New Post
Search
HelpTop Ten MIddle Names
The genealogy site MooseRoots tallied the top ten middle names from 1900 until 2015 using data from the SSA. The tally is by decade. The website closed down in 2015 that's why the last tally is five years and not a full decade.
Each of the 11 and a half decades - Elizabeth, Marie, and Ann. Anne was in the top 4 times.
10 times -Lee
7 times - Louise, Lynn, and Mae. May made two appearances.
6 times - Jean
5 times - Jane, and Renee
4 times - Rose
3 times - Ruth, Nicole, Kay, Mary, Michelle, and Sue
2 times - Faith, Irene, Grace
Once - Lou, Margaret, and Dawn
I was surprised that Lee was so popular as a middle name for so long. I also thought Denice would be in there for the 1960's and 70's.
Each of the 11 and a half decades - Elizabeth, Marie, and Ann. Anne was in the top 4 times.
10 times -Lee
7 times - Louise, Lynn, and Mae. May made two appearances.
6 times - Jean
5 times - Jane, and Renee
4 times - Rose
3 times - Ruth, Nicole, Kay, Mary, Michelle, and Sue
2 times - Faith, Irene, Grace
Once - Lou, Margaret, and Dawn
I was surprised that Lee was so popular as a middle name for so long. I also thought Denice would be in there for the 1960's and 70's.
Replies
Margaret was in the top ten in 1900 - 1909, Faith and Grace in 2000 - 2015, Dawn in 1970-1979. I imagine Faith and Grace remained in the top ten after 2015.
Louise, Mary and Irene were popular for multiple generations in my family tree.
I know people IRL with the middle names Ann, Anne, Lynn, Renee, and Rose.
One of my best friends has a Lee middle name, and she was born in the late 80s. It does feel very retro now, like something from the 50s!
Nicole, Lynn and Marie were the go-to middle names for my peers for sure. I always remember feeling a bit puzzled by Nicole's popularity, it felt different from the one syllable fillers, and it was also popular as a first name. But why that one? Nobody ever had Jennifer, Jessica, or Ashley as a middle name. It was a real mystery to me.
One of us had Kathleen as a middle and it felt positively exotic.
Nicole, Lynn and Marie were the go-to middle names for my peers for sure. I always remember feeling a bit puzzled by Nicole's popularity, it felt different from the one syllable fillers, and it was also popular as a first name. But why that one? Nobody ever had Jennifer, Jessica, or Ashley as a middle name. It was a real mystery to me.
One of us had Kathleen as a middle and it felt positively exotic.
I was surprised that Lee was in the top 10 from 1900 - 1999. My niece recently gave her daughter Lee as a middle name. It might get a boost as a way to honor a male relative or riding on the popular "lee" sound at the end of names.
Sounds about right
Interesting!
I like Jean and Lee!
I was reading the list of names on my daughter's high school graduating class (born circa 2006) - the ones I saw most often were Nicole, Marie, Rose, and Grace. Many of the names on your list were well-represented, but not Faith, Jean, Louise, Sue, Mae, Margaret, Lou, Dawn, Michelle.
Lily / Lilly and Lillian, Victoria, and Lauren appeared multiple times.
Of the gals with English names and middles listed, more of them seemed to have "second choice" names or "probably older relative" names, than had the "popular" middles.
I'm surprised Claire is not more popular as a middle name than it is.
I like Jean and Lee!
I was reading the list of names on my daughter's high school graduating class (born circa 2006) - the ones I saw most often were Nicole, Marie, Rose, and Grace. Many of the names on your list were well-represented, but not Faith, Jean, Louise, Sue, Mae, Margaret, Lou, Dawn, Michelle.
Lily / Lilly and Lillian, Victoria, and Lauren appeared multiple times.
Of the gals with English names and middles listed, more of them seemed to have "second choice" names or "probably older relative" names, than had the "popular" middles.
I'm surprised Claire is not more popular as a middle name than it is.
My daughter's middle name is Claire!