Most Popular Baby Names of 1979
In 1979, Jennifer (56,716 births) was the most common U.S. girl name and Michael (67,718 births) the most common boy name.
Top 100 boy names of 1979
| Rank | Name | Births |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael | 67,718 |
| 2 | Christopher | 50,667 |
| 3 | Jason | 50,371 |
| 4 | David | 42,062 |
| 5 | James | 39,351 |
| 6 | Matthew | 35,625 |
| 7 | John | 35,412 |
| 8 | Robert | 34,018 |
| 9 | Joshua | 31,125 |
| 10 | Brian | 28,664 |
| 11 | Joseph | 28,653 |
| 12 | Daniel | 28,521 |
| 13 | William | 24,680 |
| 14 | Ryan | 23,211 |
| 15 | Nicholas | 21,343 |
| 16 | Jeremy | 21,007 |
| 17 | Eric | 20,269 |
| 18 | Timothy | 19,078 |
| 19 | Kevin | 18,734 |
| 20 | Andrew | 18,617 |
| 21 | Anthony | 17,517 |
| 22 | Justin | 17,392 |
| 23 | Adam | 17,050 |
| 24 | Jeffrey | 16,867 |
| 25 | Richard | 16,713 |
| 26 | Thomas | 16,456 |
| 27 | Steven | 16,335 |
| 28 | Charles | 14,807 |
| 29 | Scott | 14,441 |
| 30 | Mark | 14,393 |
| 31 | Jonathan | 14,333 |
| 32 | Aaron | 13,075 |
| 33 | Benjamin | 12,514 |
| 34 | Paul | 11,632 |
| 35 | Brandon | 11,302 |
| 36 | Travis | 11,037 |
| 37 | Nathan | 10,721 |
| 38 | Chad | 10,162 |
| 39 | Patrick | 9,980 |
| 40 | Stephen | 9,905 |
| 41 | Kenneth | 9,237 |
| 42 | Gregory | 9,108 |
| 43 | Shawn | 7,909 |
| 44 | Jose | 7,848 |
| 45 | Jacob | 7,546 |
| 46 | Bryan | 7,441 |
| 47 | Bradley | 6,926 |
| 48 | Edward | 6,875 |
| 49 | Sean | 6,853 |
| 50 | Jesse | 6,680 |
| 51 | Donald | 6,509 |
| 52 | Keith | 6,188 |
| 53 | Peter | 6,080 |
| 54 | Ronald | 5,693 |
| 55 | Samuel | 5,688 |
| 56 | Kyle | 5,450 |
| 57 | George | 5,262 |
| 58 | Douglas | 5,169 |
| 59 | Gary | 5,040 |
| 60 | Todd | 4,984 |
| 61 | Juan | 4,943 |
| 62 | Dustin | 4,899 |
| 63 | Corey | 4,737 |
| 63 | Shaun | 4,737 |
| 65 | Jared | 4,670 |
| 66 | Erik | 4,638 |
| 67 | Shane | 4,483 |
| 68 | Phillip | 4,422 |
| 69 | Larry | 4,393 |
| 70 | Raymond | 4,336 |
| 71 | Joel | 4,216 |
| 72 | Derek | 4,201 |
| 73 | Carlos | 4,165 |
| 74 | Zachary | 4,156 |
| 75 | Dennis | 4,081 |
| 76 | Marcus | 4,049 |
| 77 | Craig | 4,028 |
| 78 | Frank | 3,930 |
| 79 | Antonio | 3,802 |
| 80 | Derrick | 3,728 |
| 81 | Jeremiah | 3,720 |
| 82 | Cory | 3,587 |
| 83 | Philip | 3,460 |
| 84 | Brent | 3,457 |
| 85 | Jerry | 3,446 |
| 86 | Randy | 3,416 |
| 87 | Jeffery | 3,357 |
| 88 | Jamie | 3,240 |
| 89 | Wesley | 3,237 |
| 90 | Gabriel | 3,236 |
| 91 | Curtis | 3,201 |
| 92 | Russell | 3,132 |
| 93 | Casey | 3,082 |
| 94 | Alexander | 3,059 |
| 95 | Nathaniel | 3,040 |
| 95 | Terry | 3,040 |
| 97 | Billy | 2,998 |
| 98 | Brett | 2,997 |
| 99 | Troy | 2,962 |
