Most Popular Baby Names of 1936

In 1936, Mary (54,374 births) was the most common U.S. girl name and Robert (58,501 births) the most common boy name.

Top 100 boy names, 1936
Rank	Name	Births
1	Robert	58,501
2	James	54,696
3	John	47,679
4	William	39,398
5	Richard	33,492
6	Charles	29,100
7	Donald	28,640
8	Thomas	18,343
9	George	18,197
10	David	17,477
11	Joseph	17,452
12	Ronald	16,918
13	Edward	14,194
14	Kenneth	12,486
15	Paul	12,306
16	Frank	10,186
17	Raymond	9,458
18	Jerry	9,270
19	Gerald	9,017
20	Jack	8,857
21	Harold	8,629
22	Billy	8,587
23	Joe	8,023
24	Bobby	7,735
25	Larry	7,612
26	Walter	7,536
27	Carl	6,591
28	Henry	6,446
29	Eugene	6,375
30	Arthur	6,264
31	Ralph	6,029
32	Willie	6,011
33	Michael	5,800
34	Albert	5,759
35	Roger	5,701
36	Fred	5,602
37	Lawrence	5,341
38	Gary	5,192
39	Harry	4,930
40	Howard	4,874
41	Daniel	4,817
41	Roy	4,817
43	Norman	4,645
44	Louis	4,419
45	Wayne	4,408
46	Jimmy	4,213
47	Earl	4,106
48	Anthony	3,978
49	Marvin	3,936
50	Francis	3,876
51	Don	3,830
52	Clarence	3,772
53	Melvin	3,730
54	Leonard	3,716
55	Ernest	3,715
56	Peter	3,714
57	Leroy	3,644
58	Stanley	3,492
59	Dale	3,394
60	Alfred	3,252
61	Bill	3,166
62	Herbert	3,117
63	Philip	3,033
64	Franklin	2,939
64	Ray	2,939
66	Gene	2,909
67	Samuel	2,893
68	Bernard	2,854
69	Russell	2,832
70	Frederick	2,817
71	Jimmie	2,742
72	Johnny	2,729
73	Bruce	2,630
74	Dennis	2,627
75	Gordon	2,567
76	Lee	2,418
77	Bob	2,408
78	Douglas	2,375
79	Eddie	2,347
80	Glenn	2,328
81	Allen	2,314
82	Leon	2,282
83	Andrew	2,276
84	Edwin	2,271
85	Jim	2,268
86	Floyd	2,229
87	Theodore	2,219
88	Lloyd	2,160
89	Clyde	2,153
90	Clifford	2,132
91	Tommy	2,107
92	Martin	2,106
93	Vernon	2,028
94	Leo	2,017
95	Warren	1,976
96	Alvin	1,970
96	Harvey	1,970
98	Jerome	1,967
99	Stephen	1,862
100	Lewis	1,855

Full Boy list for 1936

Top 100 girl names, 1936
Rank	Name	Births
1	Mary	54,374
2	Shirley	35,162
3	Barbara	31,682
4	Betty	25,867
5	Patricia	23,916
6	Dorothy	17,666
7	Joan	17,071
8	Nancy	16,754
9	Margaret	14,596
10	Carol	14,519
11	Helen	12,234
12	Joyce	11,988
13	Marilyn	11,064
14	Virginia	9,650
15	Doris	9,227
16	Ruth	9,217
17	Beverly	8,901
18	Elizabeth	8,860
19	Frances	8,789
20	Jean	8,536
21	Janet	8,081
22	Donna	7,932
23	Carolyn	7,907
24	Martha	7,391
25	Phyllis	7,374
26	Lois	7,232
27	Alice	7,201
28	Ann	6,666
29	Norma	6,633
30	Dolores	6,417
31	Janice	6,149
32	Gloria	6,140
33	Marie	6,132
34	Evelyn	6,108
35	Peggy	6,068
36	Anna	5,727
37	Rose	5,699
38	Sandra	5,526
39	Marlene	5,332
40	Mildred	5,052
41	Geraldine	4,864
42	Jane	4,719
43	Judith	4,580
44	Catherine	4,537
45	Annie	4,529
46	Louise	4,354
47	Eleanor	4,341
48	Joanne	4,305
49	Marjorie	4,279
50	Elaine	4,259
51	Ruby	4,226
52	Patsy	4,196
53	Sylvia	4,156
54	Arlene	3,898
55	Joann	3,886
56	Wanda	3,882
57	Irene	3,817
58	Delores	3,760
59	Sally	3,635
60	Sharon	3,573
61	Charlotte	3,555
62	June	3,515
62	Sarah	3,515
64	Roberta	3,467
65	Bonnie	3,373
66	Jacqueline	3,362
67	Kathleen	3,352
68	Audrey	3,345
69	Rita	3,333
70	Loretta	3,325
71	Edna	3,305
72	Jo	3,292
73	Carole	3,199
74	Thelma	3,197
75	Juanita	3,183
76	Lorraine	3,167
77	Josephine	3,141
78	Wilma	3,123
79	Lillian	3,118
80	Florence	3,083
81	Yvonne	3,038
82	Pauline	2,981
83	Darlene	2,962
84	Gladys	2,944
85	Emma	2,831
86	Grace	2,790
87	Edith	2,759
88	Theresa	2,758
89	Anne	2,756
90	Ethel	2,730
91	Clara	2,684
92	Lucille	2,632
93	Marion	2,580
94	Jeanette	2,552
95	Bernice	2,540
96	Hazel	2,511
97	Linda	2,440
98	Kay	2,408
99	Ellen	2,398
100	Katherine	2,355

Full Girl list for 1936

Biggest movers since 1935

Names with at least 500 births in both years, by percent change in births.

