Most popular baby names of 1889

Looking at the top baby names from 1889, we see remarkable consistency in naming preferences compared to the previous year. The top three names for both boys and girls remained unchanged from 1888, with John, William, and James continuing to dominate for boys, while Mary, Anna, and Elizabeth held their positions as the most popular choices for girls. This stability in the top three reflects the enduring appeal of these classic names during this period, showing parents' continued preference for traditional naming options.

Among the top 10 girls' names in 1889, we notice a few interesting shifts. Emma moved up from 4th to 5th place, while Margaret dropped from 5th to 4th. Minnie remained firmly in 6th place, while Florence climbed to 7th from 8th the previous year. Ethel also gained popularity, rising to 8th place from 9th in 1888. Interestingly, Bertha, which ranked 7th in 1888, fell out of the top 10 entirely in 1889. Clara rounded out the top 10, moving up one position from 11th place in 1888.

The boys' top 10 shows some notable changes as well. While the top five remained identical (John, William, James, George, and Charles), there was movement in the second half of the group. Harry climbed from 9th to 8th place, while Robert dropped from 8th to 9th. Edward moved down from 11th position to secure the 10th spot in 1889, displacing Henry who fell to 11th position. Frank and Joseph maintained their respective 6th and 7th positions, showing consistent popularity among parents of boys.

Looking at broader naming patterns across both years, traditional English and biblical names dominated the landscape for both genders. For girls, names ending with the feminine "-ie" sound (like Minnie, Carrie, and Mamie) and "-a" endings (Anna, Clara) were particularly popular. For boys, shorter, stronger names prevailed, with many top choices being just one syllable (John, Frank, Charles). There's also a noticeable trend toward using diminutives as given names, especially for girls (Minnie instead of Minerva, Nellie instead of Ellen). Male names showed more stability overall, with fewer shifts in ranking compared to female names, suggesting that parents may have been slightly more experimental with girls' names during this period.

Top baby names of 1889