Decade hub

1890s baby names

A name can be popular in the 1890s without belonging to the 1890s. This hub separates the two: the biggest names of the decade, and the names whose recorded history is concentrated inside it.

A broader roster beneath the familiar leaders

The 1890s cover 1890–1899 and contain 3,362,508 recorded births: 2,221,561 girls and 1,140,947 boys, across 5,022 distinct names. Mary remains the girls’ popularity champion with 131,138 births, while John leads boys with 80,664. The independent evidence file reproduces the same decade total and champion counts.

The popular core is less concentrated than in the 1880s: the top ten account for 17.24% of births and the top hundred for 59.61%. The diversity score is 71.4206, the effective number of names is 439.73, and the concentration score is 0.6159. Those figures describe a broader distribution of recorded names alongside continuing high-volume leaders; they are not evidence of a particular social cause.

Maude leads girls’ ownership with 11,304 births in the decade out of 45,754 lifetime births, a 0.247060 decade share, and an ownership score of 89.9841; its popularity rank is 53. Will leads boys’ ownership with 5,210 decade births out of 45,952 lifetime births, a 0.113379 decade share, and an ownership score of 89.3466; its popularity rank is 40. Mary and John win the raw popularity race, but the ownership score asks how strongly a name’s recorded lifetime clusters in this decade.

The representative classroom uses 1894, with 20 girls’ seats and 10 boys’ seats. All 30 seats carry different names: uniqueNames is 30, repeatedNames is 0, and the most repeated name has one seat; the displayed top share is 0.0333. This is a fixed allocation from the 1894 distribution, not a claim that every real classroom had thirty different names.

The strongest approved family is Catherine: Catherine (14,502), Katherine (9,408), Katharine (1,297), and Kathryn (5,653) combine to 30,860 births. Each is at least 1,000 births, the combined total clears 20,000, and the forms are defensible spelling variants of the Catherine/Katherine name rather than unrelated names. Sarah/Sara is also approved at 20,273 combined births. Cathryn is rejected from the family at 183 births because it fails the per-variant threshold, even though it is a plausible spelling variant.

The SSA source is national but incomplete at the low-count edge: name-year counts below five are suppressed, and the file records sex rather than gender. Ownership and concentration are calculated against the current 2025 lifetime window and should be read as descriptive, versioned measures. The evidence shows association in recorded naming distributions, not why names rose or fell and not a causal story about the 1890s.

Girls' popularity champion
Mary 131,138 births
Boys' popularity champion
John 80,664 births
Total recorded births
3,362,508
Female births
2,221,561
Male births
1,140,947
Distinct recorded names
5,022
Top-10 birth share
17.2%
Top-100 birth share
59.6%
Diversity score
71.4of 100 · 440 effective names
Concentration score
0.6of 100

Methodology: how every number on this page is computed

Decade ownership

Popularity measures size. Ownership measures identity. Some names remain popular for generations. Others overwhelmingly belong to one decade. The ownership score ranks names by how concentrated their recorded history is inside 1890–1899, weighted against how visible they actually were — adjusted so that rare names cannot win on a technicality.

It is a descriptive statistic about SSA birth records, not a verdict about culture. Read the full methodology.

Girls, ranked by ownership

The 25 highest ownership scores in the female eligible set.

Girls, ranked by ownership — 1890s decade ownership rankings
Rank Name Ownership score 1890s births Lifetime births Decade share of lifetime Peak year Status
1 Maude 90.0 11,304 45,754 24.7% 1888 endangered
2 Maud 78.4 3,285 13,159 25.0% 1886 declining
3 Minnie 68.5 24,615 159,280 15.5% 1916 endangered
4 Mabel 68.0 21,991 142,284 15.5% 1915 rising
5 Lulu 67.1 2,659 12,709 20.9% 1886 stable
6 Bessie 65.3 24,417 170,140 14.4% 1916 endangered
7 Hulda 65.1 1,374 5,407 25.4% 1895 extinct
8 Effie 62.6 6,961 44,256 15.7% 1919 endangered
9 Mayme 60.8 2,098 10,928 19.2% 1915 declining
10 Bess 60.4 1,526 7,171 21.3% 1889 declining
11 Myrtle 59.8 17,717 136,486 13.0% 1918 endangered
12 Bertha 58.8 25,125 207,870 12.1% 1918 endangered
13 May 57.7 6,880 49,400 13.9% 1919 rising
14 Ethel 57.4 31,453 278,922 11.3% 1918 endangered
15 Pearl 57.3 19,054 159,088 12.0% 1918 endangered
16 Mamie 57.0 10,085 77,907 12.9% 1919 endangered
17 Lizzie 56.8 5,556 39,538 14.1% 1919 rising
18 Hattie 56.3 12,909 105,197 12.3% 1918 rising
19 Augusta 56.1 2,642 16,588 15.9% 1915 stable
20 Blanche 55.9 10,860 87,425 12.4% 1917 endangered
21 Ida 55.7 21,212 187,929 11.3% 1918 endangered
22 Nettie 55.5 6,538 49,443 13.2% 1918 endangered
23 Gertrude 55.3 19,898 177,100 11.2% 1917 endangered
24 Nellie 54.9 17,285 152,691 11.3% 1918 rising
25 Lula 54.4 10,238 85,248 12.0% 1921 endangered

Boys, ranked by ownership

The 25 highest ownership scores in the male eligible set.

