Names that Peaked in 1926

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…

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…

Gloria

Latin

"glory"

Gloria is beginning to move beyond its de-glamorized Grandma image, most recently thanks to glamorous young Hollywood parents Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, who chose it for their second…

Aileen

Irish variation of Helen

"bright, shining light"

Irish Aileen and Scottish Eileen may be pronounced the same way or Aileen can be pronounced with a long a at the beginning. While neither is particularly stylish, Aileen is slightly more popular and…

Nadine

French variation of Nadia, Russian

"hope"

Part of the vogue for French-sounding names in the 1920s and 30s, Nadine has been replaced by the Russian sound of Nadia and Natasha.

Jean

English and Scottish, from French variation of Johanna

"God is gracious"

Originally a feminine of John, Jean was popular in Scotland long before it found favor elsewhere, and had its most shining moment here in the era of Jean Harlow (born Harlean), ultimate symbol of…

Corrine

Variation of Corinne, French from Greek

"maiden"

A spelling variant of Corinne, which ranked a little behind its sister spelling until the 1990s when it fell out of favor.

Ailene

Ailene is a gentle feminine name of varied origins, primarily considered a variant spelling of Aileen or Eileen. These names derive from the Gaelic Aveline or the Norman French Evelina, ultimately…

Illa

Illa is a delicate feminine name with diverse cultural roots. It may derive from Latin-based languages where 'illa' means 'she' or 'that,' giving it a simple yet profound feminine essence. In some…

Lavern

Lavern is a unisex name that was more commonly used in the mid-20th century, though it has traditionally been more popular for women. Derived from French elements, it likely combines "la" (the) and…

Wilda

Variation of the word wild or German

"to strive"

Wilda (or Wylda) has two widely divergent images. Pronounced vill-da, it feels like a cousin of Hilda: a sturdy and none-too-attractive prairie settler. But you can also think of her as wild-ah, as…

Ernestine

Femeninization of Ernest, English from German

"serious, resolute"

One time joke name, à la Lily Tomlin's bossy telephone operator, Ernestine is ready for a possible reevaluation, like cousins Josephine and Clementine.