Doll Names: Traveling Back in Time
Doll names are time capsules of trends and popularity during different eras. Of course, the manufacturers tried to pick names that they thought would be especially appealing and attractive to little girls, which is why Barbara Lou appears in the 1930s, while Barbie comes around in the 1960s.
Here, doll names throughout the ages:
1890s-1910s
Unfortunately, few of the gorgeous early French, German and other bebe dolls were given names–they would more likely be identified as “Baby Open-Mouth, Glass Eyes” or “Molded Blonde Hair Child,” leaving the actual bestowing of a name up to the child playing with it. But those with an official ID had names that were typical of their time:
Alma
Florence
Hilda
Jeanette
Katie
Lilly
Mabel
Marie
1920s Doil Names
The Patsy series introduced the double names that would soon become prevalent in the population of dollyland. Most of the other names were relatively formal and conventional, some a little on the fancy side.
Benedetta
Edwina
Gloria
Henriette
Laura
Marilee
Norma
Patsy
Patsy Ann
Patsy Joan
Patsy Lou
Patsy Mae
Patsy Ruth
Phyllis
Priscilla
Rita
Roberta
Rosemary
1930s Doll Names
The inclusion of middle names like Ann and Lee now became quasi-ubiquitous for 1930s baby names; also seen are time-stamped Bobbsey Twinish nicknames like Flossie and Ginger.
Barbara Ann
Barbara Lou
Dora Lee
Flossie
Ginger
Hilda
Lucia
Mary Lee
June
Nancy Lee
Patricia
Peggy Jean
Roberta
Sally
Shirley
Suzanne
Suzette
Wendy
Wendy-Ann
1940s Doll Names
Nickname names take over — Barbara Ann is now Babs and Patricia has become Patty.
Babs
Betty Jane
Cynthia
Debby Jean
Jennie
Judy
Julie
Maggie
Mary Jane
Patty
Peggy
Polly
Sue
Trudy
Valerie
Velva
Wanda
1950s Doll Names
A wide range of names for early Baby Boomers, with fresher choices like Karen, Cheryl and Cindy entering the mix.
April
Becky
Beryl
Betsy
Binnie
Bonnie
Carol
Cheryl
Cindy
Connie
Dawn
Edie
Elise
Ellie
Eloise
Ginny
Hope
Iva
Jan
Jill
Julie
Karen
Kay
Linda
Lucy
Margie
Margot
Muffie
Nan
Nanette
Pamela
Pat
Posie
Rosemary
Ruth
Sandra Sue
Sara Ann
Saralee
Susie
Taffy
Tina
Toni
Wanda
Wendy
Winnie
1960s Doll Names
Includes names emerging from and reflecting popular culture, such as First Lady Jacqueline, Marlo, Tabitha and Tammy.
Barbie
Cathy
Coco
Crissy
Elise
Francie
Heidi
Janie
Jacqueline
Katie
Leslie
Liz
Marlo
Mary Ellen
Midge
Polly
Sally
Stacey
Tabitha
Tammy
1970s Doll Names
Names become much more imaginative in the Swinging '70s, with new and unconventional choices popping up on doll boxes, including Cricket, Harmony, Tiffany, Tuesday and Velvet.
Blythe
Cara
Cinnamon
Cora
Cynthia
Crissy
Cricket
Darci
Dawn
Dina
Glori
Harmony
Heather
Lynn
Kerry
Melanie
Mia
Sasha
Sheryl
Steffie
Tara
Tiffany
Tuesday
Velvet
1980s-today: American Girl Doll Names
The 1980s introduced American Girl, a brand of dolls portraying young girls from various points in American history. The dolls are fully developed characters that come with books about their lives.
Below, the historical dolls, listed in chronological order by their "birthdays:"
Kaya (1755)
Elizabeth (1765)
Felicity (1765)
Caroline (1802)
Josefina (1815)
Cécile (1843)
Marie-Grace (1843)
Kirsten (1845)
Addy (1855)
Nellie (1895)
Samantha (1895)
Rebecca (1905)
Kit (1923)
Ruthie (1923)
Nanea (1932)
Emily (1933)
Molly (1936)
Maryellen (1945)
Melody (1954)
Ivy (1966)
Julie (1966)
Courtney (1976)
Girl of the Year dolls were introduced in 2001 as limited-edition contemporary characters. They are meant to represent 10-12-year-old girls and come with their own backstories, much like the historical dolls. Their names are listed below, along with their ascribed birth years:
Lindsey (1991)
Kailey (1993)
Marisol (1995)
Jess (1996)
Nicki (1997)
Mia (1998)
Chrissa (1999)
Gwen (1999)
Sonali (1999)
Lanie (2000)
Kanani (2001)
McKenna (2002)
Saige (2003)
Isabelle (2004)
Grace (2005)
Lea (2005)
Gabriela (2006)
Luciana (2006)
Blaire (2009)
Joss (2010)
Kira (2010)