Top 20+ Baby Names from the 1970s That You Don't See Anymore

2) Chad

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

Now often used by younger generations as a slang word for a stereotypical male, 'Chad' was once the 30th most popular boy's name of the decade. Chad Everett, best known for his work on the 1969-1976 TV show Medical Center as Dr. Joe Gannon, is an iconic frontman for the name.

3) Donna

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

Who better to represent the name Donna than the famed singer and queen of disco, Donna Summer? She secured her '70s and '80s stardom with hits such as "I Love You," "Hot Stuff," and "Last Dance." Her iconic name was given to over 47,000 babies throughout the 1970s.

4) Dennis

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

This Greek and French-originated name was the 59th most popular boy's name of the decade. It also happened to be the name of famed actor Dennis Hopper, known for his roles in Easy Rider (1969), Apocalypse Now (1979), and other popular films.

5) Brenda

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

Now the #3345 most popular girl's name of 2024, Brenda was once 60th in popularity for women. Perhaps parents drew inspiration from the '60s and '70s icon, Brenda Lee, singer of "I'm Sorry" and the all too familiar "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," when naming their daughters.

6) Terry

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

With a name that means "Ruler of the People," we'd say it's pretty safe to assume '70s comedian Terry Gilliam had that effect on people. He directed and played several characters in the famed movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), which had watchers cracking up with its ridiculousness.

8) Rodney

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

Gaining further acclaim in the 1980s thanks to movies such as Caddyshack (1980) and Easy Money (1983), the '70s saw the development of Rodney Dangerfield's comedic career. He made regular appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Dean Martin Show, and the Tonight Show, perhaps laying the groundwork for the more than 37,000 babies named Rodney that decade.

9) Jill

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

Any James Bond fan will certainly recognize the original Bond girl, Jill St. John, from the 1971 movie Diamonds Are Forever. Jill's loud and brash character Tiffany Case was a far cry from sweet — the meaning behind the actor's actual name, Jill.

10) Billy

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

Billy Joel, otherwise known as the Piano Man, was bringing out hit after hit in the 1970s with songs such as "Vienna," Movin' Out," and of course, "Piano Man." Despite the drastic drop in popularity of his name over the decades, his music still plays on.

13) Tammy

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

The words wholesome, natural, and informal are all associated with the name Tammy, and that's exactly what country music star Tammy Wynette embodied. The name behind hits such as "Til I Can Make It On My Own" and "Stand By Your Man," Tammy is considered to be the First Lady of Country Music — not a bad namesake to share.

14) Larry

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

"Are you reelin' in the years? Stowin' away the time?" If so, you may be familiar with Larry Carlton, guitarist for the American rock band, Steeley Dan, known for hits such as "Reelin' In the Years" and "Do It Again" off their 1972 album Can't Buy a Thrill. Like the sentiment of the song, the name Larry is a capsule of the 1970s and the decades before it — stowed away from modern times.

15) Wendy

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

Best known as the lead singer of the Plasmatics, a notable punk rock band from the late '70s and early '80s, Wendy O. Williams and her group were able to crack the Billboard Top 200 with their hit, "New Hope for the Wretched." Similarly, her name also cracked the top 200 list of most popular baby names of the 1970s, ranking 38th.

16) Curtis

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

With a name that means "courteous," singer, guitarist, and producer, Curtis Mayfield certainly lived up to the moniker with his R&B/Soul sound, singing tunes about chasing your dreams in "Move On Up" and the power of perseverance in "Keep on Keeping On."

18) Todd

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

If you think of a famous Todd from the '70s, chances are you think of Todd Rundgren, the voice behind tunes such as "Can We Still Be Friends?" "Hello, It's Me," and "A Dream Goes On Forever." His emotive tenor sound helped soundtrack the decade, perhaps inspiring the more than 83,000 boys named Todd in the 1970s.

19) Tanya

3) Donna, 4) Dennis, 5) Brenda, 6) Terry, 8) Rodney, 10) Billy, 13) Tammy, 14) Larry, 15) Wendy, 16) Curtis, 18) Todd, 19) Tanya

Miss Delta Dawn, Tanya Tucker, has been a voice in country music since 1972 when she was just 13 years old. That's when her breakout single, "Delta Dawn," put her on the map as she sang about a stolen youth and reputation. Similar to the song's Billboard Top 100 ranking of 72, her name was the 62nd most popular of the decade.

Post Related