These Baby Girl Names From The '80s Are On The Rise Again

Naming habits are an underrated part of what makes a society so interesting. Although names can vary based on the child's gender or generation, the monikers babies receive can serve as a time capsule. According to naming expert Lauren Wattenbberg, that was the case in the 1980s. She told Today that boy names were more "cautious" and traditional while girl names were more experimental. "The hot style for girls was long and ruffled, the name equivalent of the feathered hairstyles of the time," Wattenberg said.

Names like Jessica, Stephanie, and Kimberly became popular for the "s," "f," and "l" sounds, but they fell off during the 2000s and 2010s. However, '80s naming trends are back in style. Some vintage baby names making a comeback in the 2020s experiment with the lush sounds of the '80s. Plus, some of America's top baby names in 2025 have the same themes, such as nature or Bible references. Even people's attempts to make their child stand out aren't much different. For instance, parents in both decades opted out of naming their daughter something that ended in the letter "a."

Although many popular names reach their peak before sounding dated, the Social Security Administration reports that some '80s girl names never left the top 200 list.

Allison ranked at number 50 in the 1980s and climbed its way up to the 40s during the '90s, 2000s, and 2010s. It naturally went down in popularity from 2020 to 2025, but at number 94, it's in a better spot than it was in the '70s. Allison has Scottish roots, and in the 1200s, it was a popular last name in the southeastern part of Scotland and northern parts of England. Allison, which means "noble," became a gender-neutral first name as it replaced the feminine spelling with one "l." However, parents gave it to their little girls more often, and the SSA reports that Allison hasn't been in the top 1000 boy names since the 1960s. "America's Next Top Model" contestant Allison Harvard is a famous '80s baby with the name.

Ashley also remains in the top 200 girl names from 2020 to 2025, but it experienced a steeper decline in popularity. Like Allison, Ashley was originally a last name in England that means "ash tree clearing." Parents gave it to their sons when Ashley became a first name, but it was more common for American baby girls in the 1960s. According to the SSA, the name rose to number 4 in the '80s and number 2 in the '90s. It ranked at number 10 in the 2000s before falling to number 73 in the 2010s. The SSA reports that Ashley is number 147 in the top 200 from 2020 to 2025, so it looks like the decline hasn't made the name totally out of fashion.

As people look to the past for name inspiration, Biblical names have become a staple for parents who want more classic names for their daughters. Elizabeth is a timeless girl name that stayed in the top 30 for the past century, according to the Social Security Administration. It ranked at number 9 in the '80s and number 15 from 2020 to 2025. The original Hebrew name means "God is my oath," and it pops up in the Book of Exodus. Elizabeth was the wife of Aaron, the first high priest and brother of the prophet Moses. In the New Testament, Mary's cousin who gave birth to John the Baptist is also named Elizabeth. It also makes a fine middle name, as the youngest British royals get it in honor of their great-grandmother Elizabeth II.

Abigail is another Biblical name on the rise with a drastic boost in popularity. The Social Security Administration ranked it at number 148 out of the top 200 in the '80s, and it went up to number 22 from 2020 to 2025. Derived from the Hebrew words for father and joy, Abigail means "my father's joy" or "my father is joy." The baby name has a great meaning for a precious little girl, which probably explains why it's on The Bump's top 100 girl names in 2026. The Bible introduces the name in the Book of Samuel, as it belongs to one of King David's beautiful wives.

Sometimes, parents feel like names inspired by nature keep things fresh for their little one. According to the SSA, Olivia and Autumn were in the top 200 names for the '80s and jumped up to the top 75 in the 2020s. Olivia ranked number one each year from 2020 to 2025, so it's doing better than just being a popular baby name in 2024. The name has roots in the Latin language, meaning "olive tree." Olive trees have long represented peace and longevity in the Mediterranean region, so Olivia has an inspiring feeling to it, too. It's also attached to courageous fictional characters like Olivia Benson in "Law & Order: SVU."

Autumn is a lovely name for babies born during the cooler season and parents who enjoy it. It's derived from the Latin word "autumnus," which is just another word for fall. According to the SSA, its popularity peaked at number 64 in 2013, and it later ranked at 88 in 2025. Despite its gentle decline, Autumn is number 72 on the top 200 list from the 2020s. As the harvest period between summer and winter, autumn is typically associated with growth and change. 

However, Autumn isn't the only seasonal name making a comeback from its '80s heyday. Social Security data reports that Summer jumped up the top 1000 rankings in the '70s before landing in the top 160 girl names in 1980. Summer ranked at 152 in 2020, which is slightly better than it was in the '80s, and it came at number 146 for all births from 2020 to 2025. R&B artist Summer Walker is probably one of the most famous name bearers.

Melissa, Rebecca, Laura, and Samantha are other names besides Jessica that reigned in the 1980s. However, some of the decade's hit girl names don't even end in the letter "a." Audrey, for example, is derived from an Old English name, Etheldreda, meaning "noble strength." According to "A Dictionary of First Names," the original name was widely known as that of a 6^th-century saint. Audrey Hepburn is one of the most famous people to have that name and truly embodied its meaning. Although the Old Hollywood actor wasn't granted a title at birth, she had noble blood through her mother, Baroness Ella van Heemstra.  Audrey was in the top 250 girl names in the '80s and sits in the top 100 girl names in 2025, according to the SSA.

Melody was also a fairly popular name throughout the '80s, according to the SSA, as it moved up and down the top 300 girl names. Behind the Name says it comes from the Greek words "melos," which means "song," and "aeido," which means "to sing." The name sounds as musical as its origin, which could explain why it's ranking better in the 2020s. It ranked at number 79 in the SSA's list of popular girl names in 2025. Melody Thornton from the Pussycat Dolls is a Millennial icon with the name, and the rapper Ray J named his daughter after his 2005 song "Melody."