Starting in 1970, Emily saw a gradual incline into 1999, when it reached its peak. Benatar rocked the ‘80s with songs like “Love Is A Battlefield” in 1983, “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” in 1980, and “We Belong” in 1984. James first became prominent in the early 1600s after James Stuart rose to power in England. The name's popularity amongst newborns was likely influenced by the musician Eric Clapton, who released a majority of his most famous songs in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Scott was used as a surname for those of Scottish heritage, but originated from the Old English Language. The name peaked in the early 1980s due perhaps to the famous baseball player Hank Aaron who dominated the sport until the late ‘70s. The late Patrick Swayze dominated the ‘80s and ‘90s with movies like “The Outsiders” in 1983, “Dirty Dancing” in 1987, and “Roadhouse” in 1989. Christopher was the second most popular boy’s name of the 80s, with 12,686 babies taking this name and in third place was Andrew with 11,968 babies given this name. You may also like: Popular fashion trends the year you were born, - Rank in the 1980s: #43 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 70,558 - Rank in 2018: #2646 (65 babies born). - Rank in the 1980s: #42 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 102,926 - Rank in 2018: #313 (1,072 babies born). Popular Girls' Names 1980 - Top Five! The origin of the name is both Greek and Latin, and means “vigilant watchman.”, - Rank in the 1980s: #45 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 68,013 - Rank in 2018: #926 (287 babies born). Suggest Name. Unisex . - Rank in the 1980s: #29 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 109,553 - Rank in 2018: #618 (484 babies born). American jazz singer Sarah Vaughan remained active in her career through the 1980s and could be responsible for keeping the name popular between the ‘70s and ‘90s. Or even a rather hysterical middle name? - Rank in the 1980s: #25 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 131,755 - Rank in 2018: #12 (8,656 babies born). 4. Fox and Robert Palmer reaching their peak fame during the ‘80s, it's no surprise that many parents chose to name their kids after them. -- Melissa, Angela, Jessica, Amber, Lauren, Brittany, Heather, Lisa, April and more Top names in last 100 years. Apple, North, Birdie, Coco, Cricket, Dream, Bronx, Maple…to name but a few. And the number One most popular girls name…. Already popular in the '80s, the name became increasingly common in the late ‘90s thanks to singer Britney Spears and actress Brittany Murphy. Boys. April is often given to babies born during the springtime and is believed to come from the Latin word “aperire,” which refers to flowers opening during the month. You're currently viewing the most popular boy baby names in 1980. For comparison, we also included the rank and number of births for each name in 2018 and discovered the name origins from the baby-naming experts at Parents.com. - Rank in the 1980s: #40 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 75,947 - Rank in 2018: #476 (653 babies born). You may also like: These baby names are going extinct, - Rank in the 1980s: #13 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 153,946 - Rank in 2018: #471 (658 babies born). In 20th spot in 2018 is Sienna. Alexander is a name that has stood the test of time in terms of popularity, all the way back to Alexander the Great in the fourth century B.C. You may also like: 30 breathtaking images from NASA's public library, - Rank in the 1980s: #25 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 177,449 - Rank in 2018: #198 (2,022 babies born). There have been several famous Timothys who have influenced the popularity of the name over the years. Coming from the Ancient Greek for “My God is an Oath”, Elizabeth was the 25th most popular girl’s name in 1984, whereas in 2018 it is Willow. Coming from the Hebrew word for “Join”, “Trap” or “Snare”, Rebecca was the 5th most popular name on the list for girls in 1984, whereas 2018’s 5th entry is Ava. There are a few possibilities, one being “rebellious woman,” but many believe it to mean “bitter.” The name is exceptionally popular among Christians due to its connection to the name “Mary.”, - Rank in the 1980s: #47 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 86,612 - Rank in 2018: #89 (4,292 babies born). Topping the charts on position #1 this year was Michael. Ashley reached its peak in 1987 and went down from there. 2. The main character Erica on the soap opera “All My Children” became the most popular character in daytime TV after first airing in the 1970s, so it's no surprise that the name rode on the coattails of that popularity into the ‘80s. - Rank in the 1980s: #41 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 72,863 - Rank in 2018: #449 (707 babies born), Often short for “Katherine,” meaning “pure,” Katie has been used as an independent name since the turn of the 20th century. The name Charlotte was the 22nd most popular girl’s name in 1984 and comes from the French for “Free man” or “petite”. Let’s take a trip down that nostalgic memory lane back in time to 1984, to see what the twenty five most popular boys and girls names were. - Rank in the 1980s: #38 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 108,183 - Rank in 2018: #520 (541 babies born). Eric, a name Norse in origin, peaked in popularity in 1970 and has fluctuated since then. View popularity trends since 1880 by year or name. Meaning “Strong