Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1896

In this article we'll look at what the most popular baby girl names were for the year 1896. 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 1896, 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 13,811
2 Anna 5,860
3 Helen 4,392
4 Margaret 4,050
5 Ruth 3,905
6 Ethel 3,502
7 Elizabeth 3,471
8 Florence 3,323
9 Marie 3,087
10 Emma 2,872
11 Lillian 2,702
12 Alice 2,651
13 Edna 2,604
14 Clara 2,582
15 Bertha 2,565
16 Minnie 2,530
17 Grace 2,485
18 Bessie 2,435
19 Annie 2,358
20 Rose 2,341
21 Mabel 2,283
22 Hazel 2,226
23 Gertrude 2,221
24 Ida 2,159
25 Pearl 2,101
26 Martha 2,022
27 Esther 1,964
28 Frances 1,964
29 Edith 1,932
30 Myrtle 1,928
31 Elsie 1,878
32 Eva 1,779
33 Gladys 1,757
34 Nellie 1,696
35 Sarah 1,691
36 Ella 1,683
37 Laura 1,665
38 Agnes 1,654
39 Mildred 1,620
40 Catherine 1,594
41 Irene 1,593
42 Louise 1,531
43 Lillie 1,483
44 Julia 1,407
45 Carrie 1,388
46 Dorothy 1,366
47 Hattie 1,320
48 Lena 1,318
49 Mattie 1,288
50 Josephine 1,256
51 Alma 1,243
52 Cora 1,204
53 Jennie 1,178
54 Blanche 1,150
55 Mae 1,148
56 Maude 1,104
57 Jessie 1,103
58 Mamie 1,081
59 Lucy 1,074
60 Stella 1,054
61 Katherine 1,047
62 Viola 1,047
63 Ada 1,041
64 Lula 1,012
65 Fannie 1,001
66 Ruby 994
67 Marion 987
68 Dora 874
69 Maggie 871
70 Beatrice 870
71 Nora 844
72 Sadie 827
73 Ellen 811
74 Rosa 808
75 Pauline 756
76 Willie 755
77 Beulah 750
78 Marguerite 725
79 Susie 718
80 Effie 716
81 Vera 675
82 May 671
83 Daisy 661
84 Evelyn 646
85 Della 642
86 Lucille 637
87 Nettie 628
88 Kathryn 625
89 Virginia 621
90 Olive 583
91 Lydia 580
92 Lottie 574
93 Georgia 562
94 Leona 556
95 Hilda 549
96 Emily 527
97 Flora 527
98 Nancy 527
99 Katie 516
100 Lizzie 508
101 Sallie 498
102 Eleanor 493
103 Charlotte 492
104 Bernice 489
105 Ann 488
106 Addie 485
107 Etta 484
108 Theresa 469
109 Lola 450
110 Caroline 437
111 Harriet 437
112 Iva 434
113 Lela 425
114 Anne 423
115 Jane 413
116 Henrietta 412
117 Ollie 409
118 Ora 408
119 Nannie 400
120 Inez 398
121 Estelle 392
122 Loretta 391
123 Lois 388
124 Marjorie 387
125 Goldie 384
126 Essie 381
127 Mollie 374
128 Rebecca 371
129 Amanda 367
130 Mable 367
131 Amelia 365
132 Eula 365
133 Estella 363
134 Olga 355
135 Violet 354
136 Eunice 351
137 Rachel 348
138 Susan 343
139 Betty 342
140 Sylvia 340
141 Frieda 339
142 Matilda 339
143 Sara 326
144 Verna 326
145 Barbara 324
146 Hannah 323
147 Amy 320
148 Nina 320
149 Flossie 315
150 Rosie 314
151 Maria 312
152 Doris 307
153 Genevieve 305
154 Kate 303
155 Alta 302
156 Lucile 300
157 Maud 298
158 Victoria 281
159 Madeline 279
160 Sophia 278
161 Christine 274
162 Ola 273
163 Naomi 269
164 Marian 267
165 Augusta 265
166 Irma 261
167 Eliza 260
168 Thelma 260
169 Kathleen 259
170 Alberta 258
171 Celia 258
172 Sophie 258
173 Jean 255
174 Velma 249
175 Freda 246
176 Belle 238
177 Ina 238
178 Selma 238
179 Isabel 232
180 Luella 230
181 Lulu 228
182 Josie 227
183 Vivian 224
184 Janie 223
185 Allie 221
186 Fern 218
187 Nell 215
188 Millie 213
189 Callie 212
190 Winifred 212
191 Virgie 211
192 Teresa 209
193 Winnie 205
194 Rena 203
195 Lila 201
196 Elva 198
197 Geneva 197
198 Norma 197
199 Erma 192
200 Cecelia 190
201 Delia 190
202 Tillie 189
203 Adeline 187
204 Mayme 186
205 Opal 186
206 Sally 185
207 Bertie 183
208 Isabelle 180
209 Lora 179
210 Jeanette 172
211 Leah 169
212 Miriam 169
213 Cecilia 168
214 Dollie 167
215 Gussie 167
216 Juanita 165
217 Bonnie 163
218 Birdie 162
219 Elma 160
220 Myra 158
221 Johanna 157
222 Lelia 153
223 Adele 152
224 Bess 151
225 Katharine 151
226 Hester 150
227 Carolyn 149
228 Leila 149
229 Regina 149
230 Veronica 145
231 Cecile 144
232 Muriel 144
233 Leola 141
234 Anita 139
235 Louisa 138
236 Jeannette 135
237 Cleo 134
238 Lenora 134
239 Hallie 134
240 Faye 132
241 Roxie 132
242 Maudie 132
243 Harriett 131
244 Hettie 131
245 Adelaide 130
246 Zella 130
247 Rhoda 130
248 Cornelia 130
249 Margie 130
250 Lou 130

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 'Adelaide' 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 'Margaret' 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 'Helens' 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 'Ruth' 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 'Ethel' 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 'Emma' or '' are on repeat, you'll likely see them in the baby name charts.

Family Tradition

Some names like 'Elizabeth' 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 'Marie' 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 1896". NameCensus.com. Accessed on March 29, 2024. https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-girl-names-in-1896/.

  • "Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1896". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-girl-names-in-1896/. Accessed 29 March, 2024

  • Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1896. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-girl-names-in-1896/.