In 1964, while The Beatles were climbing to worldwide fame and Liverpool's Merseybeat sound was making headlines across the globe, parents were settling on a clear set of favourite baby names. Susan and David led the way for girls and boys respectively, while Peter, Simon, Julie and Diane also featured prominently in the year's top 15.
Those born in 1964 are turning 62 in 2026, making this a fitting moment to revisit the names of that era. The Office for National Statistics released its historical baby-name data at set intervals, meaning 1964 is the closest official snapshot to 1966.
Below are the 15 most popular girls' names and the 15 most popular boys' names recorded in 1964, a total of 30 names that defined the generation.
Top 15 girls' names in 1964
- Susan
- Julie
- Karen
- Jacqueline
- Deborah
- Tracey
- Jane
- Helen
- Diane
- Sharon
- Tracy
- Angela
- Sarah
- Alison
- Caroline
Top 15 boys' names in 1964
- David
- Paul
- Andrew
- Mark
- John
- Michael
- Stephen
- Ian
- Robert
- Richard
- Christopher
- Peter
- Simon
- Anthony
- Kevin
Some of these names may still sound familiar to modern ears, while others have almost completely disappeared from common use.
