Sound-alike ranking

1940 Boy names by pronunciation

Similar-sounding spellings are grouped together and ranked by their combined recorded births.

How the distortion index works

The index is the share of the sound-alike group's births recorded under alternative spellings. A score near 0 means the primary spelling dominates; a score near 1 means variants make up most of the group.

Low: 0.00–0.29
Medium: 0.30–0.69
High: 0.70–1.00

How similar pronunciations are grouped

FitBabyNames compares phonetic representations and common spelling variants, then combines recorded births for names that sound alike. Grouping is an analytical aid and may not match every speaker or accent.

Grouped popularity

Find a sound-alike name group

1940 Boy names grouped by pronunciation
Rank	Name group	Distortion	Births
1	James 62,481	—	62,481
2	Robert 61,194	—	61,194
3	John 54,784 Jon 1,546 Jhon 20 Johnn 5	0.03	56,355
4	William 44,781 Willaim 14 Wm 8 Wiliam 5	0.00	44,808
5	Richard 37,425	—	37,425
6	Charles 31,690 Charls 18	0.00	31,708
7	David 27,691 Daivd 7	0.00	27,698
8	Thomas 23,992 Tomas 111	0.00	24,103
9	Donald 23,113	—	23,113
10	Ronald 20,740 Ronold 20 Ronnald 15	0.00	20,775
11	George 18,313 Georgie 19 Goerge 6 Georg 5	0.00	18,343
12	Joseph 18,207 Joesph 106 Joeseph 13 Jospeh 6	0.01	18,332
13	Larry 17,200 Lary 34 Larrie 31	0.00	17,265
14	Jerry 15,213 Gerry 216 Jeri 9 Jerrie 5	0.01	15,443
15	Kenneth 15,131 Keneth 10	0.00	15,141
16	Edward 14,404	—	14,404
17	Paul 14,097	—	14,097
18	Michael 13,228 Micheal 298 Mikel 17	0.02	13,543
19	Gary 12,573 Garey 21 Gery 7	0.00	12,601
20 was 21	Gerald 10,237 Jerald 502 Jerrald 19 Gerrald 7	0.05	10,765
21 was 20	Frank 10,596	—	10,596
22	Raymond 9,568 Raymound 5	0.00	9,573
23 was 24	Dennis 7,845 Denis 272 Dennes 5	0.03	8,122
24 was 23	Harold 8,078 Harrold 21	0.00	8,099
25 was 27	Billy 7,596 Billie 480 Billey 13	0.06	8,089
26	Roger 7,597 Rodger 315	0.04	7,912
27 was 25	Walter 7,723	—	7,723
28 was 32	Carl 6,752 Karl 855 Cal 21	0.11	7,628
29 was 44	Jimmy 4,962 Jimmie 2,408 Jimmey 13	0.33	7,383
30	Bobby 6,882 Bobbie 443 Boby 11 Bobbye 6	0.06	7,342
31 was 28	Joe 7,216 Jo 23	0.00	7,239
32 was 29	Jack 7,049 Zack 18 Jac 5	0.00	7,072
33 was 36	Lawrence 6,173 Laurence 604 Lawerence 67 Laurance 45 Lawrance 31 Lawerance 20 Lawernce 17 Lorence 14 Larence 13 Larwence 9 Laurens 6	0.12	6,999
34 was 31	Henry 6,822 Henery 26 Henley 9	0.01	6,857
35 was 33	Arthur 6,510 Authur 35 Aurthur 9	0.01	6,554
36 was 60	Philip 3,674 Phillip 2,628 Philippe 14 Philipp 5	0.42	6,321
37 was 34	Daniel 6,225 Danial 52 Danniel 6	0.01	6,283
38 was 35	Willie 6,175 Willy 27 Wille 11	0.01	6,213
39 was 49	Stephen 4,422 Steven 1,569	0.26	5,991
40 was 37	Ralph 5,838	—	5,838
41 was 38	Eugene 5,802 Eugean 5 Eugen 5 Eugune 5	0.00	5,817
42 was 39	Wayne 5,727	—	5,727
43 was 42	Roy 5,564 Loy 59	0.01	5,623
