Vanishing Names: The Baby Names America Has Nearly Forgotten

By Gustavo Athayde, Founder & Creative Director · Published October 29, 2026 · Last updated October 29, 2026

In 1947, 99,692 American girls were named Linda, more than any girls’ name in any year on record. In 2025, only 294 were. Linda is one of many vanishing names: of the 903 names that have ranked in America’s top 100 since 1880, 509 have lost at least 90% of their peak popularity, and 174 have lost 99% or more.

To build our Vanishing Names Index, we read every year of the Social Security Administration’s national baby name files, from 1880 to 2025, and measured how far each former top-100 name has fallen from its best year. The decline is not the whole story, however. Names such as Evelyn, Hazel and Theodore nearly disappeared and then returned to the top 25. Below are 100 statistics, the full index, and the official data behind them.

The Vanishing Names Index: America’s most forgotten names

Our index follows every name that ever ranked in America’s top 100 for its sex and measures how far it has fallen from its best year. For example, the chart compares a few of the most familiar names in their peak year and in 2025.

Then and now: babies per name

The 50 most vanished names

#	Name	Sex	Peak year	Best rank	Most babies in a year	2025 babies	2025 rank	Decline from peak
1	Vicki	Girl	1954	50	8,221 (1954)	Fewer than 5	—	>99.9%
2	Maud	Girl	1882	68	478 (1886)	Fewer than 5	—	>99.9%
3	Vickie	Girl	1956	68	6,957 (1956)	Fewer than 5	—	>99.9%
4	Ed	Boy	1885	54	696 (1959)	Fewer than 5	—	>99.9%
5	Nannie	Girl	1881	86	655 (1920)	Fewer than 5	—	>99.9%
6	Traci	Girl	1970	100	3,854 (1970)	Fewer than 5	—	>99.9%
7	Myrtle	Girl	1895	27	4,076 (1918)	8	10,917	−99.94%
8	Phyllis	Girl	1929	24	9,187 (1947)	7	11,932	−99.94%
9	Debra	Girl	1955	2	50,563 (1955)	31	4,460	−99.93%
10	Bessie	Girl	1889	9	4,122 (1916)	16	6,838	−99.92%
11	Carole	Girl	1942	35	8,407 (1942)	9	10,107	−99.91%
12	Bert	Boy	1880	47	698 (1918)	6	10,695	−99.89%
13	Gertrude	Girl	1896	22	6,300 (1917)	17	6,546	−99.89%
14	Willie	Girl	1910	54	4,051 (1919)	9	10,107	−99.88%
15	Peggy	Girl	1937	31	10,071 (1958)	12	8,362	−99.88%
16	Bertha	Girl	1883	7	5,051 (1918)	30	4,546	−99.88%
17	Gail	Girl	1951	36	9,886 (1951)	12	8,362	−99.86%
18	Cathy	Girl	1958	34	10,942 (1958)	12	8,362	−99.86%
19	Tonya	Girl	1973	36	7,244 (1972)	11	8,860	−99.86%
20	Ethel	Girl	1894	6	8,075 (1918)	34	4,172	−99.86%
21	Debbie	Girl	1959	20	19,540 (1959)	24	5,238	−99.85%
22	Latoya	Girl	1984	60	5,051 (1984)	8	10,917	−99.83%
23	Cheryl	Girl	1958	13	24,119 (1958)	32	4,352	−99.83%
24	Bob	Boy	1934	75	2,826 (1959)	7	9,714	−99.83%
25	Minnie	Girl	1880	5	3,274 (1916)	54	3,028	−99.82%
26	Dewey	Boy	1898	19	1,115 (1898)	28	3,848	−99.82%
27	Blanche	Girl	1884	51	2,836 (1917)	16	6,838	−99.82%
28	Rhonda	Girl	1965	37	10,949 (1965)	19	6,116	−99.81%
29	Grover	Boy	1885	20	802 (1884)	24	4,249	−99.80%
30	Garfield	Boy	1881	88	147 (1881)	5	12,008	−99.80%
31	Shirley	Girl	1935	2	42,366 (1935)	133	1,581	−99.80%
32	Kim	Boy	1955	98	3,490 (1955)	6	10,695	−99.79%
33	Tammy	Girl	1968	8	21,199 (1963)	41	3,645	−99.79%
34	Sue	Girl	1946	61	5,306 (1947)	11	8,860	−99.79%
35	Carol	Girl	1945	4	34,284 (1946)	82	2,239	−99.78%
36	Tracey	Girl	1970	55	6,230 (1970)	13	7,885	−99.77%
37	Terry	Girl	1955	83	5,353 (1955)	10	9,457	−99.77%
38	Mamie	Girl	1888	53	1,793 (1919)	19	6,116	−99.77%
39	Thelma	Girl	1911	25	7,839 (1921)	29	4,661	−99.76%
40	Doris	Girl	1929	6	16,575 (1928)	58	2,895	−99.76%
41	Kathy	Girl	1958	14	23,938 (1958)	48	3,249	−99.75%
42	Michele	Girl	1968	29	11,219 (1968)	28	4,758	−99.75%
43	Sherri	Girl	1963	78	5,460 (1963)	12	8,362	−99.74%
44	Terri	Girl	1959	46	8,783 (1959)	19	6,116	−99.73%
45	Gladys	Girl	1901	11	8,819 (1920)	49	3,211	−99.73%
46	Marsha	Girl	1950	68	5,583 (1952)	14	7,491	−99.72%
47	Jill	Girl	1966	41	7,871 (1966)	21	5,722	−99.72%
48	Maude	Girl	1882	20	1,396 (1888)	46	3,342	−99.72%
49	Wanda	Girl	1933	47	7,713 (1957)	20	5,917	−99.71%
50	Nettie	Girl	1881	62	1,167 (1918)	22	5,554	−99.70%

