Best Rare Names from 100 Years Ago

Mavis

The name Mavis peaked for boys at #2410 in 1920. Mavis is also used for girls, ranking #561 in 2025.

The name Mavis is a girl's name of French origin meaning "songbird".

French Names

French Names for Girls

5 Letter Girl Names

Names Ending in S for Girls

Names That Mean Songbird

Two Syllable Names for Girls

Names that Peaked in 1927

Girl Dog Names That Start With M

Dog Names That Start With M

French Names that Start With M

Mavis, another word for the song thrush, is also a relative of the Welsh word for strawberries, mefus. Mavis has something of a British World War II feel, a friend of Beryl and Doris, but it was quite popular in the U.S. a couple of decades earlier, peaking in the Roaring Twenties.
 With the renewed interest in names ending in 's' — and in bird names and vintage names — Mavis could make a return, especially with the new interest in Maeve. In fact, the cosy Mavis re-entered the US Top 1000 after a 50-year absence in 2016 and has since risen to the Top 600.
 
Some noted bearers of the name are R&B singer Mavis Staples, a member of the Staple Singers, Canadian writer Mavis Gallant and the feminist activist Mavis Leno. Mavis Gary was the name of the Charlize Theron character in the film Young Adult. And — trivia tidbit — in her short-running eponymous sitcom, Whoopi Goldberg's character was named Mavis.
 
A younger generation may well associate it with animated character Mavis Dracula from Hotel Transylvania.

Old-Fashioned Girl Names

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Nerdy Girl Names: Geek Chic Cool

French

Nameberry

Future

England

The name Mavis is currently ranked #561 in U.S. births. and peaked for girls at #270 in 1927. The name is most popular in MAVIS, MAVIS, and MAVIS. Mavis is occasionally used for boys in 1964.

Mavis

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Year	US rank	Births	Per million
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