Most Popular Baby Names of 1939

In 1939, Mary (54,900 births) was the most common U.S. girl name and Robert (59,659 births) the most common boy name.

Top 100 boy names, 1939
Rank	Name	Births
1	Robert	59,659
2	James	59,636
3	John	51,025
4	William	42,073
5	Richard	35,385
6	Charles	30,786
7	David	25,359
8	Donald	24,055
9	Thomas	22,128
10	Ronald	19,835
11	George	17,888
12	Joseph	17,723
13	Kenneth	14,715
14	Larry	14,531
15	Edward	14,428
16	Jerry	13,729
17	Paul	13,336
18	Michael	10,829
19	Gerald	10,057
20	Frank	9,990
21	Gary	9,681
22	Raymond	9,252
23	Harold	8,300
24	Billy	7,475
25	Walter	7,323
26	Jack	7,306
27	Joe	7,188
28	Roger	7,155
29	Bobby	7,056
30	Carl	6,593
31	Henry	6,561
32	Arthur	6,380
33	Willie	6,309
34	Dennis	6,212
35	Ralph	5,958
36	Lawrence	5,882
37	Eugene	5,869
38	Daniel	5,797
39	Wayne	5,653
40	Fred	5,538
41	Albert	5,478
42	Roy	5,155
43	Jimmy	4,752
44	Norman	4,742
45	Harry	4,661
46	Peter	4,639
47	Howard	4,613
48	Anthony	4,609
49	Louis	4,224
50	Earl	3,896
51	Melvin	3,853
52	Marvin	3,758
53	Francis	3,721
54	Leonard	3,711
55	Ernest	3,688
56	Don	3,589
57	Stanley	3,570
58	Douglas	3,564
59	Dale	3,531
60	Clarence	3,483
61	Leroy	3,388
62	Johnny	3,370
63	Samuel	3,254
64	Bruce	3,233
65	Stephen	3,176
66	Philip	3,174
67	Bill	3,161
68	Herbert	3,097
69	Gene	3,013
70	Alfred	2,990
71	Frederick	2,972
72	Allen	2,929
73	Russell	2,833
74	Ray	2,709
75	Jim	2,636
76	Bernard	2,624
77	Tommy	2,622
78	Lee	2,589
79	Patrick	2,530
80	Jimmie	2,524
81	Eddie	2,512
82	Gordon	2,508
83	Terry	2,443
84	Andrew	2,440
85	Alan	2,330
86	Leon	2,327
87	Glenn	2,303
88	Clifford	2,291
89	Bob	2,244
90	Theodore	2,196
91	Martin	2,192
92	Phillip	2,175
93	Jerome	2,153
94	Floyd	2,094
95	Lloyd	2,087
96	Edwin	2,063
97	Tom	2,028
98	Curtis	2,012
99	Jesse	2,010
100	Vernon	1,994

