Birth year roster
Top names in 1974
The names most likely to appear on 1974 birth certificates, ranked by SSA records.
Jennifer and Michael led the 1974 baby-name charts, a pair that captures the naming culture of mid-century America — Jennifer, which rose to prominence in this era and Michael, a perennial powerhouse that would anchor the decade. The full top 25 below reveals which names defined the 1974 classroom and how many have since faded or endured.
Girls
- #1Jennifer63,107
- #2Amy29,566
- #3Michelle25,826
- #4Heather23,179
- #5Angela22,803
- #6Kimberly22,427
- #7Melissa22,166
- #8Lisa19,778
- #9Stephanie16,984
- #10Rebecca15,163
- #11Nicole13,112
- #12Elizabeth12,259
- #13Mary11,738
- #14Julie11,360
- #15Kelly10,851
- #16Christina10,849
- #17Jessica10,656
- #18Shannon10,608
- #19Christine9,901
- #20Sarah9,788
- #21Laura9,716
- #22Dawn9,417
- #23Tracy9,286
- #24Tammy9,238
- #25Tina8,668
Boys
- #1Michael67,534
- #2Jason54,756
- #3Christopher48,585
- #4David41,786
- #5James41,334
- #6John37,612
- #7Robert37,005
- #8Brian34,449
- #9Matthew27,194
- #10William26,980
- #11Daniel23,833
- #12Joseph21,834
- #13Eric20,193
- #14Kevin19,461
- #15Jeffrey19,320
- #16Mark18,905
- #17Richard18,636
- #18Scott18,030
- #19Steven17,663
- #20Thomas17,268
- #21Anthony16,391
- #22Timothy15,890
- #23Charles15,151
- #24Jeremy13,295
- #25Ryan13,179