These vintage 1950s boy names are making a huge comeback

Ronnie/Ronald
Frederick
Lawrence
Looking for more baby-name inspiration?

Ronnie/Ronald, Frederick, Lawrence, Looking for more baby-name inspiration?

When it comes to choosing baby names, the 1950s have a reputation for — I'll say it — being square, especially when it comes to boys' names. And while it's true that the top names of the decade, which are James, Michael and Robert, are as normal as they come — they didn't increase or decrease in popularity last year — it doesn't mean that the decade is devoid of any up-and-coming baby names.

For those who may be looking for a vintage name, who want to honor a grandfather or are just looking for a name that stands the test of time, these are the baby boy names from the 1950s that increased in popularity last year. While not first appearing in the '50s, they were all incredibly popular in that decade, ranking in the top 100 on the list of most-popular names put out by the Social Security Administration (SSA). In addition, they all increased in popularity between last year and the year before, meaning they're due for a comeback.

Ronnie/Ronald

SSA rank in the 1950s: 78/15

SSA rank today: 995/575

Year-over-year increase in rank: 113/37 places

Meaning: "ruler's counselor"

Fastest-climbing name of the '50s is actually a two-for-one: Both Ronnie, as in tailback Ronnie Knox, and Ronald, like then-actor Ronald Reagan, made their way up the charts this year. Currently, Ronald (No. 575 on the SSA list) vastly outranks Ronnie (No. 995, barely hanging on). But Ronnie is the one that had the bigger jump between last year and the year before, leapfrogging more than 100 places in rank to Ronald's 37.

Frederick

SSA rank in the 1950s: 87

SSA rank today: 423

Year-over-year increase in rank: 83 places

Meaning: "peaceful ruler"

Frederick — as in composer Frederick Lowe (left), half of the songwriting duo of Lerner & Lowe — is a long way from its 1913 peak, when it was ranked No. 49. But Frederick had a huge, 83-place jump between last year and the year before, which could signal it's on its way back to its former glory. And, with its wealth of nicknames, from Fred to Freddy or even Ricky, it's easy to see why it's striking a chord with parents.

Lawrence

SSA rank in the 1950s: 42

SSA rank today: 509

Year-over-year increase in rank: 49 places

Meaning: "crowned with laurel"

From bandleader Lawrence Welk to the blockbuster Lawrence of Arabia, the name Lawrence seems like it commanded the spotlight in the '50s and '60s. In fact, it peaked in 1945, when it was No. 30. Since then, it's been on a slow decline — until recently. The name also rose 49 places between last year and the year before, and nearly 70 places since 2021, which means its comeback is well underway.

Wayne

SSA rank in the 1950s: 43

SSA rank today: 686

Year-over-year increase in rank: 48 places

Meaning: "wagon maker"

Country-and-western names are huge right now — thanks to Yellowstone for that — and nothing embodies the cowboy lifestyle more than actor John Wayne. It's no wonder the name Wayne has been rising since it bottomed out in 2017 (a year before Yellowstone's debut). And though it's not a '50s name, the similarly countrified name Waylon is even more popular, currently sitting at No. 65 on the SSA list.

Eugene

SSA rank in the 1950s: 81

SSA rank today: 870

Year-over-year increase in rank: 48 places

Meaning: "noble"

Whether they go by Eugene, like playwright Eugene O'Neill, or Gene, like soft-shoe legend Gene Kelly, the name Eugene is one that stands the test of time. Then again, there have been years when it seemed like Eugene was about to fall off the SSA list: It went from its peak in 1929, when it was the 20th most popular name in the country, to barely making it in 2022, when it was ranked No. 930 out of 1,000. It hung on, though, and since then it's been on the upswing again — and only time will tell if it can climb all the way back into the top 20.

Ricky

SSA rank in the 1950s: 47

SSA rank today: 828

Year-over-year increase in rank: 45 places

Meaning: "brave leader" or "powerful ruler"

Giving kids nicknames as first names — especially old-timey sounding ones like Ace or Archie — has been a trend for a while now, and Ricky fits right in. Sure, it could be a nickname for Richard or Frederick, but celebrities like teen idol Ricky Nelson show how the name can also stand on its own.

Tony

SSA rank in the 1950s: 91

SSA rank today: 803

Year-over-year increase in rank: 41 places

Meaning: "priceless one"

Like Ricky, Tony — as in actor Tony Curtis — is a nickname-as-first-name that's gaining steam on its own. Tony took a precipitous drop in 2023, when it fell from No. 698 to No. 844 in one year. But last year offered a corrective, and it's back to No. 803. Anthony also had a bounce last year, albeit a much smaller one, rising from No. 47 to No. 44.

Scott

SSA rank in the 1950s: 36

SSA rank today: 565

Year-over-year increase in rank: 36 places

Meaning: "from Scotland"

Scott, as in actor Scott Brady, is making strides across the spectrum: Not only did the boy's name Scott rise 36 places between last year and the year before, the girl's name Scottie did even better, rising 414 places, making it the fourth fastest-climbing name of the year. Great Scott!

