Popular Baby Names Through the Decades of the 1900s

The 1990s in the United States are often depicted as the tail end of the grunge years. But it was also the beginning of the long-awaited pay-off of space discovery; on April 24, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched! This telescope—originally named the Large Space Telescope—was in its infancy in the 1940s. A decade full of innovation and new-age hopes and discoveries, a baby name from the 1990s could inspire baby to think of the sky as the beginning rather than the limit.

The 1980s were a time of discovery, too. But the findings in this decade were a little more music- and fashion-focused than the cosmos influences to come. The biggest revolution on an individual basis might be quite different from the Hubble Space Telescope, but it made history all the same! The Walkman was invented in 1979, reaching unforeseen popularity in the 80s and 90s. If you’re a fan of the era that took the first steps toward having music in your colorful windbreaker pockets, then an ‘80s baby name could do the trick.

A time when Americans continued the fight for rights and conservation, the 1970s made their long-lasting impact in ways previous generations hadn’t. Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Air Act in this decade, leading the decade’s legacy to be less of a carbon footprint and more of mindfulness. If baby’s going to be raised in a tree-hugging, earth-loving environment, then a ‘70s baby name could be the perfect fit.

In America, the 1960s is a set of years synonymous with the Civil Rights Movement. This was a time of serious upheaval, with concrete steps taken toward equal rights; the fight for civil rights was forever changed through organizing marches, boycotts, and various other protests. The decade was capped off with Woodstock—a peaceful music fest hailed in history as an event that changed live music forever—in 1969. There can only be the best for your tree-hugging fighter, so why not choose a 1960s baby name?

The 1950s in the United States was one of the many decades of the 1900s riddled with hardship. It kicked off the Civil Right Movement that would extend for decades and the Cold War due to the ending of the Second World War. But the 1950s weren’t only hardship; inventors were doing what they do best and changing the world! The invention of the pacemaker, the laser, and—who could forget—the Hula Hoop. Long story short, a popular baby name from the 1950s will teach baby to keep on, keepin’ on.

The 1940s, for obvious reasons, was a period of history that fiercely changed the future and is still changing it today. The people of this time were war-torn; they experienced the Holocaust, atomic bomb warfare, and other horrifying realities all throughout this decade. But people have always been innovative and inventive in the face of hardship! From the jet engine, the computer, and the color television to more home-based goods like the microwave and kitty litter, the people of this time were staying busy. To teach baby the spirit of perseverance, consider a 1940s baby name.

With the Great Depression starting in 1929, the 1930s were riddled with record-breaking hardship. However, the world didn’t stop turning, and people kept inventing and innovating to make the world a better place. From big to small, things were happening; Mickey Mouse’s first comic appearance, the first football world cup was held, and Pluto was discovered and named a planet in this decade!

Though countries around the world accomplished this feat earlier, the political giant of the United States finally ratified women’s suffrage in 1920. Kicking off the roaring twenties by establishing the 19th amendment—the amendment granting women the right to vote—was one heck of a way to get the free-thinking ball rolling! This decade also introduced the Jazz Age, shedding light on technical advancements such as the radio, the telephone, the phonograph, and the automobile. There are some pretty good reasons for the people of today to feel aligned with the values in the 1920s baby names.

The 1910s started well for the United States of America; they were the richest nation in the world and a front-runner in the race of discovery. However, halfway through 1914, World War I began, unleashing some of the world’s most unexpected terrors of warfare. Unfortunately, after this war met its end in 1918, the spread of influenza ran its devastating course, too. But the people of this decade were perseverance personified; they continued the push for their right to live a healthy and fulfilling life, and the changes they set in motion in this decade would make waves for the next century.

Fancy a turn about the room but find yourself in the wrong century? Not to worry, a baby name from the Edwardian era will make you feel like you’re living in a stately manor in no time. This era was dedicated to the ever so slight relaxation of the code of conduct and an increase in acknowledgment of the life of the working class when compared to the more conservative Victorian high society. Take a leaf out of the books of the Labor movement of yore, and pick a name rife with a passion for equal rights from the 1900s.