👉 From John to Jayden: How Names Have Changed for American Boys Since the 1880s

Key Takeaways

• William & James are names that have been consistently popular since the 1880s.

Watch the animated version on the Visual Capitalist YouTube channel.

Traditional English to Contemporary… Biblical?

Interestingly, traditional English names that dominated between the 1880s–1950s are no longer the most popular ones.

American parents are shifting from honoring their Anglo cultural heritage to more biblical names, especially for the boys.

For example, Thomas, the #11 ranked name of the 1880s (#8th in 1950), has vanished entirely from the 2010s top 15, while Noah, Jacob, and Elijah have surged to the top.

This may reflect a fundamental change in how parents want their children to be perceived, and how they connect with history and identity.