Decade dossier

1990s baby names

The names that defined the 1990s: Michael and Jessica led the decade, but the full roster tells a richer story.

The 1990s were defined by names that now read as cultural artifacts. Michael and Jessica 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 1990s classroom.

Girls

#1Jessica303,136
#2Ashley301,820
#3Emily237,262
#4Sarah224,423
#5Samantha224,023
#6Amanda191,132
#7Brittany190,826
#8Elizabeth172,693
#9Taylor169,040
#10Megan160,375
#11Hannah158,818
#12Kayla155,893
#13Lauren153,590
#14Stephanie149,836
#15Rachel149,167
#16Jennifer148,041
#17Nicole136,103
#18Alexis131,199
#19Victoria117,475
#20Amber115,605
#21Alyssa115,255
#22Courtney113,290
#23Rebecca109,721
#24Danielle109,597
#25Jasmine105,322

Boys

#1Michael462,466
#2Christopher360,287
#3Matthew351,682
#4Joshua329,192
#5Jacob298,415
#6Nicholas275,329
#7Andrew272,941
#8Daniel272,360
#9Tyler262,320
#10Joseph260,751
#11Brandon259,420
#12David253,711
#13James244,980
#14Ryan241,248
#15John240,151
#16Zachary225,290
#17Justin220,135
#18William217,822
#19Anthony216,231
#20Robert205,459
#21Jonathan197,503
#22Austin190,140
#23Alexander183,952
#24Kyle180,218
#25Kevin165,232