Most Popular Baby Names of 1972
In 1972, Jennifer (63,602 births) was the most common U.S. girl name and Michael (71,391 births) the most common boy name.
Top 100 boy names of 1972
| Rank | Name | Births |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael | 71,391 |
| 2 | Christopher | 52,173 |
| 3 | James | 47,064 |
| 4 | David | 46,326 |
| 5 | John | 43,162 |
| 6 | Robert | 43,015 |
| 7 | Jason | 37,434 |
| 8 | Brian | 36,309 |
| 9 | William | 30,512 |
| 10 | Matthew | 22,931 |
| 11 | Scott | 22,840 |
| 12 | Joseph | 22,456 |
| 13 | Kevin | 22,357 |
| 14 | Richard | 22,303 |
| 15 | Daniel | 22,091 |
| 16 | Eric | 22,031 |
| 17 | Jeffrey | 21,677 |
| 18 | Mark | 21,494 |
| 19 | Steven | 19,853 |
| 20 | Thomas | 19,561 |
| 21 | Timothy | 17,605 |
| 22 | Anthony | 17,459 |
| 23 | Charles | 16,969 |
| 24 | Paul | 14,561 |
| 25 | Chad | 13,391 |
| 26 | Gregory | 13,059 |
| 27 | Kenneth | 12,333 |
| 28 | Shawn | 11,279 |
| 29 | Stephen | 11,037 |
| 30 | Andrew | 10,114 |
| 31 | Todd | 9,968 |
| 32 | Ronald | 9,503 |
| 33 | Sean | 9,446 |
| 34 | Edward | 9,295 |
| 35 | Patrick | 9,275 |
| 36 | Donald | 9,261 |
| 37 | Jonathan | 9,223 |
| 38 | Keith | 9,146 |
| 39 | Ryan | 8,879 |
| 40 | Aaron | 7,863 |
| 41 | Gary | 7,759 |
| 42 | Jeremy | 7,399 |
| 43 | Douglas | 7,389 |
| 44 | George | 7,164 |
| 45 | Bryan | 7,034 |
| 46 | Craig | 6,731 |
| 47 | Larry | 6,603 |
| 48 | Peter | 6,475 |
| 49 | Troy | 6,347 |
| 50 | Jose | 5,935 |
| 51 | Adam | 5,740 |
| 52 | Dennis | 5,608 |
| 53 | Jerry | 5,597 |
| 54 | Raymond | 5,442 |
| 55 | Shane | 5,235 |
| 56 | Frank | 5,167 |
| 57 | Travis | 5,138 |
| 58 | Jeffery | 5,063 |
| 59 | Joshua | 5,033 |
| 60 | Justin | 4,975 |
| 61 | Bradley | 4,839 |
| 62 | Terry | 4,770 |
| 63 | Brandon | 4,625 |
| 64 | Benjamin | 4,498 |
| 65 | Rodney | 4,363 |
| 66 | Samuel | 4,214 |
| 67 | Derek | 4,146 |
| 68 | Tony | 4,001 |
| 69 | Russell | 3,783 |
| 70 | Randy | 3,739 |
| 71 | Marcus | 3,685 |
| 72 | Jamie | 3,680 |
| 73 | Juan | 3,674 |
| 74 | Johnny | 3,564 |
| 75 | Roger | 3,534 |
| 76 | Phillip | 3,532 |
| 77 | Brent | 3,530 |
| 78 | Joel | 3,528 |
| 79 | Nathan | 3,514 |
| 80 | Brett | 3,503 |
| 81 | Billy | 3,473 |
| 81 | Chris | 3,473 |
| 83 | Marc | 3,465 |
| 84 | Carlos | 3,436 |
| 85 | Carl | 3,406 |
| 86 | Erik | 3,399 |
| 87 | Danny | 3,306 |
| 88 | Jesse | 3,226 |
| 89 | Jon | 3,221 |
| 90 | Bobby | 3,172 |
| 91 | Derrick | 3,088 |
| 92 | Curtis | 3,080 |
| 93 | Antonio | 3,029 |
| 94 | Shannon | 3,013 |
| 95 | Corey | 2,991 |
| 96 | Christian | 2,962 |
| 97 | Jimmy | 2,933 |
| 98 | Walter | 2,917 |
| 99 | Nicholas | 2,844 |
| 100 | Joe | 2,825 |
