Pamela

#2,239 for girls in 2025, 82 births · Last seen for boys in 2004 at #11,356
Given to girls 99.8% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1953 · 25,760 births
Debut · girls
5 births
In top 100 · girls
39 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
595,076
since 1895

Pamela over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201955peak #10, 1953girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#2,23982—
2024#2,15088—
2023#1,934102—
2022#2,03495—
2021#1,801112—
2020#1,668123—
2019#1,495146—
2018#1,585136—
2017#1,451155—
2016#1,300184—
2015#1,399167—
2014#1,289185—
2013#1,171205—
2012#1,148215—
2011#961266—
2010#983258—
2009#842331—
2008#671455—
2007#582516—
2006#532568—
2005#618457—
2004#527540#11,3565
2003#446673—
2002#517530—
2001#483578—
2000#457607—
1999#421655#9,9125
1998#388714—
1997#359770—
1996#341814—
1995#385687—
1994#352748—
1993#324806#6,8167
1992#301920#8,4355
1991#2591,085#6,5197
1990#2381,194#4,67311
1989#1991,331#4,27112
1988#1841,510#5,7517
1987#1531,784#3,95911
1986#1382,016#5,3327
1985#1162,468#3,80511
1984#1042,642#4,5528
1983#913,029#3,88410
1982#823,546#2,83116
1981#763,881#3,41212
1980#863,533#4,9407
1979#903,365#3,16813
1978#1092,690#4,1578
1977#1022,830#2,91014
1976#843,364#2,24520
1975#704,177#2,45017
1974#545,272#2,05021
1973#475,813#2,03620
1972#347,472#1,96621
1971#2810,149#1,27243
1970#2612,907#1,15951
1969#2413,355#98960
1968#2014,031#1,20640
1967#1715,368#1,04349
1966#1516,249#1,21638
1965#1217,467#1,27136
1964#1119,823#1,21940
1963#1420,593#94763
1962#1321,270#1,31135
1961#1521,691#1,13648
1960#1422,092#1,05853
1959#1224,714#1,26538
1958#1125,279#1,00158
1957#1225,015#1,10048
1956#1226,928#1,19341
1955#1226,690#1,21938
1954#1227,361#1,22737
1953#1025,760#1,33132
1952#1720,879#1,34731
1951#1618,570#1,43027
1950#1716,202#1,39527
1949#2115,132#1,54423
1948#2214,281#1,37828
1947#2812,398#1,39428
1946#349,367#1,40925
1945#426,169#1,85214
1944#446,204#1,40023
1943#544,839#1,52921
1942#1062,632#2,5239
1941#1551,468#2,8727
1940#251631—
1939#347337—
1938#369314—
1937#399264—
1936#434220—
1935#458194—
1934#535147—
1933#629108—
1932#69296—
1931#66799—
1930#71794—
1929#666110—
1928#703100—
1927#91167—
1926#84376—
1925#86175—
1924#1,09651—
1923#1,07650—
1922#1,26938—
1921#1,40933—
1920#1,58427—
1919#1,74522—
1918#2,02918—
1917#1,99617—
1916#2,49812—
1915#1,57122—
1914#1,89613—
1913#1,46516—
1912#1,29717—
1911#1,7928—
1910#2,3985—
1909——
1908——
1907——
1906#1,7276—
1905——
1904#1,8775—
1903——
1902——
1901——
1900——
1899——
1898#1,5026—
1897——
1896——
1895#1,5925—
1894——
1893——
1892——
1891——
1890——
1889——
1888——
1887——
1886——
1885——
1884——
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1882——
1881——
1880——
First appearance
1895

The first year at least five girls were named Pamela! It came in at #1,592, and was given to 5 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1895–1897, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.

