Groovy baby names that rocked the 1970s

Sergey Nivens // Shutterstock

Groovy baby names that rocked the 1970s

The 1970s were a decade that saw peace and love disintegrate into disillusionment and distrust. It was a time when the president was found to be a crook and the government was exposed as too proud to admit defeat in Vietnam. American film peaked in the 1970s, and the decade was the era of punk, funk, and the last album from Thelonious Monk. People wore bell-bottoms and platform shoes, and, somehow, disco was a thing for a while. And of course, through all of those strange years, people had children and named them all sorts of things. The kids grew up to be dubbed Generation X (flannel, MTV, indie film renaissance, hip-hop)—they started Google, YouTube, and Tesla.

With The Post in theaters, Slow Burn on the podcast charts, and another presidential scandal raging, the 1970s feel newly relevant. So the wonks at Stacker have poured through Social Security’s historical archives to calculate the most popular baby names of the decade. Unsurprisingly, Richard, Millhouse, and Nixon all didn’t make the list.

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

#50. Sara (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #50 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 5,696 (peaking in 1978)

Rank today: #152 for girls

FamVeld // Shutterstock

#50. Jamison (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #50 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 244 (peaking in 1973)

Rank today: #454 for boys

Nina Buday // Shutterstock

#49. Tonya (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #49 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 5,779 (peaking in 1972)

Rank today: #6,837 for girls

Yulia Sribna // Shutterstock

#49. Robby (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #49 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 247 (peaking in 1971)

Rank today: #3,837 for boys

Kateryna Gurska // Shutterstock

#48. Pamela (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #48 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 5,805 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #1,304 for girls

Lopolo // Shutterstock

#48. Demond (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #48 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 249 (peaking in 1974)

Rank today: #2,512 for boys

Rob Marmion // Shutterstock

#47. Stacey (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #47 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 5,922 (peaking in 1971)

Rank today: #1,744 for girls

Lipatova Maryna // Shutterstock

#47. Kory (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #47 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 253 (peaking in 1977)

Rank today: #2,011 for boys

10/

Malakhova Ganna // Shutterstock

#46. Danielle (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #46 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 6,092 (peaking in 1978)

Rank today: #333 for girls

11/

Iren_Geo // Shutterstock

#46. Shad (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #46 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 258 (peaking in 1971)

Rank today: #5,977 for boys

12/

Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock

#45. Monica (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #45 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 6,168 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #589 for girls

13/

pratan ounpitipong // Shutterstock

#45. Rory (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #45 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 267 (peaking in 1977)

Rank today: #387 for boys

14/

Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock

#44. Sandra (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #44 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 6,434 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #877 for girls

15/

FamVeld // Shutterstock

#44. Donny (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #44 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 276 (peaking in 1977)

Rank today: #3,153 for boys

16/

Tatiana Katsai // Shutterstock

#43. Tara (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #43 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 6,507 (peaking in 1972)

Rank today: #1,002 for girls

17/

ucchie79 // Shutterstock

#43. Kareem (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #43 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 296 (peaking in 1977)

Rank today: #708 for boys

18/

Marlon Lopez MMG1 Design // Shutterstock

#42. Tiffany (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #42 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 6,516 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #558 for girls

19/

Nadia Cruzova // Shutterstock

#42. Beau (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #42 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 315 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #187 for boys

20/

Michael Pettigrew // Shutterstock

#41. Carrie (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #41 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 6,684 (peaking in 1977)

Rank today: #1,572 for girls

21/

Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock

#41. Damion (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #41 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 316 (peaking in 1977)

Rank today: #1,158 for boys

22/

Michael Pettigrew // Shutterstock

#40. Jamie (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #40 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 6,785 (peaking in 1977)

Rank today: #499 for girls

23/

DONOT6_STUDIO // Shutterstock

#40. Darrick (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #40 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 316 (peaking in 1971)

Rank today: #3,435 for boys

24/

Marko Poplasen // Shutterstock

#39. Erin (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #39 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 6,791 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #355 for girls

25/

Capable97 // Shutterstock

#39. Derick (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #39 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 326 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #1,146 for boys

26/

Bodler // Shutterstock

#38. Stacy (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #38 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 6,991 (peaking in 1971)

Rank today: #1,207 for girls

27/

riggleton // Shutterstock

#38. Jamey (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #38 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 342 (peaking in 1976)

