Names that Peaked in 1970
Across 3 pages
of 3
The names
Michael
Hebrew
"who is like God?"
Michael was the Number 1 American boys' name for almost half a century. While Michael has moved out of the Top 10 baby boy names , it's still widely used. How has Michael racked up this phenomenal…
Brian
Irish
"strong, virtuous, and honorable"
The origins of the name Brian are not entirely clear, but it is suspected that it evolved from an Old Celtic word related to nobility. In Ireland the name is associated with Brian Boru, the most…
Bradley
English
"wide meadow"
An English surname name, Bradley has a long history, dating way back to at least 1086, but as a first name it actually succeeded in the US before it reached England--though Dickens used it in his…
Jennifer
Cornish variation of Guinevere, Welsh
"white shadow, white wave"
Jennifer is the Cornish variation of Guinevere, which ultimately derived from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar. As such, it is connected to the queen of Arthurian legend, and sharees the same meaning of…
Lea
Variation of Lee or Leah
"meadow; weary"
While traditionally pronounced as a homonym for Lee, Glee actress Lea Michele pronounces her name like Leah, and it may also rhyme with Freya. Regardless of your preferred pronunciation, it's…
Lance
English word name or English variation of Lanzo, German "long, pointed, medieval weapon; land"
"long, pointed, medieval weapon; land"
Though the fuller Lancelot has for the most part been shunned as a 'too-much-name' name, the short form Lance has been consistently in or around the Top 500 since 1938, climbing as high as Number 76…
Deena
Deena is a feminine name with multiple origins. In Arabic, it means 'religion' or 'faith,' while in Hebrew it can be interpreted as 'judged' or 'vindicated.' The name also has Sanskrit roots where it…
Dena
Hebrew
"delicate or judged"
The modern name Dena can be considered to come from either of two Old Testament names. Adina, which means delicate, was the name of a male soldier in the Bible. Dinah, meaning judged, Dinah was the…
Carin
Variation of Karen or Carina, Danish or Italian
"pure or dear little one"
Carin looks like Carina but sounds like Karen, which is a big drawback these days when Karen is a not-flattering sobriquet for a bossy middle-aged woman. Better to lengthen it to Carina or shorten it…
Wendy
English, Celtic, Welsh
"friend or white"
It is popularly claimed that the name Wendy was invented by Sir James Barrie in 1904 for the big sister character in his play Peter Pan , which was followed by the classic novel in 1911. Barrie…
Jeanna
Jeanna is a feminine name that serves as a variant of Jean, Jeanne, or Joanna, all ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, meaning 'God is gracious.' This softened variation offers a…
Jody
Diminutive of Joan and Judith
One of the cute and bouncy nicknames so popular in the 1960s and 70s, but that hasn't made a comeback in the way Eames chairs and miniskirts have. Think of it as one of the original but now…
Linette
Linette is a feminine name of French origin, functioning as a diminutive of Line or Lina, which themselves derive from names ending in -line or -lina, such as Caroline, Emmeline, or Angelina. The…
Shellie
Shellie is a feminine name that originated as a diminutive form of Michelle or a variant of Shelley. Both root names have different origins - Michelle comes from the Hebrew name Michael meaning 'who…
Deana
Variation of Deanna, English, or feminization of Dean, English
"divine; church official"
Depending on how you say it, either a streamlined version of Deanna, or the namesake of a male Dean. But today, why not name her Dean.
Tanja
Tanja is a feminine name with Slavic and Germanic roots. It's a variant of Tanya, which itself is a diminutive of the Russian Tatiana, originally derived from the Roman family name Tatius. The name…
Shonna
Shonna is a feminine name that emerged as a variation of Shana, Shauna, or Shona, names with diverse origins. Shona derives from Gaelic, meaning 'God is gracious,' while related forms connect to…
Dione
Greek
"divine queen"
In Greek mythology the mother of Aphrodite by Zeus, and also one of Saturn's moons; this is an astral name quite distinct from the better known Dionne.
Tracy
French
"of Thracia"
In the Top 25 in the unisex seventies, these days Tracy would more likely be Gracie.
Shanon
Shanon is a gender-neutral name, though more commonly used for females, representing a spelling variation of Shannon. Originally an Irish surname derived from the River Shannon, Ireland's longest…