babynamepicker

Girl Names of the 1980s

The 100 most common girl names given in the United States during the 1980s, by the number of children recorded with each name across those years.

All 100 names

  1. Jessica 469,510
  2. Jennifer 440,914
  3. Amanda 369,727
  4. Ashley 352,185
  5. Sarah 272,637
  6. Stephanie 218,173
  7. Melissa 217,922
  8. Nicole 210,494
  9. Elizabeth 198,972
  10. Heather 191,852
  11. Tiffany 158,625
  12. Michelle 154,027
  13. Amber 153,951
  14. Megan 153,500
  15. Amy 150,662
  16. Rachel 146,675
  17. Kimberly 146,452
  18. Christina 146,008
  19. Lauren 145,161
  20. Crystal 141,007
  21. Brittany 140,854
  22. Rebecca 136,248
  23. Laura 134,608
  24. Danielle 134,379
  25. Emily 131,764
  26. Samantha 121,124
  27. Angela 116,595
  28. Erin 115,811
  29. Kelly 109,539
  30. Sara 104,682
  31. Lisa 102,610
  32. Katherine 99,175
  33. Andrea 98,263
  34. Jamie 96,556
  35. Mary 95,862
  36. Erica 93,159
  37. Courtney 84,309
  38. Kristen 83,228
  39. Shannon 78,420
  40. April 75,950
  41. Katie 72,883
  42. Lindsey 71,940
  43. Kristin 70,558
  44. Lindsay 68,491
  45. Christine 68,016
  46. Alicia 66,966
  47. Maria 65,778
  48. Vanessa 65,731
  49. Kathryn 62,443
  50. Allison 62,327
  51. Julie 61,682
  52. Anna 57,327
  53. Tara 56,338
  54. Kayla 55,291
  55. Natalie 54,428
  56. Victoria 53,272
  57. Monica 51,863
  58. Jacqueline 51,561
  59. Holly 49,653
  60. Kristina 45,947
  61. Patricia 45,127
  62. Cassandra 44,911
  63. Brandy 44,527
  64. Whitney 44,373
  65. Chelsea 43,163
  66. Brandi 42,890
  67. Catherine 42,437
  68. Cynthia 41,666
  69. Kathleen 39,394
  70. Veronica 39,231
  71. Leslie 38,729
  72. Natasha 38,213
  73. Krystal 37,496
  74. Stacy 36,990
  75. Diana 36,904
  76. Erika 36,852
  77. Dana 36,826
  78. Jenna 36,601
  79. Meghan 36,206
  80. Carrie 36,079
  81. Leah 36,056
  82. Melanie 35,952
  83. Brooke 34,977
  84. Karen 34,914
  85. Alexandra 34,817
  86. Valerie 34,629
  87. Caitlin 33,584
  88. Julia 33,354
  89. Alyssa 32,952
  90. Jasmine 32,952
  91. Hannah 32,702
  92. Stacey 32,138
  93. Brittney 31,532
  94. Susan 30,549
  95. Margaret 30,352
  96. Sandra 30,048
  97. Candice 29,847
  98. Latoya 29,537
  99. Bethany 29,331
  100. Misty 29,114

How 1980s girl names compare

Jessica was the most common girl name of the 1980s, given to 469,510 girls across those years, with Jennifer, Amanda, Ashley and Sarah behind it. The hundredth name on the list, Misty, accounts for 29,114. Between them the hundred names cover 9,252,037 births. Two different names took the number one spot across the decade: Jennifer for five years and Jessica for five years.

66 of these names were also in the 1970s top 100, and 34 were not. Eight are still in the 2025 top 100 — Sarah, Elizabeth, Emily, Maria, Natalie, Victoria, Leah and Hannah — and 42 are inside the top 500.

Those hundred names cover 53.9% of all girls born in the 1980s — 9,252,037 of 17,175,531 — and Jessica alone accounts for 2.7% of them. The hundred most common names of 2025 take 31.5% between them, so naming has spread wider since. Every one of the hundred was already in the record before the 1980s began.

Questions about 1980s girl names

What was the most popular girl name of the 1980s?

Jessica, given to 469,510 girls across those years. The next two were Jennifer and Amanda.

Are 1980s girl names still used today?

Eight of the hundred are in the 2025 top 100: Sarah, Elizabeth, Emily, Maria, Natalie, Victoria, Leah and Hannah.