In response to the conformity of the 1950s, adults of the '60s and '70s rejected formality. Suits and ties and evening gowns were replaced with jeans and T-shirts. The most popular names of the '60s and '70s were short and cute, and nicknames were often used as given names. 

Boys' Names

Brad

Brent

Brett

Bruce 

Chad

Chris

Craig

Dale

Dean

Doug 

Glenn 

Grant

Jeff

Keith

Kent 

Kirk

Kurt

Lance

Mark 

Mitch

Neil

Scott 

Todd 

Troy 

Girls' Names 

Allie

Candy

Carrie

Casey

Chris

Chrissy

Cindy

Gina

Gwen 

Heidi

Holly

Jackie

Jamie

Jill 

Jody

Julie

Kelly

Kerry

Kim 

Laurie

Lisa

Liza

Marcy 

Sandra

Sandy

Shari

Shelley 

Sherry

Stacey

Tammy

Teri

Tina 

Toni

Tori

Tracy

Tricia

Trish

Wendy 

Vicky 

Historical Names 

American history was in fashion during the '70s. Popular TV shows like Roots and Little House on the Prairie depicted rural lifestyles of past centuries. The Bicentennial celebration of 1976 created a fad for Colonial-style furniture and decor. Fashions of the time included cowboy-style shirts and jeans, long floral skirts, and bibbed overalls. Popular names of the period reflected interest in 18th and 19th Century America. 

Historical Boys' Names 

Aaron 

Andy

Ben

Daniel

David 

Jason

Jeremiah

Jeremy

Jesse

John

Jonathan 

Joseph

Joshua

Matthew

Michael

Nathan

Nathaniel

Zachary

Zachariah 

Historical Girls' Names 

Amy

Anna

Becky

Beth

Carrie 

Christy

Jenny

Jessie 

Katie 

Laura 

Lizzie

Rachel

Rebecca

Sarah 

Nature

Hippie names were inspired by nature. Some celebrities drew a lot of attention by naming their children things like China, Sunshine, Harmony, Free, or Moon. Other nature-inspired names were more common: 

Amber

Autumn

Crystal

Dawn

Ebony 

Heather

Holly

Melody

Misty

Robin 

Summer 

Arabic 

During the Civil Rights movement, interest in Islam increased, and Arabic names became very popular among African Americans. 

Arabic Boys' Names 

Ali

Jamal

Jamar

Jamil

Karim

Malik

Rashad

Rashan

Rashid 

Sharik

Tamik

Tarik 

Arabic Girls' Names 

Aisha

Fatima

Jamila

Latifa 

Nakia

Rashida

Shanika

Sharifah

Tanika 

Tanisha

French Influence

Placing the prefix "de" or "la" at the beginning of a French name was a custom originating in Old Louisiana, and in the '60s and '70s, these French-influenced names became popular again for African Americans all over the country. 

French-Influenced Boys' Names 

Andre 

Antoine 

DeAndre

DeAngelo

DeMarcus

DeMonde

DeRon

DeShawn

DeWayne 

Dion

LaMar

Lamont

LaRon 

LaRoy

LaShawn

Rene 

French-Influenced Girls' Names

LaDonna

LaKeisha

LaShonda

LaTanya

LaTasha

LaTisha

LaToya

LaTricia

LaWanda 

Irish

Irish names became popular for both boys and girls, and some Irish last names were used as first names. 

Irish Boys' Names 

Brian

Casey

Corey

Kerry 

Kevin

Neil

Patrick

Ryan

Sean 

Shane 

Irish Girls' Names 

Bridget 

Cara

Casey

Erin

Kelly 

Kerry 

Shannon

Tara 

Romantic

Other popular girls' names were romantic, feminine names like the kind often found on soap operas and in romance novels: 

Amanda

Andrea

Angela 

Christina

Erica

Felicia

Jennifer 

Jessica

Melissa

Rebecca 

French 

Some French names became newly popular for girls:

Aimee 

Christine

Danielle 

Julie

Michelle

Nicole

Renee

Stephanie