Top 100 girl names of 1972
| Rank | Name | Births |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jennifer | 63,602 |
| 2 | Michelle | 29,287 |
| 3 | Lisa | 27,543 |
| 4 | Kimberly | 26,281 |
| 5 | Amy | 25,872 |
| 6 | Angela | 23,562 |
| 7 | Melissa | 22,494 |
| 8 | Stephanie | 16,890 |
| 9 | Heather | 16,320 |
| 10 | Nicole | 15,755 |
| 11 | Tammy | 14,211 |
| 12 | Julie | 14,063 |
| 13 | Mary | 13,756 |
| 14 | Rebecca | 13,253 |
| 15 | Elizabeth | 12,183 |
| 16 | Christine | 11,986 |
| 17 | Laura | 11,777 |
| 18 | Tina | 11,522 |
| 19 | Tracy | 11,436 |
| 20 | Dawn | 11,340 |
| 21 | Karen | 11,180 |
| 22 | Shannon | 10,966 |
| 23 | Kelly | 10,943 |
| 24 | Susan | 10,574 |
| 25 | Christina | 10,173 |
| 25 | Cynthia | 10,173 |
| 27 | Patricia | 9,600 |
| 28 | Lori | 9,434 |
| 29 | Wendy | 8,529 |
| 30 | Andrea | 8,021 |
| 31 | Sandra | 7,916 |
| 32 | Maria | 7,717 |
| 33 | Stacy | 7,603 |
| 34 | Pamela | 7,471 |
| 35 | Denise | 7,381 |
| 36 | Michele | 7,380 |
| 37 | Tonya | 7,243 |
| 38 | Tara | 7,234 |
| 39 | Teresa | 7,177 |
| 40 | Rachel | 6,417 |
| 41 | Stacey | 6,380 |
| 42 | Melanie | 6,295 |
| 43 | Deborah | 6,273 |
| 44 | Brenda | 6,270 |
| 45 | Donna | 6,256 |
| 46 | Jessica | 6,206 |
| 47 | Monica | 6,133 |
| 48 | April | 6,120 |
| 49 | Sarah | 6,114 |
| 50 | Sharon | 6,111 |
| 51 | Linda | 5,743 |
| 52 | Dana | 5,611 |
| 53 | Carrie | 5,422 |
| 54 | Tanya | 5,402 |
| 55 | Robin | 5,368 |
| 56 | Cheryl | 5,136 |
| 57 | Kathleen | 5,096 |
| 58 | Barbara | 5,079 |
| 59 | Crystal | 5,043 |
| 60 | Rhonda | 5,001 |
| 61 | Tiffany | 4,845 |
| 62 | Jill | 4,825 |
| 63 | Nancy | 4,818 |
| 64 | Heidi | 4,723 |
| 65 | Catherine | 4,685 |
| 66 | Debra | 4,666 |
| 67 | Kristin | 4,587 |
| 68 | Theresa | 4,569 |
| 69 | Katherine | 4,511 |
| 70 | Sherry | 4,447 |
| 71 | Holly | 4,376 |
| 72 | Paula | 4,260 |
| 73 | Danielle | 4,201 |
| 74 | Christy | 4,189 |
| 75 | Leslie | 4,184 |
| 76 | Amanda | 4,181 |
| 77 | Renee | 4,088 |
| 78 | Gina | 4,057 |
| 79 | Jacqueline | 3,803 |
| 80 | Cindy | 3,737 |
| 81 | Melinda | 3,671 |
| 82 | Veronica | 3,563 |
| 83 | Diana | 3,547 |
| 84 | Tamara | 3,531 |
| 85 | Kristen | 3,528 |
| 86 | Anna | 3,449 |
| 87 | Erica | 3,443 |
| 88 | Tracey | 3,407 |
| 89 | Yolanda | 3,398 |
| 90 | Sheila | 3,394 |
| 91 | Ann | 3,360 |
| 92 | Suzanne | 3,300 |
| 93 | Erin | 3,289 |
| 94 | Shelly | 3,288 |
| 95 | Margaret | 3,286 |
| 96 | Alicia | 3,268 |
| 97 | Jodi | 3,260 |
| 98 | Laurie | 3,228 |
| 99 | Victoria | 3,206 |
| 100 | Valerie | 3,193 |
Biggest movers since 1971
Names with at least 500 births in both years, by percent change in births.
