We know which names debuted most impressively in the U.S. baby name data, but what about the baby names that returned most impressively? That is, the names that re-emerged in the data (after an absence of at least one year) with the highest number of babies?
Below are the most popular re-emerging names for every single year on record, after the second.
Here’s the format: Girl names are on the left, boy names are on the right, and the numbers represent single-year usage (following an absence). In 1971, for instance, the girl name Devonia returned to the data with 22 babies, and the boy name Idris returned to the data with 21 babies.
- 1882: Harry, 14; Saul, 15
- 1883: Luna, 17; Anna, 20
- 1884: Eulalia & Margaretta, 15; Billie, 18
- 1885: Philomene, 13; Kirby & Lamar, 14
- 1886: Ammie, Attie, Drusilla, Eulalia & Narcissus, 14; Emmit & Ivy, 15
- 1887: Idell, 12; Benjaman, 13
- 1888: Guadalupe, 18; Hunter, 16
- 1889: Leonie, 21; Leander, 22
- 1890: Delila, Hildegarde & Sabra, 17; Buford, Loyal & Pleasant, 13
- 1891: Marvel, 15; Roswell, 20
- 1892: Jennette, 16; Vernie, 15
- 1893: Byrd & Corda, 16; Salvatore, 14
- 1894: Mozelle, 15; Essie, 18
- 1895: Consuelo, 16; Adelard, 16
- 1896: Dorris, 17; Bertrand & Hilliard, 16
- 1897: Coletta & Marilla, 13; Gale, Harve & Odell, 13
- 1898: Vlasta, 16; Oakley, 16
- 1899: Gwen & Velda, 15; Ivory, 14
- 1900: Ammie, 21; Lonzo, 22
- 1901: Alvera, 17; Ernesto, 11
- 1902: Hermine, 17; Junious, 20
- 1903: Genie, 17: Lesley, 17
- 1904: Laurel & Santa, 16; Caesar, 15
- 1905: Ellar, 15; Cicero & Quincy, 15
- 1906: Osa, 18; Craig & Tracy, 16
- 1907: Joanne, 19; Gale, 15
- 1908: Merna, 18; Andres, 19
- 1909: Aili, 22; Loy, 22
- 1910: Corean, 21; Lou, 18
- 1911: Aune, 17; Ozie, 17
- 1912: Veryl, 21; Arvin, 21
- 1913: Loise, 25; Magnus, 15
- 1914: Rema, 23; Elio, 18
- 1915: Alleyne & Cledith, 20; Reyes, 24
- 1916: Ercelle & Fayette, 14; Pleas, 25
- 1917: Lowell, Mazelle & Patria, 16; Woodruff, 18
- 1918: Victory, 78; Everitt, 19
- 1919: Lanell, 16; Olney, 21
- 1920: Iline & Keitha, 18; Heath, 19
- 1921: Gilberte & Jacklyn, 16; Donold, 16
- 1922: Basilia & Glayds, 15; Jw, 17
- 1923: Marvene, 18; Silvestre, 19
- 1924: Willadeen, 35; Delno, 19
- 1925: Noralee, 20; Primitivo, 16
- 1926: Sondra, 20; Torao, 27
- 1927: Elga & Lindy, 27; Shoji, 81
- 1928: Remona, 22; Windle, 17
- 1929: Darla, 19; Davy, 25
- 1930: Evalene, 17; Anastasio, 17
- 1931: Marilyne, 17; Meliton, 15
- 1932: Maribelle & Wynne, 16; Jacqueline, 18
- 1933: Sheryl, 24; Lanny, 24
- 1934: Carolynne & Viona, 15; Filiberto, 20
- 1935: Vanessa, 32; Kenley, 29
- 1936: Ardene & Lucienne, 18; Domenico, 15
- 1937: Nadeen, 19; Lavell, 19
- 1938: Josette, 44; Bertil & Jerol, 18
- 1939: Charmayne, 18; Wilborn, 15
(The Social Security Administration’s baby name data isn’t perfect, but it does get a lot more accurate starting in the late 1930s because, according to the SSA, “many people born before 1937 never applied for a Social Security card, so their names are not included in our data.”)
