Most Popular Baby Names of 1942

In 1942, Mary (63,255 births) was the most common U.S. girl name and James (77,180 births) the most common boy name.

Top 100 boy names, 1942
Rank	Name	Births
1	James	77,180
2	Robert	71,841
3	John	66,041
4	William	54,891
5	Richard	43,592
6	David	35,905
7	Charles	35,855
8	Thomas	31,097
9	Ronald	27,136
10	Donald	23,956
11	Joseph	22,429
12	Larry	22,099
13	Michael	21,728
14	George	21,275
15	Kenneth	18,210
16	Jerry	17,487
17	Edward	17,469
18	Gary	17,067
19	Paul	16,493
20	Dennis	13,281
21	Frank	12,248
22	Gerald	11,483
23	Douglas	11,234
24	Raymond	11,116
25	Roger	9,174
26	Walter	8,681
27	Harold	8,582
28	Daniel	8,507
29	Arthur	8,028
30	Lawrence	7,639
31	Henry	7,562
32	Stephen	7,503
33	Joe	7,383
34	Jack	7,365
35	Billy	7,314
36	Carl	7,267
37	Willie	7,092
38	Ralph	6,635
39	Peter	6,587
40	Albert	6,496
41	Wayne	6,484
42	Roy	6,311
43	Bobby	6,249
44	Anthony	6,210
45	Eugene	6,091
46	Fred	6,088
47	Jimmy	5,948
48	Harry	5,629
49	Howard	5,570
50	Bruce	5,385
51	Louis	5,151
52	Terry	4,810
53	Norman	4,683
54	Philip	4,603
55	Johnny	4,587
55	Stanley	4,587
57	Leonard	4,369
58	Francis	4,297
59	Samuel	4,190
60	Melvin	4,189
61	Ernest	4,079
62	Earl	4,049
63	Dale	3,864
64	Patrick	3,804
65	Bill	3,795
66	Marvin	3,792
67	Clarence	3,741
68	Frederick	3,738
69	Leroy	3,717
70	Russell	3,675
71	Allen	3,571
72	Don	3,564
73	Tommy	3,531
74	Jim	3,514
75	Steven	3,505
76	Alfred	3,408
77	Phillip	3,373
78	Ronnie	3,363
79	Barry	3,209
80	Andrew	3,142
81	Alan	3,134
82	Gene	3,127
83	Herbert	3,112
84	Ray	3,066
85	Martin	3,046
86	Eddie	3,018
87	Lee	2,922
88	Glenn	2,888
89	Tom	2,875
90	Bernard	2,724
91	Theodore	2,665
92	Gordon	2,606
93	Leon	2,550
94	Jimmie	2,541
95	Clifford	2,533
96	Lloyd	2,463
97	Warren	2,423
98	Curtis	2,419
99	Jesse	2,397
100	Victor	2,395

Full Boy list for 1942

Top 100 girl names, 1942
Rank	Name	Births
1	Mary	63,255
2	Barbara	44,739
3	Patricia	39,464
4	Linda	31,614
5	Carol	30,271
6	Sandra	24,993
7	Judith	24,792
8	Nancy	23,328
9	Betty	21,659
10	Carolyn	19,977
11	Sharon	19,648
12	Shirley	17,749
13	Joyce	16,728
14	Margaret	16,548
15	Judy	15,667
16	Karen	15,386
17	Dorothy	15,035
18	Joan	14,514
19	Janet	13,064
20	Donna	12,986
21	Susan	12,015
22	Elizabeth	11,185
23	Virginia	10,802
24	Kathleen	10,696
25	Janice	10,286
26	Helen	10,016
27	Marilyn	9,907
28	Diane	9,550
29	Martha	9,511
30	Frances	9,471
31	Gloria	9,450
32	Beverly	9,411
33	Ruth	9,315
34	Bonnie	8,823
35	Carole	8,407
36	Jean	8,257
37	Phyllis	7,793
38	Ann	7,666
39	Alice	7,382
40	Brenda	7,241
41	Doris	7,176
42	Peggy	6,579
43	Marie	6,559
44	Lois	6,406
45	Elaine	5,986
46	Jane	5,708
47	Geraldine	5,438
48	Joanne	5,342
49	Catherine	5,267
50	Rose	5,253
51	Charlotte	5,022
52	Norma	4,971
53	Evelyn	4,940
54	Wanda	4,792
55	Rita	4,706
56	Sally	4,655
57	Patsy	4,559
58	Joann	4,506
59	Anna	4,488
60	Gail	4,445
61	Louise	4,343
62	Annie	4,294
63	Dolores	4,267
64	Ellen	4,197
65	Jo	4,175
66	Roberta	4,105
67	Sarah	4,100
68	Diana	3,857
69	Jacqueline	3,831
70	Connie	3,825
71	Mildred	3,807
72	Sylvia	3,728
73	Sue	3,630
74	Marjorie	3,625
75	Kay	3,623
76	Anne	3,525
77	Ruby	3,519
78	Darlene	3,517
79	Loretta	3,406
80	Irene	3,383
81	Katherine	3,376
82	Kathryn	3,350
83	Arlene	3,331
84	Marlene	3,253
85	Rebecca	3,241
86	Delores	3,170
87	Eleanor	3,165
88	Eileen	3,107
89	Glenda	3,089
90	Juanita	3,074
91	Lorraine	3,010
92	Rosemary	3,004
93	Anita	2,998
94	Sheila	2,973
95	Julia	2,905
96	Christine	2,901
97	Maria	2,817
98	Theresa	2,799
99	Edna	2,763
100	Josephine	2,748

