Popular baby names of the 1980s

The 1980s was a decade of dramatic entertainment and great fashion (if you ignore the leg warmers). Why not have a nostalgic look at some of the most popular baby names of the time and see if any might suit your bundle of joy a few decades on ...

Amanda was in the top 50 baby names until the mid 1980s, but it gradually began to drop out of fashion.

Of Latin origin, the name means 'she must be loved'.

Famous women with the name who were born in the '80s include Amanda Seyfried and Amanda Bynes.

Andrew means 'strong and manly' from its Greek origin, making it a great fit for your baby boy.

It was in the top 10 boys' names during the '80s, but has become much less common over the years.

Callum, meaning 'dove' from its Scottish origin, is still a fairly popular name in Scotland.

It gained popularity in the rest of the UK towards the end of the '80s, but has been out of the top 100 boys' names in England and Wales since 2016.

Reckon it's due a comeback?

A feminine form of Carl and Charles, both of which are derived from the Old English word 'ceorl', meaning 'freeman'.

Only 27 baby girls were given the name in 2018 – how times have changed. In the '80s it was in the top 100!

This beat all other baby names in the mid '80s, coming out as most in demand and it remained in the top 100 until 2010.

Christopher is of Greek and Latin origin, meaning 'the carrier of Christ'.

Remember when it seemed like everyone you met was called Claire? Well, that might've been because it was one of the top 10 most popular girls' names in the '80s.

Of French origin, it means 'clear' and 'bright'.

This short, single-syllable name rose in popularity throughout the 1980s, landing in the top 20 boys names ... but only 13 babies were given the moniker in 2018!

Of Scottish origin, it means 'from the rocks'.

Dawn is of Old English origin and is a nod to the first sight of light, daybreak.

During the '80s, it was a top pick for parents of girls, but just five babies were named Dawn in 2018.

Emma is one of those names that seems like it'll NEVER go out of fashion.

It's of German origin and means 'universal'. Celebs born in the '80s named Emma include actress Emma Stone.

Evan is a Welsh name derived from Iefan, a form of John, and was particularly popular in 1989.

Although it's much more commonly given to baby boys, Evan is actually a unisex name.

Of Italian origin, Gemma means 'precious stone'.

The name has seen a steep decline in popularity among parents since its heyday in the 1980s, when it was in the top five baby girls' names.

Famous '80s Gemmas include Gemma Atkinson, Gemma Collins, Gemma Arterton and Gemma Chan.

This is a Greek baby name, meaning 'to heal'.

Jason was in the top 50 boys' names during the '80s, but isn't even in the top 150 now.

Jennifer, Jen, Jenny – however you want to say it, Jennifer is of Cornish origin and means 'white shadow'. It's thought to be a variation of the Welsh name Guinevere.

The girls' name hasn't been a popular choice for parents since 2004.

Jessica, Jess, Jessie – we do love a name you can play with!

The moniker was thought to be first used by Shakespeare in his play The Merchant of Venice.

It belongs famous '80s babies like Jessica Alba, Jessica Simpson, Jessica Biel and Jessica Ennis-Hill.

Less than 20 baby girls were named Jodie in 2018, but in the '80s it was a top pick.

It's a more modern diminutive of Joan and Judith and belongs to a few stars born in the '80s, like Jodie Turner-Smith and Jodie Whittaker.

Of Hebrew origin, Joshua means 'the Lord is my salvation'.

Unlike others, Joshua hasn't been replaced in popularity as a baby name by the shorter version, Josh. In fact, this is one name that is even more popular now than it was in the '80s!

Kelly, meaning 'war' from its Irish origin, is much less common now than it was 30-odd years ago.

It used to be in the top 20 girls' names during the '80s, but in 2018, just over 20 daughters were given the name.

Singers born in the '80s include Kelly Clarkson and Kelly Rowland.

Think you know a lot of Lauras? That might be because it was the second most popular girls' name in the mid '80s.

It's seen a gradual decline in picks by news parents since the '90s.

Of Latin origin, it means 'bay laurel'.

Louise is of French origin, meaning 'renowned warrior'.

During the '80s, it was in the top 20 baby girls' names, but has been seriously slipping since 2005.

Could your baby girl be the one to help bring it back?

Matthew is another name that hasn't gone out of favour. Of Hebrew origin, it means 'gift of God'.

It's slipped from the top 10 to the top 90 boys' names now, but we reckon it'll stay there for a while yet!

Melissa is indeed a sweet name, as it comes from the Greek word for 'honeybee'.

During the 1980s, it sat comfortably in the top 100 most popular girls' names, but it hasn't been there since 2005.

Michael, meaning 'who is like God?' from its Hebrew origin, is another classic name that's remained a favourite of UK parents.

It's not really strayed from the top 100 boys' names since the beginning of the 20th century!

Natasha is of Russia origin and was traditionally given to girls born around Christmas, because it means 'birthday of the Lord'.

Although it has potential for cute nicknames like Tash, Tashy or Nat, the full name was chosen for less than 60 babies in 2018.

This is a Greek, feminine version of Nicholas and means 'people of victory'.

The name is actually unisex, although during the 1980s, it sat within the top 20 most popular names for girls.

Can you imagine a baby Paul? It might not be the name that springs to mind when you look at your little baby's face, but it sure was in the '80s!

Once in the top 10, it doesn't even make the top 300 most popular boys' names now.

Of Hebrew origin, Rebecca means 'servant of God'.

It hasn't been a popular girls' name since 2012, but during its heyday in the '80s it was in the top 10.

Do you think a Rebecca, Becks or Becky would suit your daughter?

Richard is of German origin, meaning 'dominant ruler'.

A famous Richard born in the '80s is Bodyguard star Richard Madden.

The boys' name used to sit in the 10 most common names, but hasn't been a top pick for parents since the turn of the century.

This is the feminine version of Samuel, of Hebrew origin. Samantha means 'told by God'.

Less than 90 baby girls were given the name in 2018 – is it time to bring Sam back?

Sarah took the top spot when it came to girls' names in the 1980s, but only left the 100 most popular list in 2017.

It's perfect for your little princess – it literally means 'princess' in Hebrew!

It may not surprise you to learn that Scott means 'from Scotland'.

Less than 70 boys were named Scott in 2018, compared to the '80s when it was in the 50 most common names.

Met any babies called Shaun recently? There were only around 50 of them in 2018, which is WAY off how many baby Shauns there were in the '80s.

The name is the Irish variation of John.

Simon is of Hebrew origin, meaning 'the listener'.

Simon Le Bon ruling the '80s airwaves may have had something to do with the popularity of the name.

Nowadays, people might first associate it more with Simon Cowell ...

Stephanie means 'garland' or 'crown' and is the Greek, feminine version of Stephen.

The name dropped out of favour at the beginning of the 21st century, straying far from the popularity it had in the '80s and '90s.

Another Scottish name on the list is Stuart, meaning 'steward'.

It was once in the top 50 names, but less than 20 baby boys were named Stuart in 2018.