Most popular baby names of 1890

The top three baby names showed remarkable stability from 1889 to 1890, with John, William, and James maintaining their stronghold as the most popular boys' names. Similarly, Mary, Anna, and Elizabeth continued their reign as the top three girls' names, demonstrating enduring popularity across both years. This consistency suggests these classic names held significant cultural and familial importance at the turn of the decade.

Looking at the broader top 10 girls' names in 1890, we see some interesting movement despite the stability at the very top. Florence and Ethel each climbed one position to ranks 6 and 7 respectively, while Minnie dropped from 6th to 8th place. Bertha held steady at rank 10, showing continued appeal. Clara jumped one position from 10th to 9th, suggesting a growing fondness for this elegant name. The overall composition of the top 10 remained largely consistent, indicating parents in 1890 were drawn to traditional feminine names with soft sounds.

Among boys' names in 1890, the top 10 saw subtle but noteworthy changes. Robert rose from 9th to 8th place, while Harry dropped from 8th to 10th. Henry climbed from 11th place in 1889 to secure the 9th position in 1890. The continued popularity of short, sturdy names like John, William, George, and Frank demonstrates the preference for traditional masculine names. Biblical names maintained strong representation with John, James, and Joseph all holding positions in the top 10.

Broader naming patterns reveal fascinating insights about late 19th-century preferences. Girls' names ending in 'a' or 'ie' were particularly prevalent, with names like Mary, Anna, Clara, Minnie, and Bessie dominating the top ranks. For boys, traditional English and biblical names continued their dominance, with single-syllable names like John, Frank, and Charles remaining popular. Interestingly, many diminutive forms appeared in the girls' top 100 (Minnie, Nellie, Carrie), while boys' names tended toward their formal versions, suggesting different gender expectations in naming conventions of the era.

Top baby names of 1890