The most common names the year you were born: Millennial edition
Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, and the naming landscape of their generation was dominated by a tight cluster of names shared across nearly every classroom in America. If you spent your school years asking which Jennifer or which Michael someone meant, this is the historical record that explains why.
Find your year below.
Born in 1981: Matthew
Matthew entered the boys’ top three for the first time in 1981, where he would remain for the next two decades. The SSA records were Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Jason and David. For girls, the five most popular names were Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah and Melissa, with Jennifer holding the number one position it had occupied since the late 1960s.
Born in 1982: Melissa
Melissa had been circling the girls’ top five since the late 1970s and held firmly at number five in 1982. According to SSA records, the top five girls’ names were Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda, Sarah and Melissa. It was Jason’s final year after a decade-long run.
Born in 1983: Christopher
Christopher had been building toward number two since the mid-1970s and held that position in 1983. The SSA records were Michael, Christopher, Matthew, David and Joshua, with Joshua permanently replacing Jason. For girls, Ashley entered the top five for the first time, alongside Jennifer, Jessica, Amanda and Sarah.
Born in 1984: Sarah
It was Jennifer’s final year at number one after 15 consecutive years, per SSA records: girls Jennifer, Jessica, Ashley, Amanda and Sarah.
Born in 1985: Daniel
Daniel entered the boys’ top five for the first time in 1985. The SSA records were Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua and Daniel. On the girls’ side, Jessica displaced Jennifer at number one for the first time, with Ashley, Jennifer, Amanda and Sarah completing the top five.
Born in 1986: Jennifer’s exit
Jennifer’s 20-year run in the top five was ending. SSA records: girls Jessica, Ashley, Amanda, Jennifer and Sarah.
Born in 1987: David
David returned, per Reader’s Digest: boys Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua and David.
Born in 1988: Amanda
According to SSA records, the top five girls’ names were Jessica, Ashley, Amanda, Sarah and Jennifer. Two decades in the top five, over.
Born in 1989: Andrew
Andrew entered the boys’ top five for the first time in 1989 and would hold that position through the early 1990s. The SSA records were Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua and Andrew. For girls, Brittany broke into the top five that year, producing a top five of Jessica, Ashley, Brittany, Amanda and Sarah.
Born in 1990: Samantha
Samantha completed a girls’ lineup that would define the decade, per SSA records: Jessica, Ashley, Brittany, Amanda and Samantha.
Born in 1991: Joshua
Joshua had been in the boys’ top five since 1983 and deserves recognition for an eight-year stretch that mirrored the full middle span of the Millennial generation. The SSA records were Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua and Andrew. For girls, Ashley had reached number one, with Jessica, Brittany, Amanda and Samantha completing the top five.
Born in 1992: Ashley
Ashley reached number one, the first time neither Jennifer nor Jessica held it. SSA records: girls Ashley, Jessica, Amanda, Brittany and Sarah.
Born in 1993: Tyler
Tyler was the first genuinely new boys’ name to crack the top five in over a decade. The SSA records were Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua and Tyler. For girls, Emily entered the top five for the first time, rounding out a top five of Jessica, Ashley, Sarah, Samantha and Emily.
Born in 1994: Emily
Emily climbed to number three. SSA records: girls Jessica, Ashley, Emily, Samantha and Sarah.
Born in 1995: Jacob
Jacob entered the boys’ top five in 1995 and would eventually become the dominant name of the generation that followed. The SSA records were Michael, Matthew, Christopher, Jacob and Joshua. For girls, the top five were Jessica, Ashley, Emily, Samantha and Sarah.
Born in 1996: Michael’s record
Michael held number one for the 43rd year, the longest unbroken run in SSA chart history. Emily reached number one for girls for the first time.
The bottom line
Sixteen years, one unmistakable pattern. Jessica, Ashley, Amanda, Sarah and Emily for girls. Michael, Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, Daniel, Tyler and Jacob for boys. Which name was yours?
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