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I Hear America Singing

I Hear America Singing - Top Names in Song Titles

By Ross Burns
Published September 13, 2025 at 7:30 PM CDT

In 2023, the group Music Industry How To reviewed over 2.2 million Spotify playlists to see what names appeared most often in song titles. With over 2,000 hits was John followed by Mary, Maria, and Johnny. Ross has found songs featuring the top five men and women's names.

I HEAR AMERICA SINGING - TOP NAMES IN SONG TITLES

1. Mary’s Little Boy Child by Anne Murray
2. Mary of the Wild Moor by Dolly Parton
3. Ave Maria by Charlotte Church
4. Maria by George Strait
5. Sweet Georgia Brown by Django Reihnardt & Stephane Grapelli
6. Georgia on My Mind by Willie Nelson
7. Little Liza Jane by Alison Krauss & Union Station
8. Jane, Jane by Nancy Ames
9. Bella Rosa by Harry Belafonte
10. John Henry by Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
11. John O’ Dreams by The Clancy Brothers with Robbie O’Connell
12. When Johnny Comes Marching Home/Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye by Dave Rudolf
13. Frankie and Johnny by Merle Haggard
14. David & Goliath by Ed Miller
15. Black Jack David by Norman and Nancy Blake with Tim O’Brien
16. Will James by Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
17. Peter Gray by Ed McCurdy

I Hear America Singing
Ross Burns
A native of Austin, Texas, Ross grew up in the midst of the Urban Folk Revival of the 1950s and 60s. His first introduction to folk music was the Kingston Trio with their million selling albums. From there, he went forward, backwards and sideways collecting music all along the way. He is a retired librarian and a student of history.
See stories by Ross Burns