Most Popular Baby Names of 1956

In 1956, Mary (61,743 births) was the most common U.S. girl name and Michael (90,691 births) the most common boy name.

Top 100 boy names, 1956
Rank	Name	Births
1	Michael	90,691
2	James	84,903
3	Robert	83,912
4	David	81,650
5	John	80,806
6	William	58,990
7	Richard	52,912
8	Mark	48,829
9	Thomas	44,841
10	Steven	38,410
11	Charles	35,239
12	Joseph	32,748
13	Gary	31,839
14	Donald	28,226
15	Ronald	27,723
16	Kenneth	27,433
17	Paul	26,897
18	Daniel	26,653
19	Timothy	23,289
20	Jeffrey	23,282
21	Larry	22,324
22	Kevin	21,763
23	Stephen	21,204
24	Gregory	21,081
25	Edward	19,437
26	Dennis	18,362
27	George	17,236
28	Randy	16,547
29	Douglas	16,390
30	Anthony	15,565
31	Terry	15,066
32	Brian	14,667
33	Bruce	14,660
34	Scott	13,214
35	Jerry	12,620
36	Keith	11,480
37	Peter	11,335
38	Frank	11,150
39	Raymond	11,108
40	Patrick	10,326
41	Roger	10,151
42	Lawrence	8,898
43	Ricky	8,781
44	Alan	8,735
45	Wayne	8,717
46	Danny	8,564
47	Christopher	8,385
48	Carl	8,314
49	Gerald	7,991
50	Dale	7,720
51	Craig	7,422
52	Russell	7,402
53	Walter	7,020
54	Randall	6,914
55	Johnny	6,637
56	Andrew	6,602
57	Jeffery	6,571
58	Willie	6,528
59	Steve	6,474
60	Arthur	6,288
61	Glenn	6,196
62	Roy	6,133
63	Joe	6,126
64	Philip	6,105
65	Rodney	6,075
66	Jack	6,051
67	Ralph	6,041
68	Billy	6,013
69	Barry	5,987
70	Stanley	5,985
71	Henry	5,971
72	Harold	5,956
73	Martin	5,682
74	Samuel	5,584
75	Ronnie	5,492
76	Phillip	5,416
77	Bobby	5,358
78	Jimmy	5,346
79	Eric	5,253
80	Curtis	5,157
81	Albert	5,151
82	Louis	4,911
83	Micheal	4,732
84	Howard	4,706
85	Tony	4,669
86	Eugene	4,619
87	Allen	4,611
88	Darrell	4,468
89	Leonard	4,371
90	Matthew	4,365
91	Frederick	4,305
92	Jay	4,119
93	Eddie	3,994
94	Ernest	3,953
95	Harry	3,925
96	Victor	3,907
97	Mike	3,901
98	Vincent	3,756
99	Dean	3,712
100	Rick	3,656

Full Boy list for 1956

Top 100 girl names, 1956
Rank	Name	Births
1	Mary	61,743
2	Debra	48,324
3	Linda	48,085
4	Deborah	47,837
5	Susan	46,562
6	Patricia	43,330
7	Karen	40,052
8	Cynthia	32,339
9	Barbara	32,302
10	Donna	29,852
11	Nancy	28,784
12	Pamela	26,927
13	Sharon	26,881
14	Sandra	24,302
15	Diane	22,518
16	Carol	21,407
17	Kathleen	21,377
18	Cheryl	21,279
19	Brenda	19,343
20	Kathy	17,177
21	Janet	16,758
22	Elizabeth	16,353
23	Denise	14,509
24	Teresa	14,464
25	Margaret	13,914
26	Janice	13,017
27	Rebecca	12,170
28	Catherine	12,057
29	Robin	11,621
30	Joyce	11,091
31	Lisa	11,012
32	Theresa	10,841
33	Carolyn	10,634
34	Laura	10,570
35	Judy	10,197
36	Cathy	10,132
37	Cindy	9,979
38	Kim	9,896
39	Debbie	9,862
40	Beverly	9,450
41	Shirley	9,429
42	Christine	9,371
43	Connie	9,361
44	Betty	9,218
45	Judith	9,115
46	Ann	8,990
47	Paula	8,925
48	Julie	8,573
49	Gail	8,435
50	Jane	8,241
51	Bonnie	8,132
52	Joan	8,080
53	Gloria	7,929
54	Sherry	7,898
55	Sheila	7,872
56	Diana	7,851
57	Vicki	7,767
58	Lynn	7,736
59	Martha	7,709
60	Kathryn	7,594
61	Wanda	7,547
62	Rhonda	7,521
63	Peggy	7,493
64	Rose	7,337
65	Jean	7,174
66	Lori	7,145
67	Katherine	7,081
68	Vickie	6,956
69	Jo	6,954
70	Marilyn	6,926
71	Darlene	6,919
72	Dorothy	6,858
73	Maria	6,731
74	Kimberly	6,730
75	Virginia	6,392
76	Laurie	6,206
77	Ruth	6,075
78	Jacqueline	6,062
79	Rita	6,055
80	Valerie	5,910
81	Terri	5,744
82	Phyllis	5,642
83	Anita	5,505
84	Ellen	5,432
85	Victoria	5,388
86	Anne	5,356
87	Tina	5,330
88	Michelle	5,327
89	Elaine	5,310
90	Helen	5,279
91	Terry	5,272
92	Dawn	5,127
93	Angela	5,033
94	Suzanne	5,024
95	Wendy	4,861
96	Marie	4,794
97	Jennifer	4,710
98	Alice	4,681
99	Joanne	4,671
100	Michele	4,617

