Names That Peaked In 1935

These names hit their all-time highest U.S. ranking in 1935 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 1934 Peaked in 1936 Full 1935 top 100 The 1930s as a whole

Name & meaning	Babies 2025 · rank	5-year rank movement	Peak year
Shirley	133#1,586	Down 36 rank positions in five years	1935
Joanne	66#2,630	Down 202 rank positions in five years	1947
Gordon	209#1,052	Down 87 rank positions in five years	1952
Marlene	177#1,268	Up 300 rank positions in five years	1936
Jackie	62#2,269	Up 132 rank positions in five years	1951
Ted	37#3,228	Up 31 rank positions in five years	1958
Royce	606#500	Down 94 rank positions in five years	2021
Ruthie	349#781	Up 473 rank positions in five years	1927
Buddy	23#4,417	Down 262 rank positions in five years	1935
Marlin	90#1,788	Up 298 rank positions in five years	1935
Lavonne	—Unranked	—	1935
Claudine	—Unranked	—	1970
Shirley	—Unranked	—	1935
Elida	34#4,203	Down 743 rank positions in five years	1946
Joan	232#987	Up 148 rank positions in five years	2025
Delmer	5#12,480	Down 2,672 rank positions in five years	1924
Nila	116#1,754	Up 49 rank positions in five years	2022
Vernell	—Unranked	—	1924
Huey	42#2,954	Up 567 rank positions in five years	1935
Rosita	42#3,633	Up 1,824 rank positions in five years	1966
Joycelyn	16#6,969	Down 1,416 rank positions in five years	1955
Caryl	—Unranked	—	1947
Shirlee	—Unranked	—	1935
Ardith	—Unranked	—	1930
Gearldine	—Unranked	—	1935
Maxie	7#10,318	new	1935
Farrell	—Unranked	—	1935
Wardell	—Unranked	—	1950
Darold	—Unranked	—	1932
Carma	9#10,253	Down 4,555 rank positions in five years	1961
Lynwood	—Unranked	—	1935
Arlin	46#2,767	Up 260 rank positions in five years	1935
Cleta	—Unranked	—	1935
Sherwin	9#8,807	Down 2,572 rank positions in five years	1935
Vonnie	7#13,101	Up 4,271 rank positions in five years	1959
Duwayne	—Unranked	—	1960
Oneal	6#11,638	Down 4,719 rank positions in five years	1932
Vernetta	—Unranked	—	1951
Elois	—Unranked	—	1935
Merilyn	—Unranked	—	1946
Marlyn	—Unranked	—	1935
Ferrell	—Unranked	—	1935
Delwin	—Unranked	—	1935
Arland	8#8,973	Down 2,655 rank positions in five years	1935
Loris	—Unranked	—	1935
Delma	—Unranked	—	1922
Darlyne	—Unranked	—	1935
Shirlie	—Unranked	—	1935
Darwyn	—Unranked	—	1935
Shirleyann	—Unranked	—	1935

Page 1 of 1

How this list is built

A name “peaked” in 1935 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.