Full Boy list for 1939

Top 100 girl names, 1939
Rank	Name	Births
1	Mary	54,900
2	Barbara	37,257
3	Patricia	29,701
4	Betty	23,642
5	Shirley	20,445
6	Carol	20,166
7	Nancy	19,722
8	Judith	16,626
9	Dorothy	15,169
10	Margaret	14,951
11	Joan	14,143
12	Joyce	13,393
13	Sandra	11,970
14	Carolyn	11,290
15	Linda	10,713
16	Helen	10,419
17	Janet	10,120
18	Elizabeth	9,709
19	Marilyn	9,538
20	Donna	9,371
21	Virginia	9,227
22	Ruth	9,063
23	Sharon	9,014
24	Janice	8,779
25	Beverly	8,704
26	Frances	8,577
27	Martha	8,492
28	Judy	8,081
29	Doris	7,687
30	Phyllis	7,590
31	Alice	7,366
32	Jean	7,292
33	Ann	6,551
34	Peggy	6,050
35	Lois	6,034
36	Gloria	5,939
37	Marie	5,890
38	Norma	5,827
39	Karen	5,541
40	Evelyn	5,331
41	Geraldine	5,160
42	Rose	5,040
43	Anna	4,929
44	Susan	4,887
45	Elaine	4,785
46	Jane	4,771
47	Carole	4,679
48	Kathleen	4,656
49	Catherine	4,577
50	Wanda	4,557
51	Diane	4,339
52	Sally	4,244
53	Joanne	4,225
54	Annie	4,155
55	Mildred	4,137
56	Patsy	4,110
57	Joann	3,993
58	Dolores	3,980
59	Louise	3,958
60	Marjorie	3,907
61	Bonnie	3,887
62	Sylvia	3,870
63	Eleanor	3,810
64	Marlene	3,773
65	Loretta	3,769
66	Charlotte	3,739
67	Ruby	3,712
68	Sarah	3,671
69	Arlene	3,578
70	Jo	3,524
71	Roberta	3,409
72	Jacqueline	3,388
73	Gail	3,355
74	Irene	3,331
75	Darlene	3,287
76	Kay	3,260
77	Juanita	3,212
78	Rita	3,188
79	Delores	3,018
80	Ellen	3,005
81	Edna	2,904
82	Jeanette	2,893
83	June	2,867
84	Josephine	2,837
85	Anne	2,769
86	Brenda	2,756
87	Wilma	2,701
88	Thelma	2,696
89	Emma	2,685
90	Yvonne	2,648
91	Julia	2,635
92	Sue	2,623
93	Rosemary	2,612
94	Theresa	2,611
95	Lorraine	2,593
96	Florence	2,591
97	Anita	2,588
98	Audrey	2,569
99	Lillian	2,551
100	Ethel	2,496

Full Girl list for 1939

Biggest movers since 1938

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

Rising boy names, 1938 to 1939
Name	Births 1938	Births 1939	Change	Rank 1938 → 1939
Dennis	4,236	6,212	+47%	49 → 34
Steven	772	1,130	+46%	184 → 144
Barry	1,042	1,376	+32%	155 → 127
Mike	1,055	1,348	+28%	154 → 129
Timothy	882	1,067	+21%	167 → 153
Michael	9,076	10,829	+19%	21 → 18
Larry	12,393	14,531	+17%	16 → 14
Stephen	2,726	3,176	+17%	74 → 65
Jerry	12,172	13,729	+13%	17 → 16
Steve	1,077	1,208	+12%	149 → 139

Falling boy names, 1938 to 1939
Name	Births 1938	Births 1939	Change	Rank 1938 → 1939
Wilbur	842	702	-17%	173 → 190
Ben	846	709	-16%	172 → 189
Max	1,164	979	-16%	140 → 162
Virgil	1,068	937	-12%	151 → 164
Karl	985	866	-12%	162 → 171
Maurice	1,152	1,016	-12%	143 → 157
Claude	1,311	1,157	-12%	131 → 141
Alton	765	680	-11%	185 → 192
Arnold	1,819	1,617	-11%	111 → 113
Hugh	1,121	999	-11%	146 → 160

Rising girl names, 1938 to 1939
Name	Births 1938	Births 1939	Change	Rank 1938 → 1939
Judy	4,992	8,081	+62%	41 → 28
Judith	10,878	16,626	+53%	12 → 8
Linda	7,047	10,713	+52%	31 → 15
Priscilla	1,026	1,542	+50%	188 → 148
Susan	3,555	4,887	+37%	71 → 44
Sharon	7,244	9,014	+24%	30 → 23
Karen	4,508	5,541	+23%	50 → 39
Diana	1,466	1,712	+17%	151 → 138
Glenda	1,958	2,286	+17%	123 → 112
Rebecca	1,574	1,796	+14%	145 → 134

