Names That Peaked In 1985

These names hit their all-time highest U.S. ranking in 1985 and have never ranked as high since — the sound of that moment, frozen in the data. (The #1 names that year were Jessica and Michael — reigning champions usually peak in a different year than they reign.)

Peaked in 1984 Peaked in 1986 Full 1985 top 100 The 1980s as a whole

Name & meaning	Babies 2025 · rank	5-year rank movement	Peak year
Daniel	8,085#22	Down 8 rank positions in five years	1985
Jessica	424#665	Down 266 rank positions in five years	1987
Megan	301#889	Down 249 rank positions in five years	1990
Kristina	118#1,724	Down 424 rank positions in five years	1985
Meghan	102#1,906	Down 1,026 rank positions in five years	1985
Rafael	1,639#218	Up 29 rank positions in five years	2006
Drew	541#553	Down 22 rank positions in five years	1985
Krystal	88#2,135	Down 374 rank positions in five years	1985
Cara	168#1,326	Down 418 rank positions in five years	1985
Dominique	51#3,140	Down 1,056 rank positions in five years	1985
Terrell	113#1,538	Down 406 rank positions in five years	1989
Julianne	96#1,997	Down 560 rank positions in five years	1989
Antoine	95#1,708	Down 330 rank positions in five years	1985
Taryn	45#3,448	Down 1,771 rank positions in five years	1985
Alvaro	328#777	Up 76 rank positions in five years	2000
Jayme	14#7,644	Down 3,433 rank positions in five years	1985
Jena	23#5,473	Down 874 rank positions in five years	1986
Krystle	—Unranked	—	1985
Racheal	6#14,520	Up 2,455 rank positions in five years	1985
Marisela	26#5,054	Down 999 rank positions in five years	1985
Daniel	8#11,162	Down 5,033 rank positions in five years	1985
Jerrell	20#4,935	Down 1,176 rank positions in five years	1989
Lazaro	117#1,504	Up 28 rank positions in five years	2004
Kandice	—Unranked	—	1985
Chiquita	—Unranked	—	1985
Santana	92#2,060	Down 456 rank positions in five years	1985
Shira	79#2,321	Up 305 rank positions in five years	2009
Shante	—Unranked	—	1990
Kristan	—Unranked	—	1985
Dejuan	28#3,867	Down 781 rank positions in five years	1990
Linsey	7#12,635	new	1985
Ryne	18#5,352	Down 1,349 rank positions in five years	1985
Tasia	11#9,401	Down 500 rank positions in five years	1985
Brandon	—Unranked	—	1985
Alain	44#2,835	Down 216 rank positions in five years	1988
Dominque	—Unranked	—	1985
Jessica	—Unranked	—	1989
Magen	—Unranked	—	1985
Christoper	6#10,923	new	1985
Nicholas	8#11,636	Up 5,200 rank positions in five years	1985
Meggan	—Unranked	—	1985
Joshuah	10#7,926	Down 1,124 rank positions in five years	1989
Magan	—Unranked	—	1990
Terell	5#13,679	Down 3,200 rank positions in five years	1994
Amanda	—Unranked	—	1985
Durrell	—Unranked	—	1985
Danielle	—Unranked	—	1989
Jerrad	—Unranked	—	1985
Durell	—Unranked	—	1985

Page 1 of 1

How this list is built

A name “peaked” in 1985 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.