The Most Popular Baby Names the Year You Were Born

When the teacher called your name during elementary school roll call, did they add the first letter of your last name? If so, it probably didn’t take long to realize that you shared a name with another student, or even a few. This was no accident.Each year, one boy’s name and one girl’s name rank as the most popular. These names appear and disappear with changing trends, sometimes making a comeback from the last century or entering the charts for the first time. Some names stay at the top for years, while others spend only a single year in the spotlight. For a long stretch, Michael was the most popular boy’s name, until Jacob took over and held the top spot throughout the 2000s. The same goes for girls. Jennifer dominated for years, with a few Ashleys and Jessicas sprinkled in. Whether your parents chose an unconventional name with a special meaning or followed naming trends, each year had its own popular pick. No matter how common, your name is uniquely yours and reflects your personality!Here's the most popular baby name in the year you were born, according to Reader's Digest.THE MOST POPULAR BABY NAME THE YEAR YOU WERE BORNAntonio_Diaz/GettyImages1950Girl: LindaBoy: James1951Girl: LindaBoy: James1952Girl: LindaBoy: James1953Girl: MaryBoy: Robert1954Girl: MaryBoy: Michael1955Girl: MaryBoy: Michael1956Girl: MaryBoy: Michael1957Girl: MaryBoy: Michael1958Girl: MaryBoy: Michael1959Girl: MaryBoy: Michael1960Girl: MaryBoy: David1961Girl: MaryBoy: Michael1962Girl: LisaBoy: Michael1963Girl: LisaBoy: Michael1964Girl: LisaBoy: Michael1965Girl: LisaBoy: Michael1966Girl: LisaBoy: Michael1967Girl: LisaBoy: Michael1968Girl: LisaBoy: Michael1969Girl: LisaBoy: Michael1970Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1971Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1972Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1973Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1974Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1975Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1976Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1977Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1978Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1979Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1980Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1981Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1982Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1983Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1984Girl: JenniferBoy: Michael1985Girl: JessicaBoy: Michael1986Girl: JessicaBoy: Michael1987Girl: JessicaBoy: Michael1988Girl: JessicaBoy: Michael1989Girl: JessicaBoy: Michael1990Girl: JessicaBoy: Michael1991Girl: AshleyBoy: Michael1992Girl: AshleyBoy: Michael1993Girl: JessicaBoy: Michael1994Girl: JessicaBoy: Michael1995Girl: JessicaBoy: Michael1996Girl: EmilyBoy: Michael1997Girl: EmilyBoy: Michael1998Girl: EmilyBoy: Michael1999Girl: EmilyBoy: Jacob2000Girl: EmilyBoy: Jacob2001Girl: EmilyBoy: Jacob2002Girl: EmilyBoy: Jacob2003Girl: EmilyBoy: Jacob2004Girl: EmilyBoy: Jacob2005Girl: EmilyBoy: Jacob2006Girl: EmilyBoy: Jacob2007Girl: EmilyBoy: Jacob2008Girl: EmmaBoy: Jacob2009Girl: IsabellaBoy: Jacob2010Girl: IsabellaBoy: JacobRead More: