89 Gene 2,866 Loretta 3,169
90 Mike 2,802 Arlene 3,145
91 Lee 2,788 Juanita 3,083
92 Bernard 2,743 Sheila 3,063
93 Steve 2,686 Paula 3,042
94 Clifford 2,665 Lorraine 3,017
95 Jimmie 2,630 Julia 2,972
96 Theodore 2,616 Marcia 2,968
97 Victor 2,615 Rosemary 2,967
98 Gordon 2,608 Anita 2,951
99 Timothy 2,578 Delores 2,931
100 Curtis 2,526 Theresa 2,929
101 Mark 2,519 Cynthia 2,894
102 Warren 2,479 Cheryl 2,878
103 Leon 2,452 Maria 2,864
104 Lloyd 2,445 Marlene 2,857
105 Jesse 2,425 Maureen 2,759
106 Vincent 2,420 Edna 2,753
107 Edwin 2,388 Eleanor 2,729
108 Keith 2,382 Josephine 2,664
109 Jerome 2,307 Jeanette 2,554
110 Bob 2,274 Constance 2,553
111 Harvey 2,244 June 2,491
112 Floyd 2,228 Pauline 2,459
113 Alvin 2,201 Emma 2,423
114 Clyde 2,195 Jeanne 2,423
115 Lewis 2,181 Lynda 2,412
116 Jeffrey 2,171 Lillian 2,394
117 Vernon 2,093 Laura 2,392
118 Rodney 1,984 Edith 2,381
119 Franklin 1,972 Georgia 2,378
120 Brian 1,950 Wilma 2,378
121 Leslie 1,917 Charlene 2,354
122 Charlie 1,832 Vivian 2,320
123 Gilbert 1,814 Sherry 2,314
124 Jackie 1,779 Florence 2,274
125 Lester 1,764 Lucille 2,250
126 Calvin 1,760 Ethel 2,218
127 Jon 1,752 Thelma 2,209
128 Joel 1,745 Margie 2,148
129 Herman 1,726 Marion 2,124
130 Benjamin 1,718 Grace 2,121
131 Arnold 1,703 Gladys 2,111
132 Cecil 1,698 Marsha 2,100
133 Leo 1,693 Clara 2,083
134 Jay 1,676 Lynn 2,064
135 Johnnie 1,654 Maryann 2,051
136 Allan 1,640 Kathy 2,033
137 Chester 1,630 Sara 2,020
138 Duane 1,622 Billie 1,994
139 Dan 1,538 Willie 1,994
140 Darrell 1,529 Audrey 1,943
141 Milton 1,508 Yvonne 1,942
142 Dean 1,502 Annette 1,916
143 Freddie 1,495 Bernice 1,890
144 Lonnie 1,463 Hazel 1,852
145 Tony 1,455 Pat 1,840
146 Glen 1,444 Priscilla 1,832
147 Lynn 1,442 Bobbie 1,803
148 Nicholas 1,433 Eva 1,803
149 Manuel 1,429 Marian 1,793
150 Roland 1,384 Bertha 1,790
151 Jose 1,373 Esther 1,757
152 Claude 1,363 Beatrice 1,756
153 Sam 1,323 Maxine 1,755
154 Elmer 1,311 Rosa 1,680
155 Wesley 1,267 Ella 1,663
156 Wallace 1,253 Julie 1,624
157 Ted 1,236 Joy 1,609
158 Dwight 1,234 Lillie 1,595
159 Willard 1,230 Claudia 1,584
160 Hugh 1,206 Deanna 1,573
161 Eric 1,170 Gwendolyn 1,534
162 Neil 1,155 Ida 1,477
163 Gregory 1,133 Faye 1,468
164 Craig 1,131 Victoria 1,468
165 Maurice 1,105 Harriet 1,444
166 Jessie 1,100 Paulette 1,440
167 Dave 1,088 Rosalie 1,425
168 Edgar 1,082 Gayle 1,423
169 Oscar 1,074 Andrea 1,419
170 Marion 1,066 Rachel 1,371
171 Randall 1,026 Caroline 1,353
172 Marshall 1,019 Jackie 1,351
173 Sidney 1,016 Minnie 1,347
174 Everett 1,001 Alma 1,339
175 Virgil 992 Emily 1,336
176 Benny 960 Lucy 1,317
177 Earnest 940 Jessie 1,313
178 Alexander 924 Lynne 1,312
