Most Popular Baby Names in 1954

In this article we'll look at what the most popular baby names were for the year 1954. 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 1954, 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 Michael 88,576 Mary 68,019
2 Robert 86,341 Linda 55,375
3 James 86,319 Deborah 54,684
4 John 81,195 Patricia 49,147
5 David 79,572 Susan 47,163
6 William 61,432 Debra 45,898
7 Richard 57,043 Barbara 36,370
8 Thomas 47,165 Karen 32,455
9 Gary 37,923 Nancy 30,271
10 Charles 37,465 Cynthia 27,619
11 Steven 36,637 Donna 27,427
12 Mark 36,204 Pamela 27,368
13 Joseph 31,228 Sandra 26,059
14 Donald 29,278 Kathleen 22,460
15 Ronald 27,627 Carol 22,249
16 Paul 26,222 Sharon 22,219
17 Kenneth 26,188 Diane 22,057
18 Daniel 25,282 Brenda 19,613
19 Larry 24,615 Janet 18,476
20 Stephen 21,880 Elizabeth 16,586
21 Dennis 20,756 Margaret 15,225
22 Edward 19,510 Cheryl 15,016
23 Jeffrey 19,052 Kathy 14,174
24 George 18,702 Denise 13,718
25 Gregory 17,622 Janice 13,505
26 Timothy 17,436 Rebecca 13,210
27 Terry 15,557 Carolyn 12,157
28 Kevin 15,327 Joyce 12,090
29 Douglas 14,705 Judy 11,634
30 Bruce 14,149 Judith 11,197
31 Jerry 13,678 Beverly 11,156
32 Anthony 13,125 Catherine 11,079
33 Randy 12,636 Shirley 10,908
34 Roger 11,721 Teresa 10,844
35 Raymond 11,244 Marilyn 10,815
36 Frank 10,998 Betty 10,621
37 Peter 10,087 Gail 9,725
38 Patrick 9,929 Paula 9,686
39 Lawrence 9,607 Connie 9,636
40 Scott 9,458 Joan 9,518
41 Wayne 9,179 Robin 9,043
42 Danny 9,105 Gloria 8,924
43 Alan 8,711 Christine 8,787
44 Gerald 8,550 Ann 8,750
45 Keith 8,359 Laura 8,720
46 Ricky 8,163 Martha 8,595
47 Carl 8,140 Theresa 8,512
48 Brian 8,079 Peggy 8,456
49 Walter 7,488 Jane 8,344
50 Dale 7,441 Vicki 8,222
51 Craig 7,180 Kathryn 8,138
52 Arthur 6,859 Bonnie 8,099
53 Willie 6,837 Jo 8,052
54 Johnny 6,611 Rose 7,998
55 Randall 6,550 Dorothy 7,794
56 Roy 6,512 Jean 7,666
57 Jack 6,477 Diana 7,625
58 Stanley 6,447 Wanda 7,448
59 Henry 6,406 Cathy 7,211
60 Harold 6,358 Sheila 7,202
61 Ralph 6,310 Virginia 7,176
62 Philip 6,278 Sherry 7,120
63 Glenn 6,243 Lynn 6,781
64 Christopher 6,083 Katherine 6,742
65 Billy 6,033 Maria 6,591
66 Rodney 5,961 Ruth 6,565
67 Joe 5,869 Rita 6,536
68 Barry 5,844 Jacqueline 6,518
69 Russell 5,764 Vickie 6,366
70 Andrew 5,650 Julie 6,276
71 Samuel 5,640 Rhonda 6,102
72 Bobby 5,506 Helen 5,945
73 Albert 5,428 Lisa 5,913
74 Jimmy 5,328 Elaine 5,827
75 Phillip 5,152 Phyllis 5,764
76 Steve 5,064 Darlene 5,514
77 Eugene 5,030 Ellen 5,458
78 Ronnie 4,979 Joanne 5,435
79 Martin 4,965 Marie 5,310
80 Howard 4,932 Anne 5,299
81 Louis 4,847 Alice 5,268
82 Allen 4,832 Suzanne 5,235
83 Frederick 4,744 Frances 5,153
84 Curtis 4,597 Sally 5,079
85 Leonard 4,486 Victoria 4,979
86 Harry 4,354 Marsha 4,965
87 Ernest 4,204 Valerie 4,917
88 Micheal 4,178 Terry 4,788
89 Eric 4,174 Michele 4,764
90 Jeffery 3,936 Marcia 4,744