Where Pamela is popular in 1955

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #14 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 66 girlsAKMaine: #10 for girls · 182 births · 1 in 52 girlsMEVermont: #14 for girls · 53 births · 1 in 69 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #14 for girls · 84 births · 1 in 61 girlsNHWashington: #10 for girls · 451 births · 1 in 62 girlsWAIdaho: #7 for girls · 113 births · 1 in 56 girlsIDMontana: #10 for girls · 106 births · 1 in 65 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #11 for girls · 130 births · 1 in 53 girlsNDMinnesota: #13 for girls · 553 births · 1 in 66 girlsMNIllinois: #10 for girls · 1,676 births · 1 in 60 girlsILWisconsin: #15 for girls · 608 births · 1 in 69 girlsWIMichigan: #10 for girls · 1,515 births · 1 in 59 girlsMINew York: #20 for girls · 1,441 births · 1 in 113 girlsNYMassachusetts: #19 for girls · 594 births · 1 in 87 girlsMARhode Island: #24 for girls · 90 births · 1 in 94 girlsRIOregon: #8 for girls · 285 births · 1 in 57 girlsORNevada: #7 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 43 girlsNVWyoming: #13 for girls · 44 births · 1 in 69 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #10 for girls · 145 births · 1 in 53 girlsSDIowa: #10 for girls · 512 births · 1 in 56 girlsIAIndiana: #6 for girls · 1,049 births · 1 in 46 girlsINOhio: #9 for girls · 1,922 births · 1 in 53 girlsOHPennsylvania: #18 for girls · 1,253 births · 1 in 90 girlsPANew Jersey: #20 for girls · 474 births · 1 in 113 girlsNJConnecticut: #18 for girls · 288 births · 1 in 80 girlsCTCalifornia: #10 for girls · 2,190 births · 1 in 67 girlsCAUtah: #6 for girls · 161 births · 1 in 64 girlsUTColorado: #10 for girls · 277 births · 1 in 65 girlsCONebraska: #12 for girls · 262 births · 1 in 56 girlsNEMissouri: #10 for girls · 812 births · 1 in 54 girlsMOKentucky: #10 for girls · 587 births · 1 in 57 girlsKYWest Virginia: #6 for girls · 442 births · 1 in 44 girlsWVVirginia: #15 for girls · 569 births · 1 in 72 girlsVAMaryland: #15 for girls · 394 births · 1 in 73 girlsMDDelaware: #23 for girls · 40 births · 1 in 104 girlsDEArizona: #12 for girls · 144 births · 1 in 84 girlsAZNew Mexico: #14 for girls · 112 births · 1 in 96 girlsNMKansas: #9 for girls · 393 births · 1 in 55 girlsKSArkansas: #13 for girls · 251 births · 1 in 75 girlsARTennessee: #7 for girls · 695 births · 1 in 55 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #13 for girls · 746 births · 1 in 70 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #15 for girls · 331 births · 1 in 86 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #12 for girls · 193 births · 1 in 69 girlsDCOklahoma: #6 for girls · 443 births · 1 in 50 girlsOKLouisiana: #14 for girls · 489 births · 1 in 77 girlsLAMississippi: #21 for girls · 240 births · 1 in 115 girlsMSAlabama: #12 for girls · 488 births · 1 in 74 girlsALGeorgia: #9 for girls · 705 births · 1 in 65 girlsGAHawaii: #12 for girls · 76 births · 1 in 80 girlsHITexas: #11 for girls · 1,481 births · 1 in 76 girlsTXFlorida: #14 for girls · 516 births · 1 in 77 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. West Virginia#6 · 1 in 44
  2. Indiana#6 · 1 in 46
  3. Oklahoma#6 · 1 in 50
  4. Utah#6 · 1 in 64
  5. Nevada#7 · 1 in 43

Best ever in a state: #3 in West Virginia, 1959.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Indiana#61,0491 in 46
Oklahoma#64431 in 50
Utah#61611 in 64
West Virginia#64421 in 44
Idaho#71131 in 56
Nevada#7461 in 43
Tennessee#76951 in 55
Oregon#82851 in 57
Georgia#97051 in 65
Kansas#93931 in 55
Ohio#91,9221 in 53
California#102,1901 in 67
Colorado#102771 in 65
Illinois#101,6761 in 60
Iowa#105121 in 56
Kentucky#105871 in 57
Maine#101821 in 52
Michigan#101,5151 in 59
Missouri#108121 in 54
Montana#101061 in 65
South Dakota#101451 in 53
Washington#104511 in 62
North Dakota#111301 in 53
Texas#111,4811 in 76
Alabama#124881 in 74
Arizona#121441 in 84
District of Columbia#121931 in 69
Hawaii#12761 in 80
Nebraska#122621 in 56
Arkansas#132511 in 75
Minnesota#135531 in 66
North Carolina#137461 in 70
Wyoming#13441 in 69
Alaska#14391 in 66
Florida#145161 in 77
Louisiana#144891 in 77
New Hampshire#14841 in 61
New Mexico#141121 in 96
Vermont#14531 in 69
Maryland#153941 in 73
South Carolina#153311 in 86
Virginia#155691 in 72
Wisconsin#156081 in 69
Connecticut#182881 in 80
Pennsylvania#181,2531 in 90
Massachusetts#195941 in 87
New Jersey#204741 in 113
New York#201,4411 in 113
Mississippi#212401 in 115
Delaware#23401 in 104
Rhode Island#24901 in 94

