Top baby names of the 1940s

The 50 most popular girl and boy names, ranked by births

Girls

  1. Mary640,070
  2. Linda531,658
  3. Barbara425,267
  4. Patricia411,412
  5. Carol292,330
  6. Sandra265,536
  7. Nancy252,058
  8. Sharon221,236
  9. Judith218,035
  10. Susan212,014
  11. Betty194,622
  12. Carolyn181,855
  13. Margaret173,025
  14. Shirley171,780
  15. Judy167,718
  16. Karen167,699
  17. Donna165,523
  18. Kathleen152,981
  19. Joyce151,493
  20. Dorothy132,255
  21. Janet130,754
  22. Diane122,877
  23. Janice118,892
  24. Joan117,708
  25. Elizabeth116,551
  26. Brenda112,414
  27. Gloria105,054
  28. Virginia98,998
  29. Marilyn98,977
  30. Martha95,386
  31. Beverly95,124
  32. Helen90,742
  33. Bonnie86,886
  34. Ruth85,664
  35. Frances85,447
  36. Jean80,364
  37. Ann76,797
  38. Phyllis76,142
  39. Pamela73,121
  40. Jane72,537
  41. Alice72,392
  42. Peggy72,121
  43. Cheryl70,959
  44. Doris64,142
  45. Catherine62,086
  46. Elaine60,104
  47. Cynthia58,060
  48. Marie57,521
  49. Lois56,854
  50. Connie56,604

Boys

  1. James795,767
  2. Robert758,115
  3. John711,600
  4. William556,469
  5. Richard477,472
  6. David426,365
  7. Charles361,760
  8. Thomas350,771
  9. Michael336,564
  10. Ronald282,478
  11. Larry255,907
  12. Donald247,829
  13. Joseph230,281
  14. Gary217,769
  15. George209,005
  16. Kenneth198,551
  17. Paul183,356
  18. Edward174,798
  19. Jerry167,250
  20. Dennis162,113
  21. Frank119,420
  22. Daniel112,776
  23. Raymond109,070
  24. Roger107,597
  25. Stephen106,810
  26. Gerald103,342
  27. Walter83,726
  28. Harold82,177
  29. Steven81,205
  30. Douglas80,757
  31. Lawrence80,459
  32. Terry76,966
  33. Wayne75,130
  34. Arthur73,966
  35. Jack73,920
  36. Carl72,739
  37. Henry72,486
  38. Willie72,419
  39. Bruce72,096
  40. Joe72,013
  41. Peter69,328
  42. Billy67,831
  43. Roy65,645
  44. Ralph64,980
  45. Anthony64,824
  46. Jimmy63,522
  47. Albert60,276
  48. Bobby58,890
  49. Eugene57,273
  50. Johnny57,199