Most popular baby names of 1938

The top three names for both boys and girls remained remarkably stable from 1937 to 1938, with no changes in the leading positions. Robert, James, and John continued their dominance as the top three boys' names, maintaining their exact same ranking order for the second consecutive year. Similarly, Mary, Barbara, and Patricia held steady as the most popular girls' names, showing American parents' continued preference for these classic choices. This consistency suggests these names had established strong cultural appeal during this pre-war era.

Looking at the full top 10 girls' names in 1938, we see some notable movement despite the stability at the very top. Margaret climbed from 10th place to 9th, while Joan dropped from 9th to 10th. Shirley fell from 4th to 5th, switching places with Betty who rose from 5th to 4th. The remaining names - Carol, Nancy, and Dorothy - held their positions at 6th, 7th, and 8th respectively. Interestingly, traditional biblical and royal names like Mary and Elizabeth continued to appear in the top 20, showing Americans' enduring fondness for classic feminine choices.

The top 10 boys' names of 1938 revealed more movement than their female counterparts. Ronald jumped from 11th place in 1937 to secure the 10th position in 1938, displacing George who fell to 11th place. The rest of the top 10 maintained remarkable stability, with the traditional masculine names Robert, James, John, William, Richard, Charles, Donald, David, and Thomas continuing their dominance. Notable is the continued popularity of biblical names like John, James, David, and Thomas alongside royal names like William, Robert, and Richard - demonstrating Americans' preference for names with strong historical roots.

Examining broader naming patterns reveals interesting cultural preferences of late 1930s America. For girls, names ending in the feminine "-a" (Patricia) and "-y" sounds (Mary, Betty, Shirley) were particularly fashionable. Short, nickname-style names like Betty and Joan coexisted with longer, more formal options like Margaret and Patricia. For boys, traditional biblical and English names dominated, with a particular preference for strong consonant sounds. Interestingly, many popular boys' names could be shortened to friendly nicknames (Robert to Bob, William to Bill), giving parents flexibility between formal and casual usage. This reflects the practical sensibility of naming during this pre-war period, with parents valuing names that had stood the test of time.

Top baby names of 1938