These groovy 1960s baby names are making a comeback

Kimberly
Patricia
Michelle
Looking for more baby-name inspiration?

Kimberly, Patricia, Michelle, Looking for more baby-name inspiration?

The 1960s was a decade of big changes, with oldest of the Baby Boomer generation starting to come into its own, and bringing a focus on modern youth culture with it. And while the youngest Boomers weren't quite at the age to start having their own kids yet, surely their favorite songs, bands, actors and writers had a trickle-down effect on the most popular baby names of the decade.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) keeps track of the 1,000 most popular names of each year, along with which names increased and decreased in popularity the most. According to the SSA, these are the most popular baby names of the 1960s. (Which isn't to say that these names were invented in the 1960s, just that these were the ones dominating nurseries throughout the decade.) As is fitting a decade of big changes, many of the names had actually hit their peak already in the '50s or earlier, and wouldn't stay in the top spots into the next decade. But that just means they could be prime for a comeback.

Lisa

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 1

SSA ranking today: 850

Meaning: "God's promise"

From Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of the biggest musical artist in the world, to Lisa from Blackpink, the name Lisa always feels like it's coming into and leaving the spotlight. The name burst on the scene in the 1960s: It went from not making the SSA list of top five names in 1960, to hitting the No. 2 spot in 1961, to hitting the top spot in 1962 and staying there for the rest of the decade. But it burned bright and burned out, since, by 1974, it was out of the top five again. Today, the name sits at the bottom of the SSA list, but jumped 86 places in rank between last year and the year before, so it could be working its way up again.

Michael

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 1

SSA ranking today: 16

Meaning: "gift from God"

The name Michael, as in British actor Michael Caine, has something in common with one of Caine's signature '60s roles, Alfie: They're both constantly desired. It wouldn't be a top retro baby-name list without a Michael on it: It was the No. 1 name for 44 years, the most any name has ever claimed the top spot. It hasn't been as dominant this century — the name was unseated by Jacob in 1999, fell out of the top five in 2011, and has been on a slow slide down ever since. But it's still a top-20 name, which shows it has enduring appeal.

Mary

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 2

SSA ranking today: 135

Meaning: "drop of the sea," "bitterness," or "beloved"

If there's a female equivalent of the success of the name Michael, it's Mary, as in Supremes singer Mary Wilson. Mary is the girls' name that hit the top spot on the SSA list the most number of times, though only 32 years to Michael's 44. The '60s, though, was the beginning of the end of Mary's reign: It was the No. 1 name starting at the beginning of the 20th century, peaked in 1961 and was out of the top five by 1968. Today, it's in that sweet spot just outside the top 100 names, where it's not an obscure name by any means, but also not overexposed.

David

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 2

SSA ranking today: 27

Meaning: "beloved"

The year 1960 was a banner one for the name David: It was the one year that David overtook Michael for the top spot on the SSA list, stopping Michael from being able to say it was the most popular name in America 44 years in a row. So the name David, like folk singer David Crosby, marches to the beat of its own drum, and is good for parents looking for that disruptor energy.

Susan

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 3

SSA ranking today: unranked

Meaning: "lily"

Like David, the name Susan, as in actress Susan Strasberg, peaked at the very beginning of the decade, in 1960. It's been declining in popularity ever since, falling off the list of the SSA top 1,000 names entirely in 2020, so this is a good choice for parents looking for a retro name that they can make their own.

John

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 3

SSA ranking today: 26

Meaning: "God is gracious"

John, as in President John F. Kennedy, is as timeless as they come: It's been one of the SSA's top 30 names for more than a century, and it's usually somewhere in the top 25. Though it hit its peak in the '20s, and had a streak of No 1 finishes from 1900 to 1923, it's really hung in there, proving it's a name with staying power.

Karen

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 4

SSA ranking today: unranked

Meaning: "pure"

It's true that name trends come and go, and any name can have a resurgence, but Karen is going to be harder than most to stage a comeback. In the '60s, it was a cool and creative name embodied by musicians like Karen Dalton or Karen Carpenter. Today, it has fallen out of the SSA rankings. Still: Never say never?

James

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 4

SSA ranking today: 4

Meaning: "supplanter"

James, as in soul legend James Brown, is one of the few names that's exactly as popular today as it was in the 1960s. It was No. 4 then, and it's No. 4 once again. The only difference is, in the '60s, the name was on a decline: It had peaked in 1952 after more than a dozen years in the top spot. Today, it's climbing back; it re-entered the top 10 in 2014, and has slowly been inching its way upward ever since.

Kimberly

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 5

SSA ranking today: 222

Meaning: "Cyneburg's field"

The name Kimberly — nickname Kim, as in Of Human Bondage actress Kim Novak — was actually starting its ascent in the 1960s rather than ending it. It only cracked the top five starting in 1965, and it stayed there until 1973. While the SSA has flagged Kimberly as one of the names that's decreasing in popularity, losing 12 places in rank between last year and the year before, it's still in the top 250 names, so it's a good one for parents who are looking for names that are not unusual, but not common.

