Site to check how common your first name is, or was

[Awsi Dooger]

http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/

I was reminded of this site by the thread asking about first names. Go near the bottom right of that link, to "Popularity of a Name," and you can check the progression, based on where it ranks among baby names in that particular year. Amazing how certain names fall in or out of favor.

In my case, Gary, the trend line has been dramatic. Annually worse, almost without exception, for 50 years, from 13th most popular to 338, and plunging fast. No one wants their kid to be Gary anymore. :-(

"Popularity of the male name Gary"

Year of birth Rank

2005 --338
2004--327
2003--324
2002--284
2001 --294
2000 --275
1999--251
1998--234
1997 --232
1996--202
1995 --190
1994--167
1993--156
1992--139
1991--124
1990--114
1989--106
1988--100
1987--87
1986--84
1985--82
1984 --75
1983--68
1982 --64
1981--62
1980 --63
1979 --59
1978 --60
1977--58
1976 --52
1975--50
1974--48
1973 --44
1972--41
1971--38
1970--35
1969 --35
1968 --32
1967--32
1966 --28
1965 --27
1964 --26
1963 --24
1962--22
1961--21
1960 --22
1959--20
1958 --17
1957--13
1956--13

[MissHoneychurch]

1. Seems my name

got itty bitty more popular. It is Nora btw.

2005 277
2004 306
2003 367
2002 468
2001 450
2000 501
1999 457
1998 476
1997 450
1996 451
1995 463
1994 474
1993 481
1992 473
1991 445
1990 431
1989 415
1988 398
1987 417
1986 446
1985 412
1984 392
1983 421
1982 409
1981 406
1980 401
1979 404
1978 367
1977 403
1976 396
1975 377

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

2. Well, my named slipped from #127 to #694.

I blame the decline of Jaclyn Smith.

[Random_Australian]

3. More popular ALL the damn time!

2005 25
2004 25
2003 24
2002 27
2001 27
2000 26
1999 29
1998 30
1997 29
1996 29
1995 31
1994 31
1993 33
1992 33
1991 33
1990 33
1989 29
1988 30
1987 28
1986 30
1985 31
1984 31
1983 32
1982 33
1981 32
1980 32
1979 33
1978 34
1977 29
1976 32
1975 36
1974 46
1973 55
1972 64
1971 69
1970 81
1969 91
1968 99
1967 119
1966 130
1965 133
1964 131
1963 144
1962 140
1961 146
1960 155
1959 150
1958 151
1957 138
1956 130

With "Benjamin"

and 'did not appear in the top 1000 with "some random name, I don't know, something"

and 'did not appear in the top 1000 with "Random_Australian"

[Awsi Dooger]

4. I would never have guessed some of these

Emily has been the most popular female name for ten straight years. Very pretty name, but I'm struggling to remember any girl named Emily from my neighborhood or schools during the late '60s thru mid '80s. In 20 or 30 years I guess we'll be swamped with well known Emilys.

Madison has made an incredible leap in popularity. It didn't crack the top 1000 until 1985 but now 3rd.

[ET Awful]

8. Madison kind of surprised me. I thought it was fairly rare when my

sister named her daughter Madison 5 years ago. I guess I was wrong. :P

[NMMNG]

5. My how things change

2005 316
2004 280
2003 267
2002 275
2001 265
2000 257
1999 247
1998 228
1997 202
1996 181
1995 177
1994 171
1993 168
1992 153
1991 143
1990 135
1989 129
1988 128
1987 115
1986 106
1985 106
1984 94
1983 88
1982 80
1981 74
1980 80
1979 77
1978 71
1977 61
1976 59
1975 51
1974 44
1973 39
1972 31
1971 31
1970 27
1969 25
1968 26

[Iniquitous Bunny]

6. Was #50 the year I was born.

It peaked at #3 in the early 90's, now in the top 20.

[graywarrior]

7. For some reason, James is popular most of the time

[Arugula Latte]

35. I love that name. nt

[hedgehog]

9. My name and my daughters' names never ranked higher than about 750

and that was back in the 30's. Both my sons' names have ranked in the top 150 forever. That must mean something, but I don't know what.

[scarlet_owl]

10. Ember isn't even in the top 1000.

I guess that's true. I've only known of two others.

[AirmensMom]

11. Mine went from 4 in 1956 to 662 in 2005!

I guess I'm not the only one who doesn't like my name these days. :rofl:

[jus_the_facts]

12. Not even in the top 1000 for any year of birth in the last 100yrs.......

.....Amberley is not in the top 1000 female names for any year of birth in the last 100 years! :D

[Ravenseye]

37. Mine neither

Though it is an Arab name and as far as I know i'm the only one in the country with it.

