Names that Peaked in 1941
Across 2 pages
of 2
The names
James
English variation of Jacob, Hebrew
"supplanter"
James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys'…
Thomas
Aramaic
"twin"
A solid classic with plenty of history, Thomas strikes the balance between strength and gentleness. A favorite in the UK, a staple in France, and Australia, and never absent from the US Top 100,…
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…
Richard
German
"dominant ruler"
A classic old Norman name popular for a thousand years and favored for kings (Richard Nixon was named for Richard the Lionhearted), as well as the hoi polloi (as in every Tom, Dick and Harry),…
Winston
English
"friend's town; joy stone"
Long associated with the Churchill family and common in the West Indies, the distinguished Winston is back in style having been slightly neglected in the US after its brief flash of popularity during…
Bonnie
Scottish
"beautiful, cheerful"
Bonnie is an adorable nickname name, heading back up the popularity list after a 50-year nap. A Top 100 girls' name throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Americans are later to jump on…
Philip
Greek
"lover of horses"
Philip, the name of one of the 12 apostles, is still favored by parents in search of a solid boys' classic that is less neutral than Robert or John and more distinctive than Daniel or Matthew and has…
Ronald
Scottish, Norse
"ruler's counselor"
A strong, if slightly dated sounding choice, Ronald made the US Top 10 in the late 1930s through into the mid-1940s, before it became heavily associated with President Reagan, as well as with the…
Errol
Scottish, spelling variation of Earl
Errol was a swashbuckling name in the Errol Flynn era, which still has a trace of jazz cool.m thanks to jazz pianist Erroll Garner.
Marylee
English combination of Mary and Lee
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + meadow"
The meaning of Mary is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root…
Georgene
Georgene is a feminine variation of George, which derives from the Greek name 'Georgios,' meaning 'farmer' or 'earth-worker.' This elegant name gained modest popularity in the United States during…
Hedy
Diminutive of Hedwig
Linked to one of the great screen beauties, but has never appealed much to Americans.
Jerry
Diminutive of Gerald or Jerome, German or Greek
"ruler with the spear or sacred name"
Jerry is one of those short forms that, like Mike and Debbie, rose to popularity on the coattails of their formal versions. The equivalents today are nickname names like Ellie and Theo. Though Jerry…
Patsy
English, diminutive of Patricia
"noble, patrician"
This sassy, spunky name was used for the mostly Irish jump-roping pigtailed girls of the thirties and forties -- and some Irish and Italian boys as well. Its most noted bearer was iconic country…
Gearld
Gearld is a masculine name that appears to be a variant spelling of Gerald, which has Germanic origins. The traditional Gerald derives from elements meaning 'spear' and 'rule' or 'power,' suggesting…
Herb
Herb is a masculine name that originated as a shortened form of Herbert, which comes from Germanic elements 'hari' meaning 'army' and 'beraht' meaning 'bright.' Primarily used in English-speaking…
Patricia
Latin
"noble, patrician"
Patricia still sounds patrician, though its scores of nicknames definitely don't. Wildly popular from the forties (alternately Number 3 and 4 throughout the decade) to the sixties, Patricia has been…
Jere
Short form of Jeremiah, Jeremias, or Jeronim, English, Finnish, Croatian
"appointed by God; Yahwah will rise; sacred name"
In English, Jere could be an alternative spelling to Jerry, a short form of Jeremy, Jerald, Jeremiah and similar. In Croatian and Finnish, however, it is pronounced "YEH-reh" and is used as a…
Nedra
Variation of Nedda, Slavic
"born on Sunday"
Nedra was one of a phalanx of names -- Delma, Verda, Vernice -- popular in the late 19th and early 20th century that dropped out of fashion after World War II and now have disappeared completely.…
Lorna
English literary name
One of those names like Pamela, Vanessa and Wendy, Lorna was invented for a particular literary character--the protagonist of the 1869 novel Lorna Doone by R. D. Blackmore--and then perpetuated as…