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Pamela
Momentum · girls
Falling
  • 89 spots since 2024 (#2,150 → #2,239)
  • 571 spots since 2020 (#1,668 → #2,239)
  • 840 spots since 2015 (#1,399 → #2,239)
  • Biggest jump: 235 spots in 1925 (#1,096 → #861)
  • Biggest drop: 187 spots in 2012 (#961 → #1,148)
Rise & fade · girls
58 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1895
  • Peaked 1953 at #10 (25,760 births)
  • Births halved by 1971, 18 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 10 for 1 yr
  • Top 10: 1 yr · 1953
  • Top 100: 39 yrs · run 1943–1976
  • Top 1,000: 87 yrs · run 1925–2011
Share of babies · girls
1 in 71
  • Highest: 1 in 71 girls born in 1954 were named Pamela (1.4%)
  • Latest: 1 in 19,601 girls born in 2025 (0.01%)
  • Its best rank, #10 in 1953, was only 1 in 73 (1.4%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1950s
  • 39.9% of all girls named Pamela (237,398) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1890s11#1,502 (1898)#1,547
1900s11#1,727 (1906)#1,802
1910s150#1,297 (1912)#1,869
1920s627#666 (1929)#1,042
1930s1,873#347 (1939)#525
1940s73,121#21 (1949)#76
1950s237,398#10 (1953)#13
1960s181,939#11 (1964)#16
1970s58,039#26 (1970)#64
1980s25,740#76 (1981)#123
1990s8,393#238 (1990)#337
2000s5,255#446 (2003)#568
2010s1,917#961 (2011)#1,278
2020s602#1,668 (2020)#1,971

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Pamela in 1955

girls
#12
26,690 births · 1 in 73 girls
boys
#1,219
38 births · 1 in 54,208 boys

Top girls' names in 1955

  1. #1Mary63,174
  2. #2Deborah52,318
  3. #3Linda51,300
  4. #4Debra50,563
  5. #5Susan47,418
  6. #6Patricia46,226
  7. #7Barbara33,617
  8. #8Karen33,217
  9. #9Nancy30,023
  10. #10Donna27,940
  11. #12Pamela26,690

Top boys' names in 1955

  1. #1Michael88,355
  2. #2David86,306
  3. #3James84,186
  4. #4Robert83,758
  5. #5John80,128
  6. #6William59,990
  7. #7Richard53,566
  8. #8Thomas45,855
  9. #9Mark42,255
  10. #10Steven37,847
  11. #1,219Pamela38
More about 1955

girls

1,955,277 girls got a published name in 1955; 1 in 73 of them was named Pamela, which outranked 99.8% of the 6,732 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Pamela
  1. #9Nancy30,023
  2. #10Donna27,940
  3. #11Cynthia27,178
  4. #12Pamela26,690
  5. #13Sandra25,112
  6. #14Diane23,290
  7. #15Carol22,046
Biggest movers since 1954
Risers
  1. ↑ 793Athena#1,505 → #712
  2. ↑ 675Desiree#984 → #309
  3. ↑ 661Roni#1,197 → #536
  4. ↑ 630Gisele#1,444 → #814
  5. ↑ 593Carmel#1,422 → #829
Fallers
  1. ↓ 514Valinda#806 → #1,320
  2. ↓ 378Elouise#969 → #1,347
  3. ↓ 287Veda#831 → #1,118
  4. ↓ 275Drema#978 → #1,253
  5. ↓ 264Brooke#965 → #1,229

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

2,059,889 boys got a published name in 1955; 1 in 54,208 of them was named Pamela, which outranked 72.3% of the 4,400 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 32.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Pamela
  1. #1,198Webster39
  2. #1,198Wendall39
  3. #1,198Zack39
  4. #1,219Pamela38
  5. #1,219Alphonzo38
  6. #1,219Amado38
  7. #1,219Blaise38
  8. #1,240Bertrand37
  9. #1,240Edsel37
  10. #1,240Ellery37

Tied with 20 names at #1,219; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1954
Risers
  1. ↑ 808Davy#1,333 → #525
  2. ↑ 326Wyatt#985 → #659
  3. ↑ 323Moises#1,311 → #988
  4. ↑ 296Tad#1,068 → #772
  5. ↑ 286Rhett#1,122 → #836
Fallers
  1. ↓ 738Rahn#908 → #1,646
  2. ↓ 415Ricci#739 → #1,154
  3. ↓ 321Meredith#952 → #1,273
  4. ↓ 309Michial#985 → #1,294
  5. ↓ 282Arvin#973 → #1,255

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1955 →