6 Generations Analyzed
Names Across Generations
Discover the most popular names for each American generation, from the Silent Generation to Gen Alpha
Silent Generation
Born between world wars, raised during the Great Depression
1928-1945
18 years
Traditional valuesHard-workingConformist
Top Boy Names
1
RobertPeak: 1943
1.1Mtotal births
2
JamesPeak: 1943
1.1Mtotal births
3
JohnPeak: 1943
1.0Mtotal births
4
WilliamPeak: 1943
0.8Mtotal births
5
RichardPeak: 1943
0.6Mtotal births
6
CharlesPeak: 1943
0.6Mtotal births
7
DonaldPeak: 1934
0.5Mtotal births
8
ThomasPeak: 1943
0.4Mtotal births
9
DavidPeak: 1944
0.4Mtotal births
10
GeorgePeak: 1928
0.4Mtotal births
Top Girl Names
1
RosemariePeak: 1942
0.0Mtotal births
2
HarrietPeak: 1943
0.0Mtotal births
3
MariannePeak: 1942
0.0Mtotal births
4
CarolinePeak: 1943
0.0Mtotal births
5
ColleenPeak: 1928
0.0Mtotal births
6
JeannettePeak: 1938
0.0Mtotal births
7
BettePeak: 1928
0.0Mtotal births
8
MiriamPeak: 1928
0.0Mtotal births
9
MarciaPeak: 1945
0.0Mtotal births
10
VeronicaPeak: 1943
0.0Mtotal births
Top 5 Names Popularity Comparison
Boys
Robert
James
John
William
Richard
Girls
Rosemarie
Harriet
Marianne
Caroline
Colleen
Baby Boomers
Post-WWII baby boom, rock and roll era
1946-1964
19 years
OptimisticWork-centricCompetitive
Top Boy Names
1
JamesPeak: 1947
1.6Mtotal births
2
RobertPeak: 1947
1.5Mtotal births
3
JohnPeak: 1947
1.5Mtotal births
4
MichaelPeak: 1957
1.5Mtotal births
5
DavidPeak: 1955
1.4Mtotal births
6
WilliamPeak: 1947
1.1Mtotal births
7
RichardPeak: 1946
1.0Mtotal births
8
ThomasPeak: 1952
0.8Mtotal births
9
MarkPeak: 1960
0.7Mtotal births
10
CharlesPeak: 1947
0.7Mtotal births
Top Girl Names
1
ColleenPeak: 1962
0.0Mtotal births
2
CarolePeak: 1949
0.0Mtotal births
3
BeckyPeak: 1959
0.0Mtotal births
4
MarjoriePeak: 1946
0.0Mtotal births
5
DiannaPeak: 1957
0.0Mtotal births
6
MaryannPeak: 1947
0.0Mtotal births
7
MelaniePeak: 1962
0.0Mtotal births
8
MarlenePeak: 1952
0.0Mtotal births
9
RoxannePeak: 1954
0.0Mtotal births
10
LyndaPeak: 1949
0.0Mtotal births
Top 5 Names Popularity Comparison
Boys
James
Robert
John
Michael
David
Girls
Colleen
Carole
Becky
Marjorie
Dianna
Generation X
MTV generation, latchkey kids
1965-1980
16 years
IndependentSkepticalAdaptable
Top Boy Names
1
MichaelPeak: 1970
1.2Mtotal births
2
DavidPeak: 1965
0.8Mtotal births
3
JamesPeak: 1965
0.8Mtotal births
4
JohnPeak: 1965
0.8Mtotal births
5
RobertPeak: 1965
0.7Mtotal births
6
ChristopherPeak: 1972
0.7Mtotal births
7
JasonPeak: 1977
0.5Mtotal births
8
WilliamPeak: 1965
0.5Mtotal births
9
BrianPeak: 1972
0.5Mtotal births
10
JosephPeak: 1980
0.4Mtotal births
Top Girl Names
1
RoxannePeak: 1965
0.0Mtotal births
2
TrinaPeak: 1972
0.0Mtotal births
3
CandacePeak: 1970
0.0Mtotal births
4
CheriPeak: 1967
0.0Mtotal births
5
GretchenPeak: 1973
0.0Mtotal births
6
JanaPeak: 1979
0.0Mtotal births
7
GingerPeak: 1971
0.0Mtotal births
8
StefaniePeak: 1980
0.0Mtotal births
9
KristiePeak: 1974
0.0Mtotal births
10
CarolinePeak: 1966
0.0Mtotal births
Top 5 Names Popularity Comparison
Boys
Michael
David
James
John
Robert
Girls
Roxanne
Trina
Candace
Cheri
Gretchen
Millennials
Digital natives, came of age around Y2K
1981-1996
16 years
Tech-savvyCollaborativePurpose-driven
Top Boy Names
1
MichaelPeak: 1981
0.9Mtotal births
2
ChristopherPeak: 1984