[miss_american_pie]

13. If you didn't know my name before

you could probably guess from this. :)

2005 42
2004 38
2003 31
2002 28
2001 26
2000 26
1999 21
1998 20
1997 18
1996 19
1995 18
1994 17
1993 15
1992 11
1991 8
1990 8
1989 7
1988 5
1987 4
1986 4
1985 3
1984 1
1983 1
1982 1
1981 1
1980 1
1979 1
1978 1
1977 1
1976 1
1975 1
1974 1
1973 1
1972 1
1971 1
1970 1
1969 3
1968 4
1967 10
1966 10
1965 20
1964 31
1963 36
1962 41
1961 47
1960 61
1959 78
1958 81
1957 86
1956 97
1955 104
1954 108
1953 115
1952 107
1951 119
1950 118
1949 121
1948 150
1947 145
1946 156
1945 200
1944 262
1943 400
1942 525
1941 603
1940 690
1939 894
1938 987

[Awsi Dooger]

30. That's one of the most unique trend lines I've seen

I guessed your name, albeit on my second try.

So it's a '70s and '80s chart topper but slowly losing ground. Seems like an All-American name and I can't see it falling too far, but I never would have guessed #42 at this point.

No wonder there are so many famous Jens these days, and that will continue. Heck, from the peak of the popularity, the group is only in their late teens thru late 30s.

[miss_american_pie]

31. I'm surprised it's as high as 42

I'd figure most women of childbearing age are tired of it. ;)

[xchrom]

14. oh. my. -- here ya go --

Markham is not in the top 1000 names for any year of birth in the last 52 years.
Please enter another name.

this is not an indication of my age.

[Katina]

15. all these years, I thought my real name was common

I had 5 classmates in grammer school with my name...and yet, it never even cracked the top 20 names over the last 55 years! Wow!

2005 650
2004 686
2003 559
2002 520
2001 527
2000 493
1999 456
1998 467
1997 420
1996 397
1995 352
1994 341
1993 314
1992 295
1991 268
1990 251
1989 246
1988 222
1987 220
1986 200
1985 187
1984 160
1983 157
1982 154
1981 133
1980 135
1979 126
1978 125
1977 118
1976 108
1975 104
1974 100
1973 93
1972 91
1971 78
1970 62
1969 57
1968 54
1967 57
1966 61
1965 59
1964 60
1963 57
1962 56
1961 54
1960 52
1959 44
1958 47
1957 44
1956 46
1955 43
1954 44
1953 46
1952 45
1951 46

[Sannum]

16. I have the most popular female name

Now I want to change it because I do not want to be trendy:P

[1gobluedem]

17. Mine is the #1 girl's name for the year I was born - 1960

Mary. But I would've been named that no matter what because I was named after a recently deceased grandmother.

[skygazer]

18. Well, that was kind of fun

In 50 years, my name has never been higher than 187th on the list of popularity. In fact, after 1994, it dropped off the list of 1000 most popular altogether (it was 994th in '94). Oh, and it's Marjorie.

My SO's on the other hand, has been 1st or 2nd for 50 years. Michael.

[terrya]

19. Mine went from 180 to 407

Popularity of the male name Terry Year of birth Rank
2005 407
2004 401
2003 393
2002 380
2001 342
2000 331
1999 315
1998 303
1997 269
1996 259
1995 245
1994 241
1993 213
1992 196
1991 180

[xmas74]

20. My name has never appeared on that site.

It's not common for the top 500 or even the top 1000.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

21. My name has not been in the 1000 most popular names in the past 15 years.

Gee, what a surprise! :D

[SiobhanClancy]

22. Number 6 the year I was born..number 715 now

Barbara

[sakabatou]

23. My name was #1 untill '99

[helderheid]

24. Clarity is not in the top 1000 female names for any year of birth

Clarity is not in the top 1000 female names for any year of birth in the last 31 years.
Please enter another name.

[u4ic]

25. Not particularly...

2005 293
2004 287
2003 269
2002 267
2001 308
2000 309
1999 306
1998 265
1997 304
1996 327
1995 345
1994 324
1993 337
1992 352
1991 366
1990 381
1989 337
1988 317
1987 269
1986 495
1985 522
1984 505
1983 507
1982 622
1981 633
1980 736
1979 670
1978 692
1977 639
1976 649
1975 624
1974 666
1973 645
1972 692
1971 666
1970 675
1969 692
1968 655
1967 716
1966 797

[Reverend_Smitty]

26. My name peaked at #10 in 1977

but was still rather popular my birth year at #27 in 1984...however in the recent years(2000-05) it has fallen out of the top 100

I feel like Casey Kasem with this post

[alcibiades_mystery]

27. QUIZ: My daughters name was popular in 1920, when it ranked 25

In 2005, it ranked 265.

