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Step back in time to the 1970s, a decade known for its dynamic cultural shifts, vibrant music scene, and iconic fashion trends (bellbottoms, anyone?). The names of the era aren’t quite as groovy as you might expect—they seem to reflect parents torn between the pull of tradition and burgeoning allure of individuality.  Here, the most popular ‘70s baby names.

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Popular ‘70s Names for Boys 

  1. Michael: This top boy baby name held strong at number one during the entire decade (plus, most of the ‘60s, all of the ‘80s, nearly the entire ‘90s!) Derived from Hebrew, Michael means, "who is like God?"
  1. Christopher: The Greek name means "bearer of Christ" and has long been a favorite, but picked up steam in the 1970s and held onto a top 10 spot for the following four decades.
  1. Jason: Meaning "healer,” this Greek name peaked in the mid- to late-70s, before petering out a bit in the ‘80s (perhaps due to its association with the the ‘80s slasher villain?).
  1. David: There are no shortage of Hebrew names on the list of most popular 70s baby names, and this one has a sweet meaning: beloved. (See more baby names that mean beloved!) 
  1. James: A true classic, this Hebrew name has been in the top 20 for more than 100 years, and hovered around #5 for much of the 1970s.
  1. John: This boy name mainstay was comfortably in the top 10 during the ‘70s, but the 6th position is actually a drop for the perennial fave. It held #1 from 1900-1920, and then floated within the top 5 through the ‘60s.
  1. Robert: Fittingly meaning "bright fame,” there have been plenty of shining stars that have held this moniker (or its nicknames).
  1. Brian: The once obscure Irish name picked up popularity beginning in the mid-1950s before hitting its climax in the 1970s.
  1. William: With Germanic roots, this boy name means "resolute protector”—and it’s resolutely protected a top spot since the early 1900s! 
  1. Matthew: This seemingly classic pick didn’t crack the top 10 until 1972! But after that, Matthew had an extremely strong run through the early aughts and remains relatively popular today. 
  1. Joseph: Meaning "God will increase,” the popularity of this boy name has hardly decreased in the past century.
  1. Daniel: Like many names on this list, the Hebrew name meaning "God is my judge" has sat comfortably in the top 20 from the mid-50s through present day.
  1. Kevin: The Irish name hit its pinnacle in the ‘70s (and then was permanently burned into every ‘90s-kid’s brain, thanks to Home Alone).
  1. Eric: A Norse name meaning "eternal ruler” surged in popularity around the same time recording artist Eric Clapton did…coincidence?
  1. Jeffrey: Parents trying to manifest a calm, cooperative tot were right to choose this name meaning "peaceful pledge." These days, it’s a unique pick, lingering well outside the top 400.
  1. Richard: A “brave ruler” for the first part of the 20th century, this name began losing devotees at the dawn of the 21st.
  1. Scott: The ‘70s were a rare shining moment for the English name that has spent most of the past 120 years outside of the top 100 names. 
  1. Mark: A hit in the ‘60s, by the 1970s, this Biblical name was actually losing steam, and it continued to drop, landing outside the top 250 by present day.
  1. Steven: Meaning “garland” or “crown,” Steven had a healthy reign in the top 20 in the ‘50s through ‘70s, but has not mounted the throne since falling out of favor in the ‘90s.
  1. Thomas: This reliably popular pick isn’t exactly one-of-a-kind…and fittingly, the name means “twin.” 
  1. Timothy: The name meaning “honoring God” was a midcentury fave. 
  1. Anthony: For 100+ years, the name meaning “priceless one” has enjoyed a spot in the top 50. And while it had a solid run in the ’70s, 2008 was its best year! 
  1. Charles: The timeless name peaked at the start of the century, but has remained a go-to for parents past and present. It means “free man.”
  1. Joshua: The heartthrob name was just warming up in the ‘70s, but really caught fire in the ‘90s and early ‘00s. 
  1. Ryan: With the meaning “little king,” it’s fitting that this baby boy name’s popularity kicked off its reign in the 1970s.

