Most popular baby names of 1904

American naming traditions showed remarkable stability in the early 20th century, with the top three names for both boys and girls maintaining their exact positions from 1903 to 1904. John, William, and James continued their reign as the most popular boys' names, while Mary, Helen, and Anna remained steadfast favorites for girls. This consistency reflects the strong traditional naming patterns of the era, where family names and classic choices dominated.

Looking at the top 10 girls' names of 1904, Dorothy made a notable climb, rising from 11th place in 1903 to secure the 10th spot. Mary maintained its overwhelming dominance at number one, while the rest of the top positions saw minimal movement. Helen, Anna, Margaret, Ruth, Elizabeth, Marie, and Florence held their ground in the 2-8 positions. Interestingly, Mildred rose from 10th to 9th place, while Ethel dropped from 9th to 11th, falling out of the top 10 entirely.

The boys' top 10 showed some interesting shifts, with Robert rising from 7th place in 1903 to 5th place in 1904, demonstrating growing popularity. Henry fell from 11th to 10th position, displacing Thomas from the top 10. Charles moved down from 5th to 6th place, while Joseph dropped from 6th to 7th. The enduring appeal of traditional biblical names (John, James, Joseph) and regal names (William, Robert) continued to shape American naming patterns for boys.

Traditional naming patterns remained strong in the early 1900s, with short, classic names dominating both lists. For girls, names ending in "-ie" or "-a" sounds were prevalent (Marie, Annie, Clara), while boys' names often featured strong consonant endings (John, William, Robert). Biblical names maintained their popularity across both genders, reflecting the strong religious influences of the time. Notably, nickname forms like Willie and Charlie appeared on the boys' top 100 list alongside their formal versions, showing the dual naming traditions of the era.

Top baby names of 1904