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Most of the nation’s top names are the same since the 1700s – except these 7 that are new

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by Alix Martichoux - 04/19/26 11:57 AM ET

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by Alix Martichoux - 04/19/26 11:57 AM ET

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(NEXSTAR) – Think you’ve got a classic last name? Brown, Davis, Johnson, Jones, Miller, Smith, Williams and Wilson are the definition of classic in the U.S.

Those surnames have dominated the list of most popular names since 1790, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau this week.

But seven new names have slowly been breaking their way into the country’s top 15 list. Two hundred years after those early records, in 1990, the last names Anderson, Thomas, Jackson and Harris joined the top 15.

But over the next 30 years, a rapid demographics change led to massive growth in Hispanic surnames. As of 2020, Garcia, Gonzalez, Hernandez, Lopez, Martinez and Rodriguez have all joined the list of most common last names.

The name Anderson also weathered the storm and remains on the list.

If you look at more recent history, most of the fastest-growing last names from 2010 to 2020 were Asian, according to the Census. Though none have broken into the top 15 overall, Zhang, Liu and Wang are gaining steam fastest.

In the 21st century, Asians have been the fastest-growing of the country’s largest racial or ethnic groups, and they now make up 7% of the U.S. population.

When it come to first names, the census tally showed that the most popular male first names at the start of this decade were Michael, John, James, David and Robert, while the most common female first names were Mary, Maria, Jennifer, Elizabeth and Patricia.

Not too much has changed since 1990, though there was a little more variety for female names. Back then, the most popular male first names were James, John, Robert, Michael and William. The most popular female first names were Mary, Patricia, Linda, Barbara and Elizabeth.

If those names sound old school to you, remember that the Census’ count includes everyone alive – not just newborns. The Social Security Administration keeps its own list of most popular baby names. Liam and Olivia have been at the top of that list for years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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