The 50 names with the steepest decline among the 903 names that ranked in the national top 100 for their sex at least once from 1880 to 2025. Decline compares each name’s share of babies of the same sex in 2025 with its share in its peak year. Names with fewer than five births in 2025 are not published by the SSA and are shown as a decline of more than 99.9%. Ranks are computed by number of births. Source: Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA national baby name data.

Vanishing names statistics

1. 1.ATELIER ANALYSIS903 names have ranked among America’s 100 most popular for their sex at least once since 1880. Of these, moreover, 509 are girls’ names and 394 are boys’ names (1880–2025). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 2.ATELIER ANALYSIS509 of those 903 names have lost at least 90% of their peak share of births by 2025. In other words, more than half of America’s once-popular names have nearly vanished. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 3.ATELIER ANALYSIS174 former top-100 names have lost 99% or more of their peak popularity by 2025. Another 230 have lost between 95% and 99%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
4. 4.ATELIER ANALYSIS93.3% is the median decline from peak to 2025 across all 903 former top-100 names. So the typical popular name of the past is now given at about one-fifteenth of its peak rate. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
5. 5.ATELIER ANALYSISSix former top-100 names did not appear in the 2025 data at all, which means fewer than five babies received each. Specifically, they are Maud, Nannie, Ed, Vicki, Vickie and Traci. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Names that are nearly gone

1. 6.ATELIER ANALYSISVicki was given to 8,221 girls in 1954. In 2025, by contrast, it was given to fewer than five. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 7.ATELIER ANALYSISDebra has fallen further than any other name that once reached the top 10, down 99.93% from its 1955 peak. That year, 50,563 girls were named Debra, compared with 31 in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 8.ATELIER ANALYSISMyrtle and Phyllis show the steepest declines among names still recorded in 2025, at 99.94% each. In fact, only eight girls were named Myrtle in 2025, and seven were named Phyllis. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
4. 9.ATELIER ANALYSISLinda holds the single-year record for a girls’ name, with 99,692 babies in 1947. In 2025, however, only 294 girls were named Linda. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
5. 10.ATELIER ANALYSIS5.6% of all girls born in 1947 were named Linda. By 2025, however, the share had fallen to about 0.02%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
6. 11.ATELIER ANALYSIS29 names that once ranked in the national top 10 now sit outside the top 1,000 (2025). All but two are girls’ names; the exceptions are Gary and Larry. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
7. 12.ATELIER ANALYSIS54 of the 903 names reached their highest share ever in 2025. Among them, for example, are Charlotte, Theodore, Violet and Naomi. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

What happened to America’s No. 1 names

Only 19 names have ever been the most popular for their sex in a given year. Their fortunes since then show a clear pattern: the boys’ leaders have endured, while several girls’ leaders have nearly vanished.

