Birth year roster
Top names in 1948
The names most likely to appear on 1948 birth certificates, ranked by SSA records.
Linda and James led the 1948 baby-name charts, a pair that captures the naming culture of mid-century America — Linda, which rose to prominence in this era and James, a perennial powerhouse that would anchor the decade. The full top 25 below reveals which names defined the 1948 classroom and how many have since faded or endured.
Girls
- #1Linda96,220
- #2Mary68,597
- #3Barbara46,826
- #4Patricia46,140
- #5Susan35,988
- #6Sandra31,063
- #7Nancy29,411
- #8Carol28,977
- #9Sharon26,143
- #10Kathleen23,257
- #11Donna22,033
- #12Karen21,996
- #13Margaret18,873
- #14Carolyn18,623
- #15Judith17,787
- #16Judy17,706
- #17Brenda17,700
- #18Betty16,625
- #19Diane16,607
- #20Shirley16,121
- #21Joyce14,380
- #22Pamela14,281
- #23Janice14,162
- #24Janet13,977
- #25Cheryl13,220
Boys
- #1James88,605
- #2Robert85,478
- #3John82,834
- #4William61,972
- #5David56,627
- #6Michael52,566
- #7Richard50,970
- #8Thomas43,780
- #9Charles38,676
- #10Ronald33,527
- #11Larry33,436
- #12Gary28,397
- #13Joseph26,801
- #14Donald26,442
- #15Kenneth23,550
- #16George21,926
- #17Dennis21,765
- #18Paul21,252
- #19Edward18,983
- #20Stephen17,061
- #21Jerry16,809
- #22Daniel16,510
- #23Steven15,979
- #24Roger12,818
- #25Frank12,698