Most Popular Baby Names of 1998
Top 100 girl and boy names, Social Security records
Emily and Michael were the most popular baby names of 1998 in the US: 26,188 girls were named Emily and 36,618 boys were named Michael, about 1 in 67 girls and 1 in 52 boys born that year. It was Emily's 3rd year in a row at #1 for girls (since 1996), and it was Michael's 38th year in a row at #1 for boys (since 1961).
Social Security records list 1,766,949 girls and 1,911,366 boys born in 1998, with 16,593 different girl names and 11,302 boy names. A name is listed for a year only when at least 5 babies of one sex got it.
What Changed From 1997
- The girls' top 10 had the same names as in 1997; the boys' top 10 had the same names as in 1997.
- Biggest climbers in the girls' top 100: Makayla (#102 to #71), Mikayla (#112 to #82) and Isabella (#114 to #84).
- Biggest climbers in the boys' top 100: Adrian (#95 to #71), Jackson (#124 to #100) and Spencer (#104 to #84).
- 7 girl names and 5 boy names left the top 100, among them Catherine (#96 to #101) and Bradley (#94 to #101).
- 1,713 names appeared in the records for the first time.
Top 100 Baby Names of 1998
Ranked by the babies given each name; the last column is the name's rank in 1997, among names of the same sex. Tied names share a rank.
Top 100 Girl Names of 1998
| # | Name | Babies | In 1997 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emily | 26,188 | #1 |
| 2 | Hannah | 21,376 | #5 |
| 3 | Samantha | 20,195 | #6 |
| 4 | Sarah | 19,898 | #4 |
| 5 | Ashley | 19,875 | #3 |
| 6 | Alexis | 19,778 | #8 |
| 7 | Taylor | 18,576 | #7 |
| 8 | Jessica | 18,239 | #2 |
| 9 | Madison | 17,787 | #10 |
| 10 | Elizabeth | 15,193 | #9 |
| 11 | Alyssa | 13,709 | #15 |
| 12 | Kayla | 13,422 | #12 |
| 13 | Megan | 13,258 | #11 |
| 14 | Lauren | 12,908 | #14 |
| 15 | Rachel | 12,209 | #13 |
| 16 | Victoria | 12,148 | #19 |
| 17 | Brianna | 12,047 | #17 |
| 18 | Abigail | 11,100 | #26 |
| 19 | Amanda | 10,928 | #16 |
| 20 | Jennifer | 10,692 | #18 |
| 21 | Olivia | 10,610 | #27 |
| 22 | Emma | 10,451 | #36 |
| 23 | Morgan | 10,217 | #22 |
| 24 | Nicole | 9,911 | #21 |
| 25 | Brittany | 9,844 | #20 |
| 26 | Jasmine | 9,488 | #24 |
| 27 | Alexandra | 8,608 | #30 |
| 28 | Sydney | 8,553 | #35 |
| 29 | Stephanie | 8,491 | #23 |
| 30 | Rebecca | 8,423 | #25 |
| 31 | Anna | 8,386 | #33 |
| 32 | Julia | 8,328 | #37 |
| 33 | Katherine | 8,207 | #32 |
| 34 | Destiny | 8,155 | #42 |
| 35 | Kaitlyn | 7,937 | #41 |
| 36 | Haley | 7,934 | #31 |
| 37 | Amber | 7,930 | #29 |
| 38 | Allison | 7,861 | #39 |
| 39 | Courtney | 7,555 | #28 |
| 40 | Natalie | 7,549 | #48 |