Full Girl list for 1942

Biggest movers since 1941

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

Rising boy names, 1941 to 1942
Name	Births 1941	Births 1942	Change	Rank 1941 → 1942
Douglas	4,146	11,234	+171%	53 → 23
Victor	1,667	2,395	+44%	118 → 100
Steven	2,468	3,505	+42%	90 → 75
Timothy	1,632	2,275	+39%	121 → 108
Dennis	9,562	13,281	+39%	23 → 20
Jeffrey	1,501	2,055	+37%	134 → 116
Michael	15,935	21,728	+36%	16 → 13
Brian	1,123	1,523	+36%	153 → 139
Danny	1,644	2,203	+34%	120 → 110
Terry	3,606	4,810	+33%	64 → 52

Falling boy names, 1941 to 1942
Name	Births 1941	Births 1942	Change	Rank 1941 → 1942
Wendell	1,094	846	-23%	157 → 187
Oscar	1,021	958	-6%	165 → 172
Jackie	1,966	1,847	-6%	110 → 119
Lyle	939	890	-5%	168 → 176
Bobby	6,590	6,249	-5%	35 → 43
Billy	7,655	7,314	-4%	27 → 35
Dick	893	862	-3%	171 → 183
Jessie	1,038	1,003	-3%	162 → 167
Dean	1,288	1,285	-0%	143 → 151

Rising girl names, 1941 to 1942
Name	Births 1941	Births 1942	Change	Rank 1941 → 1942
Pamela	1,468	2,632	+79%	155 → 106
Carole	4,966	8,407	+69%	48 → 35
Kathy	947	1,537	+62%	199 → 159
Dianne	1,631	2,547	+56%	146 → 109
Diana	2,544	3,857	+52%	100 → 68
Kathleen	7,160	10,696	+49%	36 → 24
Diane	6,428	9,550	+49%	40 → 28
Sherry	1,252	1,818	+45%	172 → 145
Karen	10,831	15,386	+42%	19 → 16
Lynda	1,489	2,107	+42%	153 → 132

Falling girl names, 1941 to 1942
Name	Births 1941	Births 1942	Change	Rank 1941 → 1942
Deanna	1,856	1,447	-22%	137 → 160
Myrna	1,371	1,104	-19%	161 → 190
Lucy	1,444	1,335	-8%	156 → 173
Nellie	1,284	1,207	-6%	167 → 183
June	2,766	2,608	-6%	90 → 107
Faye	1,377	1,304	-5%	160 → 175
Patsy	4,788	4,559	-5%	52 → 57
Thelma	2,367	2,257	-5%	108 → 121
Pat	1,900	1,824	-4%	134 → 144
Yvonne	2,198	2,112	-4%	120 → 131

