The 1917 Baby Name Report

2,006,750 babies, 8,877 unique names — the risers, fallers, and brand-new arrivals of 1917

👑 #1 girls: Mary (38 years running) 👑 #1 boys: John (38 years running) 829 debuts

Top girls

  1. Mary64,280
  2. Helen34,251
  3. Dorothy28,852
  4. Margaret25,560
  5. Ruth23,568
  6. Mildred16,256
  7. Anna15,160
  8. Elizabeth15,131
  9. Frances14,363
  10. Virginia14,261

Top boys

  1. John51,852
  2. William42,422
  3. James37,338
  4. Robert35,220
  5. Joseph24,761
  6. George24,196
  7. Charles24,143
  8. Edward17,501
  9. Frank15,768
  10. Thomas12,611

Full top-50 rankings for 1917 →

🚀 Fastest risers

  1. Bette #409 → #313 (+96)
  2. Rowena #510 → #429 (+81)
  3. Dortha #525 → #450 (+75)
  4. Wiley #424 → #351 (+73)
  5. Jacqueline #483 → #411 (+72)
  6. Delores #381 → #310 (+71)
  7. Dovie #484 → #415 (+69)
  8. Harriette #443 → #380 (+63)
  9. Junior #395 → #333 (+62)
  10. Isabell #422 → #369 (+53)

📉 Biggest fallers

  1. Lorine #413 → #487 (−74)
  2. Oma #366 → #430 (−64)
  3. Booker #303 → #364 (−61)
  4. Cecil #404 → #462 (−58)
  5. Lauretta #419 → #475 (−56)
  6. Jess #220 → #273 (−53)
  7. Ferne #400 → #453 (−53)
  8. Lucinda #428 → #480 (−52)
  9. Coy #357 → #404 (−47)
  10. Clare #427 → #474 (−47)

✨ Never recorded before 1917

Nerine (43) Delwyn (14) Alvada (11) Chestina (11) Delsa (11) Miyeko (11) Nerene (11) Tonia (11) Galvin (11) Mcadoo (11)

829 names appeared in SSA records for the first time ever in 1917.

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What were the most popular baby names in 1917?
Mary was the #1 girl name and John the #1 boy name in 1917, out of 2,006,750 recorded births.
What baby name rose fastest in 1917?
Bette made the biggest jump in 1917, climbing 96 spots to #313.
How many new baby names appeared in 1917?
829 names were recorded by the SSA for the first time ever in 1917.