Name	Sex	Years at No. 1	Total years	Most babies in a year	2025 babies	2025 rank	Change in share from peak
Mary	Girl	1880–1961	76	73,984 (1921)	2,230	125	−98.2%
Linda	Girl	1947–1952	6	99,692 (1947)	294	902	−99.68%
Lisa	Girl	1962–1969	8	60,271 (1965)	256	987	−99.53%
Jennifer	Girl	1970–1984	15	63,600 (1972)	501	586	−99.28%
Jessica	Girl	1985–1995	9	55,992 (1987)	424	665	−99.18%
Ashley	Girl	1991–1992	2	54,856 (1987)	1,829	164	−96.4%
Emily	Girl	1996–2007	12	26,542 (1999)	5,451	34	−77.3%
Emma	Girl	2008–2018	6	22,719 (2003)	12,754	3	−64.1%
Isabella	Girl	2009–2010	2	22,936 (2010)	10,666	7	−48.6%
Sophia	Girl	2011–2013	3	22,336 (2012)	12,561	5	−38.4%
Olivia	Girl	2019–2025	7	19,840 (2014)	13,544	1	−24.1%
John	Boy	1880–1923	44	88,324 (1947)	8,027	23	−94.6%
Robert	Boy	1924–1953	17	91,655 (1947)	3,772	92	−96.2%
James	Boy	1940–1952	13	94,767 (1947)	11,945	6	−87.6%
Michael	Boy	1954–1998	44	92,781 (1957)	8,094	21	−90.1%
David	Boy	1960	1	86,306 (1955)	6,794	35	−90.5%
Jacob	Boy	1999–2012	14	36,031 (1998)	6,152	43	−80.9%
Noah	Boy	2013–2016	4	20,409 (2024)	20,358	2	At peak
Liam	Boy	2017–2025	9	22,252 (2024)	20,818	1	−5.6%

Every name that has ranked No. 1 for its sex in at least one year since 1880. “Years at No. 1” shows the first and last year at the top; some runs were interrupted. Source: Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA national baby name data.

The girls’ No. 1 names

1. 13.ATELIER ANALYSIS11 girls’ names and 8 boys’ names have held the No. 1 spot since 1880. In total, that makes 19 names across 146 years of records (1880–2025). — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 14.ATELIER ANALYSISMary was the No. 1 girls’ name for 76 years, from 1880 to 1961. In 2025, however, it ranked 125th, with 2,230 girls. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 15.ATELIER ANALYSISLinda was No. 1 from 1947 to 1952. By 2025, however, it had slipped to 902nd place. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
4. 16.ATELIER ANALYSISLisa led the girls from 1962 to 1969. By contrast, it ranked 987th in 2025, with 256 babies. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
5. 17.ATELIER ANALYSISJennifer was No. 1 for 15 years, from 1970 to 1984. In 2025, by comparison, 501 girls were named Jennifer, and the name ranked 586th. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
6. 18.ATELIER ANALYSISJessica held the top spot for nine years between 1985 and 1995. In 2025, by contrast, it ranked 665th. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

The boys’ No. 1 names

1. 19.ATELIER ANALYSISJohn was the No. 1 boys’ name for 44 years, ending in 1923. Even so, it still ranked 23rd in 2025, with 8,027 boys. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 20.ATELIER ANALYSISRobert led the boys for 17 years between 1924 and 1953. Its share has since fallen 96.2%, and it ranked 92nd in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 21.ATELIER ANALYSISJames holds the single-year record for any name, with 94,767 boys in 1947. In 2025, it still ranked sixth, with 11,945. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
4. 22.ATELIER ANALYSISEvery former No. 1 boys’ name still ranks in the top 100 in 2025. Among girls, by contrast, four former No. 1 names — Linda, Lisa, Jennifer and Jessica — rank below 500th. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
5. 23.ATELIER ANALYSISMichael was No. 1 in 44 of the 45 years from 1954 to 1998. Even so, 8,094 boys were named Michael in 2025, which placed it 21st. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Names of a generation: from Mildred to Jessica

Every generation of American girls has had a signature name, and each one rose and fell within a few decades. For example, the chart traces six of them.

