Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1965

In this article we'll look at what the most popular baby girl names were for the year 1965. 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 1965, 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 Lisa 60,270
2 Mary 34,270
3 Karen 32,873
4 Kimberly 28,833
5 Susan 26,328
6 Patricia 23,553
7 Donna 19,699
8 Linda 19,338
9 Cynthia 19,245
10 Angela 18,749
11 Tammy 18,008
12 Pamela 17,473
13 Deborah 17,084
14 Julie 16,986
15 Sandra 16,374
16 Elizabeth 16,322
17 Laura 16,214
18 Michelle 16,213
19 Lori 15,698
20 Jennifer 15,207
21 Christine 15,202
22 Sharon 15,132
23 Brenda 15,060
24 Teresa 14,579
25 Barbara 14,026
26 Dawn 13,339
27 Debra 13,098
28 Denise 13,033
29 Tina 12,827
30 Kelly 12,761
31 Cheryl 12,554
32 Nancy 12,255
33 Robin 11,991
34 Kathleen 11,778
35 Amy 11,530
36 Tracy 11,173
37 Rhonda 10,949
38 Melissa 10,565
39 Wendy 10,481
40 Diane 10,363
41 Rebecca 10,212
42 Carol 10,099
43 Kim 10,084
44 Stephanie 9,764
45 Theresa 9,682
46 Maria 9,475
47 Jacqueline 9,414
48 Michele 8,664
49 Paula 7,912
50 Sheila 7,902
51 Jill 7,821
52 Margaret 7,793
53 Cindy 7,778
54 Kathy 7,764
55 Janet 7,654
56 Sherry 7,383
57 Catherine 7,245
58 Carolyn 6,967
59 Ann 6,781
60 Laurie 6,534
61 Connie 6,154
62 Debbie 6,089
63 Andrea 6,082
64 Diana 5,928
65 Suzanne 5,913
66 Beth 5,772
67 Valerie 5,648
68 Renee 5,497
69 Terri 5,376
70 Gina 5,268
71 Annette 5,259
72 Monica 5,115
73 Janice 5,031
74 Christina 4,974
75 Leslie 4,876
76 Carla 4,781
77 Anne 4,723
78 Dana 4,723
79 Katherine 4,707
80 Lynn 4,667
81 Wanda 4,654
82 Regina 4,549
83 Darlene 4,359
84 Stacey 4,270
85 Tracey 4,259
86 Judy 4,242
87 Kathryn 4,159
88 Cathy 4,153
89 Joyce 4,129
90 Bonnie 4,128
91 Sherri 4,064
92 Sarah 4,059
93 Colleen 4,030
94 Anita 4,020
95 Jane 3,926
96 Anna 3,922
97 Penny 3,897
98 Shelly 3,850
99 Martha 3,799
100 Melinda 3,797
101 Beverly 3,773
102 Judith 3,580
103 Betty 3,566
104 Tamara 3,562
105 Heidi 3,558
106 Marie 3,486
107 Maureen 3,480
108 Victoria 3,478
109 Gloria 3,441
110 Deanna 3,407
111 Shirley 3,368
112 Jean 3,364
113 Holly 3,358
114 Vicki 3,330
115 Virginia 3,294
116 Joan 3,280
117 Ellen 3,251
118 Ruth 3,230
119 Stacy 3,205
120 Kristine 3,163
121 Joanne 3,150
122 Melanie 3,116
123 Peggy 3,104
124 Julia 3,101
125 Veronica 3,075
126 Rita 3,064
127 Jodi 3,054
128 Allison 3,043
129 Tonya 2,969
130 Dorothy 2,960
131 Sylvia 2,959
132 Yvonne 2,954
133 Rose 2,865
134 Gail 2,858
135 Kristin 2,829
136 April 2,812
137 Helen 2,802
138 Vickie 2,784
139 Yolanda 2,758
140 Jamie 2,746
141 Sheri 2,629
142 Charlene 2,591
143 Becky 2,589
144 Shannon 2,569
145 Alice 2,567
146 Crystal 2,542
147 Sheryl 2,535
148 Shelley 2,528
149 Heather 2,499
150 Elaine 2,498
151 Marilyn 2,490
152 Carrie 2,484
153 Charlotte 2,473
154 Yvette 2,466
155 Phyllis 2,464
156 Jackie 2,443
157 Eileen 2,419
158 Joann 2,395
159 Alicia 2,356
160 Sonya 2,353
161 Toni 2,326
162 Sally 2,319
163 Frances 2,262
164 Felicia 2,192
165 Carmen 2,147
166 Jeanne 2,147
167 Roberta 2,130
168 Traci 2,080
169 Jeanette 2,068
170 Lorraine 2,059
171 Norma 2,049
172 Belinda 2,026
173 Terry 2,021
174 Tanya 2,020
175 Rachel 2,012
176 Evelyn 2,003
177 Joy 1,975
178 Sara 1,974
179 Samantha 1,961
180 Natalie 1,942
181 Ronda 1,912
182 Shelia 1,892
183 Jo 1,851
184 Shari 1,846
185 Loretta 1,839
186 Constance 1,834
187 Caroline 1,815
188 Karla 1,804
189 Kimberley 1,799
190 Sue 1,775
191 Kristen 1,726
192 Tami 1,721
193 Sandy 1,705
194 Gwendolyn 1,702
195 Tammie 1,696
196 Angie 1,695
197 Juanita 1,670
198 Patty 1,665
199 Melody 1,664
200 Audrey 1,659
201 Amanda 1,649
202 Dianne 1,638
203 Vanessa 1,632
204 Monique 1,628
205 Doris 1,625
206 Kristi 1,609
207 Lynda 1,605
208 Darla 1,582
209 Jody 1,570
210 Cassandra 1,562
211 Irene 1,554
212 Marcia 1,548
213 Bridget 1,544
214 Kelli 1,539
215 Marsha 1,538
216 Jessica 1,530
217 Glenda 1,514
218 Doreen 1,511
219 Lynne 1,501
220 Erin 1,463
221 Kelley 1,462
222 Teri 1,460
223 Alison 1,459
224 Shawn 1,448
225 Lynette 1,412
226 Rosa 1,407
227 Robyn 1,394
228 Leah 1,386
229 Lora 1,385
230 Kristina 1,372
231 Vicky 1,365
232 Janine 1,357
233 Eva 1,337
234 Patti 1,311
235 Danielle 1,305
236 Lauren 1,302
237 Lee 1,300
238 Emily 1,288
239 Katrina 1,286
240 Dianna 1,284
241 Rosemary 1,276
242 Roxanne 1,270
243 Ramona 1,269
244 Vivian 1,253
245 Sonia 1,252
246 Pam 1,218
247 Marlene 1,212
248 Sherrie 1,208
249 Lois 1,204
250 Tara 1,168

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 'Sonia' or '', still top the charts. As the birth rate declines, we won't see baby names like 'Lisa' 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 'Kimberly' 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 'Karens' 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 'Susan' 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 'Patricia' 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 'Angela' or '' are on repeat, you'll likely see them in the baby name charts.

Family Tradition

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

So, while we can't always predict why a name like 'Cynthia' 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 1965". NameCensus.com. Accessed on April 18, 2024. https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-girl-names-in-1965/.

  • "Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1965". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-girl-names-in-1965/. Accessed 18 April, 2024

  • Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1965. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-girl-names-in-1965/.