44 was 40	Fred 5,582	—	5,582
45 was 41	Albert 5,571	—	5,571
46 was 43	Peter 5,049 Pieter 7	0.00	5,056
47 was 45	Howard 4,824 Haward 6	0.00	4,830
48 was 46	Anthony 4,769	—	4,769
49 was 47	Harry 4,681 Harrie 6	0.00	4,687
50	Louis 4,324 Louie 334 Lewie 13	0.07	4,671
51 was 48	Norman 4,576	—	4,576
52 was 58	Ernest 3,698 Earnest 797	0.18	4,495
53	Melvin 3,935 Melvyn 254	0.06	4,189
54 was 51	Johnny 4,006 Johny 37 Jonnie 37 Jonny 14	0.02	4,094
55 was 52	Earl 3,945 Earle 127 Irl 5	0.03	4,077
56 was 68	Frederick 3,096 Fredrick 742 Fredric 145 Fredrik 6 Freddrick 5	0.22	3,994
57 was 54	Leonard 3,817 Lenard 129 Lenoard 11 Leanord 10 Lennard 9	0.04	3,976
58 was 83	Glenn 2,465 Glen 1,434	0.37	3,899
59 was 56	Douglas 3,732 Douglass 55 Dougles 5	0.02	3,792
60 was 55	Bruce 3,789	—	3,789
61 was 57	Dale 3,699 Dayle 17 Dail 7	0.01	3,723
62 was 59	Stanley 3,693 Stanly 8 Stanely 5	0.00	3,706
63 was 61	Francis 3,607 Frances 60	0.02	3,667
64 was 62	Don 3,547 Donn 85 Dawn 9	0.03	3,641
65 was 63	Marvin 3,502	—	3,502
66 was 64	Clarence 3,487 Clerance 7	0.00	3,494
67 was 65	Samuel 3,362 Samual 26 Sameul 5 Samuell 5	0.01	3,398
68 was 101	Ronnie 2,055 Lonnie 1,103 Ronny 147 Lonie 15 Ronney 14 Lonney 9 Roney 9 Loney 5	0.39	3,357
69 was 66	Leroy 3,311	—	3,311
70 was 67	Bill 3,267	—	3,267
71 was 93	Jesse 2,205 Jessie 1,019 Jessee 9 Jessy 8	0.32	3,241
72 was 70	Gene 3,061 Jean 151	0.05	3,212
73 was 72	Russell 3,012 Russel 152	0.05	3,164
74 was 69	Alfred 3,062	—	3,062
75 was 71	Allen 3,028	—	3,028
76 was 73	Terry 2,982	—	2,982
77 was 74	Patrick 2,883 Patric 15	0.01	2,898
78 was 75	Herbert 2,875 Hurbert 16 Hubbert 5	0.01	2,896
79 was 76	Tommy 2,827 Tomie 10 Tomy 8	0.01	2,845
80 was 77	Ray 2,795 Wray 13 Rey 11 Raye 7	0.01	2,826
81 was 78	Jim 2,715	—	2,715
82 was 80	Lee 2,623 Leigh 65	0.02	2,688
83 was 81	Eddie 2,576 Eddy 97	0.04	2,673
84 was 82	Bernard 2,468 Vernard 12	0.00	2,480
85 was 87	Franklin 2,391 Franklyn 80	0.03	2,471
86 was 84	Andrew 2,431	—	2,431
87 was 85	Martin 2,423	—	2,423
88 was 100	Lloyd 2,067 Loyd 331 Loyde 7 Loyed 5	0.14	2,410
89 was 90	Theodore 2,306 Theadore 74 Thedore 18	0.04	2,398
90 was 88	Alan 2,377	—	2,377
91	Gordon 2,296 Gorden 36 Gordan 13	0.02	2,345
92 was 89	Leon 2,318	—	2,318
93 was 92	Tom 2,287	—	2,287
94 was 95	Jerome 2,178 Gerome 14	0.01	2,192
95 was 94	Clifford 2,185	—	2,185
96 was 97	Curtis 2,103 Curtiss 63 Kurtis 10 Curties 5	0.04	2,181
97 was 98	Harvey 2,088 Harvie 35 Harvy 20	0.03	2,143
98 was 107	Lewis 1,900 Luis 241	0.11	2,141
99 was 96	Edwin 2,116 Edwyn 7	0.00	2,123
100 was 99	Bob 2,082	—	2,082

Data grouping and usage note

Pronunciation groups are FitBabyNames analytical output derived from public birth records. Accent and pronunciation differences can affect grouping. For reuse or licensing questions, contact fitbabynames@gmail.com.

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