91 Eddie 3,769 Cindy 4,716
92 Melvin 3,713 Debbie 4,666
93 Fred 3,696 Doris 4,457
94 Francis 3,688 Michelle 4,432
95 Darrell 3,644 Wendy 4,412
96 Lee 3,569 Anita 4,408
97 Marvin 3,497 Maureen 4,368
98 Earl 3,427 Laurie 4,290
99 Norman 3,417 Leslie 4,149
100 Tommy 3,405 Terri 4,130
101 Jay 3,371 Sylvia 4,083
102 Rick 3,370 Roberta 4,043
103 Victor 3,366 Sarah 4,040
104 Vincent 3,358 Marian 4,013
105 Tony 3,354 Anna 3,999
106 Bradley 3,240 Sue 3,975
107 Jose 3,235 Jill 3,967
108 Clarence 3,181 Jennifer 3,966
109 Kim 3,169 Lois 3,953
110 Dean 3,165 Evelyn 3,951
111 Jon 3,161 Constance 3,837
112 Clifford 3,142 Jeanne 3,769
113 Rickey 3,128 Charlotte 3,761
114 Jerome 3,109 Glenda 3,734
115 Theodore 3,072 Eileen 3,679
116 Alfred 3,048 Dianne 3,644
117 Calvin 3,008 Yvonne 3,560
118 Ray 2,977 Angela 3,543
119 Jesse 2,761 Colleen 3,484
120 Don 2,747 Lorraine 3,466
121 Jonathan 2,741 Lori 3,441
122 Gordon 2,738 Gwendolyn 3,409
123 Bernard 2,731 Stephanie 3,368
124 Matthew 2,688 Dawn 3,356
125 Leroy 2,637 Loretta 3,244
126 Warren 2,621 Charlene 3,242
127 Joel 2,593 Julia 3,156
128 Herbert 2,592 Norma 3,103
129 Edwin 2,550 Joann 3,064
130 Mike 2,506 Beth 3,035
131 Glen 2,495 Jan 2,993
132 Benjamin 2,452 Renee 2,979
133 Marc 2,403 Sheryl 2,931
134 Nicholas 2,369 Kim 2,929
135 Alvin 2,368 Carla 2,890
136 Duane 2,325 Andrea 2,722
137 Leslie 2,232 Regina 2,715
138 Garry 2,217 Louise 2,692
139 Dan 2,154 Amy 2,676
140 Leon 2,145 Irene 2,658
141 Mitchell 2,145 Marlene 2,650
142 Lloyd 2,114 Vanessa 2,644
143 Guy 2,098 Geraldine 2,572
144 Vernon 2,095 Juanita 2,551
145 Dwight 2,035 Claudia 2,515
146 Lonnie 1,972 Kay 2,507
147 Gilbert 1,959 Gayle 2,497
148 Neil 1,958 Jeanette 2,487
149 Jackie 1,956 Audrey 2,455
150 Allan 1,954 Annie 2,409
151 Gene 1,903 Joy 2,366
152 Floyd 1,871 June 2,362
153 Juan 1,867 Toni 2,298
154 Brad 1,848 Annette 2,281
155 Wesley 1,844 Patsy 2,281
156 Lewis 1,839 Vivian 2,275
157 Franklin 1,821 Lynne 2,267
158 Reginald 1,813 Roxanne 2,231
159 Chris 1,801 Marjorie 2,221
160 Robin 1,791 Rosemary 2,190
161 Clyde 1,777 Shelley 2,177
162 Donnie 1,773 Ruby 2,142
163 Randolph 1,764 Penny 2,134
164 Lester 1,758 Sara 2,122
165 Dana 1,740 Rosa 2,108
166 Karl 1,738 Holly 2,093
167 Kent 1,720 Patti 2,093
168 Kurt 1,692 Kimberly 2,090
169 Manuel 1,682 Arlene 2,073
170 Kerry 1,662 Melissa 2,062
171 Jimmie 1,622 Vicky 2,041
172 Carlos 1,612 Marianne 2,031
173 Leo 1,610 Lynda 2,024
174 Jim 1,595 Dolores 1,963
175 Milton 1,581 Yolanda 1,961
176 Bill 1,527 Melinda 1,954
177 Gerard 1,520 Delores 1,948
178 Stuart 1,494 Melanie 1,860
179 Freddie 1,492 Becky 1,849
180 Daryl 1,469 Mildred 1,835
181 Harvey 1,459 Monica 1,826
182 Charlie 1,457 Rachel 1,806
183 Johnnie 1,444 Janis 1,791
184 Terrence 1,440 Carmen 1,783
185 Chester 1,420 Jackie 1,733
186 Herman 1,418 Josephine 1,720
187 Lynn 1,414 Eva 1,715
188 Tom 1,388 Belinda 1,683
