Iowa's most popular baby names in 1974

In the year 1974, Iowa saw a surge in the popularity of some of the most classic and timeless baby names. Baby girls were predominantly named Jennifer, Amy, and Heather, while baby boys were commonly named Jason, Michael, and Matthew. These names have stood the test of time and continue to be popular choices for parents across the country.

Jennifer, a name of English origin, means "fair one" and has been a popular choice for baby girls for decades. Amy, a name of French origin, means "beloved" and has also been a popular choice for baby girls. Heather, a name of Scottish origin, means "a flowering evergreen plant" and has been a popular choice for baby girls since the 1970s. On the other hand, Jason, a name of Greek origin, means "to heal" and has been a popular choice for baby boys for many years. Michael, a name of Hebrew origin, means "who is like God" and has been a popular choice for baby boys for decades. Matthew, a name of Hebrew origin, means "gift of God" and has been a popular choice for baby boys since the 1970s.

Most popular baby girl names in Iowa in 1974

According to the data from Iowa in 1974, Jennifer was the most popular baby girl name with 1052 occurrences. Following Jennifer, Amy was the second most popular name with 628 occurrences, and Heather was the third most popular name with 497 occurrences. Angela and Michelle were the fourth and fifth most popular names with 464 and 384 occurrences, respectively. These were the top 5 most popular baby girl names in Iowa in 1974.

  1. Jennifer

    1052 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Jennifer

    The name Jennifer is of Welsh origin and means "fair and smooth". It was first used as a given name in the United States in the 20th century and became very popular in the 1970s and 1980s.

  2. Amy

    628 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Amy

    The name Amy means "beloved" or "dearly loved" in French and Latin. It is a popular name for girls and has been used since the Middle Ages.

  3. Heather

    497 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Heather

    The name Heather is of English origin and is derived from the name of a flowering plant that grows in Scotland. The name is often associated with the color purple and is said to symbolize admiration, good luck, and protection.

  4. Angela

    464 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Angela

    The name Angela is derived from the Greek word "angelos" which means "messenger of God". It is a feminine name that has been used in various cultures and languages, including English, Italian, Spanish, and German. Angela is often associated with qualities such as kindness, compassion, and grace.

  5. Michelle

    384 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Michelle

    Michelle is a feminine given name of French origin. The name means "who is like God" or "gift from God." It is a variation of the name Michael, which comes from Hebrew and means "who is like God." The name Michelle has been used in English-speaking countries since the mid-20th century and has gained popularity over time.

  6. Melissa

    349 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Melissa

    The name Melissa is derived from the Greek word "melissa," which means "honey bee." It was a popular name in ancient Greece and is often associated with sweetness and industriousness.

  7. Sarah

    256 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Sarah

    The name Sarah means "princess" in Hebrew. It is a popular name in many cultures and is often associated with grace, beauty, and kindness.

  8. Lisa

    250 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Lisa

    The name Lisa is a short form of the name Elizabeth and means "God is my oath" or "pledged to God".

  9. Kimberly

    248 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Kimberly

    The name Kimberly means "from the wood of the royal forest" or "royal fortress meadow". It is of Old English origin and was first used as a given name in the 1940s.

  10. Stephanie

    235 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Stephanie

    The name Stephanie is of Greek origin and means "crown" or "garland". It is a feminine name that has been popular in English-speaking countries since the 20th century.

  11. Nicole

    218 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Nicole

    Nicole is a feminine given name of Greek origin, meaning "victory of the people". It is a popular name in English-speaking countries and has been in use since the 1930s.

  12. Julie

    206 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Julie

    The name Julie is a French name that means "youthful" or "full of energy". It is derived from the Latin name Julia, which means "soft-haired" or "youthful".

  13. Rebecca

    187 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Rebecca

    Rebecca means "captivating" or "knotted cord" in Hebrew. It is a biblical name, borne by the wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau in the Old Testament.

  14. Dawn

    185 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Dawn

    The name Dawn means "the first appearance of light, daybreak" and is often given to girls born at or around sunrise. It is derived from the Old English word "dagian" which means "to become day".

  15. Sara

    176 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Sara

    The name Sara means "princess" or "noblewoman" in Hebrew.

  16. Kelly

    162 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Kelly

    The name Kelly is of Irish origin and means "bright-headed" or "warrior". It is a unisex name, meaning it can be given to both boys and girls. The name has been popularized by its use as a surname and has been used as a given name since the 20th century.

  17. Carrie

    155 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Carrie

    The name Carrie is a diminutive form of the name Caroline or Carol, which are derived from the Old Germanic name Karl, meaning "free man" or "manly". The name Carrie has been in use since the 19th century and has been popular in the United States.