Can you figure out her name?

[NYdemocrat089]

28. David

2005 14
2004 14
2003 14
2002 13
2001 12
2000 16
1999 16
1998 13
1997 14
1996 13
1995 16
1994 13
1993 11
1992 10
1991 8
1990 6
1989 5
1988 6
1987 5
1986 5
1985 6
1984 5
1983 4
1982 5
1981 5
1980 4
1979 4
1978 4
1977 4
1976 4
1975 5
1974 4
1973 5
1972 4
1971 3
1970 3
1969 2
1968 2
1967 2
1966 2
1965 3
1964 3
1963 3
1962 2
1961 2
1960 1
1959 2
1958 2
1957 3
1956 4


I've never really liked being a "David." I always end up with other Davids in my classes. This year there were three of us in Earth Sciene...very confusing.

[Arugula Latte]

29. Fascinating. Mine peaked in 1957 (before I was born). nt

[deadparrot]

32. Over the past 50 years,

it never ranked higher than 82. The year I was born, it was 202.

My mom always said it was extremely popular in the UK, especially around the time I was born (mid-to-late 80s).

[YankeyMCC]

33. This confirms it ...

I always say put more than three other males in a room and there's always at least one Michael.

2005 2
2004 2
2003 2
2002 2
2001 2
2000 2
1999 2
1998 1
1997 1
1996 1
1995 1
1994 1
1993 1
1992 1
1991 1
1990 1
1989 1
1988 1
1987 1
1986 1
1985 1
1984 1
1983 1
1982 1
1981 1
1980 1
1979 1
1978 1
1977 1
1976 1
1975 1
1974 1
1973 1
1972 1
1971 1
1970 1
1969 1
1968 1

Kinda annoying actually...at one time I considered using my middle name instead but never followed through...ah well I like the name it's just so...well common! :)

[azmouse]

40. Most of the Michaels I met have been... well, eccentric...

Is it the need to stand out among so many other men with the same name?
BTW... I should add, that all the Michaels I've met have also been very nice too! ...just a little odd, that's all. LOL ;)

[YankeyMCC]

45. Hey now that's an idea...

I need to start adding eccentricities :)

[NewWaveChick1981]

34. Mine (Julie) was 22nd in the year I was born and 283rd in 2005...

What's wrong with that name??? Huh??? :eyes:

I'm glad more people aren't named Julie. It's mine---all mine! :P

[BreweryYardRat]

36. From 126 to 413 over the course of my 18 years.

Kinda makes me sad.

[azmouse]

38. No one uses my name (Wendy) much any more either!

Why would someone name their daughter after a fastfood restaurant??? :shrug:

BTW... I have an older brother named Gary but he was born in 1956 when the name was more popular.

[Awsi Dooger]

46. I'm a few years older than your brother

I just went back further and the name Gary rose in popularity steadily beginning in the 1920s, from 771 in the mid '20s all the way to peak popularity in 1950-1954, always 9th or 10th in those years. Now it's headed steadily in the other direction.

Come to think of it, I've known many Garys but most of them were somewhat older than me.

[Beaverhausen]

39. "Lisa" was #1 from 1962 till 1969

that explains a lot!

http://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi

[Aristus]

41. Last year, my name, Robert, ranked 39th.

It was 5th the year I was born.

[Ariana Celeste]

42. From #388 to #477

(My name is Lena)

Year of birth Rank
2005- 477
2004- 523
2003- 509
2002- 544
2001- 560
2000- 557
1999- 541
1998- 529
1997- 539
1996- 563
1995- 576
1994- 545
1993- 578
1992- 510
1991- 519
1990- 528
1989- 554
1988- 554
1987- 508
1986- 501
1985- 424
1984- 450
1983- 461
1982- 429
1981- 450
1980- 434
1979- 452
1978- 461
1977- 444
1976- 441
1975- 425
1974- 412
1973- 430
1972- 413
1971- 425
1970- 434
1969- 440
1968- 444
1967- 424
1966- 391
1965- 409
1964- 409
1963- 428
1962- 423
1961- 409
1960- 429
1959- 416
1958- 410
1957- 389
1956- 388

[GoddessOfGuinness]

43. Wow...My older boy's name was ranked 321 when he was born

I caught hell for liking the name Ethan and being so stubborn about it. Now it's ranked 5th.
I guess we'll have to rename him now. :D

[Arkansas Granny]

44. My name was number 6 the year I was born and is 316 now.

[Blue_In_AK]

47. Oh, yes, I had the 2nd most popular name the year I was born...

Linda, in 1946, and I can attest to that because there were always at least three Lindas in all of my classes. Now it's 416th.