What was the most popular name for a female infant born in the U.S. during 1916 through 2015?

Based upon U.S. Social Security card application data as of the end of February 2016, the most popular name for a female infant born during 1916 through 2015 (last 100 years) was Mary. Also, note that all names are from Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States. And, note that many people born before 1937 never applied for a Social Security card, so their names are not included in the data pool. The highest recorded use of the name "Mary" was in 1921 with a total of 73,985 babies.

The name "Mary" is of Hebrew origin (Miryam) meaning "bitterness" (cf. myrrh). Other meanings suggested include "rebelliousness", or "wished-for child" or "Our Lady" or "beloved lady", referring to the Christian reverence for the Virgin Mary. It's a name commonly and often given to girls. It is the English form of the name Maria, which was in turn a Latin form of the Greek names Μαριάμ, or Mariam.

Women named Mary believe that they are often called creative and outgoing; it seems that they are always looking for an opportunity to show their abilities, especially before an audience. They are said to be very flexible and like to feel appreciated. They look for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate their ideas. They like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for women named Mary is uncertainty. Because of the attributes associated with their name, women called Mary seem to love their name.