Decade dossier

1900s baby names

The names that defined the 1900s: John and Mary led the decade, but the full roster tells a richer story.

What defined 1900s baby names

The 1900s were defined by names that now read as cultural artifacts. John and Mary dominated the decade — names that crossed class lines and regional divides. Some have become vintage revival candidates; others remain frozen in time. Browse the full rankings below to see which names defined the 1900s classroom.

Girls

#1Mary161,504
#2Helen69,428
#3Margaret57,919
#4Anna54,918
#5Ruth51,010
#6Elizabeth41,708
#7Dorothy39,112
#8Marie37,091
#9Florence36,191
#10Mildred36,173
#11Alice35,232
#12Ethel34,868
#13Lillian32,519
#14Gladys30,285
#15Edna29,832
#16Frances28,499
#17Rose28,106
#18Annie27,748
#19Grace26,927
#20Bertha24,247
#21Emma24,176
#22Bessie23,984
#23Clara23,899
#24Hazel23,802
#25Irene23,656

Boys

#1John84,590
#2William69,320
#3James62,170
#4George43,589
#5Charles36,184
#6Robert35,849
#7Joseph35,173
#8Frank29,046
#9Edward24,516
#10Thomas21,783
#11Henry21,772
#12Walter19,997
#13Harry17,906
#14Willie17,746
#15Arthur15,409
#16Albert15,318
#17Clarence13,573
#18Fred13,076
#19Harold12,795
#20Paul12,636
#21Raymond11,650
#22Richard10,675
#23Roy10,632
#24Joe10,466
#25Louis10,372

Explore more decades

Compare naming trends across all decades, from the 1880s to the 2020s.