- 1940: Wendell, 25; Wilkie, 61
- 1941: Aloma, 47; Maximo, 16
- 1942: Victory, 51; Corey, 27
- 1943: Corliss, 44; Amando & Cheryl, 16
- 1944: Drenda, 50; Ruperto, 16
- 1945: Drena, 37; Arie, 16
- 1946: Cherylene, 56; Cliffton, 17
- 1947: Asenath, 32; Baltazar, 20
- 1948: Valli, 45; Carley, 15
- 1949: Lark, 66; Buel, Dennison & Nehemiah, 18
- 1950: Jasmine, 24; Jory, 52
- 1951: Vendetta, 48; Alfonzia, Clell, Rondy, Ulysee & Vander, 15
- 1952: Whitney, 20; Adlai, 40
- 1953: Lugene, 30; Kervin, 18
- 1954: Jyl, 80; Rahn, 66
- 1955: Danni, 49; Teri, 17
- 1956: Kirsti & Skye, 29; Timonthy, 21
- 1957: Tammara, 38; Creed, 20
- 1958: Elfreda, 33; Yancy, 24
- 1959: Torrie, 42; Kym, 41
- 1960: Pollyanna, 21; Armon & Delray, 20
- 1961: Marnita, 145; Cord, 45
- 1962: Anetta & Colinda, 18; Buckley, 18
- 1963: Michaelann, 30; Georgie & Jerrod, 19
- 1964: Djuana, 190; Destry, 149
- 1965: Virna, 38; Horatio, 17
- 1966: Tamatha, 222; Trevin, 21
- 1967: Millette, 68; Arnel, Keary, Ky & Ricco, 15
- 1968: Neely, 40; Griffith, Kacy & Troyce, 16
- 1969: Francelia, 23; Darrius, 18
- 1970: Telisha & Zenja, 26; Germaine, 29
- 1971: Devonia, 22; Idris, 21
- 1972: Contina, 209; Keelan, 20
- 1973: Shenika, 33; Bram, 19
- 1974: Seandra, 31; Reuven, 18
- 1975: Mandee, 74; Jermale, 19
- 1976: Niya, 97; Askia, 21
- 1977: Kizzie, 286; Kenta, 48
- 1978: Kylene, 88; Kodi, 41
- 1979: Ranada, 37; Emmet, 19
- 1980: Hanni, 34; Lando, 25
- 1981: Jennilee, 37; Tristen, 21
- 1982: Terran, 27; Ryne, 31
- 1983: Yomaira, 45; Drue, 16
- 1984: Leonela, 46; Catlin, 57
- 1985: Sharda, 70; Justn, 23
- 1986: Faren, 85; Adison, 21
- 1987: Conchetta, 42; Najee, 50
- 1988: Brogan, 36; Nikko, 59
- 1989: Kyara, 65; Rishawn, 42
- 1990: Tichina, 25; Telvin, 47
- 1991: Bronte, 48; Dilon, 21
- 1992: Oneisha, 39; Levonte, 32
- 1993: Amairany, 41; Adonnis, 23
- 1994: Marimar, 101; Corliss, 22
- 1995: Shatasha, 26; Tryston, 42
- 1996: Karrington, 34; Tysheem, 20
- 1997: Neyda, 35; Voshon, 32
- 1998: Arrion, 29; Amere, 29
- 1999: Karyme, 40; Neo, 24
- 2000: Laisa, 36; Perrion, 41
- 2001: Torrance, 40; Andrik, 46
- 2002: Naydelin, 58; Bode, 131
- 2003: Princesa, 70; Anden, 41
- 2004: Jenascia, 70; Cabot, 29
- 2005: Jolette, 258; Greco, 40
- 2006: Akeelah, 403; Corde, 51
- 2007: Ambrielle, 46; Osmel, 29
- 2008: Allysson, 61; Rohaan, 18
- 2009: Ailea, 57; Kipton, 60
- 2010: Solara, 40; Dyland, 67
- 2011: Harnoor, 24; Dakhari, 18
- 2012: Hareem, 54; Lio & Wayden, 19
- 2013: Tahiry, 112; Zylen, 27
- 2014: Yazaira, 42; Alyan, 22
- 2015: Pihu, 19; Jonael, 232
- 2016: Yurani, 97; Jru, 31
- 2017: Brennley, 56; Noriel, 50
- 2018: Roselyne, 87; Torryn, 31
- 2019: Yameli, 49; Amyas, 21
- 2020: Elleri, 34; Dutton, 27
- 2021: Josiane, 41; Elkin, 21
- 2022: Thena, 25; Kymeir, 23
