Names that Peaked in 1977
Across 4 pages
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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…
Wesley
English
"western meadow"
Reminiscent of the Old West, with rugged charm and a gentle, easy-going feel, Wesley has long been a staple on the US charts. Its popularity may have peaked in the 1970s when it reached #66, but…
Summer
Word name
The temperature is definitely rising for this popular seasonal name, which began being used in the seventies, and has been heard consistently ever since. Summers have popped up all over the big and…
Jason
Greek
"to heal"
Jason, the Number 3 name for the entire decade of the 1970s -- thus the title of our original baby-naming book, Beyond Jennifer & Jason -- is more likely to be dad's name now than baby's, but it's…
Rhett
English from Dutch
"advice"
Rhett has been more tied to Gone with the Wind than even Scarlett, but now we're hearing rumblings of its finding new and independent favor among parents, perhaps emboldened by the growing popularity…
Bryan
Variation of Brian, Irish
"strong, virtuous, and honorable"
An alternate spelling of Brian, Bryan's one of the most enduring of Irish imports. Bryan is now slightly more popular than the original, with associations to Bryan Cranston, Bryan Ferry and Bryan…
Aisha
Arabic; Swahili
"living, prosperous"
Aisha was Muhammad's favorite wife, making this lovely name and its myriad variations hugely popular among Muslims and also African-Americans. It's been energized by TV personality Aisha Tyler.…
Brian
Irish
"strong, virtuous, and honorable"
The origins of the name Brian are not entirely clear, but it is suspected that it evolved from an Old Celtic word related to nobility. In Ireland the name is associated with Brian Boru, the most…
Melissa
Greek
"honeybee"
Melissa derives from the Greek word mélissa , meaning "bee," which was taken from the word for honey, meli . In Greek mythology, Melissa was a nymph who nursed the infant god Zeus with honey. Melissa…
Kunta
Literary, English, African-American
Kunta Kinte is the hero of the Roots series of books and TV series, which stem from a novel by Alex Haley. The character -- a Gambian man captured and sold into slavery in America -- is a model of…
Jennifer
Cornish variation of Guinevere, Welsh
"white shadow, white wave"
Jennifer is the Cornish variation of Guinevere, which ultimately derived from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar. As such, it is connected to the queen of Arthurian legend, and sharees the same meaning of…
Kizzy
Variation of Keziah
"cassia tree"
Kizzy was a character in Alex Haley's Roots ; this and other Keziah variations were widely used among enslaved people. In Roots the name is explained by the hero Kunta as 'you sit down' or 'you stay…
Quincy
French
"estate of the fifth son"
Quirky in the way that all Q names are quirky, Quincy was once a buttoned-up, patrician New England name, an image countered in recent years by the talented and ultracool musician Quincy Jones…
Kareem
Arabic
"noble, generous"
A favorite Muslim name, Kareem first appeared on the US Top 1000 list in 1972 (jumping in at Number 405!), coinciding with the early career of basketball great turned writer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born…
Seneca
Latin surname and Native American
"people of the standing rock"
Seneca's distinguished heritage as the name of the ancient Roman philosopher-playwright who tutored Nero, and of an Iroquois tribe makes this an interesting choice for either sex.
Monica
Latin
"advisor"
This saintly name--she was the mother of St. Augustine--plummeted after the double whammy of Lewinsky and the demise of Friends.
Shawnte
Shawnte appears to be a modern variant spelling of Shante or Shanté, which emerged in American naming patterns during the late 20th century. The name may have originated as a creative variation of…
Corey
Irish
"from the hollow"
Former teen idol name, now middle-aged. This name has been on a steady decline since the early-1990s.
Karim
Arabic
"noble, generous"
Kareem is the more popular form in the US, thanks to basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but Karim is right on his heels after being among the fastest-rising names of 2022. French soccer player…
Tory
English, diminutive of Victoria
"victory"
More modern nickname for Victoria than Vicky. Better known as Tori spelling.