Falling girl names, 1938 to 1939
Name	Births 1938	Births 1939	Change	Rank 1938 → 1939
Rosalie	3,758	2,162	-42%	66 → 114
Shelby	1,714	1,164	-32%	142 → 170
Deanna	2,254	1,805	-20%	115 → 133
Dolores	4,809	3,980	-17%	43 → 58
Marlene	4,473	3,773	-16%	51 → 64
Shirley	23,766	20,445	-14%	5 → 5
Claire	1,074	931	-13%	184 → 189
Naomi	1,239	1,086	-12%	166 → 174
Billie	1,746	1,537	-12%	139 → 149
Ramona	1,001	886	-11%	190 → 200

Top 100 boy names, 1939

Rank

Name

Births

Robert

59,659

James

59,636

John

51,025

William

42,073

Richard

35,385

30,786

25,359

24,055

22,128

19,835

17,888

17,723

14,715

Larry

14,531

Edward

14,428

Jerry

13,729

13,336

10,829

10,057

9,990

Gary

9,681

Raymond

9,252

Harold

8,300

Billy

7,475

Walter

7,323

Jack

7,306

Joe

7,188

Roger

7,155

Bobby

7,056

Carl

6,593

Henry

6,561

Arthur

6,380

Willie

6,309

Dennis

6,212

Ralph

5,958

Lawrence

5,882

Eugene

5,869

Daniel

5,797

Wayne

5,653

Fred

5,538

Albert

5,478

Roy

5,155

Jimmy

4,752

Norman

4,742

Harry

4,661

Peter

4,639

Howard

4,613

Anthony

4,609

Louis

4,224

Earl

3,896

3,853

3,758

3,721

3,711

3,688

Don

3,589

Stanley

3,570

Douglas

3,564

Dale

3,531

Clarence

3,483

Leroy

3,388

Johnny

3,370

Samuel

3,254

Bruce

3,233

Stephen

3,176

Philip

3,174

Bill

3,161

Herbert

3,097

Gene

3,013

Alfred

2,990

Frederick

2,972

Allen

2,929

Russell

2,833

Ray

2,709

Jim

2,636

Bernard

2,624

Tommy

2,622

Lee

2,589

Patrick

2,530

Jimmie

2,524

Eddie

2,512

Gordon

2,508

Terry

2,443

Andrew

2,440

Alan

2,330

Leon

2,327

Glenn

2,303

Clifford

2,291

Bob

2,244

Theodore

2,196

Martin

2,192

Phillip

2,175

Jerome

2,153

Floyd

2,094

Lloyd

2,087

Edwin

2,063

Tom

2,028

Curtis

2,012

Jesse

2,010

100

Vernon

1,994

Top 100 girl names, 1939

Rank

Name

Births

Mary

54,900

Barbara

37,257

Patricia

29,701

Betty

23,642

Shirley

20,445

Carol

20,166

Nancy

19,722

Judith

16,626

Dorothy

15,169

Margaret

14,951

Joan

14,143

Joyce

13,393

Sandra

11,970

Carolyn

11,290

Linda

10,713

Helen

10,419

Janet

10,120

Elizabeth

9,709

Marilyn

9,538

Donna

9,371

Virginia

9,227

Ruth

9,063

Sharon

9,014

Janice

8,779

Beverly

8,704

Frances

8,577

Martha

8,492

Judy

8,081

Doris

7,687

Phyllis

7,590

Alice

7,366

Jean

7,292

Ann

6,551

Peggy

6,050

Lois

6,034

Gloria

5,939

Marie

5,890

Norma

5,827

Karen

5,541

Evelyn

5,331

Geraldine

5,160

Rose

5,040

Anna

4,929

Susan

4,887

Elaine

4,785

Jane

4,771

Carole

4,679

Kathleen

4,656

Catherine

4,577

Wanda

4,557

Diane

4,339

