Explainer: The most popular baby names of the last century
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Deciding whether to give your unborn child a traditional or unique name? Wondering if your favorite name is becoming more or less popular?
Giving a child a name is one of the most memorable and important parenting moments — a name can help nurture a child’s personality and help them identify with a culture, an icon, or a loved one who has passed away.
TODAY highlights the hottest names from 1900 to the present, lists the strangest celebrity picks, looks at popular politicians' names and takes a look at TODAY hosts' names.
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Most popular names by year
If you're debating naming your next tyke "Apple" or "Obama," check out the latest statistics. TODAY lists the hottest names from 1900 to the present — find out if yours made it into the top 10 list of each decade.
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2009
Female names
1. Isabella
2. Emma
3. Olivia
4. Sophia
5. Ava
6. Emily
7. Madison
8. Abigail
9. Chloe
10. MiaMale names
1. Jacob
2. Ethan
3. Michael
4. Alexander
5. William
6. Joshua
7. Daniel
8. Jayden
9. Noah
10. Anthony -
2008
Female names
1. Emma
2. Isabella
3. Emily
4. Madison
5. Ava
6. Olivia
7. Sophia
8. Abigail
9. Elizabeth
10. ChloeMale names
1. Jacob
2. Michael
3. Ethan
4. Joshua
5. Daniel
6. Alexander
7. Anthony
8. William
9. Christopher
10. Matthew -
2007
Female names
1. Emily
2. Isabella
3. Emma
4. Ava
5. Madison
6. Sophia
7. Olivia
8. Abigail
9. Hannah
10. ElizabethMale names
1. Jacob
2. Michael
3. Ethan
4. Joshua
5. Daniel
6. Christopher
7. Anthony
8. William
9. Matthew
10. Andrew -
2000
Female names
1. Emily
2. Hannah
3. Madison
4. Ashley
5. Sarah
6. Alexis
7. Samantha
8. Jessica
9. Taylor
10. ElizabethMale names
1. Jacob
2. Michael
3. Matthew
4. Joshua
5. Christopher
6. Nicholas
7. Andrew
8. Joseph
9. Daniel
10. Tyler -
1990
Female names
1. Jessica
2. Ashley
3. Brittany
4. Amanda
5. Samantha
6. Sarah
7. Stephanie
8. Jennifer
9. Elizabeth
10. LaurenMale names
1. Michael
2. Christopher
3. Matthew
4. Joshua
5. Daniel
6. David
7. Andrew
8. James
9. Justin
10. Joseph -
1980
Female names
1. Jennifer
2. Amanda
3. Jessica
4. Melissa
5. Sarah
6. Heather
7. Nicole
8. Amy
9. Elizabeth
10. MichelleMale names
1. Michael
2. Christopher
3. Jason
4. David
5. James
6. Matthew
7. Joshua
8. John
9. Robert
10. Joseph -
1970
Female names
1. Jennifer
2. Lisa
3. Kimberly
4. Michelle
5. Amy
6. Angela
7. Melissa
8. Tammy
9. Mary
10. TracyMale names
1. Michael
2. James
3. David
4. John
5. Robert
6. Christopher
7. William
8. Brian
9. Mark
10. Richard -
1960
Female names
1. Mary
2. Susan
3. Linda
4. Karen
5. Donna
6. Lisa
7. Patricia
8. Debra
9. Cynthia
10. DeborahMale names
1. David
2. Michael
3. James
4. John
5. Robert
6. Mark
7. William
8. Richard
9. Thomas
10. Steven -
1950
Female names
1. Linda
2. Mary
3. Patricia
4. Barbara
5. Susan
6. Nancy
7. Deborah
8. Sandra
9. Carol
10. KathleenMale names
1. James
2. Robert
3. John
4. Michael
5. David
6. William
7. Richard
8. Thomas
9. Charles
10. Gary -
1940
Female names
1. Mary
2. Barbara
3. Patricia
4. Judith
5. Betty
6. Carol
7. Nancy
8. Linda
9. Shirley
10. SandraMale names
1. James
2. Robert
3. John
4. William
5. Richard
6. Charles
7. David
8. Thomas
9. Donald
10. Ronald -
1930
Female names
1. Mary
2. Betty
3. Dorothy
4. Helen
5. Margaret
6. Barbara
7. Patricia
8. Joan
9. Doris
10. RuthMale names
1. Robert
2. James
3. John
4. William
5. Richard
6. Charles
7. Donald
8. George
9. Joseph
10. Edward -
1920
Female names
1. Mary
2. Dorothy
3. Helen
4. Margaret
5. Ruth
6. Mildred
7. Virginia
8. Elizabeth
9. Frances
10. AnnaMale names
1. John
2. William
3. Robert
4. James
5. Charles
6. George
7. Joseph
8. Edward
9. Frank
10. Richard -
1910
Female names
1. Mary
2. Helen
3. Margaret
4. Dorothy
5. Ruth
6. Anna
7. Elizabeth
8. Mildred
9. Marie
10. AliceMale names
1. John
2. James
3. William
4. Robert
5. George
6. Joseph
7. Charles
8. Frank
9. Edward
10. Henry -
1900
Female names
1. Mary
2. Helen
3. Anna
4. Margaret
5. Ruth
6. Elizabeth
7. Florence
8. Ethel
9. Marie
10. LillianMale names
1. John
2. William
3. James
4. George
5. Charles
6. Robert
7. Joseph
8. Frank
9. Edward
10. Henry -
Ranking political names
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Names of politicians, their kids
First Lady Michelle Obama can count her first name as the 103rd most popular among baby girls last year and her daughters’ names were fairly popular, too. The family name Obama, however, did not make the Top Thousand as a first name for boys or girls.Larry Downing / Reuters file
As for former Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin – her name ranked 20th in baby name popularity last year. However Bristol, her daughter’s name, did not rank in the Top Thousand.
Obama
Rank: Not in the Top 1,000Sasha
Rank: #363Malia
Rank: #345Michelle
Rank: #103Sarah
Rank: #20Bristol
Rank: Not in the Top 1,000Levi
Rank: #117 -
Ranking TODAY names
Find out whether TODAY Show hosts’ names rank:
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Anchors' names
Matt (Matthew)
Meaning: A gift of god (Hebrew origin)
Rank: #5Meredith
Meaning: Guardian of the sea (Celtic/Welsh origin)
Rank: #310Ann
Meaning: Grace and mercy (Hebrew/Greek origin)
Rank: #731Al (Albert)
Meaning: Brilliant, noble (Saxon origin)
Rank: #354Natalie
Meaning: Born on Christmas; to be born (Latin/French origin)
Rank: #16Hoda
Meaning: Praise, confession, enlightenment (Iranian/Hebrew origin)
Rank: Not in the top 1000 names -
TODAY other talents' names
Willard
Meaning: Courageous (Teutonic/Anglo-Saxon origin)
Rank: Not in the top 1000 namesGiada:
Meaning: Jade (Italian origin)
Rank: Not in the top 1000 namesTiki
Meaning: Spirit, god (Hawaiian/Polynesian origin)
Rank: Not in the top 1000 namesFor more name meanings, visit the iVillage Baby Name Finder
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