Names that Peaked in 1922
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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…
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…
Edwin
English
"wealthy friend"
Some might be surprised to learn that Edwin has been a consistent presence on the popular names list since statistics have become available. The most famous Edwin in history was a seventh century…
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…
Rocco
Italian from German
"rest; rook, crow; roar"
Cool and edgy meets sunny and beachy with this charming Italian option that might be more timeless than you think. Borne by St. Rocco, the 14th-century patron of the sick, known for helping those…
Winona
Sioux Indian
"firstborn daughter"
Rode two rockets to fame, with actress Winona Ryder and singer Wynonna Judd. Winona entered the Top 1000 for the first time since 1957 this past year in 2022, following in the footsteps of trending…
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,…
Trinidad
Spanish
"trinity"
Trinidad, an island off Venezuela in the southern Caribbean, is Spanish for ‘trinity’ and is a common unisex name in Latin America. Notable namesakes include performers Trini Lopez (male) and Trini…
Odell
English
"of the valley"
Bland compared to the Irish-sounding O-starting names, but fans of football star Odell Beckham Jr. may like the name for other reasons.
Muriel
Irish
"of the bright sea, sea-bright"
Once a poetic Celtic name, that of the angel who governs the month of June, Muriel has for a time, become the mom or grandma of TV sitcoms. A Top 200 name from 1912 to 1933, Muriel might just be due…
Ellamae
English compound name, Ella + Mae
"fairy maiden + beloved"
Ellamae was given to over 60 baby girls in the US last year, although the data doesn't record punctuation, so we don't know how many of those will actually go by Ella Mae or Ella-Mae. The fourth most…
Verla
Verla is a feminine name with Germanic origins, possibly derived from 'vera' meaning 'true' or as a variant of Veronica. This uncommon name enjoyed brief popularity in the United States during the…
Lorine
Lorine is a feminine name with French origins, functioning as a variation of Laura or Lorena. Deriving ultimately from the Latin 'laurus' meaning 'laurel tree' - a symbol of victory and honor in…
Margarett
Margarett is a feminine name that represents a spelling variation of Margaret, which derives from the Greek 'margarites' meaning 'pearl.' This alternative spelling with the double 't' ending gives…
Lorayne
Lorayne is an elaborate feminine variant of Lora, itself a diminutive of Eleanor or Laura. Of Latin and Greek origins, the name suggests 'laurel' or 'light.' Though never widely popular, Lorayne saw…
Cletus
Greek
"called forth"
Sometimes used as a short-form of Catholic Pope name Anacletus, Cletus is an ancient name that has not-yet found the popularity of Theodore, Leo, Atticus and Max. It perhaps suffers from its…
Norbert
German
"bright or renowned north"
A medieval German saint's name which remained popular in Germany until the middle of the 20th century. It is still in relatively wide use in other European countries, including Poland and Hungary.…
Elroy
English variation of Leroy
Once a staple of the 1920s, like Leroy and Elwood, Elroy is languishing in style limbo now. One feature that might make it worth a second glance is its royal meaning, for those looking for a vintage…
Carmella
Italian and Spanish variation of Carmel, Hebrew
"garden"
Most familiar as the name of Tony Soprano's wife, but she spelled it Carmela. In the contemporary US, both Carmella and Carmela are used in near-equal numbers, given to a total of about 300 baby…
