Most Popular Baby Names of 1976

In 1976, Jennifer (59,472 births) was the most common U.S. girl name and Michael (66,917 births) the most common boy name.

Top 100 boy names, 1976
Rank	Name	Births
1	Michael	66,917
2	Jason	52,650
3	Christopher	45,194
4	David	39,273
5	James	38,298
6	John	33,979
7	Robert	33,791
8	Brian	30,524
9	Matthew	29,952
10	Daniel	24,704
11	William	24,433
12	Joseph	24,056
13	Eric	21,363
14	Jeremy	20,128
15	Kevin	18,476
16	Ryan	17,486
17	Jeffrey	17,014
18	Joshua	16,846
19	Richard	16,753
20	Steven	16,652
21	Timothy	16,621
22	Anthony	16,603
23	Thomas	16,122
24	Scott	15,719
25	Mark	15,511
26	Charles	13,923
27	Andrew	13,303
28	Paul	11,783
29	Chad	11,766
30	Aaron	11,345
31	Jonathan	11,315
32	Benjamin	10,672
33	Justin	10,146
34	Shawn	10,110
35	Gregory	10,061
36	Adam	9,939
37	Stephen	9,726
38	Kenneth	9,128
39	Nathan	8,609
40	Brandon	7,790
41	Patrick	7,642
42	Sean	7,565
43	Bryan	7,289
44	Jose	7,061
45	Edward	7,048
46	Travis	6,833
47	Donald	6,795
48	Keith	6,744
49	Ronald	6,459
50	Todd	6,441
51	Bradley	5,978
52	Gary	5,592
53	George	5,558
54	Peter	5,445
55	Jesse	5,301
56	Douglas	5,228
57	Shane	5,095
58	Juan	5,053
59	Samuel	5,026
60	Larry	4,841
61	Craig	4,732
62	Jamie	4,621
63	Jacob	4,509
64	Corey	4,433
65	Raymond	4,218
66	Dennis	4,169
67	Jerry	4,070
68	Frank	3,899
69	Phillip	3,790
70	Carlos	3,787
71	Antonio	3,774
72	Joel	3,725
73	Troy	3,715
74	Marcus	3,680
75	Terry	3,668
76	Jeffery	3,564
77	Nicholas	3,465
78	Brent	3,405
79	Randy	3,320
80	Kyle	3,309
81	Gabriel	3,303
82	Dustin	3,212
83	Cory	3,183
84	Derek	3,168
85	Billy	3,158
86	Tony	3,067
87	Russell	2,999
88	Rodney	2,984
89	Philip	2,943
90	Jared	2,930
91	Derrick	2,921
92	Johnny	2,874
93	Jeremiah	2,873
94	Erik	2,755
95	Carl	2,670
96	Zachary	2,646
97	Bobby	2,644
98	Shannon	2,611
99	Marc	2,598
100	Victor	2,527