189 Rex 1,380 Edna 1,679
190 Kirk 1,375 Shelia 1,666
191 Ted 1,344 Veronica 1,640
192 Darryl 1,332 Luann 1,638
193 Roland 1,322 Esther 1,631
194 Cecil 1,301 Lillian 1,629
195 Todd 1,290 Ramona 1,611
196 Arnold 1,282 Jacquelyn 1,604
197 Oscar 1,270 Lydia 1,558
198 Ruben 1,258 Candace 1,555
199 Perry 1,255 Melody 1,546
200 Fredrick 1,235 Georgia 1,533
201 Alexander 1,234 Lucy 1,532
202 Brent 1,232 Emma 1,528
203 Maurice 1,227 Carole 1,506
204 Nathaniel 1,227 Lou 1,493
205 Bryan 1,225 Janie 1,492
206 Tyrone 1,223 Nina 1,489
207 Antonio 1,166 Margie 1,487
208 Claude 1,143 Paulette 1,485
209 Terrance 1,120 Sherri 1,471
210 Marshall 1,103 Pauline 1,424
211 Ricardo 1,094 Edith 1,422
212 Neal 1,088 Dianna 1,410
213 Mario 1,073 Grace 1,410
214 Byron 1,044 Christina 1,387
215 Clifton 1,039 Bobbie 1,384
216 Sidney 1,024 Lee 1,357
217 Luis 1,019 Dana 1,352
218 Rickie 1,003 Emily 1,341
219 Ross 999 Marion 1,337
220 Jessie 995 Lucille 1,330
221 Jeff 975 Carrie 1,308
222 Aaron 974 Priscilla 1,308
223 Wallace 974 Wilma 1,304
224 Kelly 964 Marla 1,298
225 Nathan 960 Billie 1,279
226 Greg 954 Gladys 1,264
227 Gregg 948 Patty 1,249
228 Nelson 947 Thelma 1,240
229 Wendell 945 Debora 1,239
230 Hugh 941 Tina 1,237
231 Lance 922 Vera 1,219
232 Morris 918 Bonita 1,199
233 Edgar 915 Mona 1,192
234 Benny 914 Clara 1,184
235 Marcus 896 Ethel 1,177
236 Randal 896 Patrice 1,165
237 Lyle 889 Nora 1,162
238 Sam 872 Bertha 1,159
239 Clayton 843 Maryann 1,147
240 Dave 834 Doreen 1,137
241 Carlton 834 Karla 1,135
242 Marion 833 Eleanor 1,118
243 Francisco 831 Willie 1,111
244 Tim 815 Ella 1,098
245 Jesus 792 Faye 1,097
246 Clinton 788 Jody 1,097
247 Rocky 786 Dale 1,095
248 Raul 781 Beatrice 1,085
249 Bradford 773 Bernice 1,075
250 Sammy 769 Sherrie 1,072

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 'Jesus' or 'Jody', still top the charts. As the birth rate declines, we won't see baby names like 'Michael' 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 'John' or 'Karen' 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 'Lindas' 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 'David' or 'Barbara' 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 'William' 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 'Charles' or 'Patricia' are on repeat, you'll likely see them in the baby name charts.

Family Tradition

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

So, while we can't always predict why a name like 'Gary' or 'Rebecca' 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 1954". NameCensus.com. Accessed on March 29, 2024. https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1954/.

  • "Most Popular Baby Names in 1954". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1954/. Accessed 29 March, 2024

  • Most Popular Baby Names in 1954. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-baby-names-in-1954/.