179 Stuart 924 Vicki 1,310
180 Donnie 920 Vera 1,266
181 Morris 913 Elsie 1,244
182 Karl 906 Veronica 1,240
183 Sammy 899 Mattie 1,218
184 Christopher 889 Penny 1,203
185 Lyle 884 Marianne 1,201
186 Max 876 Teresa 1,193
187 Clifton 857 Patty 1,186
188 Dick 856 Stella 1,182
189 Bennie 850 Rosemarie 1,172
190 Luther 843 Bessie 1,148
191 Nathaniel 839 Leslie 1,138
192 Juan 835 Carrie 1,136
193 Ben 835 Rosie 1,127
194 Garry 830 Madeline 1,107
195 Carroll 825 Regina 1,084
196 Guy 823 Johnnie 1,080
197 Matthew 821 Nellie 1,078
198 Kent 813 Janie 1,067
199 Wendell 812 Leona 1,061
200 Lowell 807 Agnes 1,054
201 Homer 802 Velma 1,045
202 Fredrick 796 Dixie 1,044
203 Nelson 794 Jeannette 1,037
204 Delbert 787 Carmen 1,036
205 Gerard 770 Dora 1,022
206 Clayton 765 Bonita 1,014
207 Hubert 757 Claire 1,002
208 Willis 752 Lana 999
209 Otis 742 Geneva 995
210 Clinton 710 Michele 958
211 Carlos 698 Alberta 957
212 Perry 689 Valerie 955
213 Horace 684 Jacquelyn 942
214 Loren 678 Nina 939
215 Leland 676 Angela 933
216 Malcolm 673 Deloris 929
217 Oliver 668 Terry 923
218 Wilbur 667 Susie 907
219 Edmund 666 Naomi 904
220 Randolph 665 Viola 893
221 Rudolph 664 Myra 886
222 Alex 660 Verna 881
223 Alton 658 Pearl 878
224 Micheal 657 Mae 876
225 Laurence 648 Cora 874
226 Pete 640 Sharron 870
227 Kevin 639 Gertrude 867
228 Troy 633 Lydia 865
229 Mack 627 Ernestine 861
230 Terrence 627 Nora 856
231 Jerald 623 Marguerite 846
232 Ira 619 Myrtle 843
233 Tim 618 Cecilia 842
234 Rex 615 Myrna 839
235 Archie 614 Lola 825
236 Reginald 613 Hattie 819
237 Salvatore 613 Jill 811
238 Julius 611 Antoinette 800
239 Roosevelt 611 Stephanie 800
240 Wilbert 608 Ramona 795
241 Byron 587 Deborah 786
242 Randy 585 Beth 785
243 Ross 584 Eunice 785
244 Nathan 581 Sandy 785
245 Jonathan 575 Lula 783
246 Myron 575 Bettie 782
247 Dewey 566 Cecelia 782
248 Antonio 566 Lena 776
249 Tommie 562 Irma 773
250 Jesus 560 Dianna 771

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 'Jonathan' or 'Bettie', 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 'Sharon' 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 'Judith' 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 'David' or 'Nancy' 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 'Michael' or 'Linda' are on repeat, you'll likely see them in the baby name charts.

Family Tradition

Some names like 'Charles' or 'Judy' 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 'Sandra' show the lasting impact of religion and politics on baby names.

So, while we can't always predict why a name like 'Ronald' or 'Janice' 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.