| 100 | Carl | 2,898 |
Top 100 girl names of 1979
| Rank | Name | Births |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jennifer | 56,716 |
| 2 | Melissa | 34,050 |
| 3 | Amanda | 31,925 |
| 4 | Jessica | 27,782 |
| 5 | Amy | 21,609 |
| 6 | Sarah | 21,017 |
| 7 | Heather | 20,834 |
| 8 | Angela | 20,257 |
| 9 | Nicole | 19,509 |
| 10 | Michelle | 19,266 |
| 11 | Elizabeth | 18,075 |
| 12 | Kimberly | 17,637 |
| 13 | Lisa | 17,285 |
| 14 | Christina | 16,453 |
| 15 | Stephanie | 16,204 |
| 16 | Kelly | 15,296 |
| 17 | Rebecca | 14,550 |
| 18 | Crystal | 13,468 |
| 19 | Jamie | 12,156 |
| 20 | Laura | 11,880 |
| 21 | Erin | 11,259 |
| 22 | Amber | 11,080 |
| 23 | April | 10,902 |
| 24 | Mary | 10,556 |
| 25 | Shannon | 10,370 |
| 26 | Andrea | 10,337 |
| 27 | Rachel | 10,229 |
| 28 | Tiffany | 9,611 |
| 29 | Julie | 9,254 |
| 30 | Sara | 8,654 |
| 31 | Megan | 8,293 |
| 32 | Erica | 8,178 |
| 33 | Danielle | 7,980 |
| 34 | Emily | 7,971 |
| 35 | Christine | 7,689 |
| 36 | Katherine | 7,465 |
| 37 | Maria | 7,335 |
| 38 | Tara | 6,806 |
| 39 | Brandy | 6,775 |
| 40 | Monica | 6,585 |
| 41 | Carrie | 6,355 |
| 42 | Misty | 5,785 |
| 43 | Stacy | 5,708 |
| 44 | Patricia | 5,650 |
| 45 | Lauren | 5,625 |
| 46 | Karen | 5,599 |
| 47 | Alicia | 5,547 |
| 48 | Holly | 5,488 |
| 49 | Tracy | 5,389 |
| 50 | Kathryn | 5,312 |
| 51 | Susan | 5,196 |
| 52 | Jill | 5,192 |
| 53 | Melanie | 5,021 |
| 54 | Dana | 4,948 |
| 55 | Cynthia | 4,932 |
| 56 | Kristy | 4,880 |
| 57 | Dawn | 4,724 |
| 58 | Tina | 4,680 |
| 59 | Anna | 4,669 |
| 60 | Stacey | 4,613 |
| 61 | Brandi | 4,609 |
| 62 | Kristen | 4,569 |
| 63 | Katie | 4,511 |
| 64 | Wendy | 4,500 |
| 65 | Leslie | 4,498 |
| 66 | Samantha | 4,462 |
| 67 | Ashley | 4,448 |
| 68 | Natalie | 4,445 |
| 69 | Lori | 4,432 |
| 70 | Allison | 4,407 |
| 71 | Courtney | 4,323 |
| 72 | Christy | 4,286 |
| 73 | Kristin | 4,264 |
| 74 | Kristina | 4,130 |
| 75 | Vanessa | 4,102 |
| 76 | Veronica | 4,062 |
| 77 | Sandra | 3,994 |
| 78 | Catherine | 3,878 |
| 79 | Tammy | 3,758 |
| 80 | Jacqueline | 3,741 |
| 81 | Mindy | 3,712 |
| 82 | Melinda | 3,705 |
| 83 | Heidi | 3,672 |
| 84 | Kathleen | 3,641 |
| 85 | Brooke | 3,506 |
| 86 | Tonya | 3,495 |
| 87 | Teresa | 3,481 |
| 88 | Lindsay | 3,466 |
| 89 | Valerie | 3,407 |
| 90 | Pamela | 3,365 |
| 91 | Erika | 3,318 |
| 92 | Denise | 3,267 |
| 93 | Tanya | 3,225 |
| 94 | Cheryl | 3,210 |
| 95 | Robin | 3,208 |
| 96 | Gina | 3,115 |
| 97 | Jaime | 3,086 |
| 98 | Leah | 3,075 |
| 99 | Katrina | 2,998 |
| 100 | Theresa | 2,995 |
Biggest movers since 1978
Names with at least 500 births in both years, by percent change in births.