Robert

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 5

SSA ranking today: 89

Meaning: "bright fame"

Actor and singer Robert Goulet appeared in three stage productions in 1960 alone — South Pacific, Meet Me in St. Louis and Carousel — so if there's anyone from the '60s who embodies the meaning of the name Robert, which is "bright fame," it's him. Robert is taking a slow bow from the spotlight: It actually hit its peak in the '50s, but is still somewhere in the top 100 names today. That's possibly because of how versatile it is, with nickname options like Rob, Bob and Bobby, which keep it feeling fresh.

Patricia

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 6

SSA ranking today: unranked

Meaning: "noble"

Patricia, like The Two Faces of January and The Talented Mr. Ripley author Patricia Highsmith, hasn't been ranked on the SSA list of the top 1,000 names since 2019. Even in the '60s, it was a bit past its prime, having hit its peak in 1952. Still, Patricia has those retro, mid-century vibes that parents are gravitating towards, and nicknames like Pat and Patty make it all the more appealing for families who like to switch things up.

Mark

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 6

SSA ranking today: 251

Meaning: "warlike"

The '60s was the decade of Mark, as in medal-winning swimmer Mark Spitz. While Mark has never broken into the top five names of any decade, it had its best showing in the '60s, where it stayed in the top 10 for all 10 years, peaking at No. 6 in 1964. Today, it's much further down on the SSA list and has been steadily falling, which means it's ripe for rediscovery.

Linda

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 7

SSA ranking today: 842

Meaning: "pretty"

The name Linda had a drop from being the No. 2 name of the 1950s to the No. 7 name of the 1960s. And it's not faring much better now: The SSA notes it fell a whopping 40 places in rank between last year and the year before. That's surprising for such a beautiful name that also means "pretty" (as embodied by Planet of the Apes star Linda Harrison).

William

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 7

SSA ranking today: 10

Meaning: "resolute protector"

You can pluck the name William out of basically any era, and it will sound contemporary. That includes the '60s, where the name spent the decade somewhere in the bottom of the top 10 names, and today, when it's been doing the same since 2020. William, as in Star Trek star William Shatner, is therefore a perfect choice for families who want a name that's timeless and classic.

Donna

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 8

SSA ranking today: unranked

Meaning: "lady"

Donna means "lady," as Donna Douglas, known for playing Elly May Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies, can attest. But this lady has been missing for quite some time: While Donna was a top-10 name in the '50s and '60s, it's currently unranked and just waiting to be brought back into the spotlight.

Richard

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 8

SSA ranking today: 221

Meaning: "strong ruler"

Richards were lighting up the screen in the 1960s, from The Sporting Life actor (and future Dumbledore) Richard Harris to Dr. Kildare heartthrob Richard Chamberlain. Is it any wonder it was a top-1o name then? But the name Richard was actually cresting a wave of popularity that started years before: It broke into the top 10 in the '20s, peaked in the '40s and, today, is only in the top 250. Will the wave rise again?

Michelle

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 9

SSA ranking today: 401

Meaning: "who is like God?"

The Beatles released their song "Michelle" in 1965, and in 1966 the name Michelle jumped from No. 18 on the list to No. 4. Coincidence? I think not. The name continued to climb throughout the decade, and it didn't peak until 1972. And the Fab Four weren't the only quartet on the pop charts popularizing the name Michelle — The Mamas and the Papas co-founder Michelle Phillips surely helped. Today, the name is experiencing a bit of a lull, and even fell in rank between last year and the year before, but all it takes is one hit song to bring it back again.

Thomas

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 9

SSA ranking today: 41

Meaning: "twin"

Thomas is another good option for parents who like to have a choice of nicknames, like Tommy or Tom, as in singer Tom Jones. Perhaps that's why the name keeps kicking around: It's been in the top 100 names for more than a century, more often than not in the top 50. It hit its lowest point in 2011 and 2012, when it was ranked at No. 63, but it's trending upwards once more, possibly to regain its former glory.

Cynthia

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 10

SSA ranking today: 873

Meaning: "moon" or "from Mount Kynthos"

Michelle wasn't the only Beatles-adjacent name making headlines in the 1960s; Cynthia, as in one-time Beatles' wife Cynthia Lennon, was also hitting it big. This time, it probably is a coincidence, since the name started trending long before Cynthia married John Lennon, and peaked in 1957. Today, it barely makes the SSA list of the most popular names, and nicknames like Cindy have not yet cracked the list, so parents can claim it as their own.

Jeffrey

SSA ranking in the 1960s: 10SSA ranking today: 485

Meaning: "pledge of peace"

From Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck to eventual ELO founder Jeff Lynne, there were many musical Jeffs in the 1960s to inspire parents to name their child Jeffrey. In fact, Jeffrey was at its most popular during this decade, peaking in 1966. Today, it's halfway down the SSA list and slipping, but creative parents may want to bring it back again.