Most popular baby names in New South Wales, 1979

The top girls’ name was Rebecca, given to 887 babies. The top boys’ name was Michael, given to 1,373 babies.

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

Top 100 girls’ names

Rank	Name	Babies
1	Rebecca	887
2	Melissa	701
3	Sarah	658
4	Michelle	646
5	Amanda	585
6	Kelly	576
7	Lisa	571
8	Nicole	569
9	Kylie	525
10	Belinda	519
11	Kristy	452
12	Emma	400
13	Natalie	386
14	Amy	364
15	Jennifer	361
16	Danielle	354
17	Renee	340
18	Alison	336
19	Angela	334
20	Kate	325
21	Karen	314
22	Melanie	308
23	Rachel	294
24	Elizabeth	278
25	Samantha	265
26	Joanne	257
27	Vanessa	251
28	Kim	250
29	Katrina	241
30	Lauren	241
31	Fiona	238
32	Katherine	228
33	Megan	224
34	Julie	207
35	Jodie	203
36	Jessica	201
37	Brooke	196
38	Catherine	195
39	Louise	193
40	Leanne	184
41	Anna	183
42	Katie	182
43	Kellie	178
44	Linda	173
45	Kathryn	170
46	Sally	168
47	Tanya	167
48	Tracey	167
49	Christine	160
50	Jane	157
51	Naomi	156
52	Erin	153
53	Stacey	151
54	Natasha	147
55	Jacqueline	146
56	Melinda	135
57	Donna	132
58	Susan	132
59	Claire	129
60	Rachael	128
61	Leah	127
62	Tammy	126
63	Alicia	125
64	Jade	125
65	Caroline	119
66	Sandra	117
67	Sharon	117
68	Helen	116
69	Heidi	115
70	Bianca	114
71	Laura	114
72	Simone	113
73	Hayley	112
74	Amber	111
75	Emily	111
76	Maria	111
77	Cassandra	109
78	Shannon	109
79	Mary	99
80	Kathleen	97
81	Olivia	97
82	Alexandra	96
83	Deborah	96
84	Kristie	95
85	Anita	94
86	Kirsty	94
87	Clare	90
88	Renae	86
89	Patricia	85
90	Carly	83
91	Allison	82
92	Bronwyn	81
93	Stephanie	81
94	Tina	80
95	Tamara	78
96	Julia	77
97	Peta	77
98	Tracy	77
99	Tania	76
100	Skye	73

Top 100 boys’ names

Rank	Name	Babies
1	Michael	1,373
2	Daniel	1,226
3	Matthew	1,158
4	David	1,146
5	Andrew	1,112
6	Benjamin	984
7	Adam	885
8	Christopher	842
9	Mark	817
10	Peter	755
11	Nathan	734
12	James	678
13	Paul	655
14	Luke	632
15	Timothy	626
16	Jason	601
17	Scott	585
18	Robert	565
19	John	526
20	Anthony	511
21	Shane	461
22	Steven	439
23	Aaron	431
24	Craig	403
25	Bradley	378
26	Nicholas	372
27	Brett	358
28	Stephen	350
29	Simon	326
30	Troy	293
31	Ryan	283
32	Justin	282
33	Joshua	281
34	Damien	259
35	Mathew	256
36	Gregory	243
37	Phillip	221
38	Richard	220
39	Joel	208
40	Trent	206
41	Dean	202
42	Ben	191
43	Jamie	191
44	Adrian	186
45	Joseph	185
46	William	184
47	Darren	172
48	Wayne	170
49	Ian	167
50	Alexander	163
51	Brendan	163
52	Grant	160
53	Thomas	159
54	Jonathan	153
55	Sean	152
56	Glenn	151
57	Samuel	149
58	Shaun	146
59	Gavin	145
60	Lee	144
61	Stuart	141
62	Jeremy	140
63	Martin	137
64	Patrick	137
65	Todd	135
66	Cameron	134
67	Shannon	133
68	George	132
69	Glen	132
70	Rodney	126
71	Tony	118
72	Geoffrey	110
73	Ashley	105
74	Damian	105
75	Brian	104
76	Philip	104
77	Chad	103
78	Ross	103
79	Clinton	101
80	Edward	101
81	Jeffrey	100
82	Jay	95
83	Kevin	95
84	Trevor	89
85	Colin	88
86	Dale	88
87	Raymond	86
88	Dane	85
89	Alan	82
90	Brent	82
91	Mitchell	82
92	Kurt	81
93	Neil	80
94	Gary	79
95	Corey	77
96	Christian	75
97	Wade	75
98	Danny	74
99	Nigel	70
100	Graham	69