Names that Peaked in 1921
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About this list
The names
John
Hebrew
"God is gracious"
John reigned as the most popular of all boys' Christian names for 400 years, from the time the first Crusaders carried it back to Britain until the 1950s. Then American baby namers finally seemed to…
Mary
Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
Mary is the English form of Maria, which ultimately was derived from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew…
Leon
Greek variation of Leo
"lion"
Currently overshadowed by the bright and lively Leo, Leon feels a slightly more serious, more quietly confident than its short and trending counterpart. Just as leonine as Leo and Leonardo, Leon is…
Edward
English
"wealthy guardian"
Unlike perennials William, John and James, Edward is a classic that moves in and out of fashion. This royal Anglo-Saxon standard has benefited in recent years from the popularity of the hot hero of…
Warren
English from French
"park-keeper"
Long lingering in limbo, Warren suddenly seems to be on the cusp of revival. One of the oldest recorded English surnames, Warren's popularity in the U.S. dates back to the nineteenth century, and by…
Dorothy
English variation of Greek Dorothea
"gift of God"
In the 1930s, Dorothy left Kansas and landed in the Land of Oz; by the '80s she had become a Golden Girl, living in Miami with roommates Blanche and Rose, giving her a decidedly older image. But…
Leland
English
"meadow land"
Popular in the first half of the 20th century, Leland briefly fell out of favor in the late 90s. After a short break from the US charts, it returned in the mid-2000s, with actor Brendan Fraser…
Virginia
Latin
"virginal, pure"
A literary name and a place name with a grand yet familiar feel, Virginia has been in the US Top 1000 since records began in the late 19th century. Also familiar in Spain, Brazil and Italy, recent…
Harden
English
"valley of the hares"
While teasing about names is not as bad as it once was, the possibilities presented by this name would be difficult for any pubescent boy to resist.
Elwanda
Elwanda is a feminine name of American origin, likely created as a combination of the popular 'El-' prefix (found in names like Elaine or Eleanor) and possibly the element 'wanda,' which has Slavic…
Marjorie
Scottish variation of Margery, diminutive of Margaret
"pearl"
Scottish Marjorie and her English twin Margery were early twentieth century favorites that date back to medieval times, when it was popular among the royals. They were at their height in the 1920s,…
Orvil
Orvil is a masculine name of French origin, believed to be a variant of Orville, which means 'gold town' or 'golden city' (from Old French elements 'or' meaning gold and 'ville' meaning town). The…
Harding
English
"son of the courageous one"
For fans of Warren G. All two of them.
Enrico
Italian variation of Henry
One of several Latin names starting with E that would work and play well with others in any family.
Reva
Hindi river name; Hebrew
"rain"
Refers to one of the seven sacred rivers of India.
Dortha
Dortha is a feminine name that developed as a variation of Dorothy, which comes from the Greek name Dorothea meaning 'gift of God.' This variant spelling peaked in popularity in the United States in…
Arlyne
Arlyne is a feminine name that emerged as a variant spelling of Arlene or Arline. These names likely derived from the masculine name Arlin, which has Germanic origins meaning "pledge" or "oath."…
Yoshiko
Yoshiko is a traditional Japanese feminine name combining elements that typically mean 'good' (yoshi) and 'child' (ko), though the meaning can vary depending on the specific kanji characters used to…
Yoshio
Yoshio is a Japanese masculine name composed of elements that typically mean 'righteous' (yo), 'good' or 'virtuous' (shi), and 'man' or 'husband' (o), though interpretations can vary depending on the…
Bernice
Greek
"she who brings victory"
Rarely heard today-- it fell off the list around 1980--Bernice is a biblical name of Greek origin. In the Bible, she is a sister of King Agrippa. Bernice was a Top 100 name in the US for more than…
