👉 From Mary to Mia: How Names for American Girls Have Changed Since the 1880s

Key Takeaways

• Mary was the most popular name for American girls until the 1960s.
• While Jessica was the most popular name in the 1980s and 90s, American parents now prefer unique or less traditional names for girls.
• In fact, none of the top 20 girls' names from the 1880s appear again in the top 20 by the 2010s.
• By contrast, several boys’ names from the 1880s—like James or William—remain popular decades later.

Watch the animated version on the Visual Capitalist YouTube channel.

Why is Name Popularity Gendered?

Interestingly, Freakonomics had a chapter on this, where they investigated social naming conventions (and all its influences).

For example, evolving cultural values around individuality and femininity may push uniqueness and novelty in girls’ names.

Meanwhile, boys’ names tend to be more stable, possibly due to stronger family or generational naming traditions (e.g., naming sons after fathers or grandfathers).