Six generations, six signature names

The top name of each decade

1. 24.ATELIER ANALYSISMary was the most given girls’ name in every decade from the 1880s through the 1950s. In fact, 701,755 girls were named Mary in the 1920s alone. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 25.ATELIER ANALYSISLisa was the top girls’ name of the 1960s, with 496,987 babies. In 2025, by contrast, 256 girls were named Lisa. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 26.ATELIER ANALYSISJennifer was the top girls’ name of the 1970s, given to 581,729 girls. By 2025, however, it was given to 501. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
4. 27.ATELIER ANALYSISJessica was the top girls’ name of both the 1980s and the 1990s. As a result, those two decades produced 772,646 Jessicas. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Names that left the top 1,000

1. 28.ATELIER ANALYSISMildred peaked in 1920, when 18,060 girls received the name. It last ranked in the top 1,000 in 1984, and only 98 girls were named Mildred in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 29.ATELIER ANALYSISGertrude and Myrtle both left the top 1,000 after 1965. By 2025, only 17 girls were named Gertrude, while eight were named Myrtle. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 30.ATELIER ANALYSISShirley was given to 4.0% of all girls born in 1935. In 2025, by comparison, 133 girls received it. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
4. 31.ATELIER ANALYSISKaren reached 40,591 babies in 1957 and last ranked in the top 1,000 in 2020. In 2025, by contrast, 175 girls were named Karen. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
5. 32.ATELIER ANALYSISGary and Larry are the only former top-10 boys’ names now outside the top 1,000. Both last made the list in 2022. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
6. 33.ATELIER ANALYSISChad was given to 13,392 boys in 1972. By 2025, however, only 96 boys received the name, down 99.3% in share. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
7. 34.ATELIER ANALYSISHerbert, Dewey and Grover left the top 1,000 in 2002, 1986 and 1974. Yet each was once a top-25 boys’ name. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

The names vanishing now

Names do not fade only over a century. Several of the most popular names given to children in 2005, many of whom are now finishing high school, have already lost nine-tenths of their share.

Recent declines among girls’ names

1. 35.ATELIER ANALYSISAlexis ranked 13th among girls in 2005, with 11,977 babies. By 2025, however, it had fallen to 547 babies and 554th place. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 36.ATELIER ANALYSISMarissa lost 96.1% of its share between 2005 and 2025, the steepest drop among that year’s top-100 girls’ names. As a result, only 123 girls were named Marissa in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 37.ATELIER ANALYSISJada, Katelyn and Megan each lost about 94% to 95% of their share from 2005 to 2025. Yet all three were top-100 girls’ names in 2005. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Recent declines among boys’ names

1. 38.ATELIER ANALYSISTyler was given to 16,989 boys in 2005, when it ranked 16th. In 2025, by contrast, 1,633 boys were named Tyler. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 39.ATELIER ANALYSISKyle lost 89.6% of its share from 2005 to 2025, the largest drop among that year’s top-100 boys’ names. Brandon and Sean followed, while each fell 88.0%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 40.ATELIER ANALYSISOnly 22 of the top 100 girls’ names of 2000 remain in the top 100 in 2025. Among boys, by contrast, 45 do. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
4. 41.ATELIER ANALYSIS82.1% is the median decline in share for the top 100 girls’ names of 2000, measured in 2025. For boys, however, the median is 65.8%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
5. 42.ATELIER ANALYSISAshley was No. 1 in 1991 and 1992. Since its 1987 peak, its share has fallen 96.4%, and it ranked 164th in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Why girls’ names vanish faster than boys’ names

Boys’ names are handed down more often, and the data show it: they hold their place far longer than girls’ names do.

