It's a Boy, Mr. and Mrs. 1970s! Quiz

Michael means "who is like god" and was the most popular name for boys in the United States from the 1960s through the 1990s and ranked #7 in the 2010s. Michael is occasionally used as a woman's name, as with actress Michael Learned who played matriarch Olivia Walton on "The Waltons."

Michael Jackson (1958-2009) started performing at age 5 as part of the Jackson Five. As a solo artist he recorded "Thriller" which became the best selling album of all time (as of 2020) and earned the nickname King of Pop. Other famous Michaels include singer Michael Buble (1975) and actor Michael Fassbender (1977).

Christopher means "bearing Christ." The name was also popular in the 1980s, ranking second in that decade as well. It is occasionally used as a girl's name, as with retired actress Christopher Norris who co-starred in "Trapper John, M.D."

Famous Christophers include actor Christopher Eccleston (1964), musician Christopher Cross (1950), and playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593).

The name Jason comes from Greek mythology - he was the grandson of Hermes and led the quest for the Golden Fleece. The 1970s were the only post-WWII decade in which Jason appeared among the top 10 names.

Famous Jasons include Tony Award winning actor and "Seinfeld" co-star Jason Alexander (1959), baseball player Jason Giambi (1971) and actor and skateboarder Jason Lee (1970).

David means "beloved" or "uncle" and is another name that's been consistently popular, appearing among the top 10 names from the 1940s through the 1980s and ranking #2 in the 1960s. It was the 18th most popular boys' name in the 2010s.

Michelangelo's David is a 17-foot tall marble statue created between 1501 and 1504. It's on display in the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence, Italy. Famous real-life Davids include actor David Tennent (1971), baseball player David Justice (1966), and soccer player David Beckham (1975).

James is derived from the same name as Jacob and there's some dispute over its meaning. It could mean "holder of the heel" or "supplanter" (based on the Biblical story of Jacob and Esau) or "May God protect." James has been popular throughout the 20th century, appearing among the top 10 names from the 1900s through the 1980s, coming in as the top name in the 1940s and 1950s. It returned to the top 10 in the 2010s with a #9 ranking.

Famous James include musician James Brown (1933-2006), director James Ivory (1928), and actor James McAvoy (1979). James is also a common last name, as in basketball player and philanthropist LeBron James.

John Doe is the common name for an unknown or unidentified person, a practice that dates back to 14th Century English court cases. Like James, John was a top-10 name for boys for most of the 20th century, ranking #1 in the 1900s and 1910s and remaining in the top 10 through the 1980s. Unlike James, the name is still falling in popularity, coming in at #26 in the 2010s.

Famous Johns include US President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), Jazz musician John Coltrane (1926-1967), and wrestler and actor John Cena (1972).

English policemen are referred to as "Bobbies" because of 19th-century Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel who founded the Metropolitan Police. The name Robert has its roots in Germanic words for "fame" and "bright." Robert spent most of the 20th century as a top-10 name for American boys, coming in at #2 in the 1900s and 1910s and not falling out of the top 10 until the 1990s. It ranked #64 in the 2010s.

Famous Roberts include Robert Ballard (1942) who discovered the wreck of the Titanic, actor Robert Carlyle (1961), and Robert Smith (1959), lead singer of The Cure.

Their second narrative movie and their third theatrical release, "Monty Python's Life of Brian" follows the life of Brian Cohen (played by Graham Chapman), who was born in the stable next to Jesus Christ. The comedy troupe lost funding due to controversy over the topic so George Harrison started Handmade Films to finance the movie. (Eric Idle later referred to that as "The most anyone's every paid for a cinema ticket in history.")

The name Brian may come from a Celtic word for "noble." The 1970s were the only decade in which Brian appeared in the top 10 names for American boys. It first appeared in the top 100 at #34 in the 1950s and fell out of the top 100 after appearing at #62 in the 2000s.

Famous Brians include Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Brian May (1947), Beatles producer Brian Epstein (1934-1967), and singer Brian Littrell (1975) of the Backstreet Boys.

As of his grandmother's death, William, Duke of Cambridge (1982) became first in line to the British throne and took the title Prince of Wales. William comes from Germanic words for "desire" and "helmet." The name William has been popular since 1900, ranking #2 in the first two decades of the 20th century. The name's lowest ranking was #18 in the 1990s and as of the 2010s had returned to the #4 spot it held in the 1920s through the 1940s.

Famous Williams include actor William Shatner (1931) and US Presidents Bill Clinton (1946) and William McKinley (1843-1901).

Alright, alright alright. Actor Matthew McConaughey (1969) won an Academy Award for his performance in "Dallas Buyers Club" (2013). He has appeared in other dramas but may be better known for applying his easygoing charm to romantic comedies. Matthew means "gift of God" and comes from Hebrew. The name is considerably more popular than it was in the United States before World War II, fist appearing in the top 100 names at #99 in the 1950s and rising to #3 in the 1980s and 1990s. It ranked #16 in the 2010s.

Famous Matthews include actors Matt Damon (1970) and Matthew Goode (1971) and explorer Matthew Henson (1866-1955).