Most popular baby names of 1881

The top three baby names showed remarkable stability from 1880 to 1881, with the leading trio of boys' names—John, William, and James—maintaining their exact positions. Similarly, for girls, Mary and Anna held firmly to their first and second spots respectively. Emma continued its popularity by remaining the third most popular name for girls, showing the enduring appeal of these traditional names during this era.

Among the top 10 girls' names in 1881, we see a notable shift with Annie climbing from 11th place in 1880 to 8th place in 1881, suggesting a growing preference for this variation of Anna. Elizabeth and Margaret swapped positions, with Elizabeth moving up to 4th and Margaret dropping to 5th. Nellie also gained popularity, rising from 18th to 14th place, while Grace moved from 19th to 15th. Interestingly, names beginning with 'M' dominated the top ranks, with Mary, Margaret, Minnie, and Martha all appearing in the top 20.

The boys' top 10 names in 1881 saw George climb from 5th to 4th place, switching positions with Charles who moved down to 5th. Thomas moved up one spot to 9th position, while Edward dropped from 11th to 10th. Traditional masculine names continued to dominate, with short, strong names like John, James, and Frank remaining favorites among American parents. Notably, biblical names maintained their strong presence in the top rankings, with John, James, Joseph, and Thomas all appearing in the top 10.

Overall naming patterns reveal a preference for traditional names with religious significance across both genders. For girls, names ending with the feminine "-a" or "-ie" sounds were particularly popular, including Emma, Anna, Clara, Ida, and Minnie. For boys, we see a tendency toward strong, single-syllable names like John, Frank, and Charles, alongside longer traditional names. Diminutive forms were popular for girls (Minnie, Nellie) while boys' names generally maintained their formal versions, though nicknames like Charlie appear in the top 20. This period represents a time of naming stability, with little dramatic movement among the most popular choices.

Top baby names of 1881