Common names are different from popular names as they denote names found most widely amongst the entire population, not just used for babies in a single year. Names most common for females in the US over the past century are listed here, with Mary claiming the top spot, followed by Patricia, Jennifer, Linda, and Elizabeth.
Along with Mary and Elizabeth, other common girl names that remain in the US Top 150 include Alice, Anna, Emma, Grace, Katherine, Olivia, Sarah, and Victoria. The common names for girls that have dropped the farthest in popularity include Cheryl, Debra, Donna, and Carol.
Some of the top names for baby girls today, such Sophia and Isabella, don't quite make it onto the Most Common Names list yet, but as older names such as Doris and Joyce fade away, they'll be replaced by newer popular names such as Ava and Charlotte. These are the 100 most common girl names of the past century.
Meaning: drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + lake
