Most popular baby names of 1991

Looking at the top three baby names from 1990 to 1991, we see some interesting shifts. For girls in the US, "Jessica" was dethroned as the #1 name, with "Ashley" rising to take the top spot. "Brittany" remained stable at #3, while "Amanda" held steady at #4. In the UK, the top three girls' names remained remarkably stable with "Emma," "Laura," and "Stephanie" maintaining their positions at the top of the charts. For boys in both countries, the top three remained unchanged, suggesting parents were gravitating toward traditional favorites.

Examining the top 10 US girls' names in 1991, "Ashley" made the most notable jump from #2 to #1. "Emily" also showed significant movement, climbing from #12 to #10. The top 10 was dominated by names ending with the feminine "a" sound like "Ashley," "Jessica," "Brittany," "Amanda," and "Samantha." In the UK, we see a similar pattern with "Emma," "Laura," and "Stephanie" leading the charts. Interestingly, "Sarah" moved down from #3 to #4 in the UK rankings, while "Lauren" climbed to #5 from #10 the previous year.

For boys' names, the top 10 remained remarkably consistent in both countries. In the US, "Michael," "Christopher," and "Matthew" continued their reign as the top three choices. "Joseph" made a small climb from #10 to #9, while "John" dropped one position to #10. The UK showed similar stability with "David," "Christopher," and "Andrew" maintaining their dominance at the top of the charts. "Michael," however, did move up from #6 to #6, showing the enduring popularity of this classic name.

Overall naming patterns reveal parents' continued preference for traditional names with modern flair. In both countries, girls' names often featured soft endings like "y" ("Ashley," "Brittany") or "a" ("Amanda," "Samantha"). Boys' names showed a strong preference for biblical choices like "Michael," "Matthew," "Joshua," and "David." Two-syllable names dominated the top rankings for both genders. Interestingly, there was significant overlap between US and UK preferences, particularly for boys' names like "Christopher," "Michael," and "David," suggesting a shared Anglo-American naming culture that transcended national boundaries as the decade began.

Top baby names of 1991