These are the most popular given names in the United States for each year in the 1980s.
| 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | ||||||||||
| 1 | Michael | Michael | Michael | Michael | Michael | Michael | Michael | Michael | Michael | Michael |
| 2 | Christopher | Christopher | Christopher | Christopher | Christopher | Christopher | Christopher | Christopher | Christopher | Christopher |
| 3 | Jason | Matthew | Matthew | Matthew | Matthew | Matthew | Matthew | Matthew | Matthew | Matthew |
| 4 | David | Jason | Jason | David | Joshua | Joshua | Joshua | Joshua | Joshua | |
| 5 | James | David | David | Joshua | David | Daniel | David | David | Andrew | David |
| 6 | Matthew | Joshua | James | James | Daniel | David | Daniel | Andrew | David | Daniel |
| 7 | Joshua | James | Joshua | Jason | James | James | James | Daniel | Justin | Andrew |
| 8 | John | John | John | Daniel | John | Robert | Andrew | James | Daniel | Justin |
| 9 | Robert | Robert | Robert | John | Robert | John | Robert | Justin | James | James |
| 10 | Joseph | Daniel | Daniel | Robert | Joseph | Joseph | John | Robert | ||
| Female | ||||||||||
| 1 | Jennifer | Jennifer | Jennifer | Jennifer | Jennifer | Jessica | Jessica | Jessica | Jessica | Jessica |
| 2 | Amanda | Jessica | Jessica | Jessica | Jessica | Ashley | Ashley | Ashley | Ashley | Ashley |
| 3 | Jessica | Amanda | Amanda | Amanda | Ashley | Jennifer | Amanda | Amanda | Amanda | Brittany |
| 4 | Melissa | Sarah | Sarah | Ashley | Amanda | Amanda | Jennifer | Jennifer | Sarah | Amanda |
| 5 | Sarah | Melissa | Melissa | Sarah | Sarah | Sarah | Sarah | Sarah | Jennifer | Sarah |
| 6 | Heather | Amy | Nicole | Melissa | Stephanie | Stephanie | Stephanie | Stephanie | Brittany | Samantha |
| 7 | Nicole | Nicole | Stephanie | Nicole | Nicole | Nicole | Nicole | Brittany | Stephanie | Jennifer |
| 8 | Amy | Stephanie | Elizabeth | Stephanie | Melissa | Heather | Brittany | Nicole | Samantha | Stephanie |
| 9 | Elizabeth | Elizabeth | Crystal | Heather | Heather | Elizabeth | Heather | Heather | Nicole | Lauren |
| 10 | Michelle | Heather | Amy | Elizabeth | Elizabeth | Megan | Elizabeth | Elizabeth | Elizabeth | Elizabeth |