Top 100 Baby Names for the 1970s

Let’s face it. If you were born in the generation 1965 through mid-1980’s, you are just past the cusp of the “Baby Boomers” generation that ended circa 1965. Your official generation moniker is “Generation X.”

Many parents of Generation X hailed from the Baby Boomer generation. Hence, it follows that this timeline has much to do with popular names from the 1970s.

The “flower child” of the 70’s named many babies in that decade. Let’s explore some of this rationale. Here are some additional factors that likely affected baby 1970s names:

• The Disco movement;
• Bell Bottoms and Big Hair Fads, including the “Mullet;”
• and possibly the most important factor: the commencement of the infamous Vietnam War.

Examination of Some 1970s Name Favorites

Leading 1970s boy names: There appears to have been a continuance of the strong traditional names with male babies. Many of the top ten hail from centuries ago and/or Biblical times; strong examples are Michael, David, William, Joseph, Robert, Daniel, and Thomas.

Leading 1970s girl names: Ironically, it would seem that not as many girls’ names are as traditional and orthodox with the exception of Elizabeth, Rebecca and Mary, which are three continuing mainstays that carried over from previous eras. However, many of the others are of a more “creative” and “shiny” disco era, namely: Nicole, Michelle, Jennifer, Lisa, Amanda, and Jessica.

Origins of 1970s Baby Names

One could explore other rationales for the origins of these popular names, but in most cases, most baby names from the 70s were derived from ancestors’ names and from current fads and trends. Later decades would see a surge in rhyming two-syllable names such as Aiden, Hayden, Caden, Brayden, Jayden (both genders), Emily, and Ashley which all seemed to have come from just creative ruminations and pursuits.

Rank	1970s Boy Names	1970s Girl Names
1	Michael	Jennifer
2	Christopher	Amy
3	Jason	Melissa
4	David	Michelle
5	James	Kimberly
6	John	Lisa
7	Robert	Angela
8	Brian	Heather
9	William	Stephanie
10	Matthew	Nicole

Rank	1970s Boy Names	1970s Girl Names
11	Joseph	Jessica
12	Daniel	Elizabeth
13	Kevin	Rebecca
14	Eric	Kelly
15	Jeffrey	Mary
16	Richard	Christina
17	Scott	Amanda
18	Mark	Julie
19	Steven	Sarah
20	Thomas	Laura

Rank	1970s Boy Names	1970s Girl Names
21	Timothy	Shannon
22	Anthony	Christine
23	Charles	Tammy
24	Joshua	Tracy
25	Ryan	Karen
26	Jeremy	Dawn
27	Paul	Susan
28	Andrew	Andrea
29	Gregory	Tina
30	Chad	Patricia

Rank	1970s Boy Names	1970s Girl Names
31	Kenneth	Cynthia
32	Jonathan	Lori
33	Stephen	Rachel
34	Shawn	April
35	Aaron	Maria
36	Adam	Wendy
37	Patrick	Crystal
38	Justin	Stacy
39	Sean	Erin
40	Edward	Jamie

Rank	1970s Boy Names	1970s Girl Names
41	Todd	Carrie
42	Donald	Tiffany
43	Ronald	Tara
44	Benjamin	Sandra
45	Keith	Monica
46	Bryan	Danielle
47	Gary	Stacey
48	Jose	Pamela
49	Nathan	Tonya
50	Douglas	Sara

Rank	1970s Boy Names	1970s Girl Names
51	Brandon	Michele
52	Nicholas	Teresa
53	George	Denise
54	Travis	Jill
55	Peter	Katherine
56	Craig	Melanie
57	Bradley	Dana
58	Larry	Holly
59	Dennis	Erica
60	Shane	Brenda

Rank	1970s Boy Names	1970s Girl Names
61	Raymond	Deborah
62	Troy	Tanya
63	Jerry	Sharon
64	Samuel	Donna
65	Frank	Amber
66	Jesse	Emily
67	Jeffery	Linda
68	Juan	Robin
69	Terry	Kathleen

Rank	1970s Boy Names	1970s Girl Names
70	Corey	Leslie
71	Phillip	Christy
72	Marcus	Kristen
73	Derek	Catherine
74	Rodney	Kristin
75	Joel	Misty
76	Carlos	Barbara
77	Randy	Heidi
78	Jacob	Nancy
79	Jamie	Cheryl

Rank	1970s Boy Names	1970s Girl Names
80	Tony	Theresa
81	Russell	Brandy
82	Brent	Alicia
83	Antonio	Veronica
84	Billy	Gina
85	Derrick	Jacqueline
86	Kyle	Rhonda
87	Erik	Anna
88	Johnny	Renee
89	Marc	Megan
90	Carl	Tamara

Rank	1970s Boy Names	1970s Girl Names
91	Philip	Melinda
92	Roger	Kathryn
93	Bobby	Debra
94	Brett	Sherry
95	Danny	Allison
96	Curtis	Valerie
97	Jon	Diana
98	Vincent	Paula
99	Cory	Kristina
100	Jimmy	Ann

Top 100 Baby Names by Decade

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