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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201974peak #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 1974

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #47 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 159 girlsAKMaine: #91 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 362 girlsMEVermont: #44 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 157 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #41 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 173 girlsNHWashington: #84 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 357 girlsWAIdaho: #62 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 227 girlsIDMontana: #62 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 225 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #89 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 353 girlsNDMinnesota: #67 for girls · 79 births · 1 in 301 girlsMNIllinois: #61 for girls · 234 births · 1 in 298 girlsILWisconsin: #63 for girls · 97 births · 1 in 283 girlsWIMichigan: #57 for girls · 214 births · 1 in 266 girlsMINew York: #61 for girls · 361 births · 1 in 286 girlsNYMassachusetts: #49 for girls · 148 births · 1 in 207 girlsMARhode Island: #33 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 140 girlsRIOregon: #127 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 522 girlsORNevada: #72 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 229 girlsNVWyoming: #75 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 225 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #64 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 232 girlsSDIowa: #76 for girls · 52 births · 1 in 324 girlsIAIndiana: #81 for girls · 90 births · 1 in 388 girlsINOhio: #55 for girls · 265 births · 1 in 265 girlsOHPennsylvania: #50 for girls · 287 births · 1 in 233 girlsPANew Jersey: #47 for girls · 172 births · 1 in 219 girlsNJConnecticut: #64 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 250 girlsCTCalifornia: #115 for girls · 258 births · 1 in 530 girlsCAUtah: #79 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 335 girlsUTColorado: #74 for girls · 52 births · 1 in 301 girlsCONebraska: #63 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 262 girlsNEMissouri: #61 for girls · 116 births · 1 in 256 girlsMOKentucky: #47 for girls · 111 births · 1 in 205 girlsKYWest Virginia: #50 for girls · 53 births · 1 in 211 girlsWVVirginia: #38 for girls · 156 births · 1 in 178 girlsVAMaryland: #54 for girls · 81 births · 1 in 229 girlsMDDelaware: #50 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 171 girlsDEArizona: #85 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 357 girlsAZNew Mexico: #62 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 258 girlsNMKansas: #88 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 354 girlsKSArkansas: #37 for girls · 79 births · 1 in 162 girlsARTennessee: #40 for girls · 154 births · 1 in 178 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #26 for girls · 237 births · 1 in 143 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #22 for girls · 144 births · 1 in 122 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #36 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 167 girlsDCOklahoma: #50 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 233 girlsOKLouisiana: #40 for girls · 129 births · 1 in 192 girlsLAMississippi: #17 for girls · 134 births · 1 in 120 girlsMSAlabama: #17 for girls · 205 births · 1 in 110 girlsALGeorgia: #25 for girls · 224 births · 1 in 147 girlsGAHawaii: #79 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 321 girlsHITexas: #78 for girls · 271 births · 1 in 352 girlsTXFlorida: #35 for girls · 234 births · 1 in 187 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Alabama#17 · 1 in 110
  2. Mississippi#17 · 1 in 120
  3. South Carolina#22 · 1 in 122
  4. Georgia#25 · 1 in 147
  5. North Carolina#26 · 1 in 143

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Alabama#172051 in 110
Mississippi#171341 in 120
South Carolina#221441 in 122
Georgia#252241 in 147
North Carolina#262371 in 143
Rhode Island#33321 in 140
Florida#352341 in 187
District of Columbia#36351 in 167
Arkansas#37791 in 162
Virginia#381561 in 178
Louisiana#401291 in 192
Tennessee#401541 in 178
New Hampshire#41251 in 173
Vermont#44141 in 157
Alaska#47121 in 159
Kentucky#471111 in 205
New Jersey#471721 in 219
Massachusetts#491481 in 207
Delaware#50161 in 171
Oklahoma#50681 in 233
Pennsylvania#502871 in 233
West Virginia#50531 in 211
Maryland#54811 in 229
Ohio#552651 in 265
Michigan#572141 in 266
Illinois#612341 in 298
Missouri#611161 in 256
New York#613611 in 286
Idaho#62231 in 227
Montana#62181 in 225
New Mexico#62301 in 258
Nebraska#63361 in 262
Wisconsin#63971 in 283
Connecticut#64571 in 250
South Dakota#64171 in 232
Minnesota#67791 in 301
Nevada#72111 in 229
Colorado#74521 in 301
Wyoming#7581 in 225
Iowa#76521 in 324
Texas#782711 in 352
Hawaii#79141 in 321
Utah#79351 in 335
Indiana#81901 in 388
Washington#84551 in 357
Arizona#85431 in 357
Kansas#88341 in 354
North Dakota#89111 in 353
Maine#91161 in 362
California#1152581 in 530
Oregon#127251 in 522

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 1974

girls
#54
5,272 births · 1 in 278 girls
boys
#2,050
21 births · 1 in 74,873 boys

Top girls' names in 1974

  1. #1Jennifer63,107
  2. #2Amy29,566
  3. #3Michelle25,826
  4. #4Heather23,179
  5. #5Angela22,803
  6. #6Kimberly22,427
  7. #7Melissa22,166
  8. #8Lisa19,778
  9. #9Stephanie16,984
  10. #10Rebecca15,163
  11. #54Pamela5,272

Top boys' names in 1974

  1. #1Michael67,534
  2. #2Jason54,756
  3. #3Christopher48,585
  4. #4David41,786
  5. #5James41,334
  6. #6John37,612
  7. #7Robert37,005
  8. #8Brian34,449
  9. #9Matthew27,194
  10. #10William26,980
  11. #2,050Pamela21
More about 1974

girls

1,467,534 girls got a published name in 1974; 1 in 278 of them was named Pamela, which outranked 99.5% of the 10,247 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.8% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Pamela
  1. #51Melanie5,483
  2. #52Teresa5,397
  3. #53Denise5,395
  4. #54Pamela5,272
  5. #55Dana5,158
  6. #56Holly5,144
  7. #57Christy5,067
Biggest movers since 1973
Risers
  1. ↑ 6,440Nakia#6,666 → #226
  2. ↑ 5,329Nikia#6,080 → #751
  3. ↑ 1,994Luciana#2,914 → #920
  4. ↑ 1,556Cortney#2,349 → #793
  5. ↑ 1,213Nia#1,885 → #672
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,251Contina#962 → #2,213
  2. ↓ 396Pam#990 → #1,386
  3. ↓ 376Tracee#536 → #912
  4. ↓ 364Cher#760 → #1,124
  5. ↓ 314Richard#904 → #1,218

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

boys

1,572,334 boys got a published name in 1974; 1 in 74,873 of them was named Pamela, which outranked 65.9% of the 6,004 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Pamela
  1. #1,983Stefano22
  2. #1,983Vivek22
  3. #1,983Zev22
  4. #2,050Pamela21
  5. #2,050Adolphus21
  6. #2,050Alvie21
  7. #2,050Anders21
  8. #2,129Abran20
  9. #2,129Andrey20
  10. #2,129Avi20

Tied with 78 names at #2,050; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1973
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,544Rashad#4,505 → #961
  2. ↑ 844Telly#1,312 → #468
  3. ↑ 398Jabari#1,312 → #914
  4. ↑ 356Ahmad#1,123 → #767
  5. ↑ 356Toma#1,238 → #882
Fallers
  1. ↓ 383Parrish#987 → #1,370
  2. ↓ 378Fredric#957 → #1,335
  3. ↓ 346Jory#753 → #1,099
  4. ↓ 301Vidal#834 → #1,135
  5. ↓ 277Pat#847 → #1,124

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

See the top 100 for 1974 →