Some names that were mainstream early in the 20th century but not necessarily the most favored of their time are regaining traction now. Some rank even higher now than they did back then.

Evelyn, for instance, has been a top 10 girls' name since 2017—about 100 years after it last claimed a top 10 spot. Emma, too, saw a resurgence after over 90 years, though it never breached the top 10 until the 21st century. Eleanor last ranked #25 in 1920, but since 2020, it has crept up, coming in at #14 in 2023.

Name popularity looks different over time. Despite "Evelyn" achieving the same rank in 2019 as in 1915, it claimed a much smaller share of babies' names in the 21st century.

That's because names are much more varied in 2023. Today's parents have more resources to research possible names, often in an attempt to differentiate their own children's names from others in their spheres. As a result, there were over 17,500 unique names in 2023, about triple as many as in 1923. So even as names rise in popularity, they will typically show up less frequently than in decades past.

So-called vintage names are a common source of inspiration for parents seeking a challenging blend of uniqueness and familiarity. Dozens of posts from news outlets and parenting sites have compiled vintage baby name lists every year, feeding into the nostalgia and connection to these classic and seemingly overlooked names.

Within the baby-naming sphere, there's a reference to the "Hundred-Year Rule," which theorizes that it takes a century for most names to cycle back into fashion. That holds true for some names, though it may take longer for the most common names of an era to rise again—if they ever do.

This oversaturation of names during some periods may lead future parents to avoid them, perhaps because the higher incidents make them seem dated rather than classic.

Take Mary, for instance. The biblical name was extremely common in the early 1900s—and presumably much earlier, though Social Security data didn't begin until 1880. However, it began falling sharply in the mid-20th century. At its peak, Mary was the #1 name for over 50 years and given to 6% of baby girls. Now it ranks the lowest it ever has at #135, given to only 0.1% of baby girls.

Mary's decline in popularity could also be related to the decline in Christianity in the U.S. However, similar trends hold steady for other top names of 1923, like Helen and Dorothy, which now rank even lower at #397 and #467, respectively.

At the same time, Helen and Dorothy are both up from their all-time lowest ranks. Meanwhile, the three most popular names from 1983—Jennifer, Jessica, and Amanda—have each fallen to their lowest ranks since then, and are all outpaced by the top 1923 names. This may indicate that particularly high-ranking names of the past may just need more time to rise again, though it's possible they won't ever reach their past popularity.

If these trends are any indication, the "Hundred-Year Rule" may have some merit—at least for names that weren't ubiquitous in their primes. For the '80s and '90s, that means names like Stephanie or Crystal may become popular again in the late 21st century. However, the Jennifers and Jessicas, like the Marys and Helens, may face a much longer wait. If, that is, they ever do reemerge.

Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close.