Baby name trends of the 1980s

In the days where Michael Jackson was introducing the world to the moonwalk and nobody left the house without their legwarmers and fingerless gloves, baby names Michael and Jessica topped the Social Security Administration's http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/names1980s.html baby name charts. Wondering what other baby name trends could be spotted amongst babies born in the same decade as MTV? From biblical names for boys to unisex names for boys and girls, check out the baby name trends of the 1980s.

Biblical names for boys
The baby name trend of biblical names for boys has never really gone away. Boy names from the bible like Christopher, Matthew, Joshua, and David for boys were leaders of the pack when it came to babies born in the 1980s. James, Daniel, John, and Joseph also labeled many bouncing baby boys in this decade.

Discover more biblical baby boy names and meanings

Preppy names and perky names for girls
Preppy baby names and perky baby names graced the birth certificates, and many school-yard cliques, in the 80s. Monikers that end in the y or ie sound, like Ashley, Stephanie, Tiffany, and Amy, were popular amongst new parents. Kimberly, Brittany, Kelly, and Jamie held their own in the popular baby name charts as well.

Unisex baby names
Along with short hair and power suits for both sexes, unisex names were making a comeback. In the 1980s, unisex names like Casey, Jaime, Angel, Jordan, and Taylor, had a resurge of popularity since the continuing decline of unisex names almost 100 years prior when unisex baby names were at their peak. Cameron, Terry, Devin, Kelly, Dana, Tracy, Shawn, Corey and Alex were also given to babies of both sexes in the 80s.

See the top 50 baby names of 2011

Formal baby names
Names seen in droves on the baby name charts in the 1980s include monikers that follow today's baby name trend of formal baby names. Baby boy names such as Jonathan, Nicholas, Anthony and Thomas may have been called by their nicknames on the playground, but to the world, they were known by their formal version. In the same spirit, baby girls were given names like Elizabeth, Kimberly, Christina and Danielle, but likely called Liz, Kim, Chris, and Danny to those who knew them best.

Check out more formal baby names

Very few vowel-starting names
With the exception of names like Andrew and Ian, Amanda and Emily, most baby names did not start with a vowel, unlike the baby name trends of today. You'd most likely see babies in buggies named Robert, Jason, Ryan, and William, and Jennifer, Sarah, Melissa and Nicole.

What 80s baby name trend did you love as much as the big hair styles of the same decade? 

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