These Were the Top Baby Names of the '90s

By Happiest Baby Staff

Popular ‘90s Baby Names for Boys

Michael: The name meaning “who is like God” dominated the 20^th century…and the appeal of this popular boy’s name certainly didn’t let up those final years.
Christopher: The Greek name peaked in 1994, but sat in the top three for most of the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s.
Matthew: Translating to “gift of God,” the biblical name has delighted parents past and present, with it still appearing in the top 50.
Joshua: Another popular pick with Hebrew origins, this name made its debut in the top 100 in the ‘70s, where it’s remained since.
Jacob: Jacob picked up speed in the 1990s before overthrowing Michael in the 2000s—fitting for a name meaning “supplanter!”
Nicholas: The name meaning “people of victory” had its most triumphant year in 1995.
Andrew: Translating to “manly” this popular boy name spawned a generation of not just Andrews, but Andys and Drews, too!
Daniel: Down slightly in popularity since the ‘80s, this classic Hebrew name that signifies “God is my judge” still caught they eye of plenty of discerning ‘90s parents.
Tyler: An English name that literally means “tile maker” peaked in 1993.
Joseph: The Hebrew name has long been a boy name fixture (case in point: its top year was 1915, but it’s still in the top 30 today!).
Brandon: The quintessentially ‘90s-sounding name—hello, Brandon Walsh!—had its best year in 1992 (about two years after 90210 debuted).
David: A strong name meaning “beloved,” David has been a baby name mainstay over the decades. See more names that mean beloved!
James: This Hebrew name was just warming up in the ‘90s—today it’s #5!
Ryan: This “little king” of an Irish name reached its crowning moment in 1991.
John: The #15 spot actually marks a decline for this oldie-but-goodie of a name that had been in the top 10 for the decades prior! It means “God is gracious.”
Zachary: Paging everyone who had a crush on Zack Morris! This name hit its peak in 1991—about when Saved by the Bell peaked, too (which should make fans feel “so excited!” and hopefully not “so scared!”).
Justin: The measured name meaning “just” and “fair” hit its sweet spot in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.
William: Like “James” William is a name that’s never really gone out of style! In fact, as popular as it was in the ‘90s, it’s actually even higher-ranked today! It translates to “resolute protector.”
Anthony: The name meaning “priceless one” only grew in value this decade, ultimately topping out at #7 in 2007.
Robert: By the ‘90s this 1920s chart-topper was on its way out—it slipped out of the top 30 in the 2000s and is barely in the top 100 today. It means “bright fame.”
Jonathan: While John’s popularity began to dip, this is the decade when Jonathan shined! (Perhaps thanks to a certain JTT?!)
Austin: The place name meaning “great, magnificent” fits both parents with affection for the Texas city as well as those with big aspirations for their kiddo.
Alexander: This “warrior” of a name rose up the ranks in the ‘90s and really started swinging in the 2010s.
Kyle: There’s something so ‘90s-high-school-crush about this Scottish name that just makes you want to draw hearts around it on the cover of your notebook (just us?).
Kevin: Aptly, this popular 1990s boys name means “handsome.”

Popular ‘90s Baby Names for Girls

Jessica: Ever wonder why you know so many Jessicas? The top 1990s girl name hung out in the top 10 for 25 years after first cracking the list in 1976! In the early- to mid-90s, it bounced between the first and second spot, before dropping back down the list in the new millennium.
Ashley: It seems likely that this popular girl’s name got a boost from the popularity of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s—and the talented Ashley Banks!
Emily: The name meaning “rival” has had little competition since it first cracked the top 10 in 1991 (it’s still in the top 20 today!).
Sarah: Many tiny tiaras should have been doled out in the ‘90s for all the little ladies that bore this name meaning “princess.”
Samantha: Nineties babies will be quick to tell you that this popular Aramaic name meaning “listener” also graced a beloved American Girl doll.
Amanda: At the end of the century, parents were heart-eyed for this name meaning “she must be loved.”
Brittany: Francophiles flocked to this place-inspired French name in the ‘90s!
Elizabeth: Though a favorite of this decade, it’s safe to say the name that peaked in the 1880s (yes, you read that right) and is still in the top 15 today is impervious to time and trends.
Taylor: With a top-10 run that lasted nearly the whole decade, the ‘90s was clearly this name’s era.
Megan: Parents of the ‘90s treasured this Welsh name meaning “pearl.”
Hannah: The Hebrew name meaning “grace” popped into the top 10 in 1995 and hung on through the early aughts—maybe ultimately inspiring the name of Miley Cyrus’s alter-ego? (Hannah Montana premiered in 2006.)
Kayla: The diminutive of Michaela had its own moment in the ‘90s.
Lauren: A nod to the laurel tree, this version of the nature name edged out Laura, Lara, Laurie, and Laurel in the 1990s.
Stephanie: Signifying “crown,” Stephanie had a solid reign in the ‘80s and ‘90s before passing the scepter to other names in later years.
Rachel: The Hebrew name meaning “ewe” graced many little lambs in the ‘90s (no doubt thanks in some part due to the popularity of Friends!).
Jennifer: This name was the very top pick through ‘70s and the early ‘80s, so it’s safe to assume that by the 1990s, parents were seeking alternatives to the blockbuster.
Nicole: After taking several victory laps in the ‘80s, this name (which means “victory to the people”) began to sink down the list in subsequent decades.
Alexis: The strong Greek name stands for “defender”—and it held onto a top 10 spot through the early ‘00s, too.
Victoria: A victorious name that gave us many Vickys and Toris.
Amber: This name means “fossilized tree resin”—but fans of 1993’s Jurassic Park already know that!
Alyssa: Alyssa enjoyed a top-20 run that spanned from 1997 to 2009, but fell out of the top 100 in 2016.
Courtney: The literal translation of this name (“short nose”) may not be terribly inspiring, but that didn’t deter parents from this crisp-sounding moniker.
Rebecca: Hebrew for “to bind” or “to tie.”
Danielle: Another biblical name that won over parents at the end of the 20^th century.
Jasmine: A “whole new world” for girl names? This botanic baby name peaked the year after Disney’s Aladdin premiered!

Top Gender-Neutral Baby Names of the 1990s

Jordan: The 28^th most popular name for boys and 53^rd most popular name for girls, Jordan epitomized the effortless cool of the ‘90s. Perhaps the best encapsulation? My So Called Life’s dreamy Jordan Catalano. (Siiiiigh!)
Casey: Coming in at #121 for boys and #122, this name was equally popular for both genders in the ‘90s!
Alexis: The top-20 girl name was also a top-200 boy name in the ‘90s! And with the popularity of Alexander and Alexandra, it’s no surprise that Alex surged as a popular nickname this decade.
Taylor: …Ready for it? Landing at #65 on the boys’ list and #9 on the girls’, this name had a good reputation among parents of both.
Dylan: We don’t quite have gender parity with the popularity of this name (at 34 on the list, Dylan carried more weight with boy-parents), it’s around this time that Dylan broke into the top 1,000 as a possibility for girls too.

More Baby Name Inspiration:

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