0.8Mtotal births
3
MatthewPeak: 1983
0.7Mtotal births
4
JoshuaPeak: 1989
0.6Mtotal births
5
DavidPeak: 1981
0.5Mtotal births
6
DanielPeak: 1985
0.5Mtotal births
7
JamesPeak: 1982
0.5Mtotal births
8
AndrewPeak: 1987
0.5Mtotal births
9
JohnPeak: 1981
0.5Mtotal births
10
JosephPeak: 1982
0.5Mtotal births
Top Girl Names
1
KatelynPeak: 1993
0.0Mtotal births
2
CarolinePeak: 1996
0.0Mtotal births
3
MarisaPeak: 1995
0.0Mtotal births
4
BreannaPeak: 1996
0.0Mtotal births
5
CaitlynPeak: 1996
0.0Mtotal births
6
AllysonPeak: 1994
0.0Mtotal births
7
LydiaPeak: 1996
0.0Mtotal births
8
ChloePeak: 1995
0.0Mtotal births
9
MeghanPeak: 1991
0.0Mtotal births
10
RachaelPeak: 1991
0.0Mtotal births
Top 5 Names Popularity Comparison
Boys
Michael
Christopher
Matthew
Joshua
David
Girls
Katelyn
Caroline
Marisa
Breanna
Caitlyn
Generation Z
True digital natives, social media generation
1997-2012
16 years
DiverseEntrepreneurialSocially conscious
Top Boy Names
1
JacobPeak: 1998
0.4Mtotal births
2
MichaelPeak: 1997
0.4Mtotal births
3
JoshuaPeak: 1997
0.4Mtotal births
4
MatthewPeak: 1997
0.4Mtotal births
5
ChristopherPeak: 1997
0.3Mtotal births
6
DanielPeak: 1997
0.3Mtotal births
7
AndrewPeak: 1997
0.3Mtotal births
8
WilliamPeak: 1998
0.3Mtotal births
9
JosephPeak: 1997
0.3Mtotal births
10
AnthonyPeak: 2003
0.3Mtotal births
Top Girl Names
1
GabriellaPeak: 2011
0.0Mtotal births
2
ClairePeak: 2012
0.0Mtotal births
3
MikaylaPeak: 1998
0.0Mtotal births
4
IsabellePeak: 2007
0.0Mtotal births
5
KatelynPeak: 2001
0.0Mtotal births
6
BreannaPeak: 1997
0.0Mtotal births
7
LydiaPeak: 2012
0.0Mtotal births
8
CarolinePeak: 2002
0.0Mtotal births
9
KatiePeak: 1997
0.0Mtotal births
10
AliciaPeak: 1998
0.0Mtotal births
Top 5 Names Popularity Comparison
Boys
Jacob
Michael
Joshua
Matthew
Christopher
Girls
Gabriella
Claire
Mikayla
Isabelle
Katelyn
Generation Alpha
Children of Millennials, growing up with AI
2013-2024
12 years
Tech-integratedGlobal perspectiveHighly educated
Top Boy Names
1
LiamPeak: 2024
0.2Mtotal births
2
NoahPeak: 2024
0.2Mtotal births
3
WilliamPeak: 2014
0.2Mtotal births
4
JamesPeak: 2016
0.2Mtotal births
5
OliverPeak: 2024
0.2Mtotal births
6
ElijahPeak: 2016
0.2Mtotal births
7
BenjaminPeak: 2016
0.2Mtotal births
8
MasonPeak: 2013
0.1Mtotal births
9
LucasPeak: 2017
0.1Mtotal births
10
JacobPeak: 2013
0.1Mtotal births
Top Girl Names
1
NoraPeak: 2021
0.1Mtotal births
2
LilyPeak: 2016
0.0Mtotal births
3
StellaPeak: 2018
0.0Mtotal births
4
ClairePeak: 2016
0.0Mtotal births
5
ValentinaPeak: 2024
0.0Mtotal births
6
CarolinePeak: 2016
0.0Mtotal births
7
GabriellaPeak: 2013
0.0Mtotal births
8
ElenaPeak: 2024
0.0Mtotal births
9
DelilahPeak: 2024
0.0Mtotal births
10
LucyPeak: 2024
0.0Mtotal births
Top 5 Names Popularity Comparison
Boys
Liam
Noah
William
James
Oliver
Girls
Nora
Lily
Stella
Claire
Valentina
Key Insights
Interesting patterns across generations
Classic Dominance
Names like James, William, Mary, and Elizabeth have remained popular across multiple generations, showing remarkable staying power.
Increasing Diversity
Newer generations show greater name diversity - Gen Alpha has more unique names than any previous generation.
Cultural Shifts
Pop culture, celebrities, and media increasingly influence baby names in recent generations.
Explore more data visualizations and name insights.