| 41 | Danielle | 7,368 | #34 |
| 42 | Jordan | 7,114 | #40 |
| 43 | Maria | 6,817 | #38 |
| 44 | Mary | 6,478 | #46 |
| 45 | Savannah | 6,464 | #47 |
| 46 | Brooke | 6,346 | #45 |
| 47 | Gabrielle | 6,201 | #51 |
| 48 | Sara | 6,010 | #50 |
| 49 | Shelby | 5,893 | #43 |
| 50 | Madeline | 5,869 | #59 |
| 51 | Sierra | 5,841 | #56 |
| 52 | Vanessa | 5,830 | #54 |
| 53 | Grace | 5,724 | #69 |
| 54 | Kimberly | 5,722 | #49 |
| 55 | Michelle | 5,562 | #55 |
| 56 | Kelsey | 5,551 | #57 |
| 57 | Erin | 5,471 | #52 |
| 58 | Katelyn | 5,367 | #63 |
| 59 | Melissa | 5,354 | #44 |
| 60 | Bailey | 5,198 | #65 |
| 61 | Andrea | 5,133 | #58 |
| 62 | Mariah | 5,086 | #67 |
| 63 | Paige | 4,976 | #64 |
| 64 | Mackenzie | 4,890 | #71 |
| 65 | Jenna | 4,866 | #76 |
| 66 | Marissa | 4,722 | #60 |
| 67 | Tiffany | 4,612 | #61 |
| 68 | Sabrina | 4,608 | #53 |
| 69 | Christina | 4,533 | #62 |
| 70 | Hailey | 4,473 | #80 |
| 71 | Makayla | 4,365 | #102 |
| 72 | Cheyenne | 4,327 | #68 |
| 73 | Sophia | 4,308 | #94 |
| 74 | Laura | 4,298 | #66 |
| 75 | Caroline | 4,276 | #75 |
| 76 | Breanna | 4,250 | #74 |
| 77 | Autumn | 4,208 | #91 |
| 78 | Caitlin | 4,175 | #88 |
| 79 | Briana | 4,153 | #72 |
| 80 | Miranda | 4,143 | #70 |
| 81 | Alexandria | 4,009 | #78 |
| 82 | Mikayla | 3,858 | #112 |
| 83 | Diana | 3,853 | #97 |
| 84 | Isabella | 3,851 | #114 |
| 85 | Cassandra | 3,813 | #81 |
| 86 | Kaylee | 3,806 | #107 |
| 87 | Chloe | 3,794 | #109 |
| 88 | Katie | 3,746 | #87 |
| 89 | Kathryn | 3,703 | #86 |
| 89 | Kelly | 3,703 | #83 |
| 91 | Claire | 3,642 | #108 |
| 92 | Erica | 3,624 | #84 |
| 93 | Alexa | 3,622 | #106 |
| 94 | Chelsea | 3,518 | #73 |
| 95 | Jacqueline | 3,500 | #77 |
| 96 | Amy | 3,485 | #92 |
| 97 | Lindsey | 3,465 | #95 |
| 98 | Alicia | 3,408 | #89 |
| 99 | Heather | 3,397 | #90 |
| 100 | Angela | 3,369 | #93 |
Top 100 Boy Names of 1998
| # | Name | Babies | In 1997 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael | 36,618 | #1 |
| 2 | Jacob | 36,031 | #2 |
| 3 | Matthew | 31,146 | #3 |
| 4 | Joshua | 28,095 | #5 |
| 5 | Christopher | 27,007 | #4 |
| 6 | Nicholas | 26,632 | #6 |
| 7 | Brandon | 23,832 | #8 |
| 8 | Tyler | 23,712 | #10 |
| 9 | Andrew | 23,664 | #7 |
| 10 | Austin | 23,478 | #9 |
| 11 | Joseph | 23,186 | #12 |
| 12 | Daniel | 23,165 | #11 |
| 13 | David | 20,892 | #14 |
| 14 | William | 20,836 | #19 |
| 15 | John | 20,633 | #15 |
| 16 | Zachary | 20,580 | #13 |
| 17 | Ryan | 20,198 | #16 |
| 18 | James | 19,690 | #17 |
| 19 | Anthony | 19,634 | #18 |
| 20 | Justin | 17,971 | #20 |
| 21 | Jonathan | 17,649 | #21 |
| 22 | Alexander | 17,466 | #22 |