| Name | Births 1971 | Births 1972 | Change | Rank 1971 → 1972 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin | 3,056 | 4,975 | +63% | 103 → 60 |
| Ryan | 6,184 | 8,879 | +44% | 51 → 39 |
| Brandon | 3,262 | 4,625 | +42% | 95 → 63 |
| Joshua | 3,649 | 5,033 | +38% | 80 → 59 |
| Tracy | 2,076 | 2,539 | +22% | 144 → 111 |
| Gabriel | 1,574 | 1,921 | +22% | 173 → 139 |
| Damon | 1,581 | 1,926 | +22% | 171 → 138 |
| Nathan | 3,048 | 3,514 | +15% | 104 → 79 |
| Jamie | 3,231 | 3,680 | +14% | 96 → 72 |
| Christian | 2,641 | 2,962 | +12% | 122 → 96 |
| Name | Births 1971 | Births 1972 | Change | Rank 1971 → 1972 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lance | 3,176 | 2,253 | -29% | 98 → 126 |
| Jeff | 2,155 | 1,540 | -29% | 140 → 167 |
| Mike | 1,923 | 1,392 | -28% | 153 → 178 |
| Scott | 30,902 | 22,840 | -26% | 10 → 11 |
| Barry | 2,359 | 1,752 | -26% | 134 → 148 |
| Dean | 2,245 | 1,683 | -25% | 137 → 155 |
| Daryl | 1,593 | 1,200 | -25% | 168 → 193 |
| Randall | 3,101 | 2,353 | -24% | 102 → 120 |
| Kirk | 1,744 | 1,350 | -23% | 159 → 180 |
| Steve | 2,372 | 1,845 | -22% | 131 → 143 |
| Name | Births 1971 | Births 1972 | Change | Rank 1971 → 1972 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Misty | 1,493 | 2,425 | +62% | 200 → 125 |
| Nicole | 10,423 | 15,755 | +51% | 27 → 10 |
| Emily | 1,866 | 2,334 | +25% | 166 → 131 |
| Melanie | 5,134 | 6,295 | +23% | 66 → 42 |
| Katrina | 2,299 | 2,751 | +20% | 139 → 116 |
| Jenny | 2,239 | 2,636 | +18% | 142 → 119 |
| Jessica | 5,360 | 6,206 | +16% | 64 → 46 |
| Tara | 6,335 | 7,234 | +14% | 49 → 38 |
| Danielle | 3,718 | 4,201 | +13% | 99 → 73 |
| Jennifer | 56,771 | 63,602 | +12% | 1 → 1 |
| Name | Births 1971 | Births 1972 | Change | Rank 1971 → 1972 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tracey | 4,789 | 3,407 | -29% | 74 → 88 |
| Stacie | 2,555 | 1,820 | -29% | 131 → 159 |
| Deborah | 8,674 | 6,273 | -28% | 33 → 43 |
| Diane | 4,209 | 3,092 | -27% | 83 → 105 |
| Pamela | 10,149 | 7,471 | -26% | 28 → 34 |
| Ann | 4,558 | 3,360 | -26% | 78 → 91 |
| Kim | 3,682 | 2,741 | -26% | 101 → 118 |
| Wanda | 2,365 | 1,775 | -25% | 137 → 166 |
| Tricia | 3,473 | 2,612 | -25% | 109 → 120 |
| Rhonda | 6,649 | 5,001 | -25% | 46 → 60 |