Names That Peaked In 1934

These names hit their all-time highest U.S. ranking in 1934 and have never ranked as high since — the sound of that moment, frozen in the data. (The #1 names that year were Mary and Robert — reigning champions usually peak in a different year than they reign.)

Peaked in 1933 Peaked in 1935 Full 1934 top 100 The 1930s as a whole

Name & meaning	Babies 2025 · rank	5-year rank movement	Peak year
Donald	395#690	Down 81 rank positions in five years	1934
Bobby	195#1,097	Down 247 rank positions in five years	1937
Wanda	20#6,095	Up 519 rank positions in five years	1957
Don	89#1,795	Down 73 rank positions in five years	1946
Joann	54#3,049	Down 378 rank positions in five years	1942
Arlene	127#1,632	Down 61 rank positions in five years	1934
Delores	21#5,770	Up 1,535 rank positions in five years	1932
Jimmie	30#3,699	Down 1,577 rank positions in five years	1934
Bob	7#9,841	Down 3,164 rank positions in five years	1959
Bobbie	91#2,067	Up 1,487 rank positions in five years	1934
Faye	579#515	Up 173 rank positions in five years	1943
Carroll	—Unranked	—	1934
Dick	—Unranked	—	1934
Jimmie	5#15,957	Down 1,771 rank positions in five years	1934
Libby	202#1,146	Up 7 rank positions in five years	2009
Twila	44#3,511	Up 2,141 rank positions in five years	1960
Joe	—Unranked	—	1934
Ofelia	87#2,148	Down 2 rank positions in five years	1929
Arden	225#1,005	Up 148 rank positions in five years	2024
Raymon	21#4,824	Down 436 rank positions in five years	1926
Arlen	107#1,587	Up 527 rank positions in five years	1934
Lavon	—Unranked	—	1924
Carrol	—Unranked	—	1930
Elden	36#3,263	Down 173 rank positions in five years	1922
Nada	32#4,431	Down 450 rank positions in five years	2000
Christene	—Unranked	—	1925
Kay	10#7,947	Down 147 rank positions in five years	1934
Marcelina	59#2,882	Up 1,826 rank positions in five years	2024
Arla	26#4,997	Down 103 rank positions in five years	1934
Deane	6#10,968	Down 51 rank positions in five years	1947
Pearlene	—Unranked	—	1938
Lavona	—Unranked	—	1934
Verlyn	—Unranked	—	1928
Marland	—Unranked	—	1934
Rheta	—Unranked	—	1934

Page 1 of 1

How this list is built

A name “peaked” in 1934 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.