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What is the most common name in the U.S.?

Analysis of the 1990 census showed the following:

• the top 10 last names (Click here to see the entire list.  However, be warned that it is large, over 3 megabytes.  It may take some time to download.)

Name	% with this name
Smith	1.006%
Johnson	0.810%
Williams	0.699%
Jones	0.621%
Brown	0.621%
Davis	0.480%
Miller	0.424%
Wilson	0.339%
Moore	0.312%
Taylor	0.311%

• the top 10 boys' first names (Click here to see the entire list.)

Name	% with this name
James	3.318%
John	3.271%
Robert	3.143%
Michael	2.629%
William	2.451%
David	2.363%
Richard	1.703%
Charles	1.523%
Joseph	1.404%
Thomas	1.380%

• the top 10 girls' first names (Click here to see the entire list.)

Name	% with this name
Mary	2.629%
Patricia	1.073%
Linda	1.035%
Barbara	0.980%
Elizabeth	0.937%
Jennifer	0.932%
Maria	0.828%
Susan	0.794%
Margaret	0.768%
Dorothy	0.727%

• Here are links to other web sites containing information about names

• The Ultimate Baby Name Site
• The Etymology of First Names
• First Names and What They Mean
• The Baby Name Wizard NameVoyager
• The Information Please Almanac online has prepared a summary for the years since 1900.
• Popular Given Names as tabulated by the Social Security Administration

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original web posting: Tuesday, December 15, 1998
last modified: Saturday, September 02, 2006