Bible Name Popularity: Every Decade From the 1880s
Type a name to see how common it really was, decade by decade, in United States birth records from 1880 to 2008 — 646 biblical and Christian names charted from the official record, not estimates.
How popular is the name James?
Peaked in the 1940s at 5.29% of US births · first recorded in the 1880s · most recent decade 0.70% ·
falling
| Decade | Share of US births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 4.62% |
| 1890s | 4.13% |
| 1900s | 4.24% |
| 1910s | 4.01% |
| 1920s | 4.56% |
| 1930s | 5.07% |
| 1940s | 5.29% |
| 1950s | 4.14% |
| 1960s | 3.51% |
| 1970s | 2.61% |
| 1980s | 1.87% |
| 1990s | 1.19% |
| 2000s | 0.70% |
In Scripture, James first appears in Matthew (the gospels, c. 5 BC – AD 33). See the name history.
Most common of these names in the 2000s
| Name | 2000s share | Peak decade | Peak share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob | 1.19% | 1990s | 1.46% |
| Michael | 1.09% | 1960s | 4.29% |
| Joshua | 1.01% | 1980s | 2.08% |
| Matthew | 0.97% | 1980s | 2.40% |
| Matthew | 0.97% | 1980s | 2.40% |
| Christopher | 0.88% | 1980s | 2.92% |
| Andrew | 0.88% | 1980s | 1.48% |
| Daniel | 0.88% | 1980s | 1.81% |
| Ethan | 0.86% | 2000s | 0.86% |
| Joseph | 0.85% | 1910s | 2.61% |
| William | 0.83% | 1880s | 7.24% |
| Nicholas | 0.79% | 1990s | 1.34% |
| David | 0.77% | 1950s | 3.75% |
| Hannah | 0.73% | 1990s | 0.81% |
| John | 0.70% | 1880s | 7.68% |
| James | 0.70% | 1940s | 5.29% |
| Abigail | 0.67% | 2000s | 0.67% |
| Jordan | 0.64% | 1990s | 1.02% |
| Jonathan | 0.63% | 1980s | 1.20% |
| Christian | 0.62% | 1990s | 0.65% |
| Elizabeth | 0.60% | 1880s | 1.82% |
| Samuel | 0.59% | 1880s | 0.78% |
| Noah | 0.59% | 2000s | 0.59% |
| Benjamin | 0.58% | 1980s | 0.73% |
| Nathan | 0.58% | 2000s | 0.58% |
Biggest risers since the 1920s
Furthest from their peak
Frequently asked questions
Keep going
- Bible name history — when each name first appears in Scripture.
- Bible name meaning tool
- Browse all Christian names A–Z
Figures are United States births only. Source: US Social Security Administration national baby-name records, 1880-2008.