Perhaps no decade in US history conjures up more imagery of all-American idealism than the 1950s. A politically conservative era, the '50s introduced the world to some of the most enduring cultural touchstones of the USA: milkshakes, Elvis Presley, "I Love Lucy," and sock-hops. One might imagine classic American kids named Jimmy and Susie splitting a hot-fudge sundae at a local soda shop鈥攁nd you'd actually be historically accurate. James and Susan were in fact two of the most popular names of the decade.
compiled a list of the most popular baby names for boys in the 50s in Missouri using data from the . Names are ranked by number of babies born.
Keep reading to see if your name made the list.
You may also like: Highest-rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Missouri
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
1 / 30#30. George
George is a name of Greek origin meaning "farmer".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,239
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 677 (#112 most common name, -79.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 181,029 (#25 most common name)
Pshenina_m // Shutterstock
2 / 30#29. Roger
Roger is a name of German origin meaning "famous spearman".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,343
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 54 (#755 most common name, -98.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 110,156 (#37 most common name)
rSnapshotPhotos // Shutterstock
3 / 30#28. Edward
Edward is a name of English origin meaning "prosperous".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,623
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 387 (#192 most common name, -89.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 188,328 (#23 most common name)
burlakova_anna // Shutterstock
4 / 30#27. Randy
Randy is a name of Norse origin meaning "shield-wolf".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,932
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 55 (#747 (tie) most common name, -98.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 120,514 (#33 most common name)
2p2play // Shutterstock
5 / 30Tomsickova Tatyana // Shutterstock
6 / 30#25. Kevin
Kevin is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,607
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 365 (#206 most common name, -92.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 158,998 (#27 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 30#24. Gregory
Gregory is a name of Latin origin meaning "watchful, alert".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,709
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 152 (#395 most common name, -96.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 178,453 (#26 most common name)
FamVeld // Shutterstock
8 / 30#23. Timothy
Timothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "honouring God".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 4,781
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 459 (#172 most common name, -90.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 198,322 (#22 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
9 / 30#22. Paul
Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,394
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 299 (#241 (tie) most common name, -94.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 253,191 (#17 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
10 / 30Ramona Heim // Shutterstock
11 / 30#20. Terry
Terry is a name of German origin meaning "power of the tribe".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,588
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 58 (#733 (tie) most common name, -99.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 140,720 (#29 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
12 / 30#19. Daniel
Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 5,958
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,366 (#39 most common name, -77.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 243,725 (#19 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
13 / 30#18. Stephen
Stephen is a name of Greek origin meaning "wreath, crown".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 6,223
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 205 (#327 (tie) most common name, -96.7% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 207,276 (#20 most common name)
Yulia Sribna // Shutterstock
14 / 30#17. Kenneth
Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 6,895
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 337 (#222 (tie) most common name, -95.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
Gorynvd // Shutterstock
15 / 30#16. Ronald
Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 7,477
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 138 (#440 most common name, -98.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
You may also like: Highest-earning counties in Missouri
Mallmo // Shutterstock
16 / 30#15. Donald
Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 7,629
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 141 (#431 most common name, -98.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
Serenko Natalia // Shutterstock
17 / 30#14. Dennis
Dennis is a name of Greek origin meaning "follower of Dionysius".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 7,702
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 105 (#524 (tie) most common name, -98.6% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 204,267 (#21 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
18 / 30#13. Larry
Larry is a name of Latin origin meaning "from the place of the laurel leaves".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 8,097
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 90 (#582 most common name, -98.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 245,690 (#18 most common name)
Roman Sorkin // Shutterstock
19 / 30#12. Charles
Charles is a name of Germanic origin meaning "free man".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 9,153
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,690 (#26 most common name, -81.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 361,178 (#10 most common name)
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
20 / 30Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
21 / 30#10. Steven
Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 9,935
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 313 (#235 most common name, -96.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
Elvira Koneva // Shutterstock
22 / 30#9. Gary
Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 10,043
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 75 (#641 (tie) most common name, -99.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
Irisska // Shutterstock
23 / 30#8. Mark
Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 11,146
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 275 (#254 most common name, -97.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 382,585 (#9 most common name)
Samuel Borges Photography // Shutterstock
24 / 30#7. Richard
Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 12,497
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 335 (#225 most common name, -97.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
25 / 30#6. William
William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 13,206
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 3,161 (#3 most common name, -76.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
You may also like: See how much it costs to attend St. Louis CITY SC games
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
26 / 30#5. John
John is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "Yahweh has been gracious".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 18,351
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,769 (#24 most common name, -90.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 797,917 (#4 most common name)
pratan ounpitipong // Shutterstock
27 / 30#4. Robert
Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 18,720
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 968 (#72 most common name, -94.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
28 / 30#3. David
David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 18,793
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,302 (#44 most common name, -93.1% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
Fotonium // Shutterstock
29 / 30#2. James
James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 20,770
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,631 (#7 most common name, -87.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
Alena Vostrikova // Shutterstock
30 / 30#1. Michael
Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
Missouri
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 22,017
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,791 (#22 most common name, -91.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
You may also like: See how much it costs to attend St. Louis Cardinals games