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| |    Top 10 Names by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. There are definite plusses and minuses to having a popular name. First names that are popular (that is, very common, like John and Mary) tend to be the ones that most people consider desirable. Having a name that lots of others share also makes it less likely that a child will be teased (at least about her name). On the other hand, Davids and Susans stand a good chance of finding themselves in a classroom with other Davids and Susans, which can result in a nickname (which might inspire teasing after all) or being called by their first name and last initial ("No, I meant David P, not David L"). This can be a constant reminder that "their" name is not entirely "theirs" and make them feel a little less unique. Just about every baby-name book has a list of popular names. The list below comes from a 1990 study of some 7.2 million people (about 1/40th of the total U.S. population) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, probably one of the most reliable sources for this sort of information. For more details--or to look up a particular first or last name--see the U.S. Census List of Names. Girls and women The Census Bureau study lists 4,275 different names for girls and women, which cover about 90 percent of the 3.1 million female names in the sample. The top 10 names together account for about 10 percent of U.S. women and girls. (The Census Bureau included several "Mary" variations, such as Mary Sue and Mary Elizabeth, under "Mary;" the number of just plain Marys is somewhat lower.)
The Census Bureau study lists 1,219 different names for boys and men, which cover 90 percent of the 3 million male names in the sample. Here are the top 10, representing approximately 23 percent of U.S. men and boys:
There is much more variety in last names than in first ones: The Census Bureau lists more than 88 thousand names, accounting for 90 percent of the study sample (and, presumably, of the country as a whole). The top 10 names listed below only cover about 5 percent of last names that are out there. You can easily find out how common or rare your own last names is at the U.S. Census names study website.
More information: Talk about:
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