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 North Dakota 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: North Dakota ranks #14 for youth mental health. Here's what parents need to know.
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
1 / 30#30. Wayne
Wayne is a name of English origin meaning "wagon builder".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 794
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 295 (#10 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 88,092 (#43 most common name)
Adrie Molco // Shutterstock
2 / 30#29. Rodney
Rodney is a name of English origin meaning "island near the clearing".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 796
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 295 (#10 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 54,798 (#67 most common name)
burlakova_anna // Shutterstock
3 / 30#28. Roger
Roger is a name of German origin meaning "famous spearman".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 836
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 295 (#10 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 110,156 (#37 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
4 / 30#27. Dale
Dale is a name of English origin meaning "valley".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 850
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 295 (#10 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 75,560 (#50 most common name)
Anna Grigorjeva // Shutterstock
5 / 30#26. Randy
Randy is a name of Norse origin meaning "shield-wolf".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 937
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 295 (#10 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 120,514 (#33 most common name)
You may also like: Breweries with the most highly ranked beers in North Dakota
2p2play // Shutterstock
6 / 30#25. Terry
Terry is a name of German origin meaning "power of the tribe".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 955
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 295 (#10 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 140,720 (#29 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
7 / 30#24. Gregory
Gregory is a name of Latin origin meaning "watchful, alert".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,030
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 295 (#10 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 178,453 (#26 most common name)
Vasilyev Alexandr // Shutterstock
8 / 30#23. Dennis
Dennis is a name of Greek origin meaning "follower of Dionysius".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,056
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 295 (#10 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 204,267 (#21 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 30#22. Kenneth
Kenneth is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,067
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 18 (#332 most common name, -98.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 262,822 (#16 most common name)
Elvira Koneva // Shutterstock
10 / 30#21. Kevin
Kevin is a name of Irish origin meaning "noble".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,070
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 17 (#337 (tie) most common name, -98.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 158,998 (#27 most common name)
You may also like: Most popular boy names in the 90s in North Dakota
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
11 / 30#20. Bruce
Bruce is a name of Scottish origin meaning "from the brushwood thicket".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,096
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#504 (tie) most common name, -99.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 136,459 (#32 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
12 / 30#19. Paul
Paul is a name of Latin origin meaning "humble".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,106
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 56 (#200 (tie) most common name, -94.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 253,191 (#17 most common name)
yifanjrb // Shutterstock
13 / 30#18. Jeffrey
Jeffrey is a name of English origin meaning "pledge of peace".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,108
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 11 (#389 most common name, -99.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 184,663 (#24 most common name)
Tatiana Chekryzhova // Shutterstock
14 / 30#17. Daniel
Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,149
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 172 (#63 most common name, -85.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 243,725 (#19 most common name)
Yulia Sribna // Shutterstock
15 / 30#16. Douglas
Douglas is a name of Scottish origin meaning "black water".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,162
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 172 (#63 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 148,204 (#28 most common name)
You may also like: Highest-rated museums in North Dakota by visitors
MIA Studio // Shutterstock
16 / 30#15. William
William is a name of Germanic origin meaning "vehement protector".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,166
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 421 (#5 most common name, -63.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 591,226 (#6 most common name)
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
17 / 30#14. Larry
Larry is a name of Latin origin meaning "from the place of the laurel leaves".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,180
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 421 (#5 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 245,690 (#18 most common name)
Minnikova Mariia // Shutterstock
18 / 30#13. Donald
Donald is a name of Gaelic origin meaning "world ruler".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,187
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 421 (#5 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 273,576 (#14 most common name)
My Good Images // Shutterstock
19 / 30#12. Ronald
Ronald is a name of English origin meaning "counsel rule".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,255
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 421 (#5 most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 271,146 (#15 most common name)
Iren_Geo // Shutterstock
20 / 30#11. Timothy
Timothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "honouring God".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,517
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 41 (#239 (tie) most common name, -97.3% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 198,322 (#22 most common name)
You may also like: Most commonly hunted migratory birds in North Dakota
Vasiuk Iryna // Shutterstock
21 / 30#10. Gary
Gary is a name of English origin meaning "spearman".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,537
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 41 (#239 (tie) most common name, data not available compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 329,935 (#12 most common name)
Alena Vostrikova // Shutterstock
22 / 30#9. Thomas
Thomas is a name of Greek origin meaning "twin".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,583
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 241 (#30 most common name, -84.8% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 454,385 (#8 most common name)
DONOT6_STUDIO // Shutterstock
23 / 30#8. Richard
Richard is a name of German origin meaning "dominant ruler".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,806
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 20 (#320 (tie) most common name, -98.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 535,453 (#7 most common name)
Katrina Elena // Shutterstock
24 / 30#7. Steven
Steven is a name of Greek origin meaning "crown".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 1,925
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 22 (#310 (tie) most common name, -98.9% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 333,657 (#11 most common name)
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
25 / 30Pshenina_m // Shutterstock
26 / 30#5. Mark
Mark is a name of Latin origin meaning "God of war".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,071
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 16 (#343 (tie) most common name, -99.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 382,585 (#9 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
27 / 30#4. Michael
Michael is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "who is like God?".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,469
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 223 (#39 most common name, -91.0% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 837,466 (#2 most common name)
Lipatova Maryna // Shutterstock
28 / 30#3. Robert
Robert is a name of Germanic origin meaning "fame" or "bright".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,484
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 87 (#142 (tie) most common name, -96.5% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 830,391 (#3 most common name)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
29 / 30#2. James
James is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "supplanter".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 2,621
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 382 (#10 most common name, -85.4% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 843,776 (#1 most common name)
BaLL LunLa // Shutterstock
30 / 30#1. David
David is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "beloved".
North Dakota
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 3,212
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 154 (#73 most common name, -95.2% compared to the 50s)
National:
- Babies from 1950 to 1959: 769,951 (#5 most common name)
You may also like: Easy as pie: See the most uniquely popular pie in North Dakota