Which names lasted

Declines by sex

1. 43.ATELIER ANALYSIS95.1% is the median decline for former top-100 girls’ names (2025). For boys’ names, by comparison, it is 90.3%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 44.ATELIER ANALYSIS137 girls’ names have lost 99% or more of their peak share by 2025. For boys, by contrast, only 37 have. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 45.ATELIER ANALYSIS206 of 509 former top-100 girls’ names now rank outside the top 1,000 (2025). For boys, however, the figure is 103 of 394. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Which generations’ names survived

1. 46.ATELIER ANALYSISOnly seven of the top 100 girls’ names of 1950 remain in the 2025 top 100. Specifically, they are Elizabeth, Alice, Sarah, Charlotte, Evelyn, Maria and Victoria. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 47.ATELIER ANALYSIS18 of the top 100 boys’ names of 1950 remain in the 2025 top 100. By contrast, only seven girls’ names do. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 48.ATELIER ANALYSISOnly four of the top 100 girls’ names of 1975 remain in the 2025 top 100. For boys, by contrast, the figure is 23. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
4. 49.ATELIER ANALYSIS19 of the top 100 boys’ names of 1925 are still in the top 100 a century later, in 2025. For example, they include John, William, James, Henry, Theodore and Jack. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
5. 50.ATELIER ANALYSIS17 of the top 100 girls’ names of 1925 are back in, or still in, the top 100 in 2025. Most of them, such as Hazel, Violet and Eleanor, returned after decades away. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Forgotten names that came back

Vanishing is not always permanent. Some names that nearly disappeared have returned to the top of the charts, usually after most people who carried them had grown old.

Four names that returned

Every major comeback since 1880

Name	Sex	Early peak	Low point	Babies at low point	2025 babies	2025 rank
Emma	Girl	1881	1976	414	12,754	3
Theodore	Boy	1904	1999	913	13,355	4
Henry	Boy	1881	1986	1,996	12,020	5
Evelyn	Girl	1919	1980	861	9,123	8
Eleanor	Girl	1915	1984	244	7,649	12
Violet	Girl	1919	1990	127	7,546	13
Jack	Boy	1927	1984	1,483	8,748	15
Leo	Boy	1903	1990	431	8,173	19
Nora	Girl	1881	1986	485	6,380	20
Hazel	Girl	1897	1983	90	6,318	21
Lucy	Girl	1881	1978	291	6,176	24
Jacob	Boy	1881	1962	474	6,152	43
Sadie	Girl	1881	1969	80	4,168	50
Stella	Girl	1889	1995	125	4,136	52
Josephine	Girl	1916	1985	423	4,126	53
Vivian	Girl	1920	1981	351	3,362	70
Daisy	Girl	1880	1972	247	3,206	75
Harrison	Boy	1888	1977	78	3,072	116
Rosalie	Girl	1938	1996	119	1,797	171

Names that peaked before 1950, fell to 10% or less of that peak share, and by 2025 had recovered at least 30% of it. Peak and low point are measured by share of babies of the same sex. Source: Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA national baby name data.

Comeback statistics

1. 51.ATELIER ANALYSIS19 names lost at least 90% of an early peak and later regained at least 30% of it by 2025. Of these, moreover, 17 rank in the 2025 top 100. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 52.ATELIER ANALYSISHazel fell to 90 babies in 1983. By 2025, however, 6,318 girls were named Hazel, enough for 21st place. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 53.ATELIER ANALYSISViolet was given to 127 girls in 1990. In 2025, however, 7,546 girls received it, the most in its history. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
4. 54.ATELIER ANALYSISTheodore dipped to 913 boys in 1999. By 2025, however, it ranked fourth, with 13,355 boys, its highest count ever. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
5. 55.ATELIER ANALYSISHenry fell to 1,996 boys in 1986. In 2025, by contrast, 12,020 boys were named Henry, which placed it fifth. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