Rank today: #4,976 for boys

28/

Maria Evseyeva // Shutterstock

#37. Crystal (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #37 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 7,377 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #572 for girls

29/

nehophoto // Shutterstock

#37. Scot (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #37 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 345 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #9,468 for boys

30/

Natalia Kirichenko // Shutterstock

#36. Wendy (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #36 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 7,419 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #854 for girls

31/

czechbest // Shutterstock

#36. Rusty (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #36 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 365 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #2,951 for boys

32/

Darren Brode // Shutterstock

#35. Maria (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #35 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 7,618 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #113 for girls

33/

yifanjrb // Shutterstock

#35. Rolando (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #35 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 367 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #935 for boys

34/

Zdenka Darula // Shutterstock

#34. April (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #34 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 7,694 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #402 for girls

35/

Falcona // Shutterstock

#34. Kris (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #34 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 369 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #2,305 for boys

36/

Hywit Dimyadi // Shutterstock

#33. Rachel (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #33 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 7,777 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #173 for girls

37/

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

#33. Timmy (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #33 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 391 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #3,413 for boys

38/

phadungsak sawasdee // Shutterstock

#32. Lori (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #32 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 7,778 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #1,567 for girls

39/

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

#32. Dylan (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #32 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 404 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #32 for boys

40/

Krystyna Taran // Shutterstock

#31. Cynthia (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #31 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 8,021 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #561 for girls

41/

burlakova_anna // Shutterstock

#31. Dion (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #31 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 415 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #1,281 for boys

42/

Lopolo // Shutterstock

#30. Patricia (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #30 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 8,111 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #745 for girls

43/

Paul Hakimata Photography // Shutterstock

#30. Ron (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #30 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 426 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #2,638 for boys

44/

Elvira Koneva // Shutterstock

#29. Tina (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #29 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 8,476 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #1,730 for girls

45/

STANZI // Shutterstock

#29. Jamal (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #29 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 469 (peaking in 1977)

Rank today: #696 for boys

46/

Durganand // Shutterstock

#28. Andrea (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #28 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 8,643 (peaking in 1978)

Rank today: #128 for girls

47/

Ramona Heim // Shutterstock

#28. Rickey (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #28 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 523 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #1,888 for boys

48/

Bodler // Shutterstock

#27. Susan (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #27 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 8,833 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #922 for girls

49/

Paul Hakimata Photography // Shutterstock

#27. Bret (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #27 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 554 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #3,349 for boys

50/

In Green // Shutterstock

#26. Dawn (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #26 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 9,244 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #2,275 for girls

51/

VRstudio // Shutterstock

#26. Jayson (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #26 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 568 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #482 for boys

52/

FreelySky // Shutterstock

#25. Karen (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #25 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 9,519 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #504 for girls

53/

rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock

#25. Rick (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #25 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 617 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #2,112 for boys

54/

Nolte Lourens // Shutterstock

#24. Tracy (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #24 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 9,554 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #2,114 for girls

55/

Roman Sorkin // Shutterstock

#24. Devin (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #24 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 628 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #300 for boys

56/

Natalia Kirichenko // Shutterstock

#23. Tammy (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #23 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 9,883 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #2,773 for girls

57/

Andy Dean Photography // Shutterstock

#23. Damien (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #23 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 643 (peaking in 1978)

Rank today: #279 for boys

58/

s_oleg // Shutterstock

#22. Christine (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #22 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 10,324 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #729 for girls

59/

Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock

#22. Trent (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #22 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 664 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #642 for boys

60/

Zdenka Darula // Shutterstock

#21. Shannon (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #21 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 11,381 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #1,258 for girls

61/

FamVeld // Shutterstock

#21. Kerry (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #21 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 667 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #2,411 for boys

62/

DONOT6_STUDIO // Shutterstock

#20. Laura (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #20 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 11,822 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #346 for girls

63/

Thammasak Lek // Shutterstock

#20. Jarrod (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #20 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 672 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #2,832 for boys

64/

Studio Romantic // Shutterstock

#19. Sarah (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #19 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 11,884 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #57 for girls

65/

mina Armina // Shutterstock

#19. Darrin (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #19 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 694 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #2,243 for boys

66/

Shyamalamuralinath // Shutterstock

#18. Julie (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #18 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 12,195 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #482 for girls

67/

kornnphoto // Shutterstock

#18. Micah (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #18 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 698 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #115 for boys

68/

Darkdiamond67 // Shutterstock

#17. Amanda (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #17 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 12,394 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #329 for girls