Sally

4,244

Joanne

4,225

Annie

4,155

Mildred

4,137

Patsy

4,110

Joann

3,993

Dolores

3,980

Louise

3,958

Marjorie

3,907

Bonnie

3,887

Sylvia

3,870

Eleanor

3,810

Marlene

3,773

Loretta

3,769

Charlotte

3,739

Ruby

3,712

Sarah

3,671

Arlene

3,578

3,524

Roberta

3,409

Jacqueline

3,388

Gail

3,355

Irene

3,331

Darlene

3,287

Kay

3,260

Juanita

3,212

Rita

3,188

Delores

3,018

Ellen

3,005

Edna

2,904

Jeanette

2,893

June

2,867

Josephine

2,837

Anne

2,769

Brenda

2,756

Wilma

2,701

Thelma

2,696

Emma

2,685

Yvonne

2,648

Julia

2,635

Sue

2,623

Rosemary

2,612

Theresa

2,611

Lorraine

2,593

Florence

2,591

Anita

2,588

Audrey

2,569

Lillian

2,551

100

Ethel

2,496

Biggest movers since 1938

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

Rising boy names, 1938 to 1939
Name	Births 1938	Births 1939	Change	Rank 1938 → 1939
Dennis	4,236	6,212	+47%	49 → 34
Steven	772	1,130	+46%	184 → 144
Barry	1,042	1,376	+32%	155 → 127
Mike	1,055	1,348	+28%	154 → 129
Timothy	882	1,067	+21%	167 → 153
Michael	9,076	10,829	+19%	21 → 18
Larry	12,393	14,531	+17%	16 → 14
Stephen	2,726	3,176	+17%	74 → 65
Jerry	12,172	13,729	+13%	17 → 16
Steve	1,077	1,208	+12%	149 → 139

Falling boy names, 1938 to 1939
Name	Births 1938	Births 1939	Change	Rank 1938 → 1939
Wilbur	842	702	-17%	173 → 190
Ben	846	709	-16%	172 → 189
Max	1,164	979	-16%	140 → 162
Virgil	1,068	937	-12%	151 → 164
Karl	985	866	-12%	162 → 171
Maurice	1,152	1,016	-12%	143 → 157
Claude	1,311	1,157	-12%	131 → 141
Alton	765	680	-11%	185 → 192
Arnold	1,819	1,617	-11%	111 → 113
Hugh	1,121	999	-11%	146 → 160

Rising girl names, 1938 to 1939
Name	Births 1938	Births 1939	Change	Rank 1938 → 1939
Judy	4,992	8,081	+62%	41 → 28
Judith	10,878	16,626	+53%	12 → 8
Linda	7,047	10,713	+52%	31 → 15
Priscilla	1,026	1,542	+50%	188 → 148
Susan	3,555	4,887	+37%	71 → 44
Sharon	7,244	9,014	+24%	30 → 23
Karen	4,508	5,541	+23%	50 → 39
Diana	1,466	1,712	+17%	151 → 138
Glenda	1,958	2,286	+17%	123 → 112
Rebecca	1,574	1,796	+14%	145 → 134

Falling girl names, 1938 to 1939
Name	Births 1938	Births 1939	Change	Rank 1938 → 1939
Rosalie	3,758	2,162	-42%	66 → 114
Shelby	1,714	1,164	-32%	142 → 170
Deanna	2,254	1,805	-20%	115 → 133
Dolores	4,809	3,980	-17%	43 → 58
Marlene	4,473	3,773	-16%	51 → 64
Shirley	23,766	20,445	-14%	5 → 5
Claire	1,074	931	-13%	184 → 189
Naomi	1,239	1,086	-12%	166 → 174
Billie	1,746	1,537	-12%	139 → 149
Ramona	1,001	886	-11%	190 → 200

Top 100 boy names of 1939

Top 100 girl names of 1939

Biggest movers since 1938

Top 100 boy names of 1939

Top 100 girl names of 1939

Biggest movers since 1938