Popular Names of 1998

The 20 most popular names given to female and to male babies born in 1998, as recorded, with each name’s rank in 2025. Devin peaked among human males this year, at 62nd.

Table 1. Female names, 1998
Rank	Name	Number	Rank in 2025
1	Emily	26,188	34
2	Hannah	21,376	56
3	Samantha	20,195	151
4	Sarah	19,898	90
5	Ashley	19,875	164
6	Alexis	19,778	554
7	Taylor	18,576	403
8	Jessica	18,239	665
9	Madison	17,787	40
10	Elizabeth	15,193	17
11	Alyssa	13,709	453
12	Kayla	13,422	364
13	Megan	13,258	889
14	Lauren	12,908	401
15	Rachel	12,209	250
16	Victoria	12,148	54
17	Brianna	12,047	222
18	Abigail	11,100	41
19	Amanda	10,928	493
20	Jennifer	10,692	586

Table 2. Male names, 1998
Rank	Name	Number	Rank in 2025
1	Michael	36,618	21
2	Jacob	36,031	43
3	Matthew	31,146	32
4	Joshua	28,095	66
5	Christopher	27,007	68
6	Nicholas	26,632	112
7	Brandon	23,832	261
8	Tyler	23,712	220
9	Andrew	23,664	73
10	Austin	23,478	113
11	Joseph	23,186	29
12	Daniel	23,165	22
13	David	20,892	35
14	William	20,836	9
15	John	20,633	23
16	Zachary	20,580	216
17	Ryan	20,198	99
18	James	19,690	6
19	Anthony	19,634	46
20	Justin	17,971	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.