In the grand scheme of human history, 25 years might not seem like a very long time, but a lot can change in a quarter-century.
Take baby names for instance. Every year, the Social Security Administration releases the official list of the most popular baby names in the US. Although certain names tend to dominate from one year to the next, interesting trends appear when you look at slightly longer chunks of time.
We decided to look back at the most popular names 25 years ago to see how parents’ choices in 1997 compare to today’s trends.
If you’re a 25-year-old American in 2022, odds are you know a fair share of Jessicas, Ashleys, Taylors and Matthews around your age. But while the most popular baby names for boys generally remain favoured among parents today, the top names for girls have mostly dropped down the list.
Below, find are the 25 most popular baby names for boys and girls born in 1997 (along with where they rank today):
Girls
Emily (21)
Jessica (481)
Ashley (172)
Sarah (92)
Hannah (44)
Samantha (105)
Taylor (192)
Alexis (341)
Elizabeth (14)
Madison (29)
Megan (612)
Kayla (255)
Rachel (239)
Lauren (336)
Alyssa (233)
Amanda (475)
Brianna (184)
Jennifer (493)
Victoria (43)
Brittany (934)
Nicole (340)
Morgan (205)
Stephanie (455)
Jasmine (170)
Rebecca (304)
Boys
Michael (17)
Jacob (24)
Matthew (36)
Christopher (52)
Joshua (58)
Nicholas (92)
Andrew (57)
Brandon (181)
Austin (96)
Tyler (157)
Daniel (16)
Joseph (28)
Zachary (144)
David (30)
John (27)
Ryan (66)
James (5)
Anthony (43)
William (6)
Justin (179)
Jonathan (78)
Alexander (13)
Robert (79)
Kyle (364)
Christian (72)