Names that Peaked in 1923
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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…
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…
Maxine
English, Latin
"greatest"
Sleek and stylish with a touch of quirkiness about it too, Maxine is a popular choice in Belgium and France, and has been climbing up the US charts too. Following a two decade absence, it re-entered…
Leonard
German
"brave lion"
Leonard is the name of several saints, including one who is the patron saint of childhood, and another medieval saint who's the patron of prisoners--known for freeing prisoners he deemed worthy of…
Eris
Greek
"strife, discord"
Eris was the goddess of strife and discord, turned fairy tale and then popular culture figure Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty. Ironic, as her name sounds so much like that of Eros, the god of love.…
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,…
Kiyoshi
Kiyoshi is a Japanese male name meaning 'pure', 'clear', or 'quiet'. It combines the elements 'ki' (pure) and 'yoshi' (good, respectful). The name carries connotations of purity of heart and spirit,…
Jaunita
Jaunita appears to be a variant spelling of Juanita, the feminine diminutive form of Juan, which is the Spanish equivalent of John. The name ultimately derives from Hebrew, meaning 'God is gracious.'…
Maryjane
English, combination of Mary and Jane
"drop of the sea, bitter, beloved + god is gracious"
Mary was such a common name for so long that it sprouted a whole family of chimeric name splices: Maryann, Marybeth, Mary-Lousie, ad infinitum. Spiderman 's Mary Jane Watson, the closed toe shoe with…
Dorris
Dorris is a feminine name with multiple origins. It can be considered a spelling variation of Doris, which comes from ancient Greek mythology where Doris was a sea nymph, daughter of Oceanus and…
Ethelene
Ethelene is a feminine name with Anglo-Saxon origins, derived from the Old English element 'ethel' meaning 'noble' or 'of noble birth.' It emerged as an elaboration of the medieval name Ethel,…
Clarine
Clarine is a feminine name with French origins, derived from the Latin word 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright, or famous.' It's related to the name Claire and evokes the sound of the musical instrument…
Marylouise
English, combination of Mary and Louisa
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + famous battle"
Homely compound name which may be written as one word, two words (Mary Louise), or hyphenated (Mary-Louise). The original meaning of Mary is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from…
Carmela
Italian and Spanish variation of Carmel
"garden"
Carmela has been most famous recently as the name of Tony Soprano's TV wife, played by Edie Falco. The spellings Carmela and Carmella are both used in Latin cultures including Italian, Spanish, and…
Fumiko
Fumiko is a Japanese feminine name rich in cultural significance. It combines the elements 'fumi' meaning 'writing' or 'literature' and 'ko' meaning 'child,' a common suffix in traditional Japanese…
Elease
Elease is a feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly a variant spelling of Elise or a modification of the name Elyse. Both of these names derive from the Hebrew name Elizabeth, meaning 'God is my…
Marybelle
English, combination of Mary and Belle
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + beautiful"
Variant of Maribel or Maribelle
Wallace
Scottish
"foreigner, stranger"
Wallace is so square could almost be ripe for a turnaround, especially with the hipness imparted by the British Claymation series Wallace & Gromit . And Wally makes an adorable Leave it to Beaver…
