Most popular baby names of 1987

Looking at the 1987 baby name charts, remarkable consistency reigns at the top positions in both the U.S. and U.K. In the United States, Jessica, Ashley, and Amanda held steady as the top three girls' names for the second year running, showing American parents' continued love affair with these feminine classics. For boys, Michael, Christopher, and Matthew similarly maintained their stronghold on the top three positions, demonstrating extraordinary stability in American parents' preferences.

Within the U.S. top 10 girls' rankings, we see minimal movement compared to 1986. Jennifer held firmly at fourth place, while Sarah rounded out the top five. Stephanie remained at sixth position, but Brittany showed impressive momentum, climbing from eighth to seventh. Nicole dropped slightly from seventh to eighth place, while Heather fell one spot to ninth. Elizabeth completed the top 10, holding steady from the previous year. The consistency in these rankings suggests American parents were gravitating toward established favorites rather than experimenting with new trends.

The American boys' top 10 showed similar stability in 1987. Following the unchanging top three of Michael, Christopher, and Matthew, Joshua remained fourth and David fifth. Andrew stayed at sixth position, while Daniel held steady at seventh. James maintained eighth place, but Justin showed notable upward momentum, moving into ninth position. Robert completed the top 10, dropping one spot from the previous year. Traditional masculine names with biblical roots continued to dominate the American boys' charts.

Across the Atlantic in the United Kingdom, naming patterns showed striking consistency as well. Laura, Claire, and Nicola remained the top three girls' names, while David, Christopher, and Andrew held their positions as the top three boys' names. Interestingly, both countries shared a love for Christopher in their top rankings, though positioned differently. The "-a" ending remained incredibly popular for girls' names in both countries, appearing in many top choices like Jessica, Amanda, Nicola, and Laura. Traditional masculine names dominated the boys' charts on both sides of the Atlantic, with timeless classics maintaining their appeal despite changing fashion trends in other aspects of life.

Top baby names of 1987