The 1948 Baby Name Report

3,452,518 babies, 9,188 unique names — the risers, fallers, and brand-new arrivals of 1948

👑 #1 girls: Linda (2 years running) 👑 #1 boys: James (9 years running) 302 debuts

Top girls

  1. Linda96,216
  2. Mary68,598
  3. Barbara46,824
  4. Patricia46,140
  5. Susan35,988
  6. Sandra31,062
  7. Nancy29,412
  8. Carol28,977
  9. Sharon26,143
  10. Kathleen23,257

Top boys

  1. James88,604
  2. Robert85,475
  3. John82,832
  4. William61,970
  5. David56,624
  6. Michael52,566
  7. Richard50,969
  8. Thomas43,778
  9. Charles38,678
  10. Ronald33,524

Full top-50 rankings for 1948 →

🚀 Fastest risers

  1. Coleen #804 → #520 (+284)
  2. Unknown #696 → #469 (+227)
  3. Mickey #733 → #545 (+188)
  4. Shelley #578 → #391 (+187)
  5. Debby #768 → #583 (+185)
  6. Belinda #542 → #381 (+161)
  7. Melissa #460 → #318 (+142)
  8. Kerry #607 → #490 (+117)
  9. Kristina #682 → #566 (+116)
  10. Melanie #350 → #242 (+108)

📉 Biggest fallers

  1. Laraine #504 → #663 (−159)
  2. Sandi #518 → #628 (−110)
  3. Judie #493 → #594 (−101)
  4. Judi #314 → #413 (−99)
  5. Arleen #474 → #569 (−95)
  6. Shelby #425 → #500 (−75)
  7. Opal #432 → #507 (−75)
  8. Margery #473 → #547 (−74)
  9. Sandy #456 → #529 (−73)
  10. Heather #499 → #568 (−69)

✨ Never recorded before 1948

Vickii (30) Deborrah (28) Rolayne (16) Tisa (15) Brendalyn (14) Migdalia (13) Jamelle (12) Tawn (12) Vikkie (12) Lanice (11)

302 names appeared in SSA records for the first time ever in 1948.

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What were the most popular baby names in 1948?
Linda was the #1 girl name and James the #1 boy name in 1948, out of 3,452,518 recorded births.
What baby name rose fastest in 1948?
Coleen made the biggest jump in 1948, climbing 284 spots to #520.
How many new baby names appeared in 1948?
302 names were recorded by the SSA for the first time ever in 1948.