Names that Peaked in 1962
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About this list
The names
Michael
Hebrew
"who is like God?"
Michael was the Number 1 American boys' name for almost half a century. While Michael has moved out of the Top 10 baby boy names , it's still widely used. How has Michael racked up this phenomenal…
Daphne
Greek
"laurel tree, bay tree"
In Greek mythology, Daphne was the nymph daughter of Peneus, a river god. Peneus saved Daphne from Apollo’s romantic obsessions by transforming her into a laurel tree. It is from this myth that the…
Mark
Latin
"warlike"
Mark has the rare appeal of a strong, sleek name with a minimalist modern feel and ancient roots. The name Mark is taken from the Roman god of war Mars, also the namesake of the planet. After…
Gregory
Greek
"vigilant, a watchman"
The Greek name of sixteen popes and fifteen saints, the gregarious Gregory became big in the United States with the emergence of admirable actor Gregory Peck (born Eldred) in the late 1940s. From…
Robin
Bird name, or English, diminutive of Robert
"bright fame"
After a 60 year slide down the popularity ladder, Robin made a turnaround in 2020 and began climbing back into favor for baby girls. One reason may be its new status as one of the most evenly-divided…
Marnita
Marnita is a feminine name that likely originated as a diminutive form of Marina or possibly as a variant of Marna, which has Hebrew origins meaning 'rejoice.' The suffix '-ita' suggests Spanish or…
Tod
Tod is a masculine name of German and English origin, meaning 'death' in German or functioning as a short form of the names Theodore ('gift of God') or Todhunter. Despite its somewhat grim German…
Glenn
Scottish
"valley"
Glenn appealed to a lot of post-World War II parents for its cool, leafy image, also calling up the Big Band sounds of Glenn Miller and the calm, composed image of actor Glenn Ford, whose name at…
Kent
English surname and place-name
"edge"
Kent is a no-nonsense, brief, brisk one-syllable name, almost as curt as Kurt.
Boris
Slavic
"to fight"
Boris is one of the old Russian names being revived by chic Europeans; it hasn't quite made a comeback yet in the U.S., but it does have potential. For a long time the name has been associated with…
Raynard
Raynard is a masculine name with Germanic origins, derived from elements meaning 'counsel' or 'decision' (ragin) and 'hardy' or 'brave' (hard). It's related to the name Reynard, which became…
Teresa
Spanish
"to harvest"
How do you spell Teresa? Teresa, the simpler phonetic form of this name, was the most popular variation for its early life, when it was used exclusively in Spain and Portugal. Other spellings of…
Gregg
Gregg is a masculine name that originated as a variant spelling of Greg, which itself is a diminutive form of Gregory. The name Gregory comes from Greek origins meaning 'watchful' or 'vigilant.'…
Rich
Rich is a masculine name that functions both as a standalone name and as a diminutive of Richard, which derives from Germanic elements meaning "powerful" and "brave ruler." As an independent name,…
Gigi
French diminutive
Joining the likes of Coco and Fifi, Gigi has a style but some may feel it lacks substance. Model and TV personality Gigi Hadid (born Jelena) has likely drawn attention to this name, while designer…
Doug
Doug is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive form of Douglas, a Scottish surname meaning 'dark water' or 'dark stream,' derived from the Gaelic elements 'dubh' (dark) and 'glas' (water).…
Deann
Deann is a feminine name that emerged as a variant of Diana, which derives from the Indo-European root meaning 'divine' or 'heavenly.' It gained popularity in the United States during the mid-20th…
Sherry
Phonetic variation of French Cheri; also a Spanish fortified wine
Peppy cheerleader name of the 1960s and 70s that's sure to evoke the Four Seasons song of that name.
Deedee
English diminutive of any girl name that starts with D
In its mid-20th century heyday, Deedee — or Didi or Dede — was not infrequently used as a name in its own right. It's a cute, or maybe cutesy, short form of names like Deanne.
Gwyn
Welsh
"white, blessed"
A male name in Wales, Gwyn has been mostly feminine in the US thanks to its resemblance to the more familiar Gwen. It derives from the same Celtic root as the popular Finn family of names.
