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Top baby names of 1985

One birth year · Jessica · Michael lead

The 100 most-chosen girl and boy names in the US in 1985, from official Social Security birth records. Every name links to its full history and popularity chart. See also the whole 1980s. Then see which names rose and fell after 1985 and what is climbing now.

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The 1985 lists

Girls100

  1. 1Jessica48,345
  2. 2Ashley47,010
  3. 3Jennifer42,661
  4. 4Amanda39,055
  5. 5Sarah24,879
  6. 6Stephanie23,243
  7. 7Nicole22,966
  8. 8Heather21,151
  9. 9Elizabeth20,545
  10. 10Megan20,013
  11. 11Melissa19,963
  12. 12Christina16,600
  13. 13Rachel16,360
  14. 14Laura16,002
  15. 15Lauren15,768
  16. 16Amber15,506
  17. 17Brittany15,437
  18. 18Danielle15,417
  19. 19Kimberly14,914
  20. 20Amy14,429
  21. 21Crystal14,399
  22. 22Michelle13,973
  23. 23Tiffany13,681
  24. 24Emily13,144
  25. 25Rebecca12,705
  26. 26Erin11,384
  27. 27Jamie11,038
  28. 28Kelly11,031
  29. 29Samantha10,658
  30. 30Sara10,562
  31. 31Angela10,227
  32. 32Katherine10,128
  33. 33Andrea10,053
  34. 34Erica9,525
  35. 35Mary9,240
  36. 36Lisa9,012
  37. 37Lindsey8,468
  38. 38Kristen8,445
  39. 39Katie7,995
  40. 40Lindsay7,871
  41. 41Shannon7,714
  42. 42Vanessa7,563
  43. 43Courtney7,531
  44. 44Christine7,441
  45. 45Alicia7,122
  46. 46Allison7,028
  47. 47April6,691
  48. 48Kathryn6,634
  49. 49Kristin6,566
  50. 50Jenna6,436
  51. 51Tara6,102
  52. 52Maria6,013
  53. 53Krystal5,933
  54. 54Anna5,883
  55. 55Julie5,761
  56. 56Holly5,602
  57. 57Kristina5,566
  58. 58Natalie5,535
  59. 59Victoria5,426
  60. 60Jacqueline5,250
  61. 61Monica4,990
  62. 62Cassandra4,726
  63. 63Meghan4,669
  64. 64Patricia4,402
  65. 65Catherine4,297
  66. 66Cynthia4,129
  67. 67Stacy4,109
  68. 68Kathleen4,087
  69. 69Brandi4,045
  70. 70Brandy3,901
  71. 71Valerie3,881
  72. 72Veronica3,875
  73. 73Whitney3,832
  74. 74Diana3,686
  75. 75Chelsea3,613
  76. 76Leslie3,607
  77. 77Caitlin3,593
  78. 78Leah3,572
  79. 79Natasha3,553
  80. 80Erika3,503
  81. 81Latoya3,402
  82. 82Dana3,348
  83. 83Dominique3,299
  84. 84Brittney3,224
  85. 85Julia3,206
  86. 86Candice3,195
  87. 87Karen3,138
  88. 88Melanie3,132
  89. 89Stacey3,114
  90. 90Margaret3,072
  91. 91Sheena3,062
  92. 92Alexandra3,017
  93. 93Katrina2,978
  94. 94Bethany2,959
  95. 95Nichole2,950
  96. 96Carrie2,942
  97. 97Alison2,829
  98. 98Kara2,811
  99. 99Joanna2,772
  100. 100Rachael2,761

US babies given each name in 1985.

Boys100

  1. 1Michael64,934
  2. 2Christopher59,609
  3. 3Matthew47,075
  4. 4Joshua42,194
  5. 5Daniel38,559
  6. 6David38,522
  7. 7James35,862
  8. 8Robert32,094
  9. 9John31,502
  10. 10Joseph30,222
  11. 11Andrew30,178
  12. 12Ryan29,905
  13. 13Brandon29,304
  14. 14Jason26,039
  15. 15Justin25,537
  16. 16William24,606
  17. 17Jonathan24,116
  18. 18Brian23,069
  19. 19Nicholas22,384
  20. 20Anthony22,104
  21. 21Eric20,844
  22. 22Adam20,165
  23. 23Kevin18,814
  24. 24Steven18,726
  25. 25Thomas17,609
  26. 26Timothy17,140
  27. 27Kyle16,523
  28. 28Richard15,330
  29. 29Jeffrey14,500
  30. 30Jeremy13,445
  31. 31Benjamin13,423
  32. 32Mark13,194
  33. 33Aaron13,137
  34. 34Charles12,900
  35. 35Jacob12,284
  36. 36Stephen12,210
  37. 37Patrick11,638
  38. 38Sean11,455
  39. 39Zachary11,346
  40. 40Nathan10,653
  41. 41Dustin10,439
  42. 42Paul10,315
  43. 43Tyler10,211
  44. 44Scott10,145
  45. 45Gregory9,767
  46. 46Travis9,094
  47. 47Kenneth8,992
  48. 48Bryan8,717
  49. 49Jose8,403
  50. 50Alexander8,295
  51. 51Jesse8,221
  52. 52Cody7,096
  53. 53Bradley7,011
  54. 54Samuel7,009
  55. 55Shawn6,982
  56. 56Derek6,661
  57. 57Chad6,466
  58. 58Jared5,883
  59. 59Edward5,869
  60. 60Peter5,671
  61. 61Marcus5,586
  62. 62Jordan5,460
  63. 63Corey5,228
  64. 64Keith5,214
  65. 65Juan4,851
  66. 66Donald4,750
  67. 67Joel4,623
  68. 68Shane4,549
  69. 69Phillip4,496
  70. 70Brett4,328
  71. 71Ronald4,299
  72. 72George4,259
  73. 73Antonio4,151
  74. 74Carlos4,089
  75. 75Raymond4,085
  76. 76Douglas4,021
  77. 77Nathaniel4,004
  78. 78Ian3,998
  79. 79Craig3,952
  80. 80Alex3,909
  81. 81Cory3,868
  82. 82Gary3,812
  83. 83Derrick3,779
  84. 84Philip3,735
  85. 85Luis3,706
  86. 86Casey3,490
  87. 87Erik3,372
  88. 88Victor3,341
  89. 89Brent3,321
  90. 90Frank3,302
  91. 91Evan3,219
  92. 92Gabriel3,215
  93. 93Adrian3,132
  94. 94Wesley3,043
  95. 95Vincent3,040
  96. 96Jeffery2,947
  97. 97Larry2,946
  98. 98Curtis2,943
  99. 99Todd2,941
  100. 100Blake2,922

US babies given each name in 1985.

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Questions people ask

Frequently asked

What was the most popular girl name in 1985?
Jessica was the #1 girl name in the US in 1985, given to 48,345 babies.
What was the most popular boy name in 1985?
Michael was the #1 boy name in the US in 1985, given to 64,934 babies.

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Lists built from the same records

The sweet spot: familiar but not everywhereUnder the radar: quietly excellent picksUltra-rare but real: names given to a handful of babiesShort and sweet: names of four letters or fewerAll guides