Full Girl list for 1956

Biggest movers since 1955

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

Rising boy names, 1955 to 1956
Name	Births 1955	Births 1956	Change	Rank 1955 → 1956
Bryan	1,568	2,438	+55%	177 → 132
Jeff	1,482	2,219	+50%	182 → 145
Brian	10,106	14,667	+45%	40 → 32
Mike	2,731	3,901	+43%	123 → 97
Matthew	3,279	4,365	+33%	105 → 90
Jim	1,699	2,188	+29%	167 → 148
Perry	1,451	1,867	+29%	183 → 163
Kevin	17,156	21,763	+27%	27 → 22
Tom	1,513	1,914	+27%	180 → 161
Tony	3,752	4,669	+24%	93 → 85

Falling boy names, 1955 to 1956
Name	Births 1955	Births 1956	Change	Rank 1955 → 1956
Kim	3,490	2,960	-15%	98 → 118
Allan	1,841	1,636	-11%	157 → 177
Dennis	20,434	18,362	-10%	23 → 26
Leslie	2,231	2,050	-8%	138 → 152
Marc	2,631	2,430	-8%	126 → 135
Roger	10,982	10,151	-8%	37 → 41
Gary	34,433	31,839	-8%	12 → 13
Randolph	1,765	1,634	-7%	162 → 178
Gene	1,892	1,754	-7%	152 → 170
Jackie	2,000	1,862	-7%	148 → 164

Rising girl names, 1955 to 1956
Name	Births 1955	Births 1956	Change	Rank 1955 → 1956
Cindy	5,589	9,979	+79%	79 → 37
Kimberly	3,862	6,730	+74%	111 → 74
Kim	5,687	9,896	+74%	75 → 38
Tina	3,274	5,330	+63%	132 → 87
Annette	2,344	3,752	+60%	156 → 119
Lori	4,976	7,145	+44%	89 → 66
Debbie	7,254	9,862	+36%	63 → 39
Becky	2,002	2,688	+34%	174 → 144
Melody	1,801	2,389	+33%	186 → 155
Angela	3,895	5,033	+29%	109 → 93

Falling girl names, 1955 to 1956
Name	Births 1955	Births 1956	Change	Rank 1955 → 1956
Constance	3,662	2,816	-23%	118 → 141
Claudia	2,410	1,915	-21%	151 → 186
Marsha	4,061	3,328	-18%	106 → 129
Marilyn	8,409	6,926	-18%	49 → 70
Marlene	2,566	2,128	-17%	142 → 170
Judith	10,434	9,115	-13%	31 → 45
Dianne	3,496	3,066	-12%	121 → 137
Patsy	2,013	1,799	-11%	172 → 192
Jo	7,656	6,954	-9%	58 → 69
June	2,149	1,954	-9%	164 → 182

