The Most Popular Girls' Names From The 1930s

The name means “dwelling at the beaver meadow,” and if this fact was better known, we’re guessing the name might not have been as popular. Who knows?

This one means “free one” or “from France.” The first meaning is definitely more romantic, and both of these are still a better meaning than “dwelling at the beaver meadow.”

Another common name. It originated in Scotland as Jane or Jeanie and gradually made its way to the U.S. with an Americanized spelling. After the 1930s, the name quickly fell out of fashion.

This name definitely stuck around after the '30s, but it garnered some major popularity during the time period. It translates to “my God is abundance” or “my God is an oath.” Pious.

We wondered if the popularity of Marilyn had to do with Marilyn Monroe, but she was born in 1926 — as Norma Jeane Baker — so she was a bit young to start this trend. Either way, this name definitely has a ring to it.

This one has a lengthy history. The name likely originated from Virginius of Rome, which meant “maiden.” Obviously, Americans loved the name since there’s both Virginia and West Virginia, so of course, they’d bestow it on their little girls.

In the Bible, Ruth of the Moabites was King David’s great-grandma. The name also has a solid meaning: companion, friend, and vision of beauty. Let’s bring it back!

This name makes us think of a librarian with horn-rimmed glasses. It has a Greek background and means gift. If you’re a nerdy kid, kind, knowledgeable librarians are a gift, so it makes sense.

This name has extremely ancient and also androgynous origins and was popular until the 14th century. Eventually, it was changed to be a purely feminine name instead.

This was the feminine version of the name Charles. If you enjoy hearing your name mentioned every year around the holidays, this is the perfect name for you.

It comes from the Greek name Selene, which means moon. In Greek mythology, Helen was stolen by Paris, which started the Trojan War, so this name has some deep meaning behind it.

The name has been around in the U.S. since the 1880s, and in the '30s, it made a major resurgence. In 1936 Nancy grew 115 percent in popularity year over year. There isn’t a clear link why. 

This is one of those names that has a million different off-shoots: Maggie, Mairead, Madge, Margarete, Marge, Margie, Meg, Megan, Aurie, Rita, Gretchen, and Peggy. Most of these make sense, but does anyone know how they got Gretchen from this?

Another pious name. It means “God is gracious.” Joan of Arc, the French warrior who claimed she received visions from God to fight the English, definitely helped make the name more popular.

If The Wizard of Oz had been released before 1939, Dorothy definitely would have been a much more popular name in the '30s. Though the movie had major staying power, the name didn’t stick around as well.

This name couldn’t be stopped in the 1930s. Interestingly, it re-emerged in the 1990s as the second most popular name in America.

This name stems from a few old English prefixes that combine to mean “a bright or clear wood, meadow, or enclosure.” The next time you meet a Shirley, remember this.

The third most popular name from the 1930s is Barbara, or “strange or foreign.” Though this name is no longer common in the United States, it’s still well-used in Chile, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia. 

This is a shortened version of the name Elizabeth, and it definitely spoke to people. With Betty Grable and Betty Boop in the early American culture, some parents were definitely influenced.

There were many famous Marys in the '30s: Mary Astor, Queen Mary, and Mary Pickford. You may not find many baby Marys these days, but this name stayed immensely popular for a very long time — even when newer, more modern names began to emerge during the 1940s. Here are the top 20 from that decade.

When The Wizard of Oz came out on American screens, its heroine was so brave and endearing that everybody just had to name their daughter after her. We can't blame them; it's got a nice ring to it.

Joyce sounds like the girl everybody wants to be friends with. Day or night, she's up for an adventure. She has enough charm for 20 people, always tries new foods, and probably keeps a swimsuit in her car just in case.

Kathleen's a lovely Irish name, originally spelled "Caitlín" in Gaelic. It means "pure," has been around for centuries, and is oddly common as a given name among writers, according to Wikipedia.

With a name literally meaning "girl" or "woman" in Italian, the Donnas of the world are not here to goof off. It's an efficient, "get 'er done" name fit for a hardworking individual such as disco star Donna Summer.

Take back this name from memehood by birthing a child into the world and raising her to be so profoundly kind, so amiable, so altruistic, that she'll give Fred Rogers a run for his money. We need a new brand of Karen.

Be like actress Judy Ann Santos — or like an aunt Judy, who's one of the coolest people ever. She has a giant dog that doesn't bark, she always smells like perfume that you can only get in Europe, and she taught us how to play bocce.

This name owes its astronomical 1940s popularity to none other than America's darling Shirley Temple. The polymath child star grew up to be an ambassador for the United Nations, so it's a historically high-performing name if you want your kid to achieve big things.

This is a two-for-one name. If your child grows up to be British nobility, she can go by Margaret. If she grows up to be an indie rock star, or a writer, or an environmental scientist, or anything else awesome like that, she can go by Maggie.

The hipper, more mischievous version of Caroline, this name translates to "song of happiness" — but the Internet doesn't say from which language. At least it doesn't mean "funeral dirge."

Betty is an absolutely lovely name, so it’s no wonder it was still popular in the 1940s. It reminds us of the color yellow, or Betty White, or Betty Crocker, or Betty from the Archie comics. Bettys are winners.

Susan's a name fit for royalty, as C.S. Lewis made clear when he gave the name to one of his four Pevensie characters. It's elegant but unfussy and classy without sounding pretentious.

Not everyone can think of a Judith they know personally. But in the 1940s, you’d have probably come across Judiths a lot. It was the fourth most popular name and belongs to a beautiful widow in the Bible.

Somewhere out there, an English teacher named Sharon, who is very tall and very kind, still writes students emails asking how they're doing in life. It's a comforting name for a lovely woman.

Nancy is back in the 1940s, too. It’s a no-nonsense name for a spunky kid who'll go places in their life. Nancy Drew, Nancy Kerrigan, Nancy Reagan, and Nancy Pelosi were all bestowed this high-power moniker.

This name is a vintage find. The first Sandra who comes to mind is Hollywood star Sandra Bullock. But you may also associate Sandra with the song from Grease where they mock Sandy's modesty.

This name popped up in again in the '40s. It makes us think of Christmas cookies, or of a nice grandmother who brings peaches and casseroles to your house when she visits. Just be sure not to add an E at the end — that's reality star Carole Baskin's territory.

Ask any Gen Z'er if they know a Patricia, and they'll likely scream "PATRICIA!" back at you. It was popularized in 2015 through a famous video from Vine user Chrish. But before that, it was big in the 1940s.

Santa Barbara! Barbara Ann! Barb from Stranger Things! Barbie dolls! Barbaras are everywhere in American culture, but the name is rare for youngsters these days. Fun fact: In Catholic tradition, Barbara is a saint and protector against lightning.

It's a name of European origin. In German "linde" means "soft, tender," and in Spanish "linda" means "beautiful." Either way, it sounds lovely and is fun to say.

You'll never go wrong with the classic name Mary. It was number one from the 1890s up through the 1950s, but in 2018, it wasn't even in the top 100 — making it a unique choice for a destined child. Here's what else joined Mary at the top in the ’50s.