Birth year roster
Top names in 1961
The names most likely to appear on 1961 birth certificates, ranked by SSA records.
Mary and Michael led the 1961 baby-name charts, a pair that captures the naming culture of mid-century America — a timeless classic that had dominated since the 1880s and Michael, a perennial powerhouse that would anchor the decade. The full top 25 below reveals which names defined the 1961 classroom and how many have since faded or endured.
Girls
- #1Mary47,682
- #2Lisa42,720
- #3Susan37,532
- #4Linda35,597
- #5Karen34,707
- #6Patricia28,889
- #7Donna28,679
- #8Cynthia24,393
- #9Sandra24,153
- #10Deborah24,107
- #11Brenda23,781
- #12Barbara23,002
- #13Debra22,160
- #14Lori21,876
- #15Pamela21,691
- #16Nancy20,729
- #17Sharon20,459
- #18Teresa18,909
- #19Elizabeth18,855
- #20Cheryl18,301
- #21Laura17,901
- #22Kimberly17,355
- #23Julie17,040
- #24Carol16,667
- #25Kathy16,385
Boys
- #1Michael86,974
- #2David84,810
- #3John79,983
- #4James75,969
- #5Robert72,977
- #6Mark57,796
- #7William48,045
- #8Richard41,142
- #9Thomas37,565
- #10Steven32,275
- #11Jeffrey32,029
- #12Joseph29,450
- #13Charles29,194
- #14Kevin28,926
- #15Timothy28,253
- #16Kenneth26,100
- #17Daniel25,904
- #18Paul25,640
- #19Scott23,934
- #20Brian22,566
- #21Gary22,174
- #22Donald21,409
- #23Gregory21,364
- #24Ronald20,842
- #25Anthony20,209