Most popular names of the 1930s
The most popular names for babies born in the US in the 1930s were Mary for girls and Robert for boys. Mary was given to about 54 per 1,000 girls, and Robert to about 56 per 1,000 boys. New in the girls' top 10 compared with the 1920s: Barbara, Shirley, Patricia, Joan and Nancy. New in the boys' top 10: Thomas.
Girls
| # | Name | Share of girls | 1880–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mary | 54 per 1,000 | |
| 2 | Betty | 28 per 1,000 | |
| 3 | Barbara new | 28 per 1,000 | |
| 4 | Shirley new | 22 per 1,000 | |
| 5 | Patricia new | 21 per 1,000 | |
| 6 | Dorothy | 20 per 1,000 | |
| 7 | Joan new | 16 per 1,000 | |
| 8 | Margaret | 15 per 1,000 | |
| 9 | Nancy new | 13 per 1,000 | |
| 10 | Helen | 13 per 1,000 |
Boys
| # | Name | Share of boys | 1880–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert | 56 per 1,000 | |
| 2 | James | 52 per 1,000 | |
| 3 | John | 46 per 1,000 | |
| 4 | William | 39 per 1,000 | |
| 5 | Richard | 31 per 1,000 | |
| 6 | Charles | 29 per 1,000 | |
| 7 | Donald | 27 per 1,000 | |
| 8 | George | 18 per 1,000 | |
| 9 | Thomas new | 17 per 1,000 | |
| 10 | Joseph | 17 per 1,000 |
"Share" is the average share of babies of that sex who got the name in each year of the decade. Each small curve runs from 1880 to 2025. Source: US Social Security Administration.