Most popular baby names of 1882

Looking at the baby name data from 1881 to 1882, I notice some interesting patterns in naming preferences. The top three names for both boys and girls remained remarkably stable during this period. John, William, and James continued their reign as the most popular boys' names, while Mary, Anna, and Emma held their positions as the top three girls' names. This consistency suggests these classic names maintained their strong cultural appeal in American families.

Among the top ten girls' names in 1882, we see minimal movement in rankings, indicating established preferences. Alice made a notable climb from tenth place in 1881 to eighth in 1882, while Annie dropped slightly from eighth to tenth. Elizabeth and Minnie swapped positions, with Elizabeth rising to fourth and Minnie falling to fifth. The popularity of names ending in "-ie" or "-a" sounds continues, with five of the top ten featuring these gentle endings (Mary, Anna, Emma, Minnie, and Annie).

The boys' top ten displayed similar stability, though with a few interesting shifts. Thomas rose from ninth place to eighth, while Henry dropped from eighth to ninth. Robert maintained its position at number ten. Traditional masculine names dominated the rankings, with short, strong names like John, James, and Frank remaining favorites. Biblical names continued their strong showing, with John, James, Thomas, and Joseph all appearing in the top ten.

Looking at broader patterns across the top 100 names, certain sounds and structures remained consistently popular. For girls, diminutive forms with "-ie" endings (like Minnie, Carrie, and Bessie) were fashionable, alongside traditional feminine names ending in "-a" or "-e." For boys, classic English and biblical names dominated, with many parents favoring shorter, one or two-syllable names. Interestingly, many popular girls' names like Clara, Florence, and Grace have a soft, flowing quality, while boys' names like George, Charles, and Frank tend toward stronger, more abrupt sounds. This consistency in naming patterns suggests American parents in the early 1880s valued tradition and established naming conventions.

Top baby names of 1882