Trends of 1961

Discover what was popular and trending in 1961

Popular Baby Names
Michael & Mary

Most Popular Names

Top boys name: Michael, Top girls name: Mary

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

Most Popular Book
Catch-22

by Joseph Heller

Classic or influential work of mid-20th century literature

Popular Gadget
Human in Space

Yuri Gagarin orbits Earth

Mid-century breakthroughs shaping modern life

Most Popular Movie
West Side Story

by Robert Wise, Jerome Robbins

Mid-20th century influential or top-grossing film

US President
John F. Kennedy

Democrat Party

New Frontier, Cuban Missile Crisis, assassinated in 1963

Most Popular Song
Tossin’ and Turnin’

by Bobby Lewis

Billboard Hot 100 year-end #1 hit

Dow Jones Close
$731.14

Year-End Close

+19% from previous year

Postwar boom & 1960s expansion

Most Popular Toy
Chatter Telephone

Pull toy with a smiling rotary phone face