Top baby names in North Carolina, 1981
Recorded as girls
| Rank | Name | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jennifer | 1,336 |
| 2 | Amanda | 1,017 |
| 3 | Jessica | 972 |
| 4 | Crystal | 811 |
| 5 | Melissa | 574 |
| 6 | Kimberly | 515 |
| 7 | Stephanie | 497 |
| 8 | Amy | 494 |
| 9 | Sarah | 491 |
| 10 | Elizabeth | 486 |
| 11 | Tiffany | 472 |
| 12 | Heather | 448 |
| 13 | April | 435 |
| 14 | Mary | 417 |
| 15 | Ashley | 402 |
| 16 | Angela | 362 |
| 17 | Rebecca | 320 |
| 18 | Emily | 318 |
| 19 | Laura | 307 |
| 20 | Brandy | 296 |
| 21 | Christina | 290 |
| 22 | Amber | 287 |
| 23 | Kelly | 286 |
| 24 | Jamie | 279 |
| 25 | Shannon | 267 |
| 26 | Michelle | 259 |
| 27 | Erin | 249 |
| 27 | Lisa | 249 |
| 29 | Latoya | 234 |
| 30 | Lauren | 214 |
| 31 | Kristin | 200 |
| 32 | Andrea | 195 |
| 32 | Leslie | 195 |
| 34 | Kristen | 190 |
| 35 | Erica | 186 |
| 36 | Brandi | 185 |
| 37 | Katherine | 181 |
| 38 | Courtney | 176 |
| 39 | Christy | 174 |
| 40 | Misty | 166 |
| 41 | Nicole | 164 |
| 42 | Anna | 160 |
| 43 | Tonya | 159 |
| 44 | Carrie | 156 |
| 44 | Sara | 156 |
| 46 | Rachel | 154 |
| 47 | Julie | 151 |
| 48 | Pamela | 149 |
| 49 | Meredith | 146 |
| 50 | Allison | 144 |
Recorded as boys
| Rank | Name | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael | 1,427 |
| 2 | Christopher | 1,309 |
| 3 | James | 1,251 |
| 4 | Jason | 1,081 |
| 5 | Joshua | 1,008 |
| 6 | William | 956 |
| 7 | David | 954 |
| 8 | Matthew | 877 |
| 9 | John | 844 |
| 10 | Jonathan | 783 |
| 11 | Robert | 761 |
| 12 | Brandon | 714 |
| 13 | Joseph | 606 |
| 14 | Brian | 604 |
| 15 | Daniel | 569 |
| 16 | Justin | 565 |
| 17 | Jeremy | 514 |
| 18 | Charles | 510 |
| 19 | Timothy | 492 |
| 20 | Eric | 393 |
| 21 | Kevin | 391 |
| 21 | Thomas | 391 |
| 23 | Travis | 383 |
| 24 | Richard | 380 |
| 25 | Adam | 347 |
| 26 | Steven | 343 |
| 27 | Anthony | 334 |
| 28 | Andrew | 331 |
| 29 | Benjamin | 318 |
| 30 | Jeffrey | 311 |
| 31 | Kenneth | 304 |
| 32 | Nicholas | 291 |
| 33 | Ryan | 283 |
| 34 | Stephen | 282 |
| 35 | Aaron | 264 |
| 36 | Mark | 223 |
| 37 | Patrick | 219 |
| 38 | Dustin | 203 |
| 39 | Marcus | 198 |
| 40 | Bradley | 192 |
| 41 | Gregory | 187 |
| 42 | Larry | 186 |
| 43 | Bobby | 183 |
| 44 | Chad | 180 |
| 44 | Paul | 180 |
| 46 | Bryan | 179 |
| 47 | Edward | 178 |
| 47 | Nathan | 178 |
| 49 | Phillip | 177 |
| 50 | Samuel | 175 |