Rising boy names, 1935 to 1936
Name	Births 1935	Births 1936	Change	Rank 1935 → 1936
Terry	962	1,291	+34%	154 → 126
Larry	5,975	7,612	+27%	33 → 25
Alan	1,425	1,755	+23%	122 → 108
Ronnie	863	1,057	+22%	164 → 147
Michael	4,906	5,800	+18%	41 → 33
Gary	4,490	5,192	+16%	44 → 38
Joel	919	1,060	+15%	157 → 146
Danny	670	758	+13%	192 → 176
Stephen	1,650	1,862	+13%	113 → 99
Franklin	2,611	2,939	+13%	71 → 64

Falling boy names, 1935 to 1936
Name	Births 1935	Births 1936	Change	Rank 1935 → 1936
Rudolph	745	647	-13%	181 → 192
Alexander	702	613	-13%	186 → 200
Horace	788	691	-12%	174 → 188
Elmer	1,592	1,412	-11%	115 → 121
Marion	1,181	1,049	-11%	134 → 148
Floyd	2,506	2,229	-11%	76 → 86
Chester	1,432	1,278	-11%	121 → 127
Mark	788	712	-10%	174 → 182
Wilbur	861	780	-9%	165 → 173
Sam	1,364	1,236	-9%	126 → 131

Rising girl names, 1935 to 1936
Name	Births 1935	Births 1936	Change	Rank 1935 → 1936
Linda	1,197	2,440	+104%	165 → 97
Karen	1,097	1,718	+57%	172 → 132
Sharon	2,426	3,573	+47%	96 → 60
Kay	1,648	2,408	+46%	134 → 98
Rosemarie	912	1,300	+43%	191 → 158
Janice	4,442	6,149	+38%	47 → 31
Sandra	4,089	5,526	+35%	50 → 38
Judy	1,474	1,987	+35%	143 → 118
Myrna	1,059	1,396	+32%	176 → 149
Gail	1,800	2,342	+30%	127 → 101

Falling girl names, 1935 to 1936
Name	Births 1935	Births 1936	Change	Rank 1935 → 1936
Shirley	42,365	35,162	-17%	2 → 2
Vera	1,813	1,513	-17%	124 → 142
Doris	10,604	9,227	-13%	13 → 15
Dolores	7,374	6,417	-13%	26 → 30
Beatrice	2,243	1,955	-13%	107 → 121
Velma	1,352	1,180	-13%	147 → 167
Clara	3,067	2,684	-12%	81 → 91
Billie	2,248	1,990	-11%	106 → 117
Esther	2,543	2,253	-11%	94 → 107
Ruby	4,765	4,226	-11%	41 → 51

