One of the big challenges writers like to potter around with is naming characters. Phone books have always been handy, as have baby naming books, but the Internet has created a whole new range of dithering options. Here's the Social Securiy Administration's stats-page for name distribution by year and decade:
* Top 100 names for births in 2001.
* Top 1000 names for births in 2000.
* Top 5 names by state for male births in 2000.
* Top 5 names by state for female births in 2000.
* Top 100 names for births in 2000.
* Top 1000 names for births in 1999.
* Top 5 names by state for male births in 1999.
* Top 5 names by state for female births in 1999.
* Introduction to 1998 update including top 40 names for births in 1998.
* Top 1000 names for births in 1998.
* Top 5 names by state for male births in 1998.
* Top 5 names by state for female births in 1998.
* Large list of names for girls born in 1997.
* Large list of names for boys born in 1997.
* Large list of names for girls born in 1996.
* Large list of names for boys born in 1996.
* Top 10 names by year of birth for years 1880 through 1997.
* Top 10 given names, by year of birth (1880-1919), and sex.
* Top 10 given names, by year of birth (1920-1959), and sex.
* Top 10 given names, by year of birth (1960-1997), and sex.
* Top 1000 names by decade.
* Top 1000 names of the 1900's.
* Top 1000 names of the 1910's.
* Top 1000 names of the 1920's.
* etc