I’ve already written about some of these names, and I’ll write about others in the future. In the meantime, feel free to beat me to it! Leave a comment and let us know what popularized Jory in 1950, or Marnita in 1961, or Catlin in 1984…
Source: SSA
Image: Adapted from First leaves Novosibirsk Siberia 24.04.2012 by Mikhail Koninin under CC BY 2.0.
Lots of name history to dig into here but Lark jumped out to me. It seems to be from the 1948 film Enchantment, which has a heroine named Lark.
I’ve got to know what’s up with Vendetta.
@Alex: Vendetta was a 1950 film about Corsican vendettas! I guess parents thought the name was pretty and didn’t think about the meaning. The heroine’s name was Colomba.
@Becca Aaahhhh that’s so interesting! And a bit funny.
A few I was able to quickly dig up:
– 2022: Thena is a Marvel character played by Angelina Jolie in 2021’s Eternals.
– 2017: Noriel is a Puerto Rican singer whose first hit was a feature on the Malum song Cuatro Babys, which came out in late 2016.
– 2010: Kind of a wild guess here, but the Toyota Solara went out of production in 2008 — maybe this was enough for people to open up to using it as a name again?
– 2009: Kipton is likely a spelling variation of Kiptyn, the name of a finalist on the 2009 season of The Bachelorette.
– 2007: Osmel Sousa, who runs the Miss Venezuela organization, becomes a judge on the popular competition reality show Nuestra Belleza Latina.
– 2005: Jolette was a contestant on the reality TV show La Academia in 2005.
– 1999: Karyme Lozano is a Mexican actress who appeared in a super-popular novela called Tres mujeres, which premiered in March 1999.
Back for more!
– 1990: Tichina Arnold became a regular on All My Children.
– 1993: Amairany is likely related to Mexican actress Amairani, who appeared in two popular novelas (Mágica juventud and Más allá del puente) in 1992-93.
– 1994: Marimar was the title and protagonist (played by Thalía) of a Televisa novela in 1994.
– 1994: Corliss Williamson was a star basketball player in the University of Arkansas’s only NCAA championship.
– 1997: Voshon Lenard was part of an all-star NBA team with the Miami Heat.
– 1999: Neo was the main character in the blockbuster film The Matrix.
– 2000: Random guess, but I wonder if Perrion is how some people heard references to Dom Perignon in rap songs.
– 2001: Torrance was a character played by Kirsten Dunst in the popular movie Bring It On.
– 2002: Naydelin Navarrete appeared as a supporting character, also named Naydelin, in the tween novela Complices al Rescate.
– 2004: Jenascia Chakos competed on America’s Next Top Model in 2004.
– 2017: Brennley Brown is a country singer who competed on The Voice in 2017.
Ailea (2009) is from season 3 of Bad Girls Club.
Ambrielle (2007) is likely from season 9 of America’s Next Top Model; there was a contestant named Ambreal (pronounced the same).
Lando (1980) is from Star Wars.
Thank you for all the explanations Becca, alex, and Bryan!