Popular Names of 1997

The 20 most popular names given to female and to male babies born in 1997, as recorded, with each name’s rank in 2025. Duncan peaked among human males this year, at 378th.

Table 1. Female names, 1997
Rank	Name	Number	Rank in 2025
1	Emily	25,734	34
2	Jessica	21,045	665
3	Ashley	20,897	164
4	Sarah	20,716	90
5	Hannah	20,597	56
6	Samantha	20,170	151
7	Taylor	19,504	403
8	Alexis	17,171	554
9	Elizabeth	15,430	17
10	Madison	15,189	40
11	Megan	14,244	889
12	Kayla	13,885	364
13	Rachel	13,798	250
14	Lauren	13,248	401
15	Alyssa	12,649	453
16	Amanda	12,243	493
17	Brianna	12,008	222
18	Jennifer	11,840	586
19	Victoria	11,795	54
20	Brittany	11,529	928

Table 2. Male names, 1997
Rank	Name	Number	Rank in 2025
1	Michael	37,562	21
2	Jacob	34,163	43
3	Matthew	31,517	32
4	Christopher	29,108	68
5	Joshua	28,289	66
6	Nicholas	27,258	112
7	Andrew	25,208	73
8	Brandon	25,197	261
9	Austin	25,118	113
10	Tyler	24,879	220
11	Daniel	23,950	22
12	Joseph	23,604	29
13	Zachary	21,929	216
14	David	21,896	35
15	John	21,386	23
16	Ryan	20,527	99
17	James	20,408	6
18	Anthony	20,034	46
19	William	20,020	9
20	Justin	18,745	233

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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.