Chart assignment
Charts to read and discuss
Read each chart, then answer its questions. Every chart shows its source and date; open it for a table of the numbers and the data to download.
Chart 1 of 2 · Baby names
What was the most popular boys' name in each decade?
The interactive chart needs JavaScript. The numbers are on the chart's page.
John was the top boys' name from the 1880s to the 1910s, given to about 8% of boys in the 1880s. Robert, James and Michael followed; Michael led for four decades. Since then the top name has had a far smaller share: Jacob, then Noah. So far in the 2020s the top name (2020–25: Liam) has 1.2% of boys. The bars show each top name's share of boys born in the decade, so decades compare fairly; the 2020s cover 2020 to 2025. Social Security leaves out any name given to fewer than 5 babies in a year.
Questions to discuss
- In one sentence of your own, what does this chart show?
- Find the biggest change or difference in the chart. What might explain it?
- Who collected these numbers, and how recent are they? What else would you want to know before drawing a conclusion?
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications (national data) (Public domain (U.S. government work)) · Data as of Dec 31, 2025
Open the chart and its numbersChart 2 of 2 · World
How much does each country spend on health care per person?
The interactive chart needs JavaScript. The numbers are on the chart's page.
In 2023, the United States spent $13,473 per person on health care, about 10 times the world figure of $1,317. Germany spent $6,395, Japan $3,638, China $763 and India $85; Madagascar spent the least, $17. Search 191 countries and territories. Spending counts what governments, insurers and households paid for health care, but not new hospitals or equipment, in US dollars at each year's exchange rates, not adjusted for differences in prices.
How to read this chart
Each bar is what a country spent on health care in a year, by governments, insurers and households together, divided by its population and turned into U.S. dollars. The dashed line is the world. The figures aren't adjusted for prices, so a dollar buys more care in some countries than others.
Questions to discuss
- About how many times the world figure does the United States spend per person?
- Does spending more on health care per person always mean people live longer? What other chart on Chartly could help you check?
- Doctors and nurses are paid less in some countries. How would that change what these dollar figures can tell you?
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators: Current health expenditure per capita (current US$) (CC BY 4.0 (credit the World Bank)) · Data as of Dec 31, 2023
Open the chart and its numbersTeachers: make your own chart assignment, or change this one. Free, no account needed.