Names That Peaked In 1973

These names hit their all-time highest U.S. ranking in 1973 and have never ranked as high since — the sound of that moment, frozen in the data. (The #1 names that year were Jennifer and Michael — reigning champions usually peak in a different year than they reign.)

Peaked in 1972 Peaked in 1974 Full 1973 top 100 The 1970s as a whole

Name & meaning	Babies 2025 · rank	5-year rank movement	Peak year
Eric	1,256#273	Down 75 rank positions in five years	1970
Rebecca	872#350	Down 101 rank positions in five years	1981
Amy	1,200#257	Down 42 rank positions in five years	1975
Shawn	399#682	Down 230 rank positions in five years	1971
Shane	439#636	Down 129 rank positions in five years	1973
Melinda	97#1,985	Down 129 rank positions in five years	1970
Tonya	11#9,409	Down 2,217 rank positions in five years	1972
Bridget	385#724	Up 26 rank positions in five years	1973
Gretchen	33#4,291	Down 1,684 rank positions in five years	1973
Jermaine	118#1,496	Down 399 rank positions in five years	1973
Jenifer	15#7,280	Up 83 rank positions in five years	1974
Staci	—Unranked	—	1971
Kenya	71#2,499	Down 1,291 rank positions in five years	1973
Bridgette	88#2,125	Up 181 rank positions in five years	1970
Jamison	324#786	Down 307 rank positions in five years	2017
Melisa	57#2,950	Up 529 rank positions in five years	1979
Bryon	17#5,424	Down 1,388 rank positions in five years	1970
Bridgett	12#8,450	Down 1,771 rank positions in five years	1970
Catrina	12#8,462	Up 1,236 rank positions in five years	1980
Suzanna	61#2,813	Up 404 rank positions in five years	1973
Shonda	—Unranked	—	1970
Demond	24#4,282	Down 442 rank positions in five years	1974
Melonie	9#10,624	Down 6,008 rank positions in five years	1973
Garrick	12#6,925	Down 2,744 rank positions in five years	1989
Paulo	110#1,559	Up 59 rank positions in five years	2006
Alethea	54#3,030	Down 347 rank positions in five years	1973
Jennifer	—Unranked	—	1975
Jasen	18#5,295	Down 1,338 rank positions in five years	1979
Tangela	—Unranked	—	1971
Torrance	18#5,367	Down 164 rank positions in five years	1973
Shane	—Unranked	—	1973
Tracee	—Unranked	—	1973
Jory	22#4,613	Up 516 rank positions in five years	1989
Torrence	13#6,762	Up 228 rank positions in five years	1973
Cristi	5#15,435	new	1973
Britt	—Unranked	—	1973
Kenya	—Unranked	—	1973
Jermain	6#11,258	Down 2,897 rank positions in five years	1981
Nyree	17#6,761	Down 964 rank positions in five years	1973
Rahsaan	—Unranked	—	1973
Vonetta	—Unranked	—	1973
Vashon	5#13,754	new	1973

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How this list is built

A name “peaked” in 1973 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.