How long a comeback takes

1. 56.ATELIER ANALYSISEleanor was given to only 244 girls in 1984. By 2025, however, it ranked 12th, with 7,649 girls. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 57.ATELIER ANALYSISEvelyn fell to 861 girls in 1980. In 2025, by contrast, 9,123 girls were named Evelyn, the eighth most popular name. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 58.ATELIER ANALYSISEmma fell to 414 girls in 1976. Thirty-two years later, in 2008, it was No. 1, and in 2025 it ranked third. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
4. 59.ATELIER ANALYSIS87 years is the median gap between a revived name’s early peak and its low point. Meanwhile, the median return from that low point to 2025 has taken 41 years. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
5. 60.ATELIER ANALYSISFour of the top 10 girls’ names of 2025 were already in the top 100 by 1925: Emma, Charlotte, Amelia and Evelyn. For boys, similarly, five were: William, James, Henry, Oliver and Theodore. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
6. 61.Dean entered BabyCenter’s top 100 boys’ names in 2026. The name last peaked in the 1950s and 1960s, according to the site’s data on 350,000+ babies. — BabyCenter, via FOX 13
7. 62.Theodore was the most-viewed boys’ name on Nameberry from January to June 2025. In addition, Silas and Felix ranked second and third. — Nameberry

Fewer shared names: how variety grew

One reason names vanish is that parents now choose from a far wider field. In 1950, a handful of names covered a large share of babies; today, the most popular names cover only a small one.

The decline of the top 10

The shrinking share of top names

1. 63.ATELIER ANALYSIS24.1% of girls born in 1950 received one of that year’s 10 most popular names. In 2025, the share was 7.0%, the lowest on record. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
2. 64.ATELIER ANALYSIS33.8% of boys born in 1950 received a top-10 name. By 2025, the figure had fallen to 8.0%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
3. 65.ATELIER ANALYSIS31.5% of girls born in 2025 received a top-100 name. In 1950, by comparison, the figure was 67.9%. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
4. 66.ATELIER ANALYSIS38.0% of boys born in 2025 received a top-100 name, down from 77.6% in 1950. Boys’ names, in other words, remain more concentrated than girls’. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
5. 67.ATELIER ANALYSIS31,227 distinct names appear in the 2025 national file, counting girls’ and boys’ lists separately. In 1950, by comparison, there were 10,305. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data
6. 68.ATELIER ANALYSIS2008 was the peak year for variety, with 35,107 distinct names in the national file. Since then, however, the count has eased to 31,227 in 2025. — Gustavo Athayde analysis of SSA data

Names across the whole population

1. 69.71.5% of babies born in 2025 received a name from the national top 1,000. In 2016, by comparison, the share was 73.3%. — SSA data
2. 70.67.3% of girls born in 2025 received a top-1,000 name, compared with 75.6% of boys. Girls’ names, in other words, are spread across more choices. — SSA data
3. 71.5.2 million different first names were recorded in the 2020 Census. Of these, 99% were reported fewer than 100 times. — Census Bureau
4. 72.8.0% of all Americans counted in 2020 had one of the 10 most common first names. Just 69 first names covered a quarter of the population. — Census Bureau
5. 73.Michael, John, James, David and Robert were the five most common first names among Americans in the 2020 Census. Robert, in other words, remains common among the living even as it fades among newborns. — Census Bureau

Family names, heritage and memory

Many names leave the national rankings but remain in families, passed from grandparents to grandchildren as middle names or kept in family records. Surveys show how often Americans honor a relative with a name and how many explore their own family history.

Named for a relative

1. 74.27% of Americans say their first name comes from a family member. In addition, the 2022 YouGov poll surveyed 1,000 adults. — YouGov
2. 75.43% of Americans say their middle name is that of a family member (2022). The middle name, in other words, is where most families keep a relative’s name. — YouGov
3. 76.32% of men say they were named after a family member, compared with 21% of women (2022). This gap helps explain why boys’ names last longer. — YouGov
4. 77.52% of men named for a relative were named after their father (2022). In addition, 23% were named after a grandfather. — YouGov
5. 78.36% of women named for a relative were named after a grandmother (2022). By contrast, only 20% were named after their mother. — YouGov
6. 79.62% of Americans named for a relative say that relative was alive when they were named (2022). The name, in other words, was often a living handoff. — YouGov

