Trends of 1956

Discover what was popular and trending in 1956

Your People in 1956

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Popular Baby Names
Michael & Deborah

Most Popular Names

Top boys name: Michael, Top girls name: Deborah

Mid-20th century U.S. naming trends with Mary, Linda, and Michael dominating

Most Popular Book
Long Day’s Journey into Night

by Eugene O’Neill

Classic or influential work of mid-20th century literature

Popular Gadget
Hard Disk Drive

IBM 305 RAMAC introduces HDD

Mid-century breakthroughs shaping modern life

Most Popular Movie
The Ten Commandments

by Cecil B. DeMille

Mid-20th century influential or top-grossing film

US President
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Republican Party

Postwar prosperity, Interstate highways, Cold War tensions

Most Popular Song
Heartbreak Hotel

by Elvis Presley

Pre-Hot 100 era; top-selling single of the year

Dow Jones Close
$499.47

Year-End Close

+2% from previous year

Postwar boom & 1960s expansion

Most Popular Toy
Playmobil Figures

Early prototypes of imaginative play figures