Top 50 Baby Boy Names Over the Past 100 Years

Choosing a name for your baby is a delicate process for new parents. Some parents choose a name based on the meaning behind it, while others choose a name based on which one sounds best. To add another layer to this challenging decision, some families have names that are passed down from one generation to the next. You might name your baby boy after your father, grandfather, or another person who greatly influenced your life.

When you look at the most popular names over the past 100 years, it's interesting to see how some names were only popular for a small amount of time while others have appeared to be timeless, consistently making the top of baby name lists for decades.

We used data from the Social Security Adminstration to determine the 50 most popular given names for male babies over the last 100 years, between 1925 and 2024. These names were not necessarily popular every year, but were consistently used more than other male names for the past century.

The list below includes the number of occurrences for each name in the U.S. for the past 100 years and the meaning of each name.

• Number of Occurrences: 601,316
• Meaning: Tiler of roofs

• Number of Occurrences: 609,827
• Meaning: Follower of Dionysus

• Number of Occurrences: 622,479
• Meaning: Wise protector

• Number of Occurrences: 627,750
• Meaning: God is gracious

• Number of Occurrences: 629,555
• Meaning: Free

• Number of Occurrences: 667,246
• Meaning: Noble

• Number of Occurrences: 704,160
• Meaning: Man's defender

• Number of Occurrences: 709,015
• Meaning: Watchful

• Number of Occurrences: 729,241
• Meaning: God has heard

• Number of Occurrences: 768,672
• Meaning: Prince

• Number of Occurrences: 770,944
• Meaning: From Scotland

• Number of Occurrences: 774,140
• Meaning: Son of the right hand

• Number of Occurrences: 787,011
• Meaning: Just, Upright

• Number of Occurrences: 800,777
• Meaning: Crowned with laurel

• Number of Occurrences: 836,135
• Meaning: Crown

• Number of Occurrences: 865,327
• Meaning: God has given

• Number of Occurrences: 884,769
• Meaning: Sole ruler

• Number of Occurrences: 900,286
• Meaning: Spear

• Number of Occurrences: 902,466
• Meaning: People of victory

• Number of Occurrences: 959,832
• Meaning: Supplanter

• Number of Occurrences: 960,101
• Meaning: Little king

• Number of Occurrences: 978,511
• Meaning: Pledge of peace

• Number of Occurrences: 1,003,529
• Meaning: Wealthy guard

• Number of Occurrences: 1,037,090
• Meaning: Farmer

• Number of Occurrences: 1,048,271
• Meaning: Healer

• Number of Occurrences: 1,070,225
• Meaning: Ruler's counselor

• Number of Occurrences: 1,077,042
• Meaning: God's honor

• Number of Occurrences: 1,172,425
• Meaning: High, Noble

• Number of Occurrences: 1,182,429
• Meaning: Handsome

• Number of Occurrences: 1,187,175
• Meaning: Fire born

• Number of Occurrences: 1,228,352
• Meaning: Small, Humble

• Number of Occurrences: 1,241,518
• Meaning: Yahweh is salvation

• Number of Occurrences: 1,259,356
• Meaning: Strong, Manly

• Number of Occurrences: 1,275,459
• Meaning: King of the world

• Number of Occurrences: 1,286,709
• Meaning: Crown, Wreath

• Number of Occurrences: 1,350,570
• Meaning: Dedicated to Mars

• Number of Occurrences: 1,411,666
• Meaning: Priceless one

• Number of Occurrences: 1,632,726
• Meaning: Gift of God

• Number of Occurrences: 1,913,775
• Meaning: God is my judge

• Number of Occurrences: 1,989,647
• Meaning: Free man

• Number of Occurrences: 2,059,450
• Meaning: Bearing Christ

• Number of Occurrences: 2,115,411
• Meaning: Twin

• Number of Occurrences: 2,263,825
• Meaning: God shall add

• Number of Occurrences: 2,387,091
• Meaning: Powerful, Hardy

• Number of Occurrences: 3,400,779
• Meaning: Resolute protector

• Number of Occurrences: 3,562,294
• Meaning: Beloved

• Number of Occurrences: 4,248,470
• Meaning: Bright fame

• Number of Occurrences: 4,254,027
• Meaning: God is gracious

• Number of Occurrences: 4,354,983
• Meaning: Who resembles God?

• Number of Occurrences: 4,545,686
• Meaning: Supplanter