Top 100 boy names, 1942

Rank

Name

Births

James

77,180

Robert

71,841

John

66,041

William

54,891

Richard

43,592

35,905

35,855

31,097

27,136

23,956

22,429

Larry

22,099

Michael

21,728

George

21,275

Kenneth

18,210

Jerry

17,487

Edward

17,469

Gary

17,067

16,493

13,281

12,248

11,483

11,234

Raymond

11,116

Roger

9,174

Walter

8,681

Harold

8,582

Daniel

8,507

Arthur

8,028

Lawrence

7,639

Henry

7,562

Stephen

7,503

Joe

7,383

Jack

7,365

Billy

7,314

Carl

7,267

Willie

7,092

Ralph

6,635

6,587

6,496

6,484

6,311

6,249

Anthony

6,210

Eugene

6,091

Fred

6,088

Jimmy

5,948

Harry

5,629

Howard

5,570

Bruce

5,385

Louis

5,151

Terry

4,810

Norman

4,683

Philip

4,603

Johnny

4,587

Stanley

4,587

Leonard

4,369

Francis

4,297

Samuel

4,190

Melvin

4,189

Ernest

4,079

Earl

4,049

Dale

3,864

Patrick

3,804

Bill

3,795

Marvin

3,792

Clarence

3,741

Frederick

3,738

Leroy

3,717

Russell

3,675

Allen

3,571

Don

3,564

Tommy

3,531

Jim

3,514

Steven

3,505

Alfred

3,408

Phillip

3,373

Ronnie

3,363

3,209

3,142

3,134

3,127

Herbert

3,112

Ray

3,066

Martin

3,046

Eddie

3,018

Lee

2,922

Glenn

2,888

Tom

2,875

Bernard

2,724

Theodore

2,665

Gordon

2,606

Leon

2,550

Jimmie

2,541

2,533

2,463

2,423

2,419

Jesse

2,397

100

Victor

2,395

Top 100 girl names, 1942

Rank

Name

Births

Mary

63,255

Barbara

44,739

Patricia

39,464

Linda

31,614

Carol

30,271

Sandra

24,993

Judith

24,792

Nancy

23,328

Betty

21,659

Carolyn

19,977

Sharon

19,648

Shirley

17,749

Joyce

16,728

Margaret

16,548

Judy

15,667

Karen

15,386

Dorothy

15,035

Joan

14,514

Janet

13,064

Donna

12,986

Susan

12,015

Elizabeth

11,185

Virginia

10,802

Kathleen

10,696

Janice

10,286

Helen

10,016

Marilyn

9,907

Diane

9,550

Martha

9,511

Frances

9,471

Gloria

9,450

Beverly

9,411

Ruth

9,315

Bonnie

8,823

Carole

8,407

Jean

8,257

Phyllis

7,793

Ann

7,666

Alice

7,382

Brenda

7,241

Doris

7,176

Peggy

6,579

Marie

6,559

Lois

6,406

Elaine

5,986

Jane

5,708

Geraldine

5,438

Joanne

5,342

Catherine

5,267

Rose

5,253

Charlotte

5,022

Norma

4,971

Evelyn

4,940

Wanda

4,792

Rita

4,706

Sally

4,655

Patsy

4,559

Joann

4,506

Anna

4,488

Gail

4,445

Louise

4,343

Annie

4,294

Dolores

4,267

Ellen

4,197

4,175

Roberta

4,105

Sarah

4,100

Diana

3,857

Jacqueline

3,831

Connie

3,825

Mildred

3,807

Sylvia

3,728

Sue

3,630

Marjorie

3,625

Kay

3,623

Anne

3,525

Ruby

3,519

Darlene

3,517

Loretta

3,406

Irene

3,383

Katherine

3,376

Kathryn

3,350

Arlene

3,331

Marlene

3,253

Rebecca

3,241

Delores

3,170

Eleanor

3,165

Eileen

3,107

Glenda

3,089

Juanita

3,074

Lorraine

3,010

Rosemary

3,004

Anita

2,998

Sheila

2,973

Julia

2,905

Christine

2,901

Maria

2,817

Theresa

2,799

Edna

2,763

100

Josephine

2,748

Biggest movers since 1941

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

Rising boy names, 1941 to 1942
Name	Births 1941	Births 1942	Change	Rank 1941 → 1942
Douglas	4,146	11,234	+171%	53 → 23
Victor	1,667	2,395	+44%	118 → 100
Steven	2,468	3,505	+42%	90 → 75
Timothy	1,632	2,275	+39%	121 → 108
Dennis	9,562	13,281	+39%	23 → 20
Jeffrey	1,501	2,055	+37%	134 → 116
Michael	15,935	21,728	+36%	16 → 13
Brian	1,123	1,523	+36%	153 → 139
Danny	1,644	2,203	+34%	120 → 110
Terry	3,606	4,810	+33%	64 → 52

Falling boy names, 1941 to 1942
Name	Births 1941	Births 1942	Change	Rank 1941 → 1942
Wendell	1,094	846	-23%	157 → 187
Oscar	1,021	958	-6%	165 → 172
Jackie	1,966	1,847	-6%	110 → 119
Lyle	939	890	-5%	168 → 176
Bobby	6,590	6,249	-5%	35 → 43
Billy	7,655	7,314	-4%	27 → 35
Dick	893	862	-3%	171 → 183
Jessie	1,038	1,003	-3%	162 → 167
Dean	1,288	1,285	-0%	143 → 151

Rising girl names, 1941 to 1942
Name	Births 1941	Births 1942	Change	Rank 1941 → 1942
Pamela	1,468	2,632	+79%	155 → 106
Carole	4,966	8,407	+69%	48 → 35
Kathy	947	1,537	+62%	199 → 159
Dianne	1,631	2,547	+56%	146 → 109
Diana	2,544	3,857	+52%	100 → 68
Kathleen	7,160	10,696	+49%	36 → 24
Diane	6,428	9,550	+49%	40 → 28
Sherry	1,252	1,818	+45%	172 → 145
Karen	10,831	15,386	+42%	19 → 16
Lynda	1,489	2,107	+42%	153 → 132

Falling girl names, 1941 to 1942
Name	Births 1941	Births 1942	Change	Rank 1941 → 1942
Deanna	1,856	1,447	-22%	137 → 160
Myrna	1,371	1,104	-19%	161 → 190
Lucy	1,444	1,335	-8%	156 → 173
Nellie	1,284	1,207	-6%	167 → 183
June	2,766	2,608	-6%	90 → 107
Faye	1,377	1,304	-5%	160 → 175
Patsy	4,788	4,559	-5%	52 → 57
Thelma	2,367	2,257	-5%	108 → 121
Pat	1,900	1,824	-4%	134 → 144
Yvonne	2,198	2,112	-4%	120 → 131

Top 100 boy names of 1942

Top 100 girl names of 1942

Biggest movers since 1941

Top 100 boy names of 1942

Top 100 girl names of 1942

Biggest movers since 1941