These Were The Most Popular Baby Names 100 Years Ago

Caroline Bologna
The Social Security Administration has lists of popular baby names going back to the 1880s. (Photo: dm909 via Getty Images)
The Social Security Administration has lists of popular baby names going back to the 1880s. (Photo: dm909 via Getty Images)

Baby name trends come and go, but some monikers have real staying power ― like 100 years’ worth.

Knowing that the Social Security Administration’s database tracks baby name popularity going back to the 1880s, we decided to take a look at parents’ top picks from a century ago.

It turns out that many popular names from a century ago remain popular (think William, James and Elizabeth), while others (like Mildred, Gladys and Ralph) have faded. Still others (like Evelyn) declined in popularity over the 20th century but made a resurgence in recent years.

Below, the 25 most popular baby names for boys and girls in 1919:

Girls

  1. Mary

  2. Helen

  3. Dorothy

  4. Margaret

  5. Ruth

  6. Mildred

  7. Virginia

  8. Elizabeth

  9. Frances

  10. Anna

  11. Evelyn

  12. Marie

  13. Alice

  14. Florence

  15. Betty

  16. Irene

  17. Lillian

  18. Doris

  19. Rose

  20. Louise

  21. Gladys

  22. Edna

  23. Catherine

  24. Ruby

  25. Martha

Boys

  1. John

  2. William

  3. James

  4. Robert

  5. Charles

  6. George

  7. Joseph

  8. Edward

  9. Frank

  10. Thomas

  11. Walter

  12. Richard

  13. Harold

  14. Raymond

  15. Paul

  16. Henry

  17. Donald

  18. Albert

  19. Arthur

  20. Harry

  21. Jack

  22. Ralph

  23. Willie

  24. Howard

  25. Clarence

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.