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Names that Peaked in 1951

Updated November 2023

Names32

Pages2

Total Names32

Across 2 pages

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The names

Showing 1–20 of 32

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,…
Alan
Irish
"handsome, cheerful"
In its three most popular spellings -- Alan along with Allen and Allan -- this midcentury favorite has tended to skew older. It was a Top 100 name from 1938 to 1971, peaking at Number 40 in 1951.…
Gwendolyn
Variation of Gwendolen, Welsh
"white ring"
One spelling variation that's more popular than the original, this somewhat old-fashioned name might be in honor of poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African-American to win a Pulitzer prize for…
Stephen
Greek
"garland, crown"
Stephen, also spelled Steven, is a strong and likable classic, with the he's-a-great-guy short form Steve. Though not as well-used or fashionable as it was in its heyday -- it was a Top 25 name from…
Margo
French, diminutive of Margaret
"pearl"
Margo and Margot sound exactly the same, so why has the Margot spelling hopped back onto the Top 1000, outpacing Margo in numbers more than two to one? (Over 350 baby girls were named Margot in the…
Kathryn
English variation of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Although the Kathryn spelling feels like a modern streamlining of this ancient royal and saints' name, it is in fact found back through history. At least one of Henry the Eighth's unfortunately wives…
Rex
Latin
"king"
Now that many dogs are named Max, it's safe to use this sleek, solid, regal name again for your child. And with the charm of its final x , its regal meaning, and its offbeat simplicity, Rex is…
Linda
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian
"pretty"
Linda will live forever in baby name history for toppling Mary from its four hundred year reign as Number 1. Queen of Names in 1947, Linda has fallen even further in favor than Mary today. Still,…
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…
Levon
Armenian, variation of Leon
"lion"
Levon, an unusual alternative to Levi. has two musical associations: it's the title of an Elton John song, inspired by late, great drummer for The Band, Levon Helm--whose birth name was Mark. Uma…
Reynaldo
Reynaldo is a masculine name of Spanish and Italian origin, derived from the Germanic name Reynold or Reinhold, composed of the elements 'ragin' (advice, counsel) and 'wald' (rule, power). It…
Donnie
Short form of Donald, Scottish
"proud chief"
Infantilizing short form best reserved for toddlers and younger.
Jacquelyn
Jacquelyn is a feminine name of French origin, a variant spelling of Jacqueline, which is the feminine form of Jacques (the French equivalent of James). Ultimately, these names derive from the Hebrew…
Janice
Variation of Jane
"God is gracious"
For a minute or two this sounded more modern than Janet, now equally outmoded.
Jan
Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Slovene, German, and Catalan variation of John, Hebrew
"God is gracious"
A standard form of John in Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Slovene, German, and Catalan. Properly pronounced yahn (in most of these languages), most Americans will still equate it…
Marcia
Latin, feminine version of Marcius
"warlike"
Marcia is an ancient Roman name which derives from Mars, the god of war. It was used by Dante in the Inferno and later by Thomas Hardy and others. Marcia enjoyed a brief run of popularity in the…
Arnulfo
Arnulfo is a masculine name with Germanic roots, derived from the elements 'arn' meaning eagle and 'wulf' meaning wolf. It was borne by several medieval saints and nobles, including Saint Arnulf of…
Erasmo
Erasmo is a masculine name of Greek and Latin origin, derived from Erasmus, meaning 'beloved' or 'desired.' The name has historical significance through Desiderius Erasmus, the influential Dutch…
Ricki
Feminization of Ricky, English, or English diminutive of Frederica, German
"dominant ruler; peaceful ruler"
One of the earliest of the relaxed, unisex names, now relegated to oldies rock stations. Ricki is a spirited, retro nickname traditionally short for Frederica but now stands strong on its own.…

Names that Peaked in 1951

The names

James

Thomas

Alan

Gwendolyn

Stephen

Margo

Kathryn

Rex

Linda

Patricia

Levon

Reynaldo

Donnie

Jacquelyn

Janice

Jan

Marcia

Arnulfo

Erasmo

Ricki