Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1888

In this article we'll look at what the most popular baby girl names were for the year 1888. 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 girl names in 1888, 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

Rank Name Count
1 Mary 11,754
2 Anna 4,982
3 Elizabeth 3,224
4 Emma 3,087
5 Margaret 2,904
6 Minnie 2,654
7 Bertha 2,450
8 Florence 2,444
9 Ethel 2,374
10 Bessie 2,278
11 Clara 2,230
12 Ida 2,229
13 Alice 2,202
14 Annie 2,188
15 Grace 2,090
16 Helen 1,847
17 Mabel 1,830
18 Ella 1,774
19 Martha 1,769
20 Sarah 1,755
21 Nellie 1,736
22 Edna 1,687
23 Lillian 1,656
24 Carrie 1,647
25 Laura 1,624
26 Pearl 1,591
27 Rose 1,590
28 Gertrude 1,468
29 Edith 1,453
30 Frances 1,452
31 Cora 1,433
32 Maude 1,396
33 Louise 1,334
34 Eva 1,329
35 Myrtle 1,310
36 Hattie 1,298
37 Jennie 1,298
38 Julia 1,292
39 Mattie 1,268
40 Marie 1,258
41 Lillie 1,249
42 Catherine 1,212
43 Jessie 1,200
44 Lula 1,173
45 Lena 1,162
46 Ada 1,116
47 Elsie 1,112
48 Agnes 1,046
49 Josephine 1,001
50 Fannie 991
51 Lucy 964
52 Blanche 942
53 Mamie 917
54 Dora 898
55 Hazel 898
56 Katherine 893
57 Maggie 882
58 Alma 853
59 Ruth 850
60 Mae 836
61 Nora 832
62 Rosa 832
63 May 782
64 Stella 775
65 Effie 744
66 Irene 722
67 Nettie 692
68 Ellen 691
69 Sadie 691
70 Sallie 633
71 Della 621
72 Susie 621
73 Daisy 612
74 Viola 596
75 Lizzie 593
76 Nancy 582
77 Esther 572
78 Flora 541
79 Willie 522
80 Katie 516
81 Lottie 511
82 Etta 500
83 Mildred 499
84 Georgia 477
85 Lydia 472
86 Maud 469
87 Olive 465
88 Charlotte 464
89 Caroline 458
90 Emily 457
91 Addie 455
92 Jane 446
93 Kathryn 446
94 Ruby 445
95 Beulah 426
96 Ollie 411
97 Amanda 404
98 Pauline 393
99 Harriet 389
100 Virginia 385
101 Theresa 377
102 Mollie 375
103 Dorothy 373
104 Nannie 373
105 Lulu 367
106 Susan 363
107 Kate 360
108 Amelia 358
109 Henrietta 349
110 Eliza 343
111 Rebecca 337
112 Matilda 328
113 Ora 325
114 Marion 322
115 Belle 317
116 Beatrice 316
117 Gladys 314
118 Leona 311
119 Lola 304
120 Nina 304
121 Estella 303
122 Iva 302
123 Ann 295
124 Hannah 295
125 Sara 293
126 Anne 292
127 Lela 292
128 Eleanor 288
129 Rachel 281
130 Estelle 274
131 Augusta 270
132 Vera 263
133 Goldie 261
134 Josie 257
135 Barbara 253
136 Sophia 251
137 Mayme 247
138 Maria 239
139 Evelyn 237
140 Amy 236
141 Marguerite 235
142 Inez 233
143 Essie 230
144 Allie 223
145 Eula 223
146 Hilda 219
147 Alta 218
148 Betty 214
149 Millie 213
150 Rosie 211
151 Mable 209
152 Victoria 207
153 Ina 206
154 Janie 206
155 Delia 200
156 Ola 200
157 Celia 196
158 Callie 195
159 Nell 188
160 Flossie 182
161 Birdie 181
162 Eunice 180
163 Bertie 179
164 Lucille 179
165 Winifred 176
166 Olga 172
167 Rena 172
168 Luella 171
169 Sophie 171
170 Christine 170
171 Leila 170
172 Bettie 169
173 Lou 169
174 Sylvia 166
175 Verna 165
176 Bess 164
177 Bernice 157
178 Loretta 157
179 Frieda 154
180 Genevieve 154
181 Tillie 154
182 Isabelle 153
183 Louisa 152
184 Alberta 147
185 Jean 145
186 Violet 145
187 Isabel 144
188 Winnie 143
189 Sally 142
190 Selma 139
191 Abbie 137
192 Roxie 136
193 Myra 134
194 Dollie 133
195 Mathilda 133
196 Rhoda 130
197 Adeline 128
198 Elva 128
199 Lelia 128
200 Hulda 126
201 Jeanette 126
202 Lilly 124
203 Carolyn 123
204 Hettie 120
205 Irma 120
206 Lois 120
207 Gussie 118
208 Harriett 118
209 Johanna 118
210 Leah 118
211 Marjorie 118
212 Sue 117
213 Adele 116
214 Cornelia 116
215 Christina 114
216 Cecelia 113
217 Hester 113
218 Virgie 112
219 Teresa 111
220 Zella 111
221 Geneva 109
222 Jeannette 109
223 Katharine 108
224 Lora 107
225 Lenora 105
226 Nelle 105
227 Mina 104
228 Helena 103
229 Lily 102
230 Norma 101
231 Frankie 100
232 Meta 99
233 Adelaide 98
234 Elma 97
235 Lucinda 97
236 Cecilia 97
237 Freda 95
238 Linnie 95
239 Lucile 94
240 Hallie 93
241 Naomi 93
242 Marian 92
243 Regina 92
244 Gertie 91
245 Lura 91
246 Lettie 90
247 Wilhelmina 88
248 Francis 88
249 Lila 88
250 Elsa 87

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 'Lura' or '', still top the charts. As the birth rate declines, we won't see baby names like 'Mary' or '' 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 'Emma' or '' 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 'Elizabeths' or 's' 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 'Margaret' or '' 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 'Minnie' or '' 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 'Bessie' or '' are on repeat, you'll likely see them in the baby name charts.

Family Tradition

Some names like 'Bertha' or '' 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 'Florence' or '' show the lasting impact of religion and politics on baby names.

So, while we can't always predict why a name like 'Ethel' or '' 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 Girl Names in 1888". NameCensus.com. Accessed on March 29, 2024. https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-girl-names-in-1888/.

  • "Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1888". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-girl-names-in-1888/. Accessed 29 March, 2024

  • Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1888. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-girl-names-in-1888/.