NameYears

Every year/1950s

Baby names of 1956

In 1956 the most given names in the United States were Mary for girls (61,743 births) and Michael for boys (90,691).

← 19551957 →1936194619661976

Top 100 girls’ names

  1. Mary61,743
  2. Debra48,324
  3. Linda48,085
  4. Deborah47,837
  5. Susan46,562
  6. Patricia43,330
  7. Karen40,052
  8. Cynthia32,339
  9. Barbara32,302
  10. Donna29,852
  11. Nancy28,784
  12. Pamela26,927
  13. Sharon26,881
  14. Sandra24,302
  15. Diane22,518
  16. Carol21,407
  17. Kathleen21,377
  18. Cheryl21,279
  19. Brenda19,343
  20. Kathy17,177
  21. Janet16,758
  22. Elizabeth16,353
  23. Denise14,509
  24. Teresa14,464
  25. Margaret13,914
  26. Janice13,017
  27. Rebecca12,170
  28. Catherine12,057
  29. Robin11,621
  30. Joyce11,091
  31. Lisa11,012
  32. Theresa10,841
  33. Carolyn10,634
  34. Laura10,570
  35. Judy10,197
  36. Cathy10,132
  37. Cindy9,979
  38. Kim9,896
  39. Debbie9,862
  40. Beverly9,450
  41. Shirley9,429
  42. Christine9,371
  43. Connie9,361
  44. Betty9,218
  45. Judith9,115
  46. Ann8,990
  47. Paula8,925
  48. Julie8,573
  49. Gail8,435
  50. Jane8,241
  51. Bonnie8,132
  52. Joan8,080
  53. Gloria7,929
  54. Sherry7,898
  55. Sheila7,872
  56. Diana7,851
  57. Vicki7,767
  58. Lynn7,736
  59. Martha7,709
  60. Kathryn7,594
  61. Wanda7,547
  62. Rhonda7,521
  63. Peggy7,493
  64. Rose7,337
  65. Jean7,174
  66. Lori7,145
  67. Katherine7,081
  68. Vickie6,956
  69. Jo6,954
  70. Marilyn6,926
  71. Darlene6,919
  72. Dorothy6,858
  73. Maria6,731
  74. Kimberlynew6,730
  75. Virginia6,392
  76. Laurie6,206
  77. Ruth6,075
  78. Jacqueline6,062
  79. Rita6,055
  80. Valerie5,910
  81. Terri5,744
  82. Phyllis5,642
  83. Anita5,505
  84. Ellen5,432
  85. Victoria5,388
  86. Anne5,356
  87. Tinanew5,330
  88. Michelle5,327
  89. Elaine5,310
  90. Helen5,279
  91. Terry5,272
  92. Dawnnew5,127
  93. Angelanew5,033
  94. Suzanne5,024
  95. Wendy4,861
  96. Marie4,794
  97. Jennifernew4,710
  98. Alice4,681
  99. Joanne4,671
  100. Michele4,617

Top 100 boys’ names

  1. Michael90,691
  2. James84,903
  3. Robert83,912
  4. David81,650
  5. John80,806
  6. William58,990
  7. Richard52,912
  8. Mark48,829
  9. Thomas44,841
  10. Steven38,410
  11. Charles35,239
  12. Joseph32,748
  13. Gary31,839
  14. Donald28,226
  15. Ronald27,723
  16. Kenneth27,433
  17. Paul26,897
  18. Daniel26,653
  19. Timothy23,289
  20. Jeffrey23,282
  21. Larry22,324
  22. Kevin21,763
  23. Stephen21,204
  24. Gregory21,081
  25. Edward19,437
  26. Dennis18,362
  27. George17,236
  28. Randy16,547
  29. Douglas16,390
  30. Anthony15,565
  31. Terry15,066
  32. Brian14,667
  33. Bruce14,660
  34. Scott13,214
  35. Jerry12,620
  36. Keith11,480
  37. Peter11,335
  38. Frank11,150
  39. Raymond11,108
  40. Patrick10,326
  41. Roger10,151
  42. Lawrence8,898
  43. Ricky8,781
  44. Alan8,735
  45. Wayne8,717
  46. Danny8,564
  47. Christopher8,385
  48. Carl8,314
  49. Gerald7,991
  50. Dale7,720
  51. Craig7,422
  52. Russell7,402
  53. Walter7,020
  54. Randall6,914
  55. Johnny6,637
  56. Andrew6,602
  57. Jeffery6,571
  58. Willie6,528
  59. Steve6,474
  60. Arthur6,288
  61. Glenn6,196
  62. Roy6,133
  63. Joe6,126
  64. Philip6,105
  65. Rodney6,075
  66. Jack6,051
  67. Ralph6,041
  68. Billy6,013
  69. Barry5,987
  70. Stanley5,985
  71. Henry5,971
  72. Harold5,956
  73. Martin5,682
  74. Samuel5,584
  75. Ronnie5,492
  76. Phillip5,416
  77. Bobby5,358
  78. Jimmy5,346
  79. Eric5,253
  80. Curtis5,157
  81. Albert5,151
  82. Louis4,911
  83. Micheal4,732
  84. Howard4,706
  85. Tony4,669
  86. Eugene4,619
  87. Allen4,611
  88. Darrell4,468
  89. Leonard4,371
  90. Matthewnew4,365
  91. Frederick4,305
  92. Jaynew4,119
  93. Eddie3,994
  94. Ernest3,953
  95. Harry3,925
  96. Victornew3,907
  97. Mikenew3,901
  98. Vincent3,756
  99. Deannew3,712
  100. Ricknew3,656

1956 in numbers

The Social Security data for 1956 holds 2,007,715 girls under 6,891 different names. The ten most common names covered 21% of them — in 2024 the figure is 7.1%. New to the top 100 that year:Kimberly, Tina, Dawn, Angela, Jennifer. Leaving it:Sally, Frances, Marcia, Leslie, Maureen.

The Social Security data for 1956 holds 2,115,322 boys under 4,454 different names. The ten most common names covered 31% of them — in 2024 the figure is 8.0%. New to the top 100 that year:Matthew, Jay, Victor, Mike, Dean, Rick. Leaving it:Marvin, Melvin, Lee, Fred, Kim, Francis.