Most popular baby names of 1973

In 1973, the top three names for baby boys showed a significant shift, with Jason jumping to the third position, pushing James down to fourth place. Michael and Christopher maintained their reign as the first and second most popular boys' names respectively. For girls, however, the top three remained remarkably stable with Jennifer holding firmly at number one, while Michelle and Amy swapped positions, with Amy rising to second place and Michelle dropping to third.

Looking at the top 10 girls' names in 1973, Jennifer's dominance continued for another year, while Rebecca made an impressive climb from 14th to 10th place. Amy's rise to second place marks a notable shift in preference from the previous year. The classic name Elizabeth showed staying power, remaining in the top 15. Interestingly, names ending with the 'a' sound remained popular among girls, with Angela, Melissa, and Rebecca all securing spots in the top 10.

For boys, the top 10 was dominated by traditional masculine names, with Michael and Christopher leading the pack for consecutive years. Matthew strengthened its position, climbing to 10th place from the previous year. Biblical names continued their strong showing with Michael, James, John, David, and Matthew all ranking in the top 10. Names with four to seven letters seemed particularly favored for boys, creating a pattern of short, strong-sounding masculine names.

The broader naming patterns of 1973 reveal American parents' continued preference for classic, established names rather than trendy innovations. Two-syllable names dominated both gender lists, suggesting parents valued names that were neither too short nor too elaborate. Names beginning with 'J' showed remarkable popularity across both genders, with Jennifer, James, John, and Joseph all ranking highly. Christian and biblical influences remained strong in the naming landscape, particularly for boys, reflecting traditional cultural values that persisted through the early 1970s.

Top baby names of 1973