How parents choose today

1. 80.23% of mothers in a 2024 BabyCenter poll named their baby after a family member. It was the most common source of inspiration among the 453 mothers surveyed. — BabyCenter, via FOX 5
2. 81.39% of American adults prefer less common first names, while 24% prefer more common ones (2025). Meanwhile, 37% were unsure, according to a YouGov poll of 2,567 adults. — YouGov
3. 82.29.4% of boys in a study of 841 Nebraska birth announcements were named after a family member, compared with 7.9% of girls (1994 and 2014). Most of those boys were named for the father’s side. — Obasi, Names

The family surname

1. 83.Eight of the 15 most common American surnames of 1790 were still in the top 15 in the 2020 Census. Surnames, unlike first names, hold their place for centuries. — Census Bureau
2. 84.79% of American women in opposite-sex marriages say they took their husband’s last name (2023). Pew surveyed 2,437 married adults. — Pew Research Center

Family history and memory

1. 85.53% of Americans cannot name all four of their grandparents, according to a 2022 Ancestry survey of 2,113 adults. Yet 66% say they want to learn more about their family history. — Ancestry
2. 86.61% of Americans say they learned about their family history from their grandparents (2023). Moreover, 51% learned cultural traditions from them. — YouGov
3. 87.2.2 billion searchable names and images were added to FamilySearch in 2025. As a result, its total now exceeds 22.7 billion. — FamilySearch
4. 88.1.8 billion people are now in FamilySearch’s shared family tree, after it grew by more than 163 million in 2025. Many of the names it preserves no longer appear on birth certificates. — FamilySearch

Baby name statistics in context

The official figures below describe the births and the national naming data behind the index, and how the United States compares with other countries that publish similar records.

The top names of 2025

1. 89.Olivia and Liam were America’s most popular baby names of 2025. Both have now held the top spot for seven straight years. — SSA
2. 90.Ava, a top-10 fixture for years, left the girls’ top 10 in 2025. Eliana took its place, debuting at No. 10. — SSA
3. 91.Alexa dropped out of the top 1,000 in 2025, falling from No. 806 to No. 1,029. The name had ranked 66th in 2005. — SSA

Births and records

1. 92.100% of Social Security card applications are used to compile the SSA’s name data, as of March 2026. Names with fewer than five occurrences, however, are left out to protect privacy. — SSA
2. 93.3,593,747 Americans born in 2025 already held a Social Security card by the 2026 tabulation. Of these, 1,757,924 were girls. — SSA
3. 94.3,606,400 babies were born in the United States in 2025, according to provisional CDC data. However, that was 1% fewer than in 2024. — CDC

A century of names

1. 95.Mary was the most-given girls’ name of the century from 1926 to 2025, with 2,845,637 babies. That is almost twice as many as No. 2, Patricia. — SSA
2. 96.147,155 girls born in the 1920s were named Mildred, a top-10 name of the decade. In 2025, by contrast, 98 girls received the name. — SSA

How other countries compare

1. 97.65,940 distinct first names were given in France in 2025, up from 8,007 in 1946. America’s widening variety, in other words, is shared abroad. — INSEE
2. 98.6% of boys and 4% of girls born in France in 2025 received one of the five most common names. In 1946, the figures were 33% and 21%. — INSEE
3. 99.41 babies were named Mary in Ireland in 2025, ranking it 112th. Fifty years earlier, it was the top girls’ name there. — Central Statistics Office (Ireland)
4. 100.Almost all of the top names of 1952 in New South Wales, Australia, have left its top 100, according to the state’s 2026 release. Its 2025 newcomers included Mabel and Maggie. — NSW Government

Methodology

Our Vanishing Names Index uses the Social Security Administration’s national baby name files (names.zip), which list every first name given to at least five babies of one sex in each year from 1880 to 2025. We read all 146 files directly and ranked names within each year and sex by number of births. Our universe is the 903 name-and-sex combinations that ranked in the top 100 in at least one year.

For each name, we compared its share of babies of the same sex in 2025 with its share in its peak year; we use shares rather than raw counts because the number of recorded births has changed greatly since 1880. Names given to fewer than five babies in 2025 are not published and are treated as a decline of more than 99.9%. Our ranks are computed from the published counts and may differ by a place or two from the SSA’s own lists when names tie. Records before 1937 are based on people who later applied for a Social Security card and are less complete.

All comparisons are descriptive. External statistics come from the SSA, the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics and the other sources cited, each with its own methodology and year.

