TV Mom Names
Updated Thu Feb 01 2024
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TV Mom names take their inspiration from the perfect (and sometimes highly imperfect) television mothers who typically vacuumed in heels and cooked their children hot lunches. Names that honor these paragons of domesticity range from Alice to Winnie, with detours to Peg and Tami.
Along with Alice and Winnie, other TV mom names in the US Top 1000 include Caroline, Harriet, Helen, June, Katherine, Lily, Nora, Vivian, and Xiomara. Names with particularly strong ties to their fictional mothers include Endora, Marge, Moira, and Rainbow.
While some of these may seem hopelessly dated (they are mom names, after all), many names of TV moms — especially ones from earlier sitcoms — would be quite charming on a modern baby girl. Here they are ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Abby
Origin:
Diminutive of Abigail, HebrewMeaning:
"my father is joyful"
- Alice
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"noble"
- Amy
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"beloved"
- Angela
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"angel"
- Ann
Origin:
English variation of Hebrew HannahMeaning:
"grace"
- Annie
Origin:
English, diminutive of AnnMeaning:
"grace"
- Audrey
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"noble strength"
- Barbara
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"foreign woman"
- Betty
Origin:
Diminutive of ElizabethMeaning:
"pledged to God"
- Beverly
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"dweller near the beaver stream"
- Carmela
Origin:
Italian and Spanish variation of CarmelMeaning:
"garden"
- Carol
Origin:
English, feminine variation of CharlesMeaning:
"free man"
- Caroline
Origin:
French, feminine variation of CharlesMeaning:
"free man"
- Clair
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"bright, clear"
- Cookie
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"cookie"
- Daisy
Origin:
Diminutive of Margaret or flower name, EnglishMeaning:
"day's eye"
- Debra
Origin:
Spelling variation of DeborahMeaning:
"bee"
- Dorothy
Origin:
English variation of Greek DorotheaMeaning:
"gift of God"
- Edith
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"prosperous in war"
- Elizabeth
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"pledged to God"
- Ellen
Origin:
English variation of HelenMeaning:
"torch; shining light"
- Elyse
Origin:
Variation of Elise or ElysiaMeaning:
"pledged to God"
- Endora
- Florida
Origin:
Place name and Spanish from LatinMeaning:
"flowery"
- Frankie
Origin:
Diminutive of FrancesMeaning:
"from France; free man"
- Harriet
Origin:
English variation of French HenrietteMeaning:
"estate ruler"
- Helen
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"torch; shining light"
- Janet
Origin:
Diminutive of JaneMeaning:
"God's gracious gift"
- Jean
Origin:
English and Scottish, from French variation of JohannaMeaning:
"God is gracious"
- Jessica
Origin:
English, meaning unknown
- Jill
Origin:
Diminutive of Gillian or JulianaMeaning:
"youthful"
- Joan
Origin:
English variation of JohannaMeaning:
"God is gracious"
- Joanne
Origin:
French variation of JoannaMeaning:
"God is gracious"
- June
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"young"
- Kate
Origin:
English, diminutive of KatherineMeaning:
"pure"
- Kath
Origin:
Diminutive of Katherine, GreekMeaning:
"pure"
- Katherine
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"pure"
- Kitty
Origin:
English, diminutive of KatherineMeaning:
"pure"
- Laura
Origin:
English from LatinMeaning:
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
- Lily
Origin:
English flower nameMeaning:
"lily"
- Linda
Origin:
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian word name meaning "pretty"Meaning:
"pretty"
- Lisa
Origin:
English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, ItalianMeaning:
"pledged to God"
- Lois
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"most desirable"
- Lorelai
Origin:
Spelling variation of Lorelei, GermanMeaning:
"alluring, temptress"
- Louise
Origin:
French and English, feminine variation of LouisMeaning:
"renowned warrior"
- Lucille
Origin:
French variation of Latin LucillaMeaning:
"light"
- Lucy
Origin:
English variation of Lucia, LatinMeaning:
"light"
- Maggie
Origin:
Diminutive of MargaretMeaning:
"pearl"
- Margaret
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"pearl"
- Marge
Origin:
Short form of Margaret, GreekMeaning:
"pearl"
- Marion
Origin:
English and French diminutive of MarieMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
- Marsha
Origin:
Variation of Marcia, diminutive of MarcellaMeaning:
"warlike"
- Marta
Origin:
Italian, Spanish, Scandinavian, SlavicMeaning:
"lady"
- Moira
Origin:
Irish, variation of MaryMeaning:
"bitter; beloved; drop of the sea"
- Morticia
Origin:
Fictional invented nameMeaning:
"mortician"
- Muriel
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"of the bright sea"
- Natalie
Origin:
French variation of Russian NataliaMeaning:
"birthday of the Lord"
- Nora
Origin:
Diminutive of Honora or Eleonora, LatinMeaning:
"honor or meaning unknown"
- Norma
Origin:
English or LatinMeaning:
"from the north; or, the pattern"
- Olivia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"olive tree"
- Pamela
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"all honey"
- Peg
Origin:
Diminutive of Margaret, GreekMeaning:
"pearl"
- Rainbow
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"rainbow"
- Rebecca
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"to tie, bind"
- Roseanne
Origin:
Combination of Rose and Anne
- Ruth
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"compassionate friend"
- Sally
Origin:
Diminutive of SarahMeaning:
"princess"
- Sam
Origin:
Diminutive of SamanthaMeaning:
"told by God"
- Sarah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"princess"
- Shelly
- Shirley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"bright meadow"
- Tami
- Trudy
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"spear of strength"
- Violet
Origin:
English from LatinMeaning:
"purple"
- Vivian
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"life"
- Winnie
Origin:
English diminutive of WinifredMeaning:
"holy peacemaking, gentle friend"
- Xiomara
Origin:
Feminine variation of Guiomar, Spanish, PortugueseMeaning:
"famous in battle"