The Top ‘80s Baby Names for Boys and Girls
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Ah, the 1980s: a decade of so much cultural significance. The decade that gave rise to Rubik's Cubes, Cabbage Patch Dolls, the Super Mario Brothers...and oh-so many Jessicas. Indeed, right along with the leg warmers, leotards, and stunner shades that defined the era, came names just as emblematic of the times.
While you'll find plenty of long-time baby name staples on the list of most popular names of the 1980s (biblical names still have a strong hold on the boys' list), you'll also notice some new trends (like a seeming affinity for the letter J, an -ny/nie or -a sound at the end of girl names and -on/an for boys, and the emergence of Irish names).
So don your teal and hot-pink windbreaker and great ready to take a step back in time to see where your faves fall on the list of top '80s baby names.
While there's no shame in looking to the past for wardrobe inspo (hello, acid wash!), when it comes to your baby, you've gotta look to the future! Find out what makes SNOO the most advanced baby product on the market—and why parents of today love it so much! All about SNOO!
Popular ‘80s Baby Names for Girls
- Jessica: If you grew up in the ‘80s or ‘90s, chances are you know a few Jessicas (and perhaps you are one!). The name took off like a rocket in the early ‘80s and sat pretty in a top 3 spot until the late ‘90s. The popular girl name translates to "God beholds."
- Jennifer: A favorite 1970s baby name, the name meaning “white wave,” continued to crest for the next two decades.
- Amanda: Parents of the ‘80s clearly fell head-over-heels for the name meaning "worthy of love."
- Ashley: Originally an English surname, Ashley means "ash tree meadow."
- Sarah: Plenty of parents found the Hebrew name meaning "princess" fit for their mini monarchs.
- Stephanie: The Greek name means "crown" or "garland."
- Melissa: This Greek name that translates to “bee” stayed busy at the top of the baby name charts in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
- Nicole: The French name meaning "victory of the people" took off in the ‘80s, peaking in 1982.
- Elizabeth: A true classic, this name has graced the top of the baby name list for just about as long as there’s been a list!
- Heather: The quintessential popular girl pick had its share of fangirls in the ‘80s, but started to fade after the release of the eponymous flick. (How very.)
- Tiffany: This moniker hit its highest note in 1988—right around the time the pop star of the same name had her biggest chart hits!
- Michelle: Appealing to Francophiles, the French feminine form of Michael means "who is like God?"
- Amber: This gem of a girl’s name is named for the golden gem.
- Megan: The Welsh diminutive of Margaret translates to "pearl."
- Amy: A beloved name from the Latin for "beloved.” (More names that mean beloved!)
- Rachel: The biblical name means "ewe." (It won’t surprise Friends fans to hear that this name didn’t actually peak until 1996.)
- Kimberly: Old English for "from the meadow of the royal fortress," this name held on in the ‘80s, but was at its most popular in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
- Christina: A variant of Christine, meaning "follower of Christ" held onto its popularity in the ‘80s, while Christine dropped.
- Lauren: Symbolizing victory, this botanical name has roots in the Roman laurel plant.
- Crystal: The gemstone name hit its shining moment in 1982.
- Brittany: Of course the decade that gave us Britney also gave rise to Brittany! (Though the name struck even more of a chord with parents a decade later!)
- Rebecca - A Hebrew girl name meaning "to tie" or "to bind."
- Laura: Another twist on “laurel!”
- Danielle: The French name peaked in 1987, and in recent years, its diminutives (Daniela and Daniella) have outranked the original.
- Emily: The ‘80s were only the beginning for this popular girl name that took off like a rocket in the next two decades!
Popular ‘80s Baby Names for Boys
- Michael: The popular boys name was parents’ #1 pick for the entire second half of the 20th century. It means, "who is like God?"
- Christopher: Another perennial fave, the Greek name roughly translates to "bearing Christ."
- Matthew: While never out of style, the Hebrew name inched up the charts in the ‘80s, eventually peaking in 1996.
- Joshua: Meaning "the Lord is my salvation" in Hebrew, this name began its surge this decade, but reached its pinnacle in 2006.
- David: Another name meaning “beloved,” David has been winning hearts for the better part of a century.
- James: The timeless name has also spawned variations that have been growing popular in recent years (such as Jameson/Jamison).
- Daniel: The biblical name meaning “God is my judge” has sat in the top 25 for 50+ years.
- Robert: Meaning “bright fame,” this ‘80s fave has stuck around the top 100 in present day.
- John: In addition to all of the Johns, there were plenty of Jons, Jonathans, and Johnnys born in the ‘80s too. The name is Hebrew for "God is gracious."
- Joseph: Another Hebrew name rounds out the top 10. This one translates to "he will add."
- Jason: The meaning for this Greek name (“healer”) is at odds with its pop culture avatar (the hockey-mask-clad villain in the Friday the 13th series), perhaps explaining the name’s decline in the late end of the decade.
- Justin: The definitive ‘1980s boy name hit its stride in the late ‘80s. It means "just" or "fair."
- Andrew: Signifying bravery and manliness, the name picked up speed in the late ‘80s and had resurgence in the early aughts.
- Ryan: One of several Irish names that became popular this decade, this one means "little king."
- William: Germanic for "resolute protector," William has been a top name for most of the past 100 years.
- Brian: Irish for "noble," the name had a noble run in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
- Brandon: English for "hill covered with broom," the name began its climb this decade, and peaked in the ‘90s.
- Jonathan: The last of seven J-names in the top 25, Jacob is Hebrew for "God has given."
- Nicholas: Greek for "victory of the people," its easy to see why this name was such a winner with parents of the 1980s.
- Anthony: The name means “priceless one” and is a nod to the patron saint of lost things.
- Eric: Norse for "ever ruler," the name has extra special meaning for ‘80s babies who grew up loving The Little Mermaid.
- Adam: The name that symbolizes mankind had its best year in 1984.
- Kevin: A handsome name meaning “handsome.”
- Thomas: Translating to “twin,” the popular name wasn’t exactly one-of-a-kind, but has plenty of charm!
- Steven: The name meaning “crown” was truly a jewel among parents this decade.
Gender-Neutral Baby Names of the 1980s
- Casey - An Irish name meaning "brave in battle," the name cracked the top 100 for both boys and girls this decade, peaking for boys in ’87 and girls in ’86.
- Jordan - Hebrew for "flowing down," Jordan crept up in popularity in the ‘80s before having a solid run in the 1990s among both boys and girls.
- Taylor: Clearly 1989 spawned one very influential Taylor. At the time it hovered just inside the top 100 names for both boys and girls.
- Jamie: In the 1980s Jamie flipped from becoming more popular among boy parents to gracing more girls.
- Cameron: The Scottish name had been primarily reserved for boys until the 1980s when it entered the most popular baby name list for girls.
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