Full Boy list for 1976

Top 100 girl names, 1976
Rank	Name	Births
1	Jennifer	59,472
2	Amy	31,339
3	Melissa	25,094
4	Heather	24,192
5	Angela	22,039
6	Michelle	19,551
7	Kimberly	18,962
8	Jessica	18,369
9	Lisa	17,348
10	Amanda	15,589
11	Stephanie	15,180
12	Rebecca	14,490
13	Nicole	14,452
14	Christina	14,035
15	Sarah	13,996
16	Elizabeth	13,546
17	Shannon	13,369
18	Jamie	12,538
19	Kelly	11,791
20	Laura	11,251
21	Julie	10,840
22	Mary	10,319
23	Rachel	8,454
24	Erin	8,383
25	Andrea	8,352
26	Christine	8,111
27	Sara	8,020
28	Carrie	7,991
29	Jaime	7,838
30	April	7,761
31	Karen	7,505
32	Tiffany	7,483
33	Danielle	7,364
34	Maria	7,358
35	Dawn	7,048
36	Crystal	6,947
37	Tracy	6,823
38	Stacy	6,524
39	Wendy	6,464
40	Susan	6,403
41	Tammy	6,228
42	Tara	6,020
43	Patricia	6,017
44	Cynthia	6,012
45	Monica	5,979
46	Misty	5,906
47	Lori	5,849
48	Tina	5,746
49	Amber	5,646
50	Emily	5,549
51	Stacey	5,391
52	Jill	5,283
53	Melanie	5,241
54	Erica	5,236
55	Brandy	5,232
56	Holly	5,173
57	Katherine	5,053
58	Tonya	4,965
59	Sandra	4,861
60	Christy	4,853
61	Tanya	4,819
62	Megan	4,464
63	Michele	4,443
64	Dana	4,408
65	Leslie	4,311
66	Teresa	4,056
67	Allison	4,028
68	Veronica	4,022
69	Denise	3,986
70	Heidi	3,890
71	Alicia	3,791
72	Catherine	3,779
73	Kristen	3,653
74	Kristin	3,627
75	Robin	3,623
76	Courtney	3,619
77	Brenda	3,587
78	Anna	3,585
79	Brandi	3,537
80	Natalie	3,500
81	Sharon	3,454
82	Kathleen	3,406
83	Valerie	3,386
84	Pamela	3,364
85	Samantha	3,348
86	Renee	3,314
87	Nancy	3,281
88	Kathryn	3,263
89	Theresa	3,174
90	Linda	3,138
91	Tamara	3,086
92	Victoria	3,038
93	Donna	3,032
94	Gina	3,010
95	Melinda	2,995
96	Deborah	2,992
97	Kristina	2,972
98	Barbara	2,968
99	Jacqueline	2,948
100	Mandy	2,924

Full Girl list for 1976

Biggest movers since 1975

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

Rising boy names, 1975 to 1976
Name	Births 1975	Births 1976	Change	Rank 1975 → 1976
Jeremiah	1,650	2,873	+74%	149 → 93
Zachary	1,688	2,646	+57%	145 → 96
Wesley	1,532	2,147	+40%	158 → 119
Gabriel	2,431	3,303	+36%	106 → 81
Jeremy	15,189	20,128	+33%	24 → 14
Kristopher	1,232	1,606	+30%	185 → 153
Jacob	3,619	4,509	+25%	75 → 63
Cory	2,573	3,183	+24%	99 → 83
Nathan	7,069	8,609	+22%	45 → 39
Dustin	2,678	3,212	+20%	96 → 82

Falling boy names, 1975 to 1976
Name	Births 1975	Births 1976	Change	Rank 1975 → 1976
Chris	1,955	1,598	-18%	132 → 154
Darren	2,034	1,693	-17%	126 → 147
Rodney	3,584	2,984	-17%	76 → 88
Ralph	1,343	1,161	-14%	173 → 193
Brett	2,779	2,417	-13%	92 → 109
Dennis	4,731	4,169	-12%	59 → 66
Roy	2,120	1,871	-12%	122 → 139
Walter	2,358	2,102	-11%	111 → 127
Gerald	2,398	2,140	-11%	108 → 120
Micheal	2,441	2,181	-11%	104 → 116

Rising girl names, 1975 to 1976
Name	Births 1975	Births 1976	Change	Rank 1975 → 1976
Jamie	4,233	12,538	+196%	68 → 18
Sara	5,131	8,020	+56%	54 → 27
Shannon	9,370	13,369	+43%	21 → 17
Jessica	12,928	18,369	+42%	13 → 8
Sabrina	1,328	1,855	+40%	190 → 146
Natalie	2,637	3,500	+33%	110 → 80
Courtney	2,773	3,619	+31%	102 → 76
Sarah	11,170	13,996	+25%	17 → 15
Amanda	12,656	15,589	+23%	14 → 10
Katie	1,296	1,592	+23%	194 → 163

