Most popular baby names in New South Wales, 1978

The top girls’ name was Rebecca, given to 985 babies. The top boys’ name was Michael, given to 1,347 babies.

The top 100 as published, with the number of babies given each name.

Top 100 girls’ names

Rank	Name	Babies
1	Rebecca	985
2	Michelle	810
3	Melissa	675
4	Nicole	666
5	Lisa	622
6	Sarah	602
7	Belinda	593
8	Amanda	571
9	Kylie	539
10	Kelly	531
11	Kristy	436
12	Natalie	429
13	Jennifer	401
14	Emma	387
15	Renee	373
16	Melanie	370
17	Angela	326
18	Karen	324
19	Alison	309
20	Elizabeth	306
21	Danielle	305
22	Joanne	296
23	Amy	294
24	Rachel	293
25	Kate	289
26	Samantha	272
27	Kim	260
28	Vanessa	250
29	Jodie	239
30	Katherine	238
31	Katrina	232
32	Fiona	225
33	Julie	219
34	Megan	214
35	Tanya	201
36	Leanne	199
37	Catherine	194
38	Kathryn	189
39	Linda	185
40	Kellie	176
41	Louise	176
42	Tracey	176
43	Sally	175
44	Anna	174
45	Sharon	173
46	Christine	170
47	Maria	169
48	Donna	158
49	Melinda	157
50	Natasha	156
51	Naomi	154
52	Jacqueline	151
53	Katie	149
54	Rachael	149
55	Susan	146
56	Brooke	144
57	Leah	137
58	Jane	133
59	Peta	133
60	Stacey	133
61	Emily	131
62	Tammy	130
63	Simone	129
64	Lauren	127
65	Cassandra	126
66	Olivia	126
67	Erin	124
68	Tracy	124
69	Helen	123
70	Sandra	119
71	Deborah	118
72	Jessica	118
73	Kirsty	114
74	Caroline	113
75	Heidi	112
76	Tamara	111
77	Amber	104
78	Claire	104
79	Bianca	99
80	Laura	99
81	Kristie	98
82	Alexandra	96
83	Renae	96
84	Allison	94
85	Shannon	94
86	Wendy	94
87	Kathleen	92
88	Mary	89
89	Stephanie	88
90	Tina	87
91	Alicia	86
92	Felicity	85
93	Suzanne	83
94	Patricia	80
95	Georgina	79
96	Jade	79
97	Sonia	79
98	Christina	78
99	Anita	76
100	Skye	76

Top 100 boys’ names

Rank	Name	Babies
1	Michael	1,347
2	Matthew	1,226
3	David	1,223
4	Daniel	1,154
5	Andrew	1,078
6	Benjamin	1,015
7	Christopher	889
8	Mark	888
9	Adam	841
10	Peter	735
11	Paul	707
12	Scott	684
13	Nathan	664
14	Jason	638
15	Robert	586
16	James	577
17	John	545
18	Steven	533
19	Shane	522
20	Luke	520
21	Anthony	490
22	Timothy	488
23	Craig	453
24	Bradley	432
25	Stephen	404
26	Aaron	357
27	Brett	348
28	Simon	337
29	Nicholas	302
30	Gregory	288
31	Troy	287
32	Mathew	262
33	Joshua	257
34	Justin	254
35	Richard	228
36	Trent	216
37	Adrian	209
38	Ryan	208
39	Dean	204
40	Jamie	202
41	Joseph	202
42	Darren	201
43	Brendan	200
44	Shaun	191
45	Ian	184
46	Damien	175
47	William	175
48	Grant	173
49	Samuel	172
50	Stuart	171
51	Wayne	166
52	Phillip	161
53	George	157
54	Rodney	157
55	Ben	156
56	Joel	156
57	Alexander	154
58	Shannon	154
59	Jeremy	150
60	Cameron	148
61	Glenn	146
62	Todd	144
63	Sean	143
64	Gavin	142
65	Martin	135
66	Glen	134
67	Jonathan	125
68	Lee	124
69	Philip	120
70	Thomas	119
71	Patrick	118
72	Brian	116
73	Jeffrey	113
74	Trevor	110
75	Damian	108
76	Chad	104
77	Tony	99
78	Colin	98
79	Christian	97
80	Kevin	95
81	Neil	89
82	Raymond	89
83	Charles	88
84	Clinton	87
85	Geoffrey	87
86	Jay	87
87	Brent	85
88	Alan	82
89	Wesley	82
90	Brendon	81
91	Corey	81
92	Edward	80
93	Allan	79
94	Ashley	79
95	Gary	78
96	Graham	78
97	Russell	76
98	Micheal	74
99	Ross	73
100	Wade	71