Names that Peaked in 1986
Across 3 pages
of 3
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…
Christopher
Greek and Latin
"bearer of Christ"
Christopher derived from the Greek Christophoros, which is composed of the elements Christos , referring to Christ, and phero , meaning "to bear." The name was originally used figuratively, to…
Ryan
Irish
"little king"
Ryan’s use as a given name was inspired by the surname Ryan, a variation of the Irish O’Riain meaning "son of Rían." Rían is composed of the Irish-Gaelic elements rí , meaning "king" and an , a…
Mallory
French
"unfortunate"
Early 1980s sitcom ( Family Ties ) name that has been well used ever since, with an upbeat three-syllable sound and a slightly tomboyish edge.
Alison
Norman French, diminutive of Alice
"noble"
Alison has been long popular in Scotland and widely used here since the fifties. This more feminine medieval elaboration of Alice had long surpassed the original in popularity, but now sounds a tad…
Amber
Word name, English
Though perhaps not as currently stylish as Ruby, Jade, or Pearl, Amber has a colorful history (remember the notorious Forever Amber heroine?). Unfortunately, it does come with the "Amber Alert"…
Stephanie
Feminine variation of Stephen, Greek
"garland, crown"
Stephanie is the feminine form of Stephen, derived from the Greek name Stephanos, associated with crowns and garlands It's been the name of several royal women throughout history, including the…
Halley
Scottish and English
"hall or woodland clearing"
The Halley version of this popular name family hit the Top 1000 only once, in 1986, inspired by Halley's Comet, named for astronomer Edmund Halley. Today, Halley is still used -- it was given to 50…
Katie
English, diminutive of Katherine
"pure"
Friendly mega-popular short form of Katherine that has definitively replaced Kathy, Katie is often given on its own. Going forward, though, Katie is more stylishly clipped itself to the grownup Kate.
Jessica
Hebrew
"behold or wealthy"
When Jennifer finally gave up her Number 1 place on the girls' popularity list, her crown was passed to Jessica, who reigned for not one but two decades. Jessica was the Number 1 name in both the…
Ryan
Irish
"little king"
This ultrapopular boys' name is rapidly becoming a hot name for girls ; admired for its buoyant Irish spirit. Ryan returned to the Top 500 for girls in 2015 and will no doubt continue to climb…
Nakita
Nakita is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. Often considered a variation of Nikita, which has Russian roots as a masculine name meaning 'unconquered,' Nakita has evolved to be primarily…
Keshia
Keshia is a feminine name that gained prominence in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. It appears to be a variant spelling of Keisha, which may have originated as a variation of the Irish…
Dane
English
"from Denmark"
Dane is a more masculine Dana alternative, with added style edge. Dane has been on the US Top 1000 for more than seventy years, having entered the list in 1945. Dane makes a great middle name, as…
Shardae
Punjabi
"runaway"
Whatever its derivation, best known now in the version used by the jazzy singer, Sade.
Domonique
Variation of Dominique, African American, French
"belonging to the lord"
A spelling variation of the unisex Dominique that was briefly popular in the late 80s and early 90s.
Britta
Scandinavian, variation of Birgit or Britt
"strength or exalted one"
If you want a pan-Scandinavian name with energy and style that could have been a winner, if not for the sound-alike water filtration company Brita.
Mayra
Mayra is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Arabic contexts, it means "exceptional" or "beneficial," while in Slavic languages it's connected to "peace" or "greatness." The name also…
Ali
Short form of Alison or Alice or Arabic
"supreme, exalted"
One of the sweet simple unisex names balanced enough to stand on its own. Ali can either be used as a shortening of Al- beginning names. For example, comedian Ali Wong is an Alexandra. Ali is also an…
Sharde
Sharde appears to be a modern name that emerged in the United States in the late 20th century. It may be a variant spelling of Sharday or Shardae, or possibly related to the French word 'charder'…
