US first names, 1940–2025
Random name generator
First names on this page come from Social Security Administration records of U.S. births from 1940 to 2025. That period holds 148,301,602 girls across 69,008 distinct names and 157,922,523 boys across 43,271 distinct names. The three most common names were for girls: Mary, Jennifer, Linda; for boys: Michael, James, John. Names are picked in proportion to how often they were given, and last names come from the 2000 U.S. Census, so the mix looks like real American full names.
More options — middle names, no repeats, realism, seed
1 gives real frequencies. 0 makes every name equally likely.
Real frequencies versus equal chance
Weighted by real frequency
Every name equally likely
Both lists use the same seed and the same names. The left list follows how often each name was really given, so common names repeat. The right list ignores frequency, which is how many simple generators work.
What the data says
- About 1 in 12 girls born from 1940 to 2025 got one of just 10 names. Those 10 names hold 8.4% of all recorded girls.
- Names for girls behave like 1,583 equally common names out of 69,008 in use (effective number of names).
- The average girl's name has 6.1 letters.
- About 1 in 5 boys born from 1940 to 2025 got one of just 10 names. Those 10 names hold 18.2% of all recorded boys.
- Names for boys behave like 640 equally common names out of 43,271 in use (effective number of names).
- The average boy's name has 5.8 letters.
- Fastest riser for girls: Kehlani, from 50 births in 2006 to 2015 to 14,431 in 2016 to 2025.
- Biggest fall for girls: Bethzy, from 349 births in 2006 to 2015 to 0 in 2016 to 2025.
- Fastest riser for boys: Kylo, from 50 births in 2006 to 2015 to 5,284 in 2016 to 2025.
- Biggest fall for boys: Ladainian, from 320 births in 2006 to 2015 to 10 in 2016 to 2025.
Girls: Top 20 names
| # | Name | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mary | 2,003,780 | 1.35% |
| 2 | Jennifer | 1,471,243 | 0.99% |
| 3 | Linda | 1,416,574 | 0.96% |
| 4 | Patricia | 1,266,878 | 0.85% |
| 5 | Elizabeth | 1,235,201 | 0.83% |
| 6 | Susan | 1,076,941 | 0.73% |
| 7 | Jessica | 1,049,021 | 0.71% |
| 8 | Barbara | 1,010,759 | 0.68% |
| 9 | Karen | 970,203 | 0.65% |
| 10 | Lisa | 966,452 | 0.65% |
| 11 | Sarah | 927,885 | 0.63% |
| 12 | Ashley | 859,845 | 0.58% |
| 13 | Kimberly | 846,341 | 0.57% |
| 14 | Emily | 833,481 | 0.56% |
| 15 | Sandra | 828,024 | 0.56% |
| 16 | Michelle | 816,103 | 0.55% |
| 17 | Nancy | 784,999 | 0.53% |
| 18 | Amanda | 771,830 | 0.52% |
| 19 | Melissa | 757,271 | 0.51% |
| 20 | Stephanie | 738,421 | 0.50% |
Boys: Top 20 names
| # | Name | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael | 4,289,297 | 2.72% |
| 2 | James | 3,745,840 | 2.37% |
| 3 | John | 3,499,117 | 2.22% |
| 4 | Robert | 3,357,291 | 2.13% |
| 5 | David | 3,355,843 | 2.12% |
| 6 | William | 2,741,102 | 1.74% |
| 7 | Christopher | 2,060,139 | 1.30% |
| 8 | Joseph | 1,975,350 | 1.25% |
| 9 | Richard | 1,924,591 | 1.22% |
| 10 | Thomas | 1,855,324 | 1.17% |
| 11 | Daniel | 1,851,529 | 1.17% |
| 12 | Matthew | 1,629,638 | 1.03% |
| 13 | Charles | 1,540,187 | 0.98% |
| 14 | Anthony | 1,350,708 | 0.86% |
| 15 | Mark | 1,341,251 | 0.85% |
| 16 | Steven | 1,281,419 | 0.81% |
| 17 | Joshua | 1,244,917 | 0.79% |
| 18 | Andrew | 1,222,276 | 0.77% |
| 19 | Kevin | 1,182,168 | 0.75% |
| 20 | Brian | 1,169,875 | 0.74% |
Girls: 2006 to 2015 → 2016 to 2025
Rising fastest
- Kehlani 50 → 14,431
- Wrenley 39 → 7,909
- Oaklynn 144 → 11,622
- Scottie 134 → 5,201
- Kahlani 57 → 2,150
Falling fastest
- Bethzy 349 → 0
- Katlin 309 → 0
- Rhiana 313 → 0
- Greidys 339 → 5
- Neida 303 → 5
Boys: 2006 to 2015 → 2016 to 2025
Rising fastest
- Kylo 50 → 5,284
- Ermias 35 → 2,178
- Kylian 77 → 3,655
- Khaza 41 → 1,764
- Chosen 61 → 2,181
Falling fastest
- Ladainian 320 → 10
- Dereon 1,075 → 73
- Reily 305 → 28
- Kale 3,543 → 353
- Domanick 305 → 31
Questions and answers
What was the most common girl's name from 1940 to 2025?
Mary. 2,003,780 girls received it, 1.35% of all recorded girls born from 1940 to 2025.
What was the most common boy's name from 1940 to 2025?
Michael. 4,289,297 boys received it, 2.72% of all recorded boys born from 1940 to 2025.
How concentrated are names from 1940 to 2025?
Among girls the 10 most common names cover 8.4% of births; among boys 18.2%. In this period boys' names were the more concentrated set.
Which names grew fastest compared with 2006 to 2015?
Among names with at least 300 births in 2016 to 2025, the biggest gains were for girls, Kehlani (50 births in 2006 to 2015, 14,431 in 2016 to 2025); for boys, Kylo (50 births in 2006 to 2015, 5,284 in 2016 to 2025).
How long is the average first name from 1940 to 2025?
Weighted by how often each name was given: 6.1 letters for girls, 5.8 letters for boys.