Top 100 boy names, 1956

Rank

Name

Births

Michael

90,691

James

84,903

83,912

81,650

80,806

58,990

Richard

52,912

Mark

48,829

44,841

38,410

35,239

32,748

Gary

31,839

28,226

27,723

27,433

26,897

26,653

23,289

Jeffrey

23,282

Larry

22,324

Kevin

21,763

Stephen

21,204

Gregory

21,081

Edward

19,437

Dennis

18,362

George

17,236

Randy

16,547

Douglas

16,390

Anthony

15,565

Terry

15,066

Brian

14,667

Bruce

14,660

Scott

13,214

Jerry

12,620

Keith

11,480

Peter

11,335

Frank

11,150

Raymond

11,108

Patrick

10,326

Roger

10,151

Lawrence

8,898

Ricky

8,781

Alan

8,735

Wayne

8,717

Danny

8,564

Christopher

8,385

Carl

8,314

Gerald

7,991

Dale

7,720

Craig

7,422

Russell

7,402

Walter

7,020

Randall

6,914

Johnny

6,637

Andrew

6,602

Jeffery

6,571

Willie

6,528

Steve

6,474

Arthur

6,288

Glenn

6,196

Roy

6,133

Joe

6,126

Philip

6,105

Rodney

6,075

Jack

6,051

Ralph

6,041

Billy

6,013

Barry

5,987

Stanley

5,985

Henry

5,971

Harold

5,956

Martin

5,682

Samuel

5,584

Ronnie

5,492

Phillip

5,416

Bobby

5,358

Jimmy

5,346

Eric

5,253

Curtis

5,157

Albert

5,151

Louis

4,911

Micheal

4,732

Howard

4,706

Tony

4,669

Eugene

4,619

Allen

4,611

Darrell

4,468

Leonard

4,371

Matthew

4,365

Frederick

4,305

Jay

4,119

Eddie

3,994

Ernest

3,953

Harry

3,925

3,907

3,901

3,756

3,712

100

Rick

3,656

Top 100 girl names, 1956

Rank

Name

Births

Mary

61,743

Debra

48,324

Linda

48,085

Deborah

47,837

Susan

46,562

Patricia

43,330

Karen

40,052

Cynthia

32,339

Barbara

32,302

Donna

29,852

Nancy

28,784

Pamela

26,927

Sharon

26,881

Sandra

24,302

Diane

22,518

Carol

21,407

Kathleen

21,377

Cheryl

21,279

Brenda

19,343

Kathy

17,177

Janet

16,758

Elizabeth

16,353

Denise

14,509

Teresa

14,464

13,914

13,017

12,170

12,057

11,621

11,091

11,012

Theresa

10,841

Carolyn

10,634

Laura

10,570

Judy

10,197

Cathy

10,132

Cindy

9,979

Kim

9,896

Debbie

9,862

Beverly

9,450

Shirley

9,429

Christine

9,371

Connie

9,361

9,218

9,115

8,990

8,925

Julie

8,573

Gail

8,435

8,241

8,132

8,080

7,929

Sherry

7,898

Sheila

7,872

Diana

7,851

Vicki

7,767

Lynn

7,736

Martha

7,709

Kathryn

7,594

Wanda

7,547

Rhonda

7,521

Peggy

7,493

Rose

7,337

Jean

7,174

Lori

7,145

Katherine

7,081

Vickie

6,956

6,954

Marilyn

6,926

Darlene

6,919

Dorothy

6,858

Maria

6,731

Kimberly

6,730

Virginia

6,392

Laurie

6,206

Ruth

6,075

Jacqueline

6,062

Rita

6,055

Valerie

5,910

Terri

5,744

Phyllis

5,642

Anita

5,505

Ellen

5,432

5,388

5,356

5,330

5,327

Elaine

5,310

Helen

5,279

Terry

5,272

Dawn

5,127

Angela

5,033

Suzanne

5,024

Wendy

4,861

Marie

4,794

Jennifer

4,710

Alice

4,681

Joanne

4,671

100

Michele

4,617

Biggest movers since 1955

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

Rising boy names, 1955 to 1956
Name	Births 1955	Births 1956	Change	Rank 1955 → 1956
Bryan	1,568	2,438	+55%	177 → 132
Jeff	1,482	2,219	+50%	182 → 145
Brian	10,106	14,667	+45%	40 → 32
Mike	2,731	3,901	+43%	123 → 97
Matthew	3,279	4,365	+33%	105 → 90
Jim	1,699	2,188	+29%	167 → 148
Perry	1,451	1,867	+29%	183 → 163
Kevin	17,156	21,763	+27%	27 → 22
Tom	1,513	1,914	+27%	180 → 161
Tony	3,752	4,669	+24%	93 → 85

Falling boy names, 1955 to 1956
Name	Births 1955	Births 1956	Change	Rank 1955 → 1956
Kim	3,490	2,960	-15%	98 → 118
Allan	1,841	1,636	-11%	157 → 177
Dennis	20,434	18,362	-10%	23 → 26
Leslie	2,231	2,050	-8%	138 → 152
Marc	2,631	2,430	-8%	126 → 135
Roger	10,982	10,151	-8%	37 → 41
Gary	34,433	31,839	-8%	12 → 13
Randolph	1,765	1,634	-7%	162 → 178
Gene	1,892	1,754	-7%	152 → 170
Jackie	2,000	1,862	-7%	148 → 164

Rising girl names, 1955 to 1956
Name	Births 1955	Births 1956	Change	Rank 1955 → 1956
Cindy	5,589	9,979	+79%	79 → 37
Kimberly	3,862	6,730	+74%	111 → 74
Kim	5,687	9,896	+74%	75 → 38
Tina	3,274	5,330	+63%	132 → 87
Annette	2,344	3,752	+60%	156 → 119
Lori	4,976	7,145	+44%	89 → 66
Debbie	7,254	9,862	+36%	63 → 39
Becky	2,002	2,688	+34%	174 → 144
Melody	1,801	2,389	+33%	186 → 155
Angela	3,895	5,033	+29%	109 → 93

Falling girl names, 1955 to 1956
Name	Births 1955	Births 1956	Change	Rank 1955 → 1956
Constance	3,662	2,816	-23%	118 → 141
Claudia	2,410	1,915	-21%	151 → 186
Marsha	4,061	3,328	-18%	106 → 129
Marilyn	8,409	6,926	-18%	49 → 70
Marlene	2,566	2,128	-17%	142 → 170
Judith	10,434	9,115	-13%	31 → 45
Dianne	3,496	3,066	-12%	121 → 137
Patsy	2,013	1,799	-11%	172 → 192
Jo	7,656	6,954	-9%	58 → 69
June	2,149	1,954	-9%	164 → 182

Top 100 boy names of 1956

Top 100 girl names of 1956

Biggest movers since 1955

Top 100 boy names of 1956

Top 100 girl names of 1956

Biggest movers since 1955