69/

Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock

#17. Darin (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #17 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 909 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #2,021 for boys

70/

Oleggg // Shutterstock

#16. Christina (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #16 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 12,574 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #390 for girls

71/

FamVeld // Shutterstock

#16. Javier (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #16 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 1,045 (peaking in 1978)

Rank today: #236 for boys

72/

fufu10 // Shutterstock

#15. Mary (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #15 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 12,627 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #127 for girls

73/

Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock

#15. Jermaine (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #15 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 1,353 (peaking in 1973)

Rank today: #840 for boys

74/

Zdenka Darula // Shutterstock

#14. Kelly (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #14 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 13,357 (peaking in 1977)

Rank today: #514 for girls

75/

Gelpi // Shutterstock

#14. Kristopher (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #14 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 1,389 (peaking in 1978)

Rank today: #710 for boys

76/

photoDiod // Shutterstock

#13. Rebecca (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #13 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 13,731 (peaking in 1974)

Rank today: #207 for girls

77/

Mallmo // Shutterstock

#13. Shaun (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #13 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 1,932 (peaking in 1978)

Rank today: #898 for boys

78/

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#12. Elizabeth (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #12 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 14,286 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #13 for girls

79/

FamVeld // Shutterstock

#12. Ricky (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #12 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 2,207 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #603 for boys

80/

Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock

#11. Jessica (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #11 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 14,349 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #233 for girls

81/

tobkatrina // Shutterstock

#11. Darren (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #11 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 2,259 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #548 for boys

82/

Coy_Creek // Shutterstock

#10. Nicole (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #10 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 14,467 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #163 for girls

83/

2xSamara.com // Shutterstock

#10. Cory (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #10 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 2,752 (peaking in 1977)

Rank today: #758 for boys

84/

FamVeld // Shutterstock

#9. Stephanie (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #9 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 16,048 (peaking in 1973)

Rank today: #235 for girls

85/

Paul Hakimata Photography // Shutterstock

#9. Brett (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #9 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 2,895 (peaking in 1972)

Rank today: #729 for boys

86/

Flashon Studio // Shutterstock

#8. Heather (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #8 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 20,394 (peaking in 1975)

Rank today: #982 for girls

87/

Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock

#8. Derrick (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #8 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 3,287 (peaking in 1978)

Rank today: #418 for boys

88/

Blend Images // Shutterstock

#7. Angela (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #7 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 22,523 (peaking in 1971)

Rank today: #214 for girls

89/

Alena Ozerova // Shutterstock

#7. Derek (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #7 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 3,836 (peaking in 1971)

Rank today: #226 for boys

90/

Samuel Borges Photography // Shutterstock

#6. Lisa (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #6 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 22,868 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #833 for girls

91/

Irisska // Shutterstock

#6. Corey (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #6 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 4,103 (peaking in 1977)

Rank today: #415 for boys

92/

In Green // Shutterstock

#5. Kimberly (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #5 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 22,911 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #132 for girls

93/

Troscha // Shutterstock

#5. Shane (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #5 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 5,030 (peaking in 1973)

Rank today: #325 for boys

94/

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

#4. Michelle (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #4 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 24,914 (peaking in 1970)

Rank today: #208 for girls

95/

Minnikova Mariia // Shutterstock

#4. Sean (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #4 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 8,394 (peaking in 1971)

Rank today: #233 for boys

96/

Alena Ozerova // Shutterstock

#3. Melissa (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #3 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 25,329 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #257 for girls

97/

Pshenina_m // Shutterstock

#3. Aaron (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #3 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 10,154 (peaking in 1979)

Rank today: #49 for boys

98/

Darren Brode // Shutterstock

#2. Amy (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #2 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 26,901 (peaking in 1975)

Rank today: #176 for girls

99/

eurobanks // Shutterstock

#2. Shawn (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #2 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 10,583 (peaking in 1971)

Rank today: #355 for boys

100/

Oleksiy Avtomonov // Shutterstock

#1. Jennifer (girl)

Name rank in the 1970s: #1 for girls

Average annual births in the 1970s: 58,179 (peaking in 1972)

Rank today: #273 for girls

101/

Flashon // Shutterstock

#1. Jeremy (boy)

Name rank in the 1970s: #1 for boys

Average annual births in the 1970s: 13,936 (peaking in 1977)

Rank today: #184 for boys

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Groovy baby names that rocked the 1970s