Popular ‘70s Names for Girls 

  1. Jennifer: In 1970, Jennifer kicked off its amazing 13-year streak in the top spot. The name means “white shadow” or “white wave.”
  1. Amy: This sweetheart of a name means “beloved.”
  1. Melissa: Mounting steady buzz through the ‘70s and ‘80s, this Greek name means “bee.” 
  1. Michelle: The female version of “Michael” jumped in popularity in 1966—the same year the Beatles released their song of the same name! It hung out in the top 10 throughout the ‘70s before steadily declining in following decades. 
  1. Kimberly: Meaning "from the meadow of the royal fortress," this quintessentially ‘70s name held strong from the late ‘60s through the following decade. 
  1. Lisa: The ‘60s and ‘70s fave now barely cracks the top 1,000! The Hebrew name means “pledged to God” (but is also a solid tribute to rainbow-unicorn goddess Lisa Frank).
  1. Angela: The angelic name ascended to its peak during the ‘70s before fluttering down to the middle of the chart in later decades.
  1. Heather: If ‘70s-born Heathers didn’t already feel in good company, then they certainly must have when the cult classic movie came out in 1988! 
  1. Stephanie: The female version of Steven enjoyed a good 20 years in the top 10.
  1. Nicole: The name meaning "victory of the people” climbed from 647 to 47 between 1960 and 1969 before leaping into the top 10 in 1970, where it stayed for most of the ‘70s and ‘80s.
  1. Jessica: This Hebrew name was no overnight success! It started the decade at 98, and climbed to #4 by the end, before (spoiler alert!) absolutely dominating the ‘80s and ‘90s. 
  1. Elizabeth: A name that has yet to go out of style, Elizabeth has maintained its appeal for more than 100 years. 
  1. Rebecca: Parents of the ‘70s clearly felt “bound” to this name that means “to tie”—Rebecca peaked during the decade. 
  1. Kelly: The Irish name meaning “warrior” fought its way to its height in 1977.
  1. Mary: While topping the chart for the entire first half of the century, Mary started coming down to earth in the 70s. 
  1. Christina: Despite having a good run in the 1970s and 1980s, this name meaning “follower of Christ” has flagged among contemporary parents.
  1. Amanda: The late ‘70s were just the beginning of “Amanda’s” wild ride, which peaked in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. The name means “worthy of love.”
  1. Julie: While it’s given way to its more popular diminutives (Juliet, and Julieta) in recent years, the name meaning "youthful" or "soft-haired” had a solid run in the early ‘70s.
  1. Sarah: Meaning "princess,” this popular girl name surged after the ‘70s and its crown didn’t slip until it first fell out of the top 50 in 2015.
  1. Laura: A floral baby name, this Latin name means "bay laurel plant.”
  1. Shannon: A pretty gender-neutral pick, this baby name means “wise river” and has Irish roots.
  1. Christine: Peaking in 1970, lately this Greek name seems on the verge of going extinct.
  1. Tammy: Tammy got it’s time in the sun in the early ‘70s, but fell out of favor by the end of the decade. 
  1. Tracy: This gender-neutral name meaning “war-like” put up a fight through the ‘70s, but is a more obscure choice for today’s parents.
  1. Karen: The Danish name meaning "pure” has had a tough few years, but was a go-to from the ‘50s through ‘70s. 

Popular Gender-Neutral ‘70s Names

Gender-Neutral names weren’t as widely used in the ‘70s as they are today—so, few were wildly popular (exceptions being Kelly, Shannon, and Tracy which both appear on the girls’ list). Still, aligned with other cultural trends, it was a decade where some parents were beginning to experiment. A couple of notable gender-neutral ‘70s baby names include: 

  • Morgan: The Welsh name meaning “sea born” had long been a mid-list pick for boys, but emerged on the list of top girl names for the first time in 1976.

  • Jordan: Meaning “to flow down,” Jordan popped up on the girl’s chart for the first time in 1976. The name reached its most popular for both genders in the ‘90s. 

  • Dana: The name has skewed female in recent years, but piqued the interest among parents of both genders in the middle of the century. With English roots, the name means “gift.” 

  • Kelly: This gender-neutral name peaked for boys in 1968 and girls in 1977.

  • Shannon: For boys, Shannon had its best year in 1972 and it graced the most baby girls in 1976.

  • Tracy: By the time the ‘70s rolled around, Tracy was on the decline for boys (it peaked in 1966), but as a girl name, it enjoyed a healthy run throughout the decade.

More Baby Name Inspiration:

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