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Top 100 Baby Names for the 1960s

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Top 100 Baby Names for the 1960s

Nothing says more about a decade than its 100 most popular baby names. Some names endure through generations, while others are decidedly edgy.

What can popular names from the 1960s tell us about the cultural landscape of America at the time? We may never know for sure, but it’s intriguing to wonder.

Baby Names of the 1960s

Babies born in the 1960s, known for pushing boundaries, took their first breaths to the sounds of Elvis, Motown, and the Beatles. Their parents watched the groundbreaking moment when the first human landed on the moon, and were thrilled about high-tech advancements like lasers and cassette tapes.

With the Vietnam War on the horizon and televisions replacing radios in American households, it was a decade of firsts. But what mattered most to the parents’ of the ’60s when it came to choosing baby names?

Was it a tribute to a family member, Hollywood, political influences, or wonders of science? You decide.

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Boy Names of the 1960s

Kicking off the decade, John F Kennedy was elected in 1960 as America’s youngest-ever president, while stars like Paul Newman, Richard Burton, and Rock Hudson lit up the silver screen.

A noteworthy figure named “John” was the first American to orbit the planet, while here on Earth, John Wayne was making hit movies like “El Dorado” and “True Grit.” Who was the most popular namesake for babies named “John” — the third most popular name on the list?

The big winner may be John Wayne, with “John” coming in at number three and “Wayne” at 63.

Or was it groundbreaking astronaut John Glenn with “Glenn” at the 74th spot? “Glen,” didn’t make the list at all, so it’s a good possibility.

Not surprisingly, The Beatles — John, Paul, George, and Richard, aka “Ringo” — are all in the top 40. Whether the preference for conventional boys' names was more of a traditional choice or a reflection of the times isn’t clear, but other top boy names like Michael, David, Robert, and James suggest Hollywood was a big influence.

1960s kids
  1. Tony
  2. Ricky 
  3. Steve 
  4. Jeff 
  5. Troy 
  6. Alan 
  7. Carl
  8. Danny 
  9. Russell
  10. Chris 
  11. Bryan 
  12. Gerald 
  13. Wayne
  14. Joe
  15. Randall 
  16. Lawrence
  17. Dale
  18. Phillip 
  19. Johnny
  20. Vincent 
  21. Martin
  22. Bradley 
  23. Billy 
  24. Glenn
  25. Shawn 
  26. Jonathan 
  27. Jimmy 
  28. Sean 
  29. Curtis
  30. Barry 
  31. Bobby 
  32. Walter 
  33. Jon 
  34. Philip
  35. Samuel 
  36. Jay
  37. Jason 
  38. Dean 
  39. Jose
  40. Tim 
  41. Roy
  42. Willie
  43. Arthur 
  44. Darryl
  45. Henry 
  46. Darrell 
  47. Allen 
  48. Victor 
  49. Harold 
  50. Greg 
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Top 100 Baby Names for the 1960s

Girl Names of the 1960s

Not to be outdone by their male counterparts from Hollywood or Washington, classic celebrity girl names pepper the list of the 100 most popular. Elizabeth Taylor, Mary Wells, and Julie Andrews all have namesakes in the top 20.

First Lady and fashion icon “Jacqueline” Kennedy shine at number 51. And “Margaret,” of Margaret Chase Smith — the Maine senator nominated for president in 1964 — claims the 53rd position.

“Jackie,” “Becky,” and other abbreviated versions of girl's baby names from the 1960s weren't as popular. But for boys, “Jeff,” “Joe,” and “Mike,” struck a chord.

One thing is evident: despite the myriad ways parents expressed their creativity in the '60s, giving their kids novel monikers wasn’t one of them. Famous names like Sharmila, Lola, Tura, and Rock weren’t in the top 100.

Surprisingly, “Elvis” didn’t even crack the top 200 of 1960s names — an unexpected surprise. But alas, some babies were destined to be truly unique.

  1. Lisa
  2. Mary 
  3. Susan
  4. Karen
  5. Kimberly 
  6. Patricia
  7. Linda
  8. Donna 
  9. Michelle 
  10. Cynthia 
  11. Sandra 
  12. Deborah 
  13. Tammy
  14. Pamela
  15. Lori
  16. Laura 
  17. Elizabeth 
  18. Julie 
  19. Brenda 
  20. Jennifer 
  21. Barbara 
  22. Angela 
  23. Sharon 
  24. Debra 
  25. Teresa 
  26. Nancy 
  27. Christine 
  28. Cheryl 
  29. Denise 
  30. Kelly 
  31. Tina
  32. Kathleen 
  33. Melissa 
  34. Robin
  35. Amy
  36. Diane
  37. Dawn 
  38. Carol 
  39. Tracy
  40. Kathy
  41. Rebecca 
  42. Theresa 
  43. Kim
  44. Rhonda
  45. Stephanie 
  46. Cindy 
  47. Janet
  48. Wendy 
  49. Maria 
  50. Michele 
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1960s kids

Top 100 Baby Names by Decade

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