in rule” in Germanic, Richard made number 8 in the list in 1984, whilst in 2018 the name Alfie sits in number 8 spot. - Rank in the 1980s: #10 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 191,860 - Rank in 2018: #1149 (210 babies born). Dustin comes from an old Norse surname and means “valiant fighter.”, - Rank in the 1980s: #44 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 68,492 - Rank in 2018: #1300 (174 babies born). Evolving in to its own name, Katie was originally just a shortened name of the longer Katherine, but has rapidly evolved in to its own name and made 13th spot in 1984. Matthew means “Gift from God” in Hebrew and tends to be very apt if you happen to know any Matthews. Since then, it has been on a steady decline in popularity. Alicia, a variant of “Alice,” comes from the Old French word for “noble and graceful,” and was first popularized in Lewis Carroll's book, “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.” The name has been shared with the daughter of England's Queen Victoria's and the daughter of American President Theodore Roosevelt. 1984’s 18th most popular boy’s name was Jonathan, which is Hebrew for “Jehovah has given” or “Jehova’s gift. Making 11th spot in 1984, it has been replaced in 2018 by Poppy. ", - Rank in the 1980s: #32 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 138,367 - Rank in 2018: #60 (5,953 babies born). - Rank in the 1980s: #39 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 78,416 - Rank in 2018: #1478 (148 babies born). Since then, celebrities such as Rick James and James Brown kept the name popular through the following decades until today. - Rank in the 1980s: #1 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 469,487 - Rank in 2018: #312 (1,057 babies born). Charles has remained a popular name among royalty due to its meaning, “strong and manly,” and reference to Charles the Great (Charlemagne), the eighth- and ninth-century ruler of Western Europe. Meaning “Princess”, the most popular girls’ name in 1984 was Sarah, whereas in 2018 Olivia takes the top spot and has been popular for the past few years. Jennifer. they didn’t feature as often in the early eighties. Movie star Rebecca De Mornay got her breakthrough role during the decade with the 1981 “Risky Business” opposite Tom Cruise. The incline in 1986 could be attributed to the popular song “Sara” by the American band Starship which reached #1 that year. With the tragic loss of musician John Lennon in December of 1980, it could be that Beatles fans wanted to memorialize the legendary singer during the decade. The name is of Greek origin and translates into “defender of man.” One of the most popular shows of the decade, “Family Ties,” featured a male character by the name of Alex, which may have influenced parents. Sandra Day O'Connor was nominated by President Ronald Reagan as the first female Supreme Court justice, the Cold War saw the beginning of the end as the Berlin Wall began to fall, and millions watched in horror as the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on live television. - Rank in the 1980s: #21 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 140,847 - Rank in 2018: #879 (305 babies born). So was your name on the list? The 1980s was a decade of dramatic entertainment and great fashion (if you ignore the leg warmers). Jeremy is the English version of the Hebrew name “Jeremiah.” The popular comedy show “Here Comes the Brides” and its character Jeremy Bolt influenced a very steep rise in the name throughout the 1970s before beginning a decline into the 21st century. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z. Ever wondered what the 1980’s most popular baby names were? Thanks in part to the character Krystle Carrington played by actress Linda Evans on the soap opera, “Dynasty,” from 1981 to 1989, the actress went on to become the spokesperson for “Crystal Light” beverages in 1984 due to her tie to the name. - Rank in the 1980s: #37 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 84,306 - Rank in 2018: #1192 (199 babies born). Originating in Greece, the name Alexander means to “ward of” or protect, so Alexander is something of a protector and defender. One of those important baby names that work equally well for any gender, Lindsay comes from a Celtic and English background. Hooker” and ''Dynasty.” The name Heather comes from Old English and means “flowering shrub.” Since that decade, however, the name become much less common. Every one! Though it is an old name, it is still widely used today and was the most popular in 1962 and 1971. Not only one of the most-watched TV shows of the 1980s but one of the most-watched of all time, “M*A*S*H” was enjoyed by many parents in the ‘70s and ‘80s during its tenure from 1971 to 1983. Topping the charts on position #1 this year was Jennifer. The name continued to stay popular through the ‘80s and ‘90s due to the characters from popular shows such as “Dynasty” and “Melrose Place.”, - Rank in the 1980s: #2 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 554,904 - Rank in 2018: #42 (7,261 babies born). - Rank in the 1980s: #46 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 66,962 - Rank in 2018: #391 (786 babies born). Ashley is a gender-neutral name. Its popularity in the 1980s can be attributed to Tiffany Renee Darwish, simply known as Tiffany, a pop singer who became widely famous during the decade with her songs “Could've Been” and “I Think We're Alone Now.”, You may also like: 30 foods that are poisonous to dogs, - Rank in the 1980s: #10 