The name you give your child is a special gift. It reflects what you value and what the world is like around you. You can see this when you step back and take a look at popular names from the 1880s. It's been a long time since this decade; will you be able to predict what the top names were?
Boys Names From the 1880s
John was the number one choice for little boys born between 1 January 1880 and 31 December 1889. Mary was the top choice for girls in the 1880s. Both are simple and traditional.
John has retained some of its popularity, ranking 26th in 2023. But, Mary has fallen to the 330th place.
Presidential Namesakes
Five men held the office of President of the United States back in the 1880s: Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, and Benjamin Harrison.
Unfortunately, Rutherford never broke into the top 100. The rest, however, held their own among 1880s boy names. James sits at number three. Grover was number 56. Benjamin takes the 32nd spot, while its shortened version, Ben, grabs 53.
Now, Chester A. Arthur takes two different spots. Chester ranks #65, while Arthur takes #14.
Top 100 Baby Boy Names From the 1880s
- John
- William
- James
- George
- Charles
- Frank
- Joseph
- Henry
- Robert
- Thomas
- Edward
- Harry
- Walter
- Arthur
- Fred
- Albert
- Samuel
- Clarence
- Louis
- David
- Joe
- Charlie
- Richard
- Ernest
- Roy
- Will
- Andrew
- Jesse
- Oscar
- Willie
- Daniel
- Benjamin
- Carl
- Sam
- Alfred
- Earl
- Peter
- Elmer
- Frederick
- Howard
- Lewis
- Ralph
- Herbert
- Paul
- Lee
- Tom
- Herman
- Martin
- Jacob
- Michael
- Jim
- Claude
- Ben
- Eugene
- Francis
- Grover
- Raymond
- Harvey
- Clyde
- Edwin
- Edgar
- Ed
- Lawrence
- Bert
- Chester
- Jack
- Otto
- Luther
- Charlie
- Guy
- Floyd
- Ira
- Ray
- Hugh
- Isaac
- Oliver
- Patrick
- Homer
- Theodore
- Leonard
- Leo
- Alexander
- August
- Harold
- Allen
- Jessie
- Archie
- Philip
- Stephen
- Horace
- Marion
- Bernard
- Anthony
- Julius
- Warren
- Leroy
- Clifford
- Eddie
- Sidney
- Milton
Some Girls' Names Are More Popular Now Than They Were in the 1880s
Girls' names tend to be more trendy than boys. Yet, some 1880s baby names for girls are even more popular these days than they were then. Back in the 1880s, Charlotte was down at 92nd. These days, it's number six.
Amelia held the number 100 spot back in the 1880s. Amelia holds the #7 position today.
Invention Was a Way of Life the 1880s
The start of the 1880s saw the issue of a key patent. Thomas (#10) Edison received US Patent 223898 on January 27, 1880. It was a patent title simply: Electric Lamp. While Edison didn't invent electric lighting, his innovations created a reliable, long-term source of artificial light.
Henry (#8) W. Seeley patented the first electric clothes iron in 1882. May 1886 saw the invention of Coca Cola by John Pemberton.
Josephine (#47) Garis Cochrane invented the first commercially successful automatic dishwasher. She received the patent on December 28, 1886.
In 1884, George (#4) Eastman developed roll film that made portable cameras practical. Eastman also patented a portable camera, known as the Kodak Black, in 1888.
Ladies Leading the Way
The 1880s was a time many women were starting to break out of traditional roles. For example, Annie (#11) Smith Peck started her mountaineering career by climbing California's Mt. Shasta in 1888.
It was a time of tragedy and triumph. Mary Harris Jones, known as Mother Jones, started her career in organized labor in the 1880s, after losing her husband and four children to yellow fever. Science was becoming a practical concern. Ellen (#64) Swallow Richards built her career as an industrial and safety engineer, environmental chemist, and university faculty member during the 1880s and beyond.
Top 100 Baby Girl Names From the 1880s
- Mary
- Anna
- Emma
- Elizabeth
- Margaret
- Minnie
- Ida
- Bertha
- Clara
- Alice
- Annie
- Florence
- Bessie
- Grace
- Ethel
- Sarah
- Ella
- Martha
- Nellie
- Mabel
- Laura
- Carrie
- Cora
- Helen
- Maude
- Lillian
- Gertrude
- Rose
- Edna
- Pearl
- Edith
- Jennie
- Hattie
- Mattie
- Eva
- Julia
- Myrtle
- Louise
- Lillie
- Jessie
- Frances
- Catherine
- Lula
- Lena
- Marie
- Ada
- Josephine
- Fanny
- Lucy
- Dora
- Agnes
- Maggie
- Blanche
- Katherine
- Elsie
- Nora
- Mamie
- Rosa
- Stella
- Daisy
- May
- Effie
- Mae
- Ellen
- Nettie
- Ruth
- Alma
- Della
- Lizzie
- Sadie
- Sally
- Nancy
- Suzie
- Maud
- Flora
- Irene
- Etta
- Katie
- Lydia
- Lottie
- Viola
- Caroline
- Addie
- Hazel
- Georgia
- Esther
- Mollie
- Olive
- Willie
- Harriet
- Emily
- Charlotte
- Amanda
- Kathryn
- Lulu
- Susan
- Kate
- Nanny
- Jane
- Amelia
Which 1880s names do you think would be a great moniker for a baby born today?
©Photo by Boston Public Library on Unsplash – License
Are Popular 1880s Names Still Popular Today?
It's been a long time since the 1880s! You might be wondering how the top five most popular boy and girl names in the 1880s fair today. Let's take a look.
The top five most popular baby boy names in the 1880s were John, William, James, George, and Charles. John enjoys a spot in the Top 50 today, at number 40. William and James both sit in the Top 25, with William at 12 and James at nine. George is much less popular, ranking at 262 in 2023. Charles remains in the Top 100 at 84; its popularity may increase now that King Charles has been crowned.
The top five most popular baby girl names in the 1880s were Mary, Anna, Emma, Elizabeth, and Margaret. Mary isn't quite as popular today, ranking at just 330. Anna fairs somewhat better on the popularity list, at 220. Emma remains extraordinarily popular in 2023 at number five. Elizabeth doesn't quite make the Top 50 at number 57. Finally, Margaret about equals Mary in popularity at spot 312.
If you want an uncommon name for your child that was popular in this decade, try George, Mary, Anna, or Margaret.