Names That Peaked In 1886

These names hit their all-time highest U.S. ranking in 1886 and have never ranked as high since — the sound of that moment, frozen in the data. (The #1 names that year were Mary and John — reigning champions usually peak in a different year than they reign.)

Peaked in 1885 Peaked in 1887 Full 1886 top 100 The 1880s as a whole

Name & meaning	Babies 2025 · rank	5-year rank movement	Peak year
Oscar	1,620#223	Down 9 rank positions in five years	2006
Herman	58#2,368	Up 6 rank positions in five years	1921
Marshall	977#340	Up 27 rank positions in five years	1947
Blanche	16#6,890	Up 2,156 rank positions in five years	1917
Simon	1,529#230	Up 19 rank positions in five years	2015
Lottie	570#528	Up 1,029 rank positions in five years	1916
Tomas	394#691	Up 17 rank positions in five years	2003
Ola	13#8,225	Down 372 rank positions in five years	1921
Nell	128#1,628	Up 645 rank positions in five years	1917
Pierce	598#505	Down 1 rank positions in five years	2015
Bertie	11#8,953	Up 1,426 rank positions in five years	1928
Sandy	12#7,108	Up 1,497 rank positions in five years	1954
Cliff	43#2,894	Down 228 rank positions in five years	1959
Lindsey	—Unranked	—	1954
Lue	—Unranked	—	1919
Kathryne	—Unranked	—	1990
Hardy	54#2,496	Up 542 rank positions in five years	1921
Lafayette	7#10,258	Down 2,965 rank positions in five years	1921
Pricilla	13#8,233	Up 1,859 rank positions in five years	1990
Oswald	67#2,161	Up 853 rank positions in five years	1916
Emmit	35#3,333	Down 1,553 rank positions in five years	2012
Baxter	38#3,137	Down 444 rank positions in five years	2014
Pearl	—Unranked	—	1918
Dennie	—Unranked	—	1946
West	159#1,255	Up 592 rank positions in five years	2025
Emeline	62#2,759	Down 201 rank positions in five years	2016
Kathern	—Unranked	—	1954
Alonza	—Unranked	—	1961
Gardner	19#5,093	Up 2,080 rank positions in five years	1915
Elie	32#3,534	Down 93 rank positions in five years	2009
Drusilla	8#11,188	Down 2,082 rank positions in five years	1955
Christena	—Unranked	—	1975
Pearle	—Unranked	—	1919
Shedrick	—Unranked	—	1973
Ammie	—Unranked	—	1973
Cornelious	—Unranked	—	1921
Leonie	80#2,291	Up 355 rank positions in five years	2025
Green	—Unranked	—	1927
Bartley	—Unranked	—	1959
Woodie	—Unranked	—	1946
Arrie	5#15,190	new	1922
Angele	—Unranked	—	1972
Vertie	—Unranked	—	1916
Percival	113#1,536	Up 1,183 rank positions in five years	2025
Lacey	—Unranked	—	1949
Parthenia	11#9,313	Up 5,370 rank positions in five years	1923
Celestia	42#3,585	Up 882 rank positions in five years	2025
Ferman	8#9,170	new	1921
Rosena	—Unranked	—	1923
Woodson	56#2,450	Up 1,354 rank positions in five years	2025
Osie	—Unranked	—	1927
Arminda	—Unranked	—	1981
Whit	79#1,958	Up 882 rank positions in five years	2025
Aleck	—Unranked	—	1917
Electa	—Unranked	—	1918
Omie	—Unranked	—	1920
Mossie	—Unranked	—	1921
Lawyer	—Unranked	—	1930
Clara	—Unranked	—	1930
Alcide	—Unranked	—	1924
Manuelita	—Unranked	—	1922
Butler	—Unranked	—	1919
Algernon	—Unranked	—	1972
Amil	15#5,869	Down 2,941 rank positions in five years	2020
Colbert	—Unranked	—	1931
Florie	—Unranked	—	1917
Dixie	—Unranked	—	1922
Charls	—Unranked	—	1932
Lilburn	—Unranked	—	1925
Elbridge	—Unranked	—	1920
Hardie	—Unranked	—	1921
Lular	—Unranked	—	1919
Ruffin	—Unranked	—	1916
Fronia	—Unranked	—	1918

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How this list is built

A name “peaked” in 1886 when that year holds its best-ever position in the national rankings — rank, not raw count, because raw counts track how many babies were born and would pile every “peak” into the boom years. To qualify, a name must have reached the top 1,000 at its height and have at least 500 all-time applications. Lists are ordered by that peak rank.

Ranks come from U.S. births, counted separately for girls and boys. “Unranked” today means fewer than 5 applications in the latest year — uncommon, never invalid.