Names From the 1880s

Real names given to babies in the US from 1880 to 1889. The top names were Mary for girls and John for boys.

Here are 12 names to start. Change the options and press Generate 1880s names for more.

  1. Columbus Burleson#227 boys’ name in the 1880s · 1 in 2,135 boys#2,872 surname in the 2020 US Census
  2. Frederick Garcia#39 boys’ name in the 1880s · 1 in 238 boys#6 surname in the 2020 US Census
  3. William Matteson#2 boys’ name in the 1880s · 1 in 13 boys#4,976 surname in the 2020 US Census
  4. Agnes Rockwell#51 girls’ name in the 1880s · 1 in 181 girls#2,966 surname in the 2020 US Census
  5. Amanda Riordan#93 girls’ name in the 1880s · 1 in 400 girls#4,556 surname in the 2020 US Census
  6. Georgie Rosenthal#288 girls’ name in the 1880s · 1 in 2,891 girls#2,251 surname in the 2020 US Census
  7. Gladys Martinez#152 girls’ name in the 1880s · 1 in 924 girls#10 surname in the 2020 US Census
  8. Annie Kelley#11 girls’ name in the 1880s · 1 in 77 girls#203 surname in the 2020 US Census
  9. Mary Murry#1 girls’ name in the 1880s · 1 in 14 girls#3,694 surname in the 2020 US Census
  10. Daniel Pope#31 boys’ name in the 1880s · 1 in 193 boys#540 surname in the 2020 US Census
  11. Lottie Miller#80 girls’ name in the 1880s · 1 in 338 girls#7 surname in the 2020 US Census
  12. Mattie Henry#34 girls’ name in the 1880s · 1 in 133 girls#153 surname in the 2020 US Census

The 1880s in numbers

2,408,000babies recorded
22.5%of girls got a top-10 name
41.3%of boys got a top-10 name

Counts include names given to at least five babies of the same sex in a year. Early decades undercount births, because many people born before 1937 never applied for a Social Security number.

Top 25 girls' names of the 1880s

RankNameBabiesShare
#1Mary91,66869.83 per 1,000
#2Anna38,15929.07 per 1,000
#3Emma25,40419.35 per 1,000
#4Elizabeth25,00619.05 per 1,000
#5Margaret21,79916.61 per 1,000
#6Minnie21,72416.55 per 1,000
#7Ida18,28313.93 per 1,000
#8Bertha18,26413.91 per 1,000
#9Clara17,71713.5 per 1,000
#10Alice17,14213.06 per 1,000
#11Annie17,02712.97 per 1,000
#12Florence16,69912.72 per 1,000
#13Bessie15,37311.71 per 1,000
#14Grace15,22711.6 per 1,000
#15Ethel14,86611.32 per 1,000
#16Sarah14,71511.21 per 1,000
#17Ella13,93610.62 per 1,000
#18Martha13,91110.6 per 1,000
#19Nellie13,76110.48 per 1,000
#20Mabel13,0969.98 per 1,000
#21Laura12,8069.76 per 1,000
#22Carrie12,5149.53 per 1,000
#23Cora11,9549.11 per 1,000
#24Helen11,4968.76 per 1,000
#25Maude11,4548.73 per 1,000

Top 25 boys' names of the 1880s

RankNameBabiesShare
#1John89,94982.11 per 1,000
#2William84,88177.49 per 1,000
#3James54,05649.35 per 1,000
#4George47,65143.5 per 1,000
#5Charles46,65642.59 per 1,000
#6Frank30,96728.27 per 1,000
#7Joseph26,29224 per 1,000
#8Henry24,13922.04 per 1,000
#9Robert24,07421.98 per 1,000
#10Thomas23,75021.68 per 1,000
#11Edward23,13321.12 per 1,000
#12Harry22,64920.68 per 1,000
#13Walter18,18516.6 per 1,000
#14Arthur16,18014.77 per 1,000
#15Fred15,60214.24 per 1,000
#16Albert14,37513.12 per 1,000
#17Samuel9,1298.33 per 1,000
#18Clarence8,7608 per 1,000
#19Louis8,2757.55 per 1,000
#20David7,5696.91 per 1,000
#21Joe7,0986.48 per 1,000
#22Charlie7,0916.47 per 1,000
#23Richard7,0106.4 per 1,000
#24Ernest6,7006.12 per 1,000
#25Roy6,5655.99 per 1,000

Unisex names of the 1880s

Other decades

Frequently asked questions

What were the most popular names in the 1880s?

Mary, Anna and Emma for girls; John, William and James for boys.

Where does this data come from?

From the US Social Security Administration's national baby-name records, which go back to 1880.

Can I use these names?

Yes. Names are free to use for pets, stories, games, products and anything else. Real names come from public government records; fantasy names are generated, so you do not need permission to use them.