| Name | Births 1978 | Births 1979 | Change | Rank 1978 → 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis | 6,955 | 11,037 | +59% | 46 → 36 |
| Erik | 3,262 | 4,638 | +42% | 85 → 66 |
| Zachary | 3,129 | 4,156 | +33% | 89 → 74 |
| Luke | 1,882 | 2,471 | +31% | 139 → 110 |
| Nicholas | 16,343 | 21,343 | +31% | 25 → 15 |
| Lucas | 1,954 | 2,542 | +30% | 136 → 108 |
| Brett | 2,305 | 2,997 | +30% | 112 → 98 |
| Joshua | 25,206 | 31,125 | +23% | 12 → 9 |
| Jorge | 1,634 | 2,017 | +23% | 153 → 134 |
| Justin | 14,184 | 17,392 | +23% | 28 → 22 |
| Name | Births 1978 | Births 1979 | Change | Rank 1978 → 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damon | 1,981 | 1,446 | -27% | 132 → 166 |
| Shaun | 6,105 | 4,737 | -22% | 52 → 63 |
| Shawn | 9,290 | 7,909 | -15% | 39 → 43 |
| Damien | 1,508 | 1,322 | -12% | 161 → 183 |
| Shannon | 1,849 | 1,639 | -11% | 142 → 158 |
| Rodney | 2,555 | 2,299 | -10% | 102 → 117 |
| Craig | 4,473 | 4,028 | -10% | 66 → 77 |
| Todd | 5,497 | 4,984 | -9% | 56 → 60 |
| Marc | 2,480 | 2,266 | -9% | 107 → 119 |
| Kelly | 1,308 | 1,208 | -8% | 180 → 200 |
| Name | Births 1978 | Births 1979 | Change | Rank 1978 → 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mindy | 1,593 | 3,712 | +133% | 170 → 81 |
| Amanda | 20,519 | 31,925 | +56% | 6 → 3 |
| Lauren | 3,670 | 5,625 | +53% | 80 → 45 |
| Meghan | 1,680 | 2,571 | +53% | 164 → 121 |
| Lindsey | 1,812 | 2,758 | +52% | 152 → 113 |
| Megan | 5,897 | 8,293 | +41% | 41 → 31 |
| Brooke | 2,533 | 3,506 | +38% | 115 → 85 |
| Candice | 1,615 | 2,227 | +38% | 168 → 128 |
| Amber | 8,174 | 11,080 | +36% | 30 → 22 |
| Katie | 3,426 | 4,511 | +32% | 90 → 63 |
| Name | Births 1978 | Births 1979 | Change | Rank 1978 → 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaime | 4,003 | 3,086 | -23% | 70 → 97 |
| Tabitha | 2,310 | 1,818 | -21% | 126 → 155 |
| Tina | 5,699 | 4,680 | -18% | 45 → 58 |
| Michele | 3,484 | 2,879 | -17% | 86 → 105 |
| Kristine | 1,732 | 1,455 | -16% | 157 → 183 |
| Sabrina | 3,350 | 2,870 | -14% | 91 → 106 |
| Tamika | 1,637 | 1,413 | -14% | 166 → 187 |
| Kristie | 1,620 | 1,406 | -13% | 167 → 188 |
| Carrie | 7,318 | 6,355 | -13% | 35 → 41 |
| Sherry | 1,825 | 1,591 | -13% | 151 → 175 |