Boys, ranked by ownership — 1890s decade ownership rankings
Rank Name Ownership score 1890s births Lifetime births Decade share of lifetime Peak year Status
1 Will 89.3 5,210 45,952 11.3% 1888 declining
2 Ed 69.7 2,346 26,205 9.0% 1959 declining
3 Dock 61.0 589 5,383 10.9% 1920 declining
4 Charley 58.6 1,755 23,974 7.3% 1920 stable
5 Harry 57.3 21,330 423,866 5.0% 1918 endangered
6 Otto 55.7 2,543 39,915 6.4% 2024 rising
7 Pearl 55.0 429 3,922 10.9% 1918 extinct
8 Edd 53.6 510 5,438 9.4% 1919 extinct
9 Claud 53.2 827 10,893 7.6% 1919 extinct
10 Fred 50.0 14,270 343,655 4.2% 1924 endangered
11 Dewey 49.6 1,921 34,373 5.6% 1898 endangered
12 Clarence 47.8 11,901 303,564 3.9% 1921 endangered
13 Grover 47.7 1,498 27,113 5.5% 1884 endangered
14 Elmer 47.4 5,647 129,591 4.4% 1918 endangered
15 Hobart 46.7 348 3,806 9.1% 1921 declining
16 George 46.4 43,358 1,487,297 2.9% 1921 stable
17 Mose 46.4 555 7,935 7.0% 1919 stable
18 Frank 46.2 28,718 915,978 3.1% 1918 endangered
19 Ora 46.1 436 5,616 7.8% 1919 declining
20 Gustave 45.9 424 5,430 7.8% 1915 declining
21 Charlie 45.9 7,261 184,280 3.9% 1919 rising
22 Bert 45.2 1,667 33,585 5.0% 1918 endangered
23 Alva 44.8 689 11,269 6.1% 1917 endangered
24 Walter 44.4 19,495 631,172 3.1% 1918 stable
25 Percy 44.4 1,571 32,204 4.9% 1921 rising

Most owned by the 1890s

Top 25 by ownership score across both sexes; each row is tagged with its sex comparison set.

Most owned by the 1890s — 1890s decade ownership rankings
Rank Name Sex Ownership score 1890s births Lifetime births Decade share of lifetime Peak year Status
1 Maude F 90.0 11,304 45,754 24.7% 1888 endangered
1 Will M 89.3 5,210 45,952 11.3% 1888 declining
2 Maud F 78.4 3,285 13,159 25.0% 1886 declining
2 Ed M 69.7 2,346 26,205 9.0% 1959 declining
3 Minnie F 68.5 24,615 159,280 15.5% 1916 endangered
4 Mabel F 68.0 21,991 142,284 15.5% 1915 rising
5 Lulu F 67.1 2,659 12,709 20.9% 1886 stable
6 Bessie F 65.3 24,417 170,140 14.4% 1916 endangered
7 Hulda F 65.1 1,374 5,407 25.4% 1895 extinct
8 Effie F 62.6 6,961 44,256 15.7% 1919 endangered
3 Dock M 61.0 589 5,383 10.9% 1920 declining
9 Mayme F 60.8 2,098 10,928 19.2% 1915 declining
10 Bess F 60.4 1,526 7,171 21.3% 1889 declining
11 Myrtle F 59.8 17,717 136,486 13.0% 1918 endangered
12 Bertha F 58.8 25,125 207,870 12.1% 1918 endangered
4 Charley M 58.6 1,755 23,974 7.3% 1920 stable
13 May F 57.7 6,880 49,400 13.9% 1919 rising
14 Ethel F 57.4 31,453 278,922 11.3% 1918 endangered
15 Pearl F 57.3 19,054 159,088 12.0% 1918 endangered
5 Harry M 57.3 21,330 423,866 5.0% 1918 endangered
16 Mamie F 57.0 10,085 77,907 12.9% 1919 endangered
17 Lizzie F 56.8 5,556 39,538 14.1% 1919 rising
18 Hattie F 56.3 12,909 105,197 12.3% 1918 rising
19 Augusta F 56.1 2,642 16,588 15.9% 1915 stable
20 Blanche F 55.9 10,860 87,425 12.4% 1917 endangered

Popular but timeless

1890s births at or above the median of the pooled eligible set (both sexes) and adjusted concentration at or below its 25th percentile: big names whose recorded history spans many decades.

