Names That Peaked In 1956

These names hit their all-time highest U.S. ranking in 1956 and have never ranked as high since — the sound of that moment, frozen in the data. (The #1 names that year were Mary and Michael — reigning champions usually peak in a different year than they reign.)

Peaked in 1955 Peaked in 1957 Full 1956 top 100 The 1950s as a whole

Name & meaning	Babies 2025 · rank	5-year rank movement	Peak year
Debra	31#4,477	Down 1,018 rank positions in five years	1955
Theresa	136#1,559	Down 149 rank positions in five years	1961
Randy	198#1,089	Down 230 rank positions in five years	1956
Lynn	69#2,558	Down 286 rank positions in five years	1956
Micheal	130#1,406	Down 358 rank positions in five years	1957
Laurel	372#734	Down 48 rank positions in five years	1956
Robin	382#705	Up 169 rank positions in five years	1956
Doreen	25#5,131	Up 3,402 rank positions in five years	1956
Debora	78#2,336	Down 74 rank positions in five years	1957
Cathleen	10#9,578	Down 521 rank positions in five years	1958
Jayne	60#2,837	Down 274 rank positions in five years	1957
Joni	112#1,803	Up 427 rank positions in five years	1956
Jeri	7#12,470	Down 5,104 rank positions in five years	1957
Nanette	6#14,408	Down 4,358 rank positions in five years	1957
Hal	38#3,150	Up 213 rank positions in five years	1956
Jeffry	15#5,977	Down 1,204 rank positions in five years	1956
Sheree	—Unranked	—	1956
Melodie	94#2,032	Up 12 rank positions in five years	1956
Broderick	51#2,573	Down 964 rank positions in five years	2009
Dorene	—Unranked	—	1958
Mimi	14#7,763	Down 1,519 rank positions in five years	1961
Teena	—Unranked	—	1956
Roxane	6#14,587	Down 2,654 rank positions in five years	1956
Sherie	—Unranked	—	1957
Geralyn	—Unranked	—	1956
Donell	13#6,550	Down 167 rank positions in five years	1959
Audie	31#3,585	Down 1,191 rank positions in five years	1956
Cherrie	—Unranked	—	1956
Leesa	—Unranked	—	1956
Lex	60#2,322	Down 515 rank positions in five years	2012
Michal	15#6,046	Down 656 rank positions in five years	1961
Kevan	—Unranked	—	1986
Karan	—Unranked	—	1956
Caron	—Unranked	—	1956
Gaylene	—Unranked	—	1956
Jaye	13#8,070	new	1956
Faron	8#9,166	Down 1,475 rank positions in five years	1956
Kathey	—Unranked	—	1956
Kem	—Unranked	—	1956

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How this list is built

A name “peaked” in 1956 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.