Falling girl names, 1975 to 1976
Name	Births 1975	Births 1976	Change	Rank 1975 → 1976
Christie	3,028	2,009	-34%	96 → 139
Shelly	2,484	1,861	-25%	113 → 145
Sherry	3,044	2,359	-23%	95 → 111
Rhonda	3,167	2,460	-22%	93 → 107
Kristen	4,674	3,653	-22%	60 → 73
Tricia	1,804	1,429	-21%	148 → 179
Tracy	8,510	6,823	-20%	24 → 37
Pamela	4,177	3,364	-19%	70 → 84
Dawn	8,744	7,048	-19%	23 → 35
Tina	7,065	5,746	-19%	35 → 48

Top 100 boy names, 1976

Rank

Name

Births

66,917

52,650

45,194

39,273

James

38,298

John

33,979

Robert

33,791

Brian

30,524

Matthew

29,952

Daniel

24,704

William

24,433

Joseph

24,056

Eric

21,363

Jeremy

20,128

Kevin

18,476

Ryan

17,486

Jeffrey

17,014

Joshua

16,846

Richard

16,753

Steven

16,652

Timothy

16,621

Anthony

16,603

Thomas

16,122

Scott

15,719

Mark

15,511

Charles

13,923

Andrew

13,303

Paul

11,783

Chad

11,766

11,345

11,315

10,672

10,146

Shawn

10,110

Gregory

10,061

9,939

9,726

9,128

8,609

Brandon

7,790

Patrick

7,642

Sean

7,565

Bryan

7,289

Jose

7,061

7,048

6,833

6,795

6,744

6,459

Todd

6,441

Bradley

5,978

Gary

5,592

George

5,558

Peter

5,445

Jesse

5,301

Douglas

5,228

Shane

5,095

Juan

5,053

Samuel

5,026

Larry

4,841

Craig

4,732

Jamie

4,621

Jacob

4,509

Corey

4,433

Raymond

4,218

Dennis

4,169

Jerry

4,070

Frank

3,899

Phillip

3,790

Carlos

3,787

Antonio

3,774

Joel

3,725

Troy

3,715

Marcus

3,680

Terry

3,668

Jeffery

3,564

Nicholas

3,465

Brent

3,405

Randy

3,320

Kyle

3,309

Gabriel

3,303

Dustin

3,212

Cory

3,183

Derek

3,168

Billy

3,158

Tony

3,067

Russell

2,999

Rodney

2,984

Philip

2,943

Jared

2,930

Derrick

2,921

Johnny

2,874

Jeremiah

2,873

2,755

2,670

2,646

2,644

Shannon

2,611

Marc

2,598

100

Victor

2,527

Top 100 girl names, 1976

Rank

Name

Births

Jennifer

59,472

Amy

31,339

Melissa

25,094

Heather

24,192

Angela

22,039

Michelle

19,551

Kimberly

18,962

Jessica

18,369

Lisa

17,348

Amanda

15,589

Stephanie

15,180

14,490

14,452

14,035

13,996

13,546

Shannon

13,369

Jamie

12,538

Kelly

11,791

Laura

11,251

Julie

10,840

Mary

10,319

Rachel

8,454

Erin

8,383

Andrea

8,352

Christine

8,111

Sara

8,020

Carrie

7,991

Jaime

7,838

April

7,761

Karen

7,505

Tiffany

7,483

Danielle

7,364

Maria

7,358

Dawn

7,048

Crystal

6,947

Tracy

6,823

Stacy

6,524

Wendy

6,464

Susan

6,403

Tammy

6,228

Tara

6,020

Patricia

6,017

Cynthia

6,012

Monica

5,979

Misty

5,906

Lori

5,849

Tina

5,746

Amber

5,646

Emily

5,549

Stacey

5,391

Jill

5,283

Melanie

5,241

