Popular Names of 1983

The 20 most popular names given to female and to male babies born in 1983, as recorded, with each name’s rank in 2025. Erica peaked among human females this year, at 33rd.

Table 1. Female names, 1983
Rank	Name	Number	Rank in 2025
1	Jennifer	54,353	586
2	Jessica	45,283	665
3	Amanda	33,749	493
4	Ashley	33,289	164
5	Sarah	27,228	90
6	Melissa	23,475	420
7	Nicole	22,400	383
8	Stephanie	22,329	557
9	Heather	20,747	1,264
10	Elizabeth	19,842	17
11	Crystal	17,904	1,145
12	Amy	17,097	257
13	Michelle	16,838	465
14	Tiffany	15,959	880
15	Kimberly	15,370	303
16	Christina	15,357	770
17	Amber	14,892	520
18	Erin	14,836	833
19	Rebecca	14,714	350
20	Rachel	14,591	250

Table 2. Male names, 1983
Rank	Name	Number	Rank in 2025
1	Michael	68,004	21
2	Christopher	59,324	68
3	Matthew	50,209	32
4	David	39,201	35
5	Joshua	36,687	66
6	James	36,342	6
7	Jason	35,113	165
8	Daniel	34,748	22
9	John	33,154	23
10	Robert	32,745	92
11	Joseph	30,442	29
12	Justin	28,298	233
13	Ryan	27,849	99
14	Brian	26,050	339
15	Andrew	25,559	73
16	William	25,396	9
17	Brandon	23,519	261
18	Adam	23,488	101
19	Jonathan	22,756	89
20	Eric	20,347	273

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As recorded on the Social Security card application. Names given to fewer than five babies of a sex in a year are not published, so the file is a floor.