Many years ago, I published a list of the top debut baby names. A few years after that, I posted a list of the top one-hit wonder baby names.
So today let’s check out another fun set of “top” names: the top rises. The names below are those that increased the most in usage, percentage-wise, from one year to the next according to the SSA data.
Here’s the format: Girl names are on the left, boy names are on the right, and the percentages represent single-year jumps in usage. (For example, from 1880 to 1881, usage of the girl name Isa grew 240% and usage of the boy name Noble grew 333%.)
1880s
- 1881: Isa, 240%; Noble, 333%
- 1882: Clementine, 300%; Clarance, 300%
- 1883: Malissa, 243%; Alf, 150%
- 1884: Belva, 1,220%; Grover, 532%
- 1885: Phebe, 220%; Bryant, 200%
- 1886: Felicia, 180%; Thornton, 240%
- 1887: Ossie, 240%; Aubrey, 240%
- 1888: Bennie, 250%; Thurman, 414%
- 1889: Diana, 233%; Grady, 267%
1890s
- 1890: Easter, 238%; Isaiah, 215%
- 1891: Lutie, 200%; Colonel, 217%
- 1892: Lollie, 271%; Pierce, 340%
- 1893: Annabell, 240%; Lindsay, 320%
- 1894: Versie, 320%; Alvie, 233%
- 1895: Glenn, 283%; Alma, 220%
- 1896: Vernice, 217%; Hobart, 744%
- 1897: Sigrid, 200%; Roswell, 183%
- 1898: Manila, 1,386%; Dewey, 606%
- 1899: Tula, 280%; Rogers, 220%
1900s
- 1900: Rosia, 480%; Wilber, 417%
- 1901: Dellie, 180%; Kermit, 183%
- 1902: Lolita, 420%; Judge, 260%
- 1903: Rafaela, 280%; Jordan, 250%
- 1904: Amber, 314%; Adelbert, 260%
- 1905: Orma, 300%; Armand, 222%
- 1906: Ena, 456%; Sheldon, 240%
- 1907: Lota & Tula, 240%; Quincy, 183%
- 1908: Bernetta & Nila, 260%; Taft, 288%
- 1909: Laverna & Nevada, 267%; Toney, 300%
1910s
- 1910: Cleopatra, 240%; Arturo & Sammy, 283%
- 1911: Maryellen, 280%; Vincenzo & Wyman, 320%
- 1912: Marina, 420%; Woodrow, 1,423%
- 1913: Carroll, 263%; Rosendo, 320%
- 1914: Lucyle, 280%; Irvine, 333%
- 1915: Zudora, 460%; Charlton, 320%
- 1916: Aldena, 291%; Tatsuo, 850%
- 1917: Liberty, 617%; Masami, 338%
- 1918: Kazuko, 320%; Quentin, 567%
- 1919: Verbie, 300%; Belvin, 360%
1920s
- 1920: Marcene, 386%; Harding, 718%
- 1921: Elwanda, 1,860%; Gareth, 560%
- 1922: Carley, 320%; Colie, 340%
- 1923: Eris, 1,313%; Coolidge, 820%
- 1924: Janeth, 517%; Phyllis, 260%
- 1925: Murlene & Normalee, 260%; Estell & Unknown, 214%
- 1926: Ileana, 633%; Jarrell & Lenoard, 240%
- 1927: Charmaine, 825%; Lindbergh, 867%
- 1928: Jeannine, 1,147%; Hoover, 522%
- 1929: Dorla, 800%; Davey, 889%
1930s
- 1930: Arlayne, 317%; Derl, 1,060%
- 1931: Marlene, 745%; Colbert, 280%
- 1932: Harlene, 270%; Delano, 1,057%
- 1933: Sharleen, 425%; Delano, 289%
- 1934: Adriana, 283%; Kelvin, 360%
- 1935: Norita, 1,171%; Darwyn, 458%
- 1936: Shelba, 2,667%; Lonzie, 320%
- 1937: Deanna, 2,009%; Tyrone, 788%
- 1938: Danielle, 878%; Dion, 355%
- 1939: Brenda, 308%; Hall, 280%
The SSA data isn’t perfect, but it does get a lot more accurate starting in the late 1930s, because “many people born before 1937 never applied for a Social Security card, so their names are not included in our data” (SSA). Now, back to the list…
1940s
- 1940: Scarlett, 743%; Clemmie, 257%
- 1941: Jerilyn, 1,250%; Rulon, 250%
- 1942: Michal, 1,520%; Macarthur, 2,740%
- 1943: Shaaron, 456%; Suzanne, 240%
- 1944: Dorinda, 568%; Kennedy, 280%
- 1945: Lauren, 709%; Dorian, 220%
- 1946: Jacalyn, 740%; Cornel, 533%
- 1947: Jolinda, 388%; Brock, 364%
- 1948: Sharman, 275%; Kevan, 260%
- 1949: Lorry, 360%; Hanson, 240%
