Names That Peaked In 1988

These names hit their all-time highest U.S. ranking in 1988 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 1987 Peaked in 1989 Full 1988 top 100 The 1980s as a whole

Name & meaning	Babies 2025 · rank	5-year rank movement	Peak year
Andrew	4,497#73	Down 21 rank positions in five years	1987
Jonathan	3,822#89	Down 19 rank positions in five years	1988
Justin	1,512#233	Down 67 rank positions in five years	1988
Vanessa	813#377	Down 168 rank positions in five years	1985
Clayton	1,130#300	Down 11 rank positions in five years	2000
Cory	160#1,245	Down 335 rank positions in five years	1989
Caitlin	78#2,333	Down 539 rank positions in five years	1988
Bryant	146#1,323	Down 666 rank positions in five years	1989
Jaclyn	61#2,790	Down 1,072 rank positions in five years	1988
Sasha	414#684	Down 79 rank positions in five years	1988
Kasey	105#1,876	Down 429 rank positions in five years	1992
Simone	254#998	Down 138 rank positions in five years	1988
Tiara	95#2,014	Up 8 rank positions in five years	1995
Jarvis	44#2,857	Down 1,243 rank positions in five years	1989
Brice	42#2,945	Down 1,198 rank positions in five years	1989
Kory	35#3,351	Down 862 rank positions in five years	1989
Demarcus	66#2,168	Down 870 rank positions in five years	1991
Jarred	12#6,966	Down 2,197 rank positions in five years	1989
Kasey	180#1,162	Up 479 rank positions in five years	1990
Justina	36#4,029	Down 1,160 rank positions in five years	1990
Westley	453#619	Up 128 rank positions in five years	2025
Chaz	22#4,567	Down 2,643 rank positions in five years	1988
Whitley	420#677	Up 269 rank positions in five years	1988
Alyse	54#3,031	Down 530 rank positions in five years	1988
Kalvin	109#1,567	Down 264 rank positions in five years	2017
Demario	30#3,680	Down 1,535 rank positions in five years	1989
Kandace	7#12,518	Down 6,039 rank positions in five years	1988
Grecia	204#1,138	Up 289 rank positions in five years	2006
Felisha	—Unranked	—	1989
Donavon	16#5,671	Down 157 rank positions in five years	2000
Cody	22#5,593	Down 680 rank positions in five years	1988
Deandra	7#12,214	Down 3,690 rank positions in five years	1988
Alexander	14#7,500	Up 2,790 rank positions in five years	1988
Jerrica	8#11,351	Down 716 rank positions in five years	1988
Justen	10#7,933	Down 2,107 rank positions in five years	1990
Krysten	—Unranked	—	1988
Porsha	5#16,680	Up 270 rank positions in five years	1989
Jerica	6#13,945	Down 2,413 rank positions in five years	1988
Brittny	—Unranked	—	1990
Jalissa	21#5,800	Down 2,599 rank positions in five years	1988
Rashaad	13#6,719	Down 3,532 rank positions in five years	1995
Jaleesa	—Unranked	—	1988
Spenser	6#11,799	Down 4,818 rank positions in five years	1988
Brandin	5#12,305	Down 5,963 rank positions in five years	1988
Justine	—Unranked	—	1988
Geraldo	5#12,659	Down 4,375 rank positions in five years	1988
Mychal	5#13,288	Down 4,005 rank positions in five years	1988
Diandra	—Unranked	—	1988
Long	5#13,148	Down 6,284 rank positions in five years	1988
Taja	6#14,744	Down 3,752 rank positions in five years	1988

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How this list is built

A name “peaked” in 1988 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.