About the author

Gustavo Athayde — Founder & Creative Director, GUSTAVO ATHAYDE

Gustavo Athayde is the founder and creative director of GUSTAVO ATHAYDE, a bespoke monogram atelier based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A graphic designer by training, he creates monograms, personal and family crests, heraldic emblems, signet designs and wax seals for individuals, families, couples and brands across the United States. Every commission is refined line by line into a symbol meant to be kept, used and passed down.

Follow the atelier on Instagram · Request a private consultation

Frequently asked questions

What are the most forgotten baby names in America?

Among names that once ranked in the top 100, the steepest declines from peak to 2025 belong to Vicki, Maud, Vickie, Ed, Nannie and Traci, which were given to fewer than five babies in 2025, followed by Myrtle, Phyllis and Debra, each down more than 99.9%.

What happened to the name Linda?

Linda was given to 99,692 girls in 1947, the most for any girls’ name in a single year, and was No. 1 from 1947 to 1952. In 2025, 294 girls were named Linda, and the name ranked 902nd.

Is the name Mildred still used?

Rarely. Mildred peaked in 1920 with 18,060 girls, left the top 1,000 after 1984, and was given to 98 girls in 2025.

More about the data

Do old names come back?

Some do. Evelyn, Hazel, Eleanor, Henry and Theodore all fell close to zero in the late twentieth century and now rank in the top 25; across our data, the typical revived name hit its low point about 87 years after its first peak.

Why do girls’ names disappear faster than boys’ names?

Boys’ names are more often repeated across generations: every former No. 1 boys’ name is still in the top 100, and 18 of the top 100 boys’ names of 1950 remain there, compared with seven girls’ names.

Where does this data come from?

From the Social Security Administration’s national baby name files, which count every name given to at least five babies of one sex in each year since 1880. We analyzed all years from 1880 to 2025.

Sources

• Ancestry — New survey shows more than half of Americans can't name all four grandparents (Business Wire, March 30, 2022)
• CDC/NCHS — Births: Provisional Data for 2025, Vital Statistics Rapid Release No. 43 (April 2026)
• Central Statistics Office (Ireland) — Irish Babies' Names 2025: Key Findings
• FamilySearch — 2025 Genealogy Highlights
• FOX 13 — Most popular baby names of 2026 (BabyCenter data)
• FOX 5 New York — Parents reveal how they chose their baby's name (BabyCenter poll, 2024)
• INSEE — Les prénoms donnés en France de 1946 à 2025
• Nameberry — The top names of 2025 so far
• NSW Government — Fresh wave of baby names defines a new generation (2026)
• Obasi — Naming Patterns in Rural South-Central Nebraska, Names: A Journal of Onomastics 64(3), 2016
• Pew Research Center — About eight-in-ten women in opposite-sex marriages say they took their husband's last name (2023)
• Social Security Administration — Background Information (baby names)

Sources, continued

• Social Security Administration — Beyond the Top 1000 Names (national data, names.zip, 1880–2025)
• Social Security Administration — Change in Name Popularity: Biggest Decreases, 2024 to 2025
• Social Security Administration — Number of Social Security Card Holders Born in the U.S. by Year of Birth and Sex
• Social Security Administration — Olivia and Liam Top America's Most Popular Baby Names for the Seventh Straight Year (May 8, 2026)
• Social Security Administration — Popular Names of the 1920s
• Social Security Administration — Top Names Over the Last 100 Years (1926–2025)
• U.S. Census Bureau — 2020 Census names data press release (April 14, 2026)
• U.S. Census Bureau — America Counts: 2020 Census names data (April 14, 2026)
• U.S. Census Bureau — First Name Data From the 2020 Census (C2020BR-13, April 2026)
• YouGov — American grandparent-grandchild relationships (2023)
• YouGov — Daily Results, June 2, 2025: preference for common or less common first names
• YouGov — Where Americans' first and middle names come from (2022)

Related reading

• The Most Popular Baby Name Letters by State 2026
• The Most Common Initials in America 2026
• The Rarest Initials in America 2026
• The Enduring Language of Bespoke Monograms
• The Luxury Family Crest