Baby names come and go with generations, experiencing a surge in popularity for a period of time. While these may have been the 20 most common baby names from the 1970s, a lot of them have experienced a rapid decline in popularity, but a handful have remained strong.
Jennifer
Around the 1970s, Jennifer was an incredibly popular baby name. You’ll notice that many famous celebrities with the name Jennifer were born around that time, including Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Garner, and J.Lo. According to Nameberry, Jennifer was the number one baby name for a staggering 15 years that covered the entirety of the 1970s.
Michael
For baby boys, Michael was the top choice from an impressive 44 years. Michael is a diverse name that is loved and used by many different ethnicities, which added to its staggering figures. As a biblical name, it was also a favorite of religious families for a long time.
Jessica
Jessica is a name that has stayed pretty current but it really took off in the 1970s. Throughout this decade, the name’s popularity continued to soar before reaching its peak in 1985. When Jennifer became so popular, many parents who loved the name but didn’t want to choose one so common switched to Jessica instead.
Jason
Most of the Jasons in the world seem to be around the same age, and it is most likely that any Jason you know was born in the ‘70s. A biblical name said to mean ‘healer,’ the New York Post says that almost half a million babies born in the U.S. during the 1970s were named Jason.
Amy
Throughout the ‘70s, Amy was one of the most common baby names for girls. Between 1973 and 1976, it was one of the top five names used in the U.S. The name Amy remained popular for a long time after and continued to be very common in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
David
Everyone knows a David so it is very surprising that another boy’s name was more popular in the 1970s. However, David was still extremely popular, largely thanks to pop culture. Both David Bowie and David Cassidy emerged in the ‘70s, sparking a surge in the popularity of the name David.
Melissa
When it came to naming baby girls, Melissa was one of the top names in the 1970s. Over a quarter of a million baby girls were named Melissa throughout this decade. A name that continued to be strong throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, Melissa is a name that, to this day, is not considered outdated.
Christopher
The SSA revealed that Christopher was the second-most popular boy’s name in the 1970s. A Greek name that means ‘bearer of Christ,’ Christopher was popular with religious families. However, non-religious families also loved the name, resulting in a huge rise in how often the name Christopher was used in this decade.
Michelle
Michelle is one of those names that seems to apply to a specific generation. Born in the 1970s, many female Gen Xers have the name ‘Michelle’ with 249,138 baby girls receiving the name throughout the ‘70s. The name has French origin and means ‘who is like God.’
James
With close to half a million boys named James in the 1970s, it was one of the top five names in the U.S., coming extremely close to David. James is a classic and timeless name that has been popular for centuries but it had a particular spike 50 years ago.
Angela
The name Angela means ‘messenger of God’ and is a name of English origin with Greek roots. Deriving from the Greek word for ‘angel,’ Angela was a popular Christian name, and although it doesn’t appear in the Bible, families of faith loved it for its religious connection.
John
John is a name that was extremely common for baby boys for centuries; it is only since the millennium that its popularity has declined. In the 1970s alone, 402,715 babies were named John. A strong and classic biblical name, John is one of the most common names for boys born into religious families.
Kimberly
As the 5th most popular name for baby girls born in the 1970s, Kimberly was the name received by 229,106 newborns in this decade. A lot of famous Kimberlys were also born around this time, including Kim Kardashian and Lil’ Kim.
Matthew
A modern alternative to classic biblical names such as John and Mark, Matthew skyrocketed in the late ‘60s and into the 1970s. In this decade, 277,828 baby boys were registered with the name Matthew and it is a name that continues to be popular.
Heather
Heather is another generational name, with a high concentration of Heathers born in the 1970s. Although it was a common name throughout the decade, it peaked in popularity in 1975, when over 24,000 newborn girls were named Heather. Despite its popularity in the ‘70s, it hasn’t been anywhere near as popular in other decades.
Brian
Considered today to be a typical ‘dad’ name, many Brians were born in the 1970s. As a native Irish name, it appeared on the US Top 1000 list for the first time in 1925, thanks to Irish immigrants, and continued to increase in popularity.
Lisa
Another name that came and went with the ‘70s was Lisa. The name has never been as popular as it was in the 1970s, when it made it into the US Top 10 for baby girl names. A name of English origin meaning ‘God’s promise,’ Lisa was common for both religious and non-religious families.
Daniel
In the U.S., Daniel is a name that has been in the top 15 baby names since 1972. The name has been used since the late 1800s but became extremely common in the 1970s. Daniel was most popular between 1975 and 1984, and it is popular across the world.
Stephanie
Although Stephanie is a name most commonly associated with the ‘80s and ‘90s, it was also in the top ten baby names for girls in the ‘70s. Country Living Magazine says that the name isn’t so popular anymore but is not yet considered old-fashioned.
Robert
A classic ‘dad’ name, newborns born in the ‘70s were often named Robert. A staggering 397,295 baby boys were named Robert in the 1970s and it is a name commonly associated with this decade. An English name that means ‘bright fame,’ Robert is a strong male name that defined a generation.
Up Next: 19 Signs That Say You’ve Officially Entered Old Age
Old age comes for us all, though we do our best to resist it for as long as possible. But aging isn’t only gray hair, wrinkled skin, and yelling at kids to get off your lawn. Here are 19 signs you’ve realized you’re no longer the young stud you once were!
19 SIGNS THAT SAY YOU’VE OFFICIALLY ENTERED OLD AGE
17 Things That Are Too Woke For Boomers
Our society is so different from what it was decades ago, and boomers don’t like much of what everyone considers normal in today’s society. In this light, here are 17 things about ‘woke culture’ that particularly make boomers uncomfortable.
17 THINGS THAT ARE TOO WOKE FOR BOOMERS
17 Things You’re Just Too Old To Be Doing Anymore
The older you get, the more fragile you are physically and mentally, so it’s important to prioritize your well-being every day. Whether you still feel young at 50 or are closer to 80, we’ve compiled 17 things you’re too old to be doing anymore.