Unusual Vintage Names: Which might come back?
By Linda Rosenkrantz
The folks at the Social Security Administration publish not only the thousand most popular names for every year dating back to 1880, but also the Top 200 names for every decade, making it possible to see broader patterns and trends.
I was scanning these decade lists to see if I might find any goodies that have escaped the mass raid on vintage names, and was able to pick out two girls and two boys from every decade from the 1880s to the 1950s that were once in the Top 100 but are not even in the Top 1000 now.
I ‘ve included the year they fell off the list and their highest ever point of popularity—plus some possible pros and cons. (Of course most of these names spilled over from one decade to the next.)
1880s—
Lula——off since 1965; reached #36
Pro—shares the popular double-l form with Lila, Lola and Lulu
Con—might be confused with any of the above
Maude–– off since 1950, reached #20
Pro—mauve-tinted Victorian charm
Con—strident Bea Arthur 70s sitcom character
Roscoe— off since 1978, reached #117
Pro—-Lively o-ending à la Milo and Arlo
Con— Hillbilly image via old Dukes of Hazzard -type shows.
Archie—-off since 1988, reached #82
Pro—already a hit across the Pond
Con—comics character + Archie Bunker connection
1890s–
Augusta–off since 1944, reached #113
Pro—if August and Gus are cool, why not Augusta?
Con—go-to Great-Aunt name in English lit
Mamie—off since 1966, reached #53
Pro—Cute twin of Maisie
Con—First Lady Eisenhower’s bangs
Grover–– off since 1974, reached #20
Pro—Presidential
Con—Muppet
Homer— off since 1983, reached #6
_Pro—_great ancient Greek epic poet
Con-—Bart Simpson’s doltish dad
1900s—–
Lottie—–off since 1959, reached #75
Pro-Lacy Charlotte nickname name hot in England
Con—Does Charlotte need to be on the birth certificate?
Ethel—-off since 1975, reached #6
Pro—starbaby choice of Lily Allen
Con-—Lucy Ricardo neighbor Mertz
Rufus—off since 1988, reached #88
Pro—cute for a redhead
Con –cute for a puppy
Otis—–off since 1994, reached #94
Pro—bluesy image, new star baby fave
Con–Pug dog in Adventures of Milo and Otis
1910s—-
Viola—-off since 1972, reached #42
Pro—Logical, Shakespearean, follow-up to Violet
Con–Too tied to the musical instrument?
Geneva-off since 1995, reached #107
Pro–lovely place name
Con–nickname Genny, so close to recently-ubiquitous Jenny
Floyd—off since 1998, reached #44
Pro—jazzy vibe
Earnest–off since 1992, reached #111
Pro—solid boy’s virtue name
Con–looks like a misspelling
1920s—–
Inez—–off since 1976, reached #97
Pro–sizzling z-ending
Con–possible pronunciation confusion
Dora—-off since 1992, reached #46
Pro—ready to join cousins Cora, Flora and Nora in the playground
Con–vintage comic strip/expression Dumb Dora
Edmund–off since 1997, reached #130
Pro—a distinguished alternative to Edward
Con — could sound stuffy
Claude—off since 1993, reached #46
Pro—soft, cloud-like French feel
Con—_villain of _The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1930s—–
Maxine–off since 1996, reached #76
Pro—Max names are in
Con—Still playing canasta in the clubhouse?
Peggy—-Off since 1971, reached #31
Con— perky period prom queen
Lowell—off since 1980, reached #148
Pro—distinguished literary surname
Con–means “young wolf”
Freddie -off since 2003, reached #131
Pro—retro boy nicknames are back on trend
Con—nightmare memories of Freddy Krueger?
1940s–
Jill——- off since 2000, reached #41
Pro—time to follow Jack up the hill
Con—might need a little more time getting there
Kay—-off since 1984, reached #70
Pro—sleek and sophisticated
Con-—her name is her initial
Gordon–off since 2008, reached #70
Pro—Distinguished Scottish alternative to Jordan
Con –Greed is Good’s Gordon Gekko
Ted—off since 1996, reached #144
Pro—funkier than Theo
Con—fustier than Theo
1950s—
Beth—––off since 1997, reached #65
Pro—memorable Little Women character
Con— dated Elizabeth nn
Constance–-off since 1999, reached #82
Pro— virtue name in disguise
Con–nn Connie
Stuart— off since 2003, reached #161
Pro— royal Scottish heritage
Con—nn Stewie
Glen—–off since 2003, reached #136
Pro—evocative Gaelic nature name
Con— what happened to his final ‘n’?
So which of these names do you think deserve to be back on the Top 1000–if not the Top 200?