  18. Jill

    154 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Jill

    The name Jill is a diminutive form of the name Jillian, which is of Latin origin. The meaning of the name Jill is "youthful" or "childlike".

  19. Stacy

    152 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Stacy

    The name Stacy is of English origin and means "resurrection" or "to rise again". It is often used as a unisex name and has been popular in the United States since the mid-20th century.

  20. Tina

    146 baby girls born in Iowa (1974) named Tina

    The name Tina is a diminutive form of Christina, which is derived from the Greek name Christos, meaning "anointed one" or "follower of Christ." Therefore, the name Tina can be interpreted as "follower of Christ" or "anointed one."

Most popular baby boy names in Iowa in 1974

According to the data of baby boy names in Iowa in 1974, the most popular names were Jason, Michael, Matthew, Brian, and Chad. Jason was the most popular name with 1020 babies being named that, followed by Michael with 774 babies, Matthew with 652 babies, Brian with 599 babies, and Chad with 595 babies. These names were the top choices for parents in Iowa during that year.

  1. Jason

    1020 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Jason

    The name Jason is of Greek origin and means "healer" or "to heal".

  2. Michael

    774 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Michael

    The name Michael means "Who is like God?" in Hebrew. It is a biblical name that is often associated with the archangel Michael, who is considered to be a protector and warrior in many religious traditions. The name has been popular throughout history and is still commonly used today.

  3. Matthew

    652 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Matthew

    Matthew is a name of Hebrew origin that means "gift of God".

  4. Brian

    599 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Brian

    The name Brian is of Irish origin and means "strong, virtuous, and honorable". It is a popular name for boys in Ireland and has been used in English-speaking countries since the Middle Ages.

  5. Chad

    595 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Chad

    The name Chad means "warrior" or "battle" and has Old English origins.

  6. Christopher

    567 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Christopher

    The name Christopher means "bearer of Christ" or "Christ-bearer."

  7. David

    458 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named David

    The name David is of Hebrew origin and means "beloved" or "friend". It is a popular name in many cultures and religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In the Bible, David was the second king of Israel and is known for his bravery, leadership, and devotion to God. People with the name David are often described as confident, charismatic, and loyal.

  8. Scott

    386 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Scott

    The name Scott is of Scottish origin and means "from Scotland" or "wanderer". It is a common surname that has been used as a first name since the 19th century.

  9. John

    378 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named John

    The name John is of Hebrew origin and means "God is gracious". It is a very common name and has been used for centuries. People with this name are often known for their kindness and generosity.

  10. James

    368 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named James

    The name James is of Hebrew origin and means "supplanter" or "one who follows".

  11. Ryan

    365 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Ryan

    The name Ryan is of Irish origin and means "little king" or "illustrious". It is a popular name for boys in English-speaking countries.

  12. Robert

    356 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Robert

    The name Robert means "bright fame" or "famous brilliance". It is of Old German origin and was a popular name among medieval kings and nobility.

  13. Jeremy

    342 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Jeremy

    The name Jeremy is of Hebrew origin and means "appointed by God" or "God will uplift".

  14. Eric

    341 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Eric

    The name Eric is of Scandinavian origin and means "eternal ruler" or "ruler of all". It is a popular name in many countries and cultures.

  15. Daniel

    340 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Daniel

    The name Daniel means "God is my judge".

  16. Jeffrey

    324 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Jeffrey

    The name Jeffrey is of Germanic origin and means "peaceful pledge". It is a variant of the name Geoffrey.

  17. Mark

    295 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Mark

    The name Mark is derived from the Latin name "Marcus" which means "dedicated to Mars", the Roman god of war. It is a popular name among Christians as it is the name of one of the four Gospel writers in the New Testament. The name Mark is also associated with qualities such as courage, strength, and leadership.

  18. Timothy

    289 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Timothy

    The name Timothy is of Greek origin and means "honoring God" or "one who honors God". It is derived from the Greek name Timotheos, which is a combination of the words "timao" meaning to honor and "theos" meaning God.

  19. Aaron

    263 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Aaron

    The name Aaron means "mountain of strength" or "enlightened" and is of Hebrew origin. It is a biblical name, borne by the brother of Moses in the Old Testament. Aaron is a popular name for boys in many cultures.

  20. Joshua

    261 baby boys born in Iowa (1974) named Joshua

    The name Joshua means "God is salvation" or "Yahweh is salvation" in Hebrew. It is a biblical name and was the name of one of the twelve spies sent by Moses into Canaan. Joshua later became the successor to Moses and led the Israelites into the Promised Land.