By Ashley Eneriz
Like all other fads, popular baby names come and go, shaped by unseen forces of pop culture and new trends. MooseRoots sought to identify the names that experienced dramatic increases in popularity, only to fall back to obscurity. While it won’t shock readers that Shirley Temple inspired parents to name their little girls after the curly-haired wonder, others might surprise you.
To determine which names endured the biggest fads, MooseRoots identified names that experienced at least a 700 percent increase in frequency during a given year compared to their average frequencies from 1900 through 2014. We’ve included the percentage change from average frequency to peak, the peak frequency and the year the moniker experienced its peak for each name, and ranked them from lowest to highest increase in frequency.
MooseRoots, a genealogy research engine, recently launched an app featuring over 300,000 names and their respective meanings.
#30. Amanda
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 701.42%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 21,938.4
Year of Peak: 1987
Coined from 17th-century literature, Amanda was considered a fad name in the 1980s, ranking in third place. In 2014, 1,042 baby girls were named Amanda, giving the name a U.S. rank of 314.
#29. Lauren
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 704.93%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 10,423.3
Year of Peak: 1989
Lauren was a top choice for baby girls born in the ’90s, and the name held an average rank of 13th. Lauren is still a popular choice overseas, and was the 24th most common baby girl name in Ireland in 2014.
#28. Lori
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 705.65%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 11,666.6
Year of Peak: 1963
Lori is not a common name heard at baby showers these days. In fact, in 2014 only 126 girls were named Lori in the U.S. If you meet a woman born in 1963, though, chances are far higher her name is Lori, since it was the eighth most popular name that year.
#27. Jeremy
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 716.45%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 12,993.9
Year of Peak: 1977
Jeremy is an Anglicized form of Jeremiah, and was most popular in 1976 when it was the 14th most common baby boy name. While the name was ranked No. 169 in 2014 in the U.S., the name is becoming in vogue in New Zealand, where it was the 86th most popular boy name in 2014.
#26. Jessica
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 716.58%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 29,393.1
Year of Peak: 1987
The name Jessica was created by Shakespeare, who was trying to name a Jewish character. The name rose to the No. 1 spot in 1987. Even though the name has been trending down in popularity in the U.S., parents in other countries use the name frequently. Jessica was the fifth most popular baby girl name in Scotland in 2014.
#25. Brittany
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 717.07%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 18,701.0
Year of Peak: 1989
Brittany was one of the top girl names in 1989, making the name the third most popular name in the U.S. Over the last decade, the name has been trending significantly down in popularity.
#24. Sharon
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 718.30%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 16,314.3
Year of Peak: 1946
While some names are derived from old words, the name Sharon comes straight from a Bible verse in Song of Solomon. The name was trending down in 2014, but in 1943, it held an all-time high rank of eighth.
#23. Ethan
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 722.88%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 10,991.8
Year of Peak: 2002
Ethan is a common boy’s name with a strong meaning behind it. Ethan means “strong and constancy.” Ethan peaked in popularity in 2002, and remains a very popular boy’s name now. In 2014, the name was the sixth most popular boy’s name, and is predicted to hold steady in popularity.
#22. Carol
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 734.91%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 21,263.8
Year of Peak: 1945
Carol hasn’t been a popular name for almost 70 years. In 2014, it was ranked No. 1,491 for U.S. baby girls, which is a long fall from the name’s 1941 ranking of fourth.
#21. Judy
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 738.36%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 12,007.6
Year of Peak: 1946
The name Judy was made popular by singer and actress, Judy Garland. Similarly, the name Judy was also most popular in the 1940s, right after the premiere of “Wizard of Oz.”
#20. Taylor
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 740.38%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 10,632.4
Year of Peak: 1993
Originally a popular surname and then a popular boy’s name, Taylor is also a common choice for baby girls. In 1994, Taylor was the sixth most popular baby girl name in the U.S.
#19. Cynthia
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 742.20%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 18,250.2
Year of Peak: 1957
Trending way down in popularity, Cynthia was once a popular choice in the 1950s. Cynthia means “from Mount Cynthus,” and was an epithet applied to the goddess Artemis, who was said to have been born on Mount Cynthus.
#18. Tyler
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 754.89%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 15,420.1
Year of Peak: 1994
Tyler was originally a surname for individuals who were tilers by occupation. In 1994, Tyler was the fifth most common boy’s name in the U.S. Over the last decade, the name has been trending down in popularity.
#17. Amy
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 792.77%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 20,515.2
Year of Peak: 1975
The ’70s were all about love, making Amy an appropriate, popular name choice. Amy is a French baby name that means “beloved” and “dearly loved.” In 1975, it ranked No. 2 in the U.S. In 2014, Amy was a more popular choice in other countries including Ireland (rank No. 30) and Scotland (rank No. 44).