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 299,438 - Rank in 2018: #23 (9,555 babies born). There’s the middle names too, who doesn’t know someone with a cringe of a middle name? Most Popular Baby Names For 1980. - Rank in the 1980s: #24 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 134,372 - Rank in 2018: #382 (809 babies born). The classic teen dramedy “The Breakfast Club” premiered in the mid-80s, starring icons Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy, the latter of which took on the role of relatable outcast Allison. Another entry derived from Greek, this one means “Victory of the people”. Kristin Shepard was a fictional character on the hit TV show “Dallas” from 1979 to 1981. In this list, spellings are not combined. While Irish baby names are really popular these days (Fiadh was the most popular Irish girl name in 2018 and even made the top ten list!) - Rank in the 1980s: #26 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 121,134 - Rank in 2018: #60 (3,897 babies born). Hannah comes from the Hebrew word Channah, meaning “favour” or “grace” and was 20th most popular for girl’s names in 1984. It may have been popularized in the 1980s from the hit soap opera, “General Hospital,” and the character Amanda played by Anne Jeffreys. Names, names, names! Kelly first appeared as the English version of the popular Gaelic name “Ceallach.” The name rose to popularity in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, likely due to the fictional character Kelly Garrett on the TV series “Charlie's Angels” from 1976 to 1981. The cult classic film “The Goonies” came out in 1985 and one of the main characters went by the name of “Brand” (short for Brandon). By 2018, however, the name became unpopular with only 65 births that year. The influx in Jonathans may have come from the popularity of singer John Mellencamp who released his hit songs “Jack And Diane” and “Hurts So Good” in 1982, and “Smalltown” in 1985. - Rank in the 1980s: #28 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 153,425 - Rank in 2018: #204 (1,955 babies born). Alexander Defender of man. Start with the top 100 or view all 1000 rankings. The names babies are being called in 2018 have changed alot since the 1980’s. - Rank in the 1980s: #37 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 111,418 - Rank in 2018: #189 (2,111 babies born). Joanne comes from the same source as John and means “God is Gracious” in Latin. The name has fluctuated since the early 1900s, peaking in 1960 (perhaps due to the popularity of Paul McCartney and the Beatles) before beginning a steady decline. While Christopher Reeve's intensely-popular “Superman” debuted in 1978, the three sequels that followed all came in the ‘80s. Just like scrunchies and PAC MAN, Americans can still hold onto some of the best aspects of the ‘80s, including baby names (some things never get old). You may also like: States doing the most for a clean energy future, - Rank in the 1980s: #23 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 134,594 - Rank in 2018: #340 (935 babies born), Laura relates to the laurel trees of ancient Rome and is the feminine version of the Latin name “Laurus.” There were several notable Lauras that may have influenced baby-naming during the decade, including Laura Ingalls, the main character on the “Little House on the Prairie” TV show that ran from 1974 to 1983, and Laura Spencer, a character on the hit show “General Hospital.”, - Rank in the 1980s: #22 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 195,092 - Rank in 2018: #78 (4,675 babies born). Edward. Well what a list! You may also like: U.S. Army history from the year you were born, - Rank in the 1980s: #30 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 141,945 - Rank in 2018: #223 (1,668 babies born), As names considered “trendy” due to the modern use of a “y” in the middle rose to popularity in the ‘80s, so did the name Kyle. Stephanie began to become fashionable in the 1940s and is believed to come from the name “Stephan” as the French feminine form. Kenneth derives from the Gaelic origin, and means “handsome.” Kenny G, one of the best-selling musicians in history and renowned for his romantic music, first rose to fame in the late 1980s with his album “Duotones,” and Kenny Loggins released his famous single “Footloose” in 1984. Popular Baby Names; Top 100 names by State; Select another year of birth? Thomas can be derived through many different languages including English, French and German but is thought to be derived from the Aramaic for “twin” and is a Biblical name. You may also like: 100 iconic photos that capture 100 years of world history, - Rank in the 1980s: #28 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 115,815 - Rank in 2018: #421 (735 babies born). There is also the brother reference apparent in the popularity of the famous brothers who wrote “Grimm's Fairy Tales,” one of whom was named Jacob Grimm. Tiffani-Amber Thiessen played the popular character, Kelly Kapowski in the hit TV show “Saved by the Bell” from 1989. - Rank in the 1980s: #14 - Average annual babies born in the 1980s: 278,952 - Rank in 2018: #46 (6,905 babies born). The names that have dropped the most in popularity include Chad, Heather, Shannon, and Lindsay . James first became prominent in the 1980s “ Gem Stone ” have dropped most. Popularity of classic names, by State, for male and female births in 1980 - BabyNames.it 100! The 12th most popular name for girls in 1984, whereas in 2018 ’. 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