Popular but timeless — 1890s decade ownership rankings
Rank Name Sex Ownership score 1890s births Lifetime births Decade share of lifetime Peak year Status
121 Robert M 29.0 26,147 4,849,730 0.5% 1947 endangered
183 Paul M 24.8 8,181 1,398,293 0.6% 1957 endangered
241 Richard M 22.6 7,572 2,577,552 0.3% 1946 endangered
262 David M 21.9 7,333 3,676,654 0.2% 1955 endangered
245 Andrew M 22.4 5,719 1,329,454 0.4% 1987 declining
393 Emily F 18.8 5,476 896,487 0.6% 1999 declining
405 Nancy F 18.5 5,346 1,004,448 0.5% 1947 endangered
291 Daniel M 20.9 5,185 1,982,812 0.3% 1985 declining
234 Jack M 22.8 4,635 756,943 0.6% 1927 stable
254 Benjamin M 22.2 4,460 826,830 0.5% 1989 declining
237 Peter M 22.7 4,028 589,588 0.7% 1957 stable
372 Michael M 18.7 3,926 4,426,753 0.1% 1957 endangered
457 Amanda F 17.0 3,872 790,638 0.5% 1987 endangered
467 Rebecca F 16.8 3,660 755,992 0.5% 1981 endangered
492 Susan F 16.2 3,612 1,123,481 0.3% 1955 endangered
476 Rachel F 16.6 3,279 573,957 0.6% 1985 endangered
517 Betty F 15.7 3,196 1,001,238 0.3% 1930 endangered
466 Sara F 16.8 3,119 436,193 0.7% 1981 stable
510 Amy F 15.9 3,042 701,631 0.4% 1975 endangered
481 Hannah F 16.5 3,021 465,685 0.6% 2000 declining
512 Maria F 15.9 2,866 566,111 0.5% 1964 stable
570 Barbara F 14.8 2,783 1,436,695 0.2% 1947 endangered
264 Russell M 21.8 2,780 359,780 0.8% 1960 stable
549 Christine F 15.2 2,565 586,465 0.4% 1952 endangered
394 Jacob M 18.2 2,551 988,227 0.3% 1998 declining

Unexpected results

Names whose popularity rank exceeds their ownership rank by 20 or more within their sex set — popular, but far less tied to the 1890s than their size suggests.

Unexpected results — 1890s decade ownership rankings
Rank Name Sex Ownership score 1890s births Lifetime births Decade share of lifetime Peak year Status
230 Boss M 23.0 72 451 16.0% 2018 declining
238 Hattie M 22.7 72 494 14.6% 1919 extinct
273 Doctor M 21.5 65 379 17.2% 1920 extinct
246 Lum M 22.4 71 493 14.4% 1884 extinct
184 Gertrude M 24.8 82 568 14.4% 1920 extinct
168 Nellie M 25.9 87 593 14.7% 1924 extinct
265 Myrtle M 21.8 69 498 13.9% 1915 extinct
311 Harve M 20.4 65 554 11.7% 1882 extinct
314 Rube M 20.3 66 612 10.8% 1917 extinct
250 Ida M 22.3 77 766 10.1% 1929 extinct
187 Helmer M 24.7 89 835 10.7% 1917 declining
267 Bessie M 21.7 74 737 10.0% 1928 extinct
345 Pleasant M 19.4 63 629 10.0% 1924 extinct
360 Irl M 19.0 60 554 10.8% 1921 extinct
382 Mabel M 18.4 55 409 13.4% 1917 extinct
192 Bertie M 24.6 89 856 10.4% 1918 extinct
327 Wilhelmine F 20.7 135 525 25.7% 1896 declining
156 Bertha M 26.4 99 937 10.6% 1932 extinct
416 Mintie F 18.2 113 446 25.3% 1885 extinct
313 Ottilia F 21.1 142 597 23.8% 1891 rising
270 Matie F 22.8 155 579 26.8% 1884 extinct
244 Elsie M 22.5 81 886 9.1% 1927 extinct
195 Tobe M 24.5 91 949 9.6% 1916 declining
361 Lular F 19.6 129 572 22.6% 1919 extinct
284 Lillie M 21.2 75 873 8.6% 1929 extinct

The 1894 classroom

Apportion 30 seats from the actual 1894 national birth records and every seat carries a different name — no name was common enough in 1894 to guarantee a duplicate in a class of 30.

A statistical reconstruction of an average classroom, not an actual class record.

See the full 30-student roster

Spelling families

Conventional rankings separate spelling variants. This view groups manually reviewed variants to show their combined demographic footprint.

Explore all 2 spelling families

How these numbers are made

Every figure on this page is computed offline from SSA birth records with methodology decade-hub/v1.0.0, then served as a precomputed profile. Nothing is recalculated in your browser.

Read the methodology

Data coverage
Decade 1890–1899; lifetime data through 2025
Completeness
Complete decade
Methodology version
decade-hub/v1.0.0
Source version
ssa-national-2025
Generated
2026-08-14T03:32:54.323Z