Most popular baby names of 1926

Looking at the top three baby names from 1925 to 1926, we observe remarkable stability in naming preferences. Robert, John, and William remained the top three boys' names, though William slipped from 3rd to 4th place as James rose from 4th to 3rd. For girls, Mary, Dorothy, and Betty held their positions firmly at the top, showing parents' continued attachment to these classic feminine names. This consistency suggests that American parents in the mid-1920s valued traditional naming patterns and were less inclined toward trendy or novel choices for their highest-ranked selections.

The top 10 girls' names in 1926 showcase interesting movements within the established favorites. While Mary and Dorothy maintained their dominance at positions 1 and 2 respectively, Elizabeth made a notable climb from 10th to 11th place. Frances fell one spot from 11th to 10th, while Helen and Margaret held steady at 4th and 5th. Ruth remained at 6th, but Virginia dropped one position from 7th to 8th as Doris climbed from 8th to 7th. Names ending with the soft "ee" sound (Dorothy, Betty) and traditional biblical names (Mary, Ruth) continued to appeal widely to American parents of daughters.

For boys, the top 10 ranking in 1926 showed subtle but meaningful shifts. Donald moved down one spot from 10th to 9th, while Edward moved up from 9th to 10th. The top five names—Robert, John, James, William, and Charles—remained virtually unchanged except for James overtaking William. George maintained its position at 6th, while Richard climbed to 7th, and Joseph held steady at 8th. Short, strong names with biblical origins (John, James, Joseph) dominated the top rankings, demonstrating Americans' continued preference for traditional masculine names with religious connections.

Overall naming patterns in mid-1920s America revealed a preference for classic, established names with religious and historical significance. Girls' names often featured soft endings like "-ie," "-y," or "-a" (Dorothy, Betty, Virginia), while boys typically received shorter, stronger-sounding names (Robert, John, James). Interestingly, several names appeared on both the 1925 and 1926 lists that would later fall from popularity, such as Doris and Mildred for girls, and Harold and Donald for boys. The continued popularity of names like Mary, Robert, and John—all with strong religious and historical roots—reflected America's cultural values during this period between the World Wars, showing a desire for stability and tradition in an era of rapid social change.

Top baby names of 1926