| 23 | Robert | 15,527 | #23 |
| 24 | Kyle | 15,277 | #24 |
| 25 | Dylan | 14,540 | #30 |
| 26 | Christian | 14,522 | #25 |
| 27 | Jordan | 14,410 | #26 |
| 28 | Samuel | 13,912 | #27 |
| 29 | Noah | 13,415 | #38 |
| 30 | Benjamin | 13,061 | #29 |
| 31 | Thomas | 12,889 | #31 |
| 32 | Kevin | 12,510 | #28 |
| 33 | Jose | 12,374 | #32 |
| 34 | Nathan | 11,586 | #34 |
| 35 | Cameron | 11,416 | #45 |
| 36 | Hunter | 11,078 | #44 |
| 37 | Aaron | 10,552 | #33 |
| 38 | Ethan | 10,536 | #46 |
| 39 | Eric | 9,964 | #35 |
| 40 | Jason | 9,399 | #41 |
| 41 | Brian | 9,146 | #37 |
| 42 | Caleb | 9,028 | #47 |
| 43 | Cody | 8,810 | #36 |
| 44 | Logan | 8,640 | #42 |
| 45 | Adam | 8,356 | #39 |
| 46 | Steven | 8,115 | #40 |
| 47 | Connor | 7,906 | #52 |
| 48 | Charles | 7,849 | #49 |
| 49 | Timothy | 7,845 | #43 |
| 50 | Sean | 7,712 | #48 |
| 51 | Jared | 7,462 | #56 |
| 52 | Juan | 7,361 | #54 |
| 53 | Luis | 7,202 | #53 |
| 54 | Gabriel | 7,068 | #57 |
| 55 | Alex | 6,954 | #55 |
| 55 | Richard | 6,954 | #51 |
| 57 | Patrick | 6,734 | #50 |
| 58 | Trevor | 6,598 | #62 |
| 59 | Isaiah | 6,487 | #60 |
| 60 | Nathaniel | 6,427 | #65 |
| 61 | Jack | 6,376 | #76 |
| 62 | Devin | 6,218 | #59 |
| 63 | Evan | 6,084 | #61 |
| 64 | Mark | 5,893 | #58 |
| 65 | Isaac | 5,859 | #73 |
| 66 | Elijah | 5,662 | #74 |
| 67 | Chase | 5,562 | #77 |
| 68 | Jeremy | 5,541 | #64 |
| 69 | Carlos | 5,481 | #67 |
| 70 | Jesse | 5,444 | #63 |
| 71 | Adrian | 5,429 | #95 |
| 72 | Dakota | 5,401 | #66 |
| 73 | Ian | 5,353 | #70 |
| 74 | Bryan | 5,309 | #69 |
| 75 | Luke | 5,284 | #78 |
| 76 | Jesus | 5,217 | #71 |
| 77 | Cole | 5,148 | #72 |
| 78 | Stephen | 5,013 | #68 |
| 79 | Antonio | 4,943 | #75 |
| 80 | Garrett | 4,789 | #85 |
| 81 | Angel | 4,772 | #86 |
| 82 | Tanner | 4,704 | #82 |
| 83 | Mason | 4,658 | #89 |
| 84 | Spencer | 4,619 | #104 |
| 85 | Blake | 4,607 | #80 |
| 86 | Seth | 4,587 | #97 |
| 87 | Kenneth | 4,586 | #83 |
| 88 | Dalton | 4,565 | #90 |
| 89 | Paul | 4,321 | #79 |
| 90 | Miguel | 4,256 | #91 |
| 91 | Jeffrey | 4,191 | #84 |
| 92 | Tristan | 4,169 | #92 |
| 93 | Lucas | 4,093 | #98 |
| 94 | Bryce | 4,053 | #112 |
| 95 | Alejandro | 4,044 | #99 |
| 96 | Marcus | 4,015 | #93 |
| 97 | Victor | 3,997 | #105 |
| 98 | Travis | 3,924 | #81 |
| 99 | Brendan | 3,879 | #107 |
| 100 | Jackson | 3,861 | #124 |
Open a name to see how many people with it are alive today and how its popularity changed. See the year before, 1997, or the year after, 1999, the top 100 of the whole 1990s, or let the random name generator pick names from the 1990s. For more on how the top names changed, read Most Popular Names by Decade.