Arthur

SSA rank in the 1950s: 55

SSA rank today: 105

Year-over-year increase in rank: 25 places

Meaning: "bear"

Arthur — from King Arthur to playwright Arthur Miller — is a name that's always in the upper echelon. Even in its worst years, it's always in the top half of the SSA list of 1,000 baby names. But Arthur has been rising since 2010, which means its rise in rank last year is not a one-off. Its comeback could be due to a rise in fantasy names (think Lucien from A Court of Thorns and Roses or Caspian from The Chronicles of Narnia — both of which also had big boosts this year).

Joe

SSA rank in the 1950s: 57

SSA rank today: 883

Year-over-year increase in rank: 25 places

Meaning: "God will increase"

Joe — like actor Joe Adams — proves just how strong the nicknames-as-first-names trend is for boys right now. Both Joe (No. 883) and Joey (No. 889) increased in rank this year. Joseph (No. 32), which is still a vastly more popular name overall, did not. It actually lost a few places in rank. While the nicknames probably don't have what it takes to overtake Joseph, it shows their appeal is gaining.

Leonard

SSA rank in the 1950s: 88

SSA rank today: 673

Year-over-year increase in rank: 19 places

Meaning: "brave as a lion"

Right now, Leonardo (No. 64) is much more popular than Leonard (No. 673) — and Leo outshines them both, sitting high at No. 24. But of those three, only Leonard, as in composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, increased in popularity between last year and the year before, which means it won't bow out of the spotlight just yet.

Peter

SSA rank in the 1950s: 39

SSA rank today: 192

Year-over-year increase in rank: 18 places

Meaning: "stone"

You can find Peters throughout history — from Peter Rabbit to Peter the Great to actor Peter Lorre — but the name Peter peaked in the 1950s. It had its highest rank ever in 1955, when it was No. 35. It stayed a top-100 name through 1996, and even during its worst years, in 2020 and 2021 it was ranked at No. 215, so it's hard remarkable staying power. But since 2021 it's been inching up again, and last year made it to No. 192 — its best result since 2010.

Brian

SSA rank in the 1950s: 34

SSA rank today: 301

Year-over-year increase in rank: 16 places

Meaning: "noble"

Brian, as in British actor Brian Aherne, is a name that suffers from having two very popular spellings. Combine Brian and its homophone Bryan — what baby-naming website Nameberry calls the Playground Analysis, because it attempts to figure out what names you're actually most likely to hear called out on a playground, regardless of spelling — and the name would rank closer to No. 164 than No. 301. But only Brian is gaining, so if parents need to rally around one spelling, that's the way to go.

Roy

SSA rank in the 1950s: 63

SSA rank today: 541

Year-over-year increase in rank: 15 places

Meaning: "king"

Cowboy icon Roy Rogers could be the reason that Roy is seeing a surge in popularity, since everything country is cool again. Then again, the name peaked in 1901, so Roy Rogers didn't really give it a bounce even during the height of his popularity (though it stayed a top-100 name through 1968). But a new generation of parents has seized on the name, and it's been gaining ground for the past two years.

George

SSA rank in the 1950s: 25

SSA rank today: 124

Year-over-year increase in rank: 12 places

Meaning: "farmer"

We've already seen a big bounce for Peppa Pig's new sister's name, Evie — why wouldn't the same go for her brother, George? George, embodied in the '50s by comedian George Burns, is also a current royal baby name, which could explain why the name has risen 33 places since 2013, when Prince George of Wales was born.

Roger

SSA rank in the 1950s: 37

SSA rank today: 750

Year-over-year increase in rank: 10 places

Meaning: "famous warrior"

Got to hand it to Roy Rogers — his cowboy allure both his first and his last name are trending up now. Or perhaps parents were more swayed by one-time 007 Roger Moore? No matter the cause, Roger, which had its peak in 1945, really turned it around last year and took a 10-place jump, which signals there could be more Rogers on the way.

Vincent

SSA rank in the 1950s: 100

SSA rank today: 111

Year-over-year increase in rank: 9 places

Meaning: "conquering"

Vincent, as in horror icon Vincent Price, is bucking the nickname-as-first-name trend. While Vincent jumped nine places in rank between last year and the year before, Vinny and Vinnie didn't even make the SSA list at all for boys. (Vinnie is No. 984 for girls.) In the '50s, the name was on the upswing, and didn't peak until 1966, when it was No. 58. Today, it's similar in rank to where it was in the '50s, since it was No. 100 back then, and No. 111 this year.

Harry

SSA rank in the 1950s: 89

SSA rank today: 777

Year-over-year increase in rank: 6 places

Meaning: "estate ruler"

Harry, as in musician and activist Harry Belafonte, seems to be having a moment across the pond, where the name is held by phenomenon-starting juggernauts like Harry Potter and Harry Styles. Here, the similar-sounding Henry (No. 6) is much more popular among parents, though Harry has shown a slight uptick between last year and the year before.

John

SSA rank in the 1950s: 4

SSA rank today: 21

Year-over-year increase in rank: 5 places

Meaning: "God is gracious"

John, like great American novelist John Steinbeck, never really goes out of style. It was the No. 1 boy's name between 1900 and 1923, it was a top-10 name throughout the '50s and it's never really dipped below No. 30. For parents who want something truly classic, John will always come out on top.