Names that Peaked in 1943
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),…
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…
Eileen
Scottish variation of Evelyn
"desired; or water, island"
The Scottish Eileen was a midcentury darling that was on a long downward slide for decades. And then, in 2012, it took an unexpected pivot and has been inching upward in the US. The unrelated but…
Barbara
Greek
"foreign woman"
Barbara is back and among the fastest-rising names of recent years! Credit goes to 2023's breakout movie Barbie , which gave a new stylish feel to the classic Barbara and set it up to rank alongside…
Gay
French
"joyful"
The meaning of this word flipped from "cheerful" to "homosexual" during the twentieth century, and it's now almost certainly too loaded to sit comfortably as a baby name. Which is a shame as…
Gerry
English, diminutive of Geraldine
Gerry was hep along with poodle skirts and banana splits.
Jacquelynn
Jacquelynn is a feminine name representing an elaborated spelling variant of Jacqueline, which originated as a feminine form of Jacques, the French equivalent of James. Ultimately derived from the…
Judie
Judie is a feminine name that serves as a variation of Judy, itself a diminutive of Judith. Derived from the Hebrew name Yehudit meaning 'woman from Judea' or 'praised,' Judie carries biblical…
Karren
Karren is a feminine name that originated as a variant spelling of Karen, which derives from the Danish form of Katherine. Katherine itself comes from the Greek name Aikaterine, possibly meaning…
Kaye
Short form of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Kaye and its more popular sister Kay, once common short forms of the perennially popular Katherine, are now on the endangered list, given to fewer than 50 baby girls each year. But maybe that makes…
Maryann
English, combination of Mary and Ann
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + grace"
Combination of Mary and Ann which has been more popular than Marianne in recent years, although still below the Top 1000, after a peak in the 1940s. Mary is the English form of Maria, which…
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…
Phylis
Phylis is a variant spelling of the more common Phyllis, a name with ancient Greek origins derived from 'phyllon,' meaning 'leaf.' In Greek mythology, Phyllis was a Thracian princess who was…
Roseann
Compound name, combining Rose and Ann
"graceful rose"
A shaper, more succinct variation on Roseanne, Rosanne or Roseanna, Roseann was popular in the 1940s.
Rozanne
Rozanne is a feminine name with French and Hebrew roots. It's a variant of Rosanne, combining elements of 'rose' (the flower) and 'Anne' (from Hannah, meaning 'grace'). This elegant name suggests…
Sharon
Hebrew
"a plain"
This Old Testament place name was in the Top 10 fifty years ago, but now Sharon, along with sound-alike Karen, have fallen out of favor.
Sharen
Sharen is a feminine name that emerged as a variant spelling of Sharon, which derives from the biblical place name referring to a fertile coastal plain in Israel. In the Song of Solomon, the phrase…