The most popular baby names don't change too dramatically from one year to the next, but clear trends emerge over longer periods of time. So if you were born anytime in the late 1980s, odds are you had a fair number of Samanthas and Ashleys in your class.
We examined Social Security Administration data to identify the most popular baby names in the U.S. from 1987 to 1989. Although some names remain popular today (hi to all the Michaels, Matthews and Elizabeths out there), others have fallen out of fashion (condolences to the Tiffanys, Ambers and Crystals).
Keep scrolling to see the list of 30 most popular names for boys and girls in the late '80s.
Girls
- Jessica
- Ashley
- Amanda
- Brittany
- Jennifer
- Sarah
- Stephanie
- Samantha
- Elizabeth
- Lauren
- Nicole
- Megan
- Heather
- Amber
- Melissa
- Tiffany
- Danielle
- Emily
- Rachel
- Christina
- Michelle
- Kayla
- Laura
- Kimberly
- Rebecca
- Courtney
- Katherine
- Amy
- Crystal
- Sara
Boys
- Michael
- Christopher
- Matthew
- Joshua
- David
- Andrew
- Daniel
- Justin
- James
- Robert
- John
- Joseph
- Ryan
- Nicholas
- William
- Brandon
- Anthony
- Jonathan
- Kevin
- Kyle
- Eric
- Brian
- Steven
- Thomas
- Timothy
- Adam
- Jacob
- Jason
- Zachary
- Benjamin