Erica

5,236

Brandy

5,232

Holly

5,173

Katherine

5,053

Tonya

4,965

Sandra

4,861

Christy

4,853

Tanya

4,819

Megan

4,464

Michele

4,443

Dana

4,408

Leslie

4,311

Teresa

4,056

Allison

4,028

Veronica

4,022

Denise

3,986

Heidi

3,890

Alicia

3,791

Catherine

3,779

Kristen

3,653

Kristin

3,627

3,623

3,619

3,587

3,585

Brandi

3,537

Natalie

3,500

Sharon

3,454

Kathleen

3,406

Valerie

3,386

Pamela

3,364

Samantha

3,348

Renee

3,314

Nancy

3,281

Kathryn

3,263

Theresa

3,174

Linda

3,138

Tamara

3,086

Victoria

3,038

Donna

3,032

Gina

3,010

Melinda

2,995

Deborah

2,992

Kristina

2,972

Barbara

2,968

Jacqueline

2,948

100

Mandy

2,924

Biggest movers since 1975

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

Rising boy names, 1975 to 1976
Name	Births 1975	Births 1976	Change	Rank 1975 → 1976
Jeremiah	1,650	2,873	+74%	149 → 93
Zachary	1,688	2,646	+57%	145 → 96
Wesley	1,532	2,147	+40%	158 → 119
Gabriel	2,431	3,303	+36%	106 → 81
Jeremy	15,189	20,128	+33%	24 → 14
Kristopher	1,232	1,606	+30%	185 → 153
Jacob	3,619	4,509	+25%	75 → 63
Cory	2,573	3,183	+24%	99 → 83
Nathan	7,069	8,609	+22%	45 → 39
Dustin	2,678	3,212	+20%	96 → 82

Falling boy names, 1975 to 1976
Name	Births 1975	Births 1976	Change	Rank 1975 → 1976
Chris	1,955	1,598	-18%	132 → 154
Darren	2,034	1,693	-17%	126 → 147
Rodney	3,584	2,984	-17%	76 → 88
Ralph	1,343	1,161	-14%	173 → 193
Brett	2,779	2,417	-13%	92 → 109
Dennis	4,731	4,169	-12%	59 → 66
Roy	2,120	1,871	-12%	122 → 139
Walter	2,358	2,102	-11%	111 → 127
Gerald	2,398	2,140	-11%	108 → 120
Micheal	2,441	2,181	-11%	104 → 116

Rising girl names, 1975 to 1976
Name	Births 1975	Births 1976	Change	Rank 1975 → 1976
Jamie	4,233	12,538	+196%	68 → 18
Sara	5,131	8,020	+56%	54 → 27
Shannon	9,370	13,369	+43%	21 → 17
Jessica	12,928	18,369	+42%	13 → 8
Sabrina	1,328	1,855	+40%	190 → 146
Natalie	2,637	3,500	+33%	110 → 80
Courtney	2,773	3,619	+31%	102 → 76
Sarah	11,170	13,996	+25%	17 → 15
Amanda	12,656	15,589	+23%	14 → 10
Katie	1,296	1,592	+23%	194 → 163

Falling girl names, 1975 to 1976
Name	Births 1975	Births 1976	Change	Rank 1975 → 1976
Christie	3,028	2,009	-34%	96 → 139
Shelly	2,484	1,861	-25%	113 → 145
Sherry	3,044	2,359	-23%	95 → 111
Rhonda	3,167	2,460	-22%	93 → 107
Kristen	4,674	3,653	-22%	60 → 73
Tricia	1,804	1,429	-21%	148 → 179
Tracy	8,510	6,823	-20%	24 → 37
Pamela	4,177	3,364	-19%	70 → 84
Dawn	8,744	7,048	-19%	23 → 35
Tina	7,065	5,746	-19%	35 → 48

Top 100 boy names of 1976

Top 100 girl names of 1976

Biggest movers since 1975

Top 100 boy names of 1976

Top 100 girl names of 1976

Biggest movers since 1975