Top 100 boy names, 1936

Rank

Name

Births

Robert

58,501

James

54,696

John

47,679

William

39,398

Richard

33,492

29,100

28,640

18,343

18,197

17,477

17,452

16,918

14,194

12,486

12,306

10,186

Raymond

9,458

Jerry

9,270

Gerald

9,017

Jack

8,857

Harold

8,629

Billy

8,587

Joe

8,023

Bobby

7,735

Larry

7,612

Walter

7,536

Carl

6,591

Henry

6,446

Eugene

6,375

Arthur

6,264

Ralph

6,029

6,011

5,800

5,759

5,701

Fred

5,602

Lawrence

5,341

Gary

5,192

Harry

4,930

Howard

4,874

Daniel

4,817

Roy

4,817

Norman

4,645

Louis

4,419

Wayne

4,408

Jimmy

4,213

Earl

4,106

Anthony

3,978

Marvin

3,936

Francis

3,876

Don

3,830

3,772

3,730

3,716

3,715

3,714

Leroy

3,644

Stanley

3,492

Dale

3,394

Alfred

3,252

Bill

3,166

Herbert

3,117

Philip

3,033

Franklin

2,939

Ray

2,939

Gene

2,909

Samuel

2,893

Bernard

2,854

Russell

2,832

Frederick

2,817

Jimmie

2,742

Johnny

2,729

Bruce

2,630

Dennis

2,627

Gordon

2,567

Lee

2,418

Bob

2,408

Douglas

2,375

Eddie

2,347

Glenn

2,328

Allen

2,314

Leon

2,282

Andrew

2,276

Edwin

2,271

Jim

2,268

Floyd

2,229

Theodore

2,219

Lloyd

2,160

Clyde

2,153

2,132

2,107

2,106

2,028

2,017

1,976

1,970

1,970

Jerome

1,967

Stephen

1,862

100

Lewis

1,855

Top 100 girl names, 1936

Rank

Name

Births

Mary

54,374

Shirley

35,162

Barbara

31,682

Betty

25,867

Patricia

23,916

Dorothy

17,666

Joan

17,071

Nancy

16,754

Margaret

14,596

Carol

14,519

Helen

12,234

Joyce

11,988

Marilyn

11,064

Virginia

9,650

Doris

9,227

Ruth

9,217

Beverly

8,901

Elizabeth

8,860

Frances

8,789

Jean

8,536

Janet

8,081

Donna

7,932

Carolyn

7,907

Martha

7,391

Phyllis

7,374

Lois

7,232

Alice

7,201

Ann

6,666

Norma

6,633

Dolores

6,417

Janice

6,149

Gloria

6,140

Marie

6,132

Evelyn

6,108

Peggy

6,068

Anna

5,727

Rose

5,699

Sandra

5,526

Marlene

5,332

Mildred

5,052

Geraldine

4,864

4,719

4,580

4,537

4,529

Louise

4,354

Eleanor

4,341

Joanne

4,305

Marjorie

4,279

Elaine

4,259

Ruby

4,226

Patsy

4,196

Sylvia

4,156

Arlene

3,898

Joann

3,886

Wanda

3,882

Irene

3,817

Delores

3,760

Sally

3,635

3,573

3,555

3,515

3,515

Roberta

3,467

Bonnie

3,373

Jacqueline

3,362

Kathleen

3,352

Audrey

3,345

Rita

3,333

Loretta

3,325

Edna

3,305

3,292

Carole

3,199

Thelma

3,197

Juanita

3,183

Lorraine

3,167

Josephine

3,141

Wilma

3,123

Lillian

3,118

Florence

3,083

Yvonne

3,038

Pauline

2,981

Darlene

2,962

Gladys

2,944

Emma

2,831

Grace

2,790

Edith

2,759

Theresa

2,758

Anne

2,756

Ethel

2,730

Clara

2,684

Lucille

2,632

Marion

2,580

Jeanette

2,552

Bernice

2,540

Hazel

2,511

Linda

2,440

Kay

2,408

Ellen

2,398

100

Katherine

2,355

Biggest movers since 1935

Names with at least 500 births in both years, by percent change in births.

Rising boy names, 1935 to 1936
Name	Births 1935	Births 1936	Change	Rank 1935 → 1936
Terry	962	1,291	+34%	154 → 126
Larry	5,975	7,612	+27%	33 → 25
Alan	1,425	1,755	+23%	122 → 108
Ronnie	863	1,057	+22%	164 → 147
Michael	4,906	5,800	+18%	41 → 33
Gary	4,490	5,192	+16%	44 → 38
Joel	919	1,060	+15%	157 → 146
Danny	670	758	+13%	192 → 176
Stephen	1,650	1,862	+13%	113 → 99
Franklin	2,611	2,939	+13%	71 → 64

Falling boy names, 1935 to 1936
Name	Births 1935	Births 1936	Change	Rank 1935 → 1936
Rudolph	745	647	-13%	181 → 192
Alexander	702	613	-13%	186 → 200
Horace	788	691	-12%	174 → 188
Elmer	1,592	1,412	-11%	115 → 121
Marion	1,181	1,049	-11%	134 → 148
Floyd	2,506	2,229	-11%	76 → 86
Chester	1,432	1,278	-11%	121 → 127
Mark	788	712	-10%	174 → 182
Wilbur	861	780	-9%	165 → 173
Sam	1,364	1,236	-9%	126 → 131

Rising girl names, 1935 to 1936
Name	Births 1935	Births 1936	Change	Rank 1935 → 1936
Linda	1,197	2,440	+104%	165 → 97
Karen	1,097	1,718	+57%	172 → 132
Sharon	2,426	3,573	+47%	96 → 60
Kay	1,648	2,408	+46%	134 → 98
Rosemarie	912	1,300	+43%	191 → 158
Janice	4,442	6,149	+38%	47 → 31
Sandra	4,089	5,526	+35%	50 → 38
Judy	1,474	1,987	+35%	143 → 118
Myrna	1,059	1,396	+32%	176 → 149
Gail	1,800	2,342	+30%	127 → 101

Falling girl names, 1935 to 1936
Name	Births 1935	Births 1936	Change	Rank 1935 → 1936
Shirley	42,365	35,162	-17%	2 → 2
Vera	1,813	1,513	-17%	124 → 142
Doris	10,604	9,227	-13%	13 → 15
Dolores	7,374	6,417	-13%	26 → 30
Beatrice	2,243	1,955	-13%	107 → 121
Velma	1,352	1,180	-13%	147 → 167
Clara	3,067	2,684	-12%	81 → 91
Billie	2,248	1,990	-11%	106 → 117
Esther	2,543	2,253	-11%	94 → 107
Ruby	4,765	4,226	-11%	41 → 51

Top 100 boy names of 1936

Top 100 girl names of 1936

Biggest movers since 1935

Top 100 boy names of 1936

Top 100 girl names of 1936

Biggest movers since 1935