1950s
- 1950: Vallorie, 717%; Brion, 400%
- 1951: Krystal, 588%; Denise, 350%
- 1952: Pandora, 1,100%; Corby & Wilhelm, 240%
- 1953: Angelique, 1,157%; Shane, 392%
- 1954: Sheree, 756%; Dain, 360%
- 1955: Sabrina, 711%; Davy, 509%
- 1956: Venetia, 543%; Cheyenne, 680%
- 1957: Tammy, 1,591%; Tammy, 467%
- 1958: Keely, 1,100%; Bret, 680%
- 1959: Torri, 411%; Efrem, 963%
1960s
- 1960: Lisha, 1,096%; Stephon, 1,200%
- 1961: Marisol, 481%; Parrish, 1,460%
- 1962: Penne, 447%; Chance, 350%
- 1963: Tamiko, 1,440%; Tal, 617%
- 1964: Deneen, 7,191%; Temple, 420%
- 1965: Fontella, 880%; Branden, 340%
- 1966: Tabatha, 9,900%; Heath, 1,070%
- 1967: Anisa, 1,600%; Garrison, 320%
- 1968: Coretta, 2,485%; Dustin, 778%
- 1969: Lalena, 640%; Jeromy, 514%
1970s
- 1970: Shiloh, 540%; Jermaine, 3,320%
- 1971: Ashli, 1,900%; Jermaine, 494%
- 1972: Catina, 9,033%; Demond, 3,920%
- 1973: Cicely, 1,827%; Caine, 780%
- 1974: Nakia, 16,100%; Rashad, 1,100%
- 1975: Rasheda, 988%; Jamaal, 688%
- 1976: Rhiannon, 1,713%; Seneca, 1,429%
- 1977: Shawntae, 686%; Lavar, 5,480%
- 1978: Aja, 3,407%; Dequan, 988%
- 1979: Renada, 780%; Yoel, 525%
1980s
- 1980: Genese, 1,920%; Rayshaun, 440%
- 1981: Krystle, 1,623%; Cavin, 833%
- 1982: Jere, 1,000%; Colt, 1,620%
- 1983: Ciji, 2,950%; Remington, 657%
- 1984: Santana, 3,467%; Ryne, 424%
- 1985: Kayleigh, 2,914%; Jaymes, 769%
- 1986: Kyrie, 3,180%; Orry, 789%
- 1987: Janay, 1,168%; Jareth, 400%
- 1988: Whitley, 916%; Nico, 860%
- 1989: Audriana, 3,467%; Alexande, 4,917%
1990s
- 1990: Alannah, 1,583%; Tevin, 4,569%
- 1991: Tanairi, 820%; Devante, 1,356%
- 1992: Darian, 703%; Jalen, 3,980%
- 1993: Coraima, 4,320%; Savon, 2,457%
- 1994: Aaliyah, 6,495%; Romario, 1,940%
- 1995: Iridian, 1,845%; Tristin, 747%
- 1996: Alanis, 1,047%; Json, 880%
- 1997: Yulisa, 2,729%, Ennis, 620%
- 1998: Jazsmin, 960%; Denilson, 900%
- 1999: Tionne, 1,100%; Sincere, 647%
2000s
- 2000: Litzy, 1,189%; Elian, 2,413%
- 2001: Nevaeh, 1,111%; Jaheim, 5,440%
- 2002: Lashanti, 2,060%; Omarion, 8,260%
- 2003: Azeneth, 1,913%; Andon, 2,200%
- 2004: Betzaida, 1,233%; Jakwon, 1,260%
- 2005: Mikalah, 1,906%; Talan, 2,130%
- 2006: Bethzy; 2,636%; Dereon, 1,217%
- 2007: Jaslene, 9,920%; Leonidas & Renner, 700%
- 2008: Dayami, 3,464%; Barack, 940%
- 2009: Baya, 1,020%; Dhani, 520%
2010s
- 2010: Collins, 1,557%; Bentlee, 733%
- 2011: Thaily, 1,400%; Neymar, 900%
- 2012: Cataleya, 2,182%; Long, 740%
- 2013: Daleyza, 1,055%; Jaiceon, 1,057%
- 2014: Aranza, 1,297%; Jameis, 720%
- 2015: Vail, 700%; Rhydian, 667%
- 2016: Kehlani, 571%; Kylo, 580%
- 2017: Westlynn, 600%; Oseias, 1,080%
- 2018: Maleni, 950%; Atreus, 1,888%
- 2019: Yalitza, 1,490%; Ermias, 3,360%
2020s
- 2020: Ehlani, 2,100%; Omere, 460%
- 2021: Thyri, 1,033%; Calian, 914%
- 2022: Debanhi, 1,164%; Myheir, 640%
- 2023: Jaretssi, 1,322%; Adael, 619%
- 2024: Lilieth, 850%; Truce, 3,683%
(Did you catch all the doubles? Tula, Delano, Tammy, Jermaine, and Davey/Davy.)
I’ve already written about some of the names above (click the links to see the posts) and I plan to write about many of the others. In the meanwhile, though, feel free to beat me to it! Leave a comment and let us know what popularized Dorla in 1929, or Dustin in 1968, or Talan in 2005…
Source: SSA
Image: Adapted from Turkey-2036 by Dennis Jarvis under CC BY-SA 2.0.
[Latest update: May 2025]
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