#16. Crystal
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 804.46%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 10,380.0
Year of Peak: 1982
Crystal was the 477th most popular girl’s name in 2014. In 1982, it was the ninth most common female baby name — the most popular it has ever been. The name has been trending down significantly in popularity.
#15. Madison
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 806.79%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 11,007.6
Year of Peak: 2001
The name Madison was apparently inspired by President James Madison. Madison peaked in use in 2001, but in 2014 the name was still a popular choice, ranking ninth.
#14. Alexis
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 818.72%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 10,034.1
Year of Peak: 1998
Alexis is a common female name with English, Greek, Latin, and Roman origins. Its 2014 rank of 64 is a long drop from 1999 when Alexis was the third-most popular baby girl name in the U.S.
#13. Lisa
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 822.77%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 32,051.7
Year of Peak: 1965
While popular in other countries, Lisa hasn’t been a hit name since the 1960s, when it had an average rank of No. 1. In 2014, Lisa was the 750th-most popular baby girl’s name in the U.S.
#12. Kathy
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 835.18%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 11,252.6
Year of Peak: 1958
Kathy was originally used as a pet name for Katherine and Kathleen. In the 1950s, Kathy peaked in popularity as a stand-alone name. By 2014, the name had decreased significantly in popularity, and ranked No. 1,547.
#11. Jason
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 855.03%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 34,668.8
Year of Peak: 1974
Meaning “heal,” Jason was probably a classicized form of Joshua in New Testament times. In 1974, Jason was the second-most popular boy name in the U.S. The name has dropped significantly since then, and ranked No. 75 in 2014.
#10. Judith
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 905.16%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 17,492.0
Year of Peak: 1940
Judith is a biblical name meaning “Jew” or “woman from Judea.” During the name’s peak of popularity in the 1940s, 17,492 baby girls per 1 million babies born were named Judith, giving the name an average rank of ninth.
#9. Austin
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 924.07%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 13,286.5
Year of Peak: 1995
Austin was the 66th most common boy’s name in 2014. However, the name was a popular choice in 1995, most likely inspired by the city of Austin, Texas.
#8. Deborah
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 977.69%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 26,816.1
Year of Peak: 1954
Deborah is a biblical name that means “bee” in Hebrew. In the 1950s, the name held an average rank of four and even became the second most popular girl’s name in the U.S. in 1955.
#7. Joan
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 988.39%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 17,250.8
Year of Peak: 1932
Joan is considered the female variation of the name John. The name Joan was most popular when it reached a rank of five in 1932. The name is very unpopular now. In 2014, only 75 girls were named Joan in the U.S., giving the name a rank of 2,413.
#6. Isabella
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 991.43%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 11,437.8
Year of Peak: 2010
Isabella topped the baby name charts in 2010 and, in 2014, it still held a strong rank of four. Isabella is not just a popular American name, it has made waves in other countries too, such as Norway and Sweden, ranking No. 53 and No. 44 in 2014, respectively.
#5. Linda
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 1,023.50%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 52,906.2
Year of Peak: 1948
Linda is a common baby girl name that was derived from words meaning pretty, soft, tender and weak. Linda had a spike in popularity from 1947 to 1948, and then it dropped significantly on the charts. The name continues to trend down in popularity and, in 2014, held the rank of 615th.
#4. Sophia
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 1,062.80%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 11,254.9
Year of Peak: 2012
Sophia is one of the most recent name fads. The name, which means “wisdom,” was popular in England in the 17th and 18th centuries. During the peak of the fad, 11,254.9 babies were named Sophia per 1 million babies born. This was a 10 percent increase of popularity from the name’s average ranking.
#3. Debra
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 1,089.64%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 24,667.8
Year of Peak: 1955
Debra is now considered an unusual female name, ranking No. 3,099 for baby girl names in the U.S. in 2014. The name was most popular in 1956, when it ranked No. 2.
#2. Ashley
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 1,094.36%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 28,789.9
Year of Peak: 1987
Originally starting off as a boy’s name, Ashley was right behind Jessica in popularity in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Ashley is based off an Old English word for ash wood.
#1. Shirley
Percent Change From Average Frequency to Peak: 1,298.03%
Frequency per 1 Million Babies at Peak: 35,638.2
Year of Peak: 1935
In 2014, only 200 baby girls in the U.S. were named Shirley, giving the name a rank of 1,211. This is a long fall from when the name was extremely popular in the mid-1930s. The peak in popularity can likely be attributed to the darling child star Shirley Temple.
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