1930s Names

  1. Gloria
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "glory"
    • Description:

      Gloria is beginning to move beyond its de-glamorized Grandma image, most recently thanks to glamorous young Hollywood parents Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, who chose it for their second daughter. Gyllenhaal was quoted as saying they had been inspired by Patti Smith's rendition of the Van Morrison song "Gloria" at a concert and thought " 'We'll name our daughter that one day'."
  2. Marvin
    • Origin:

      Welsh, variant of Mervyn
    • Meaning:

      "sea hill"
    • Description:

      Marvin has been neglected for so long that it's hard to believe that it has windswept Welsh roots. It also has some strong namesakes going for it -- singer Marvin Gaye, composer Marvin Hamlisch and boxer Marvin Hagler. It's the real name of both Neil Simon and Meatloaf. And let's not forget mention Marvin Gardens on Monopoly.
  3. Carolyn
    • Origin:

      English variation of Caroline, French
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      The phonetic Carolyn spelling, which was very popular from the 1920s to the '60s, has been steadily on the wane while Caroline herself has stayed strong.
  4. Donna
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "lady"
    • Description:

      Literally meaning "lady" in Italian, Donna was the perfect ladylike housewife mom name on The Donna Reed Show in the fifties and sixties. And there were plenty of namesakes: Donna was in the Top 10 in 1964. These days we'd be more likely to associate it with the emanciatpated clothes of Donna Karen than as a baby name.
  5. Earl
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "nobleman, warrior"
    • Description:

      Earl is a title name - brought to England by the vikings - that's out of fashion right now, unlike King and Duke. Its peak popularity was in the 1920s, which gives it a dusty great-grandpa feel, but there are also younger Earls in pop culture, like the reformed criminal in "My Name is Earl".
  6. Carol
    • Origin:

      English, feminine variation of Charles
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      A Caroline abbreviation that was wildly popular with Mom's generation...or Grandma's. At one time it was a name for baby girls born at Christmas. because of its association with Christmas carols.
  7. Fred
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Frederick or Alfred, German or English
    • Meaning:

      "peaceful ruler or wise counselor"
    • Description:

      Where have all the Freds gone? We haven't seen many since the days of Flintstone and Munster. But it could be time for a comeback--if you think more of the sophistication of Fred Astaire, and of other nice guy names like Jack and Charlie and Sam.
  8. Norman
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "northerner, Norseman"
    • Description:

      Norman, perhaps because it sounds so much like the word 'normal', conjures up the image of a normal-looking guy with a normal kind of job-- not necessarily an image many modern parents seek for their sons. But though it's been off the national popularity list for several years, Norman is Number 694 on Nameberry. It was a Top 100 name for more than half a century, hitting a high in 1931 at Number 36, but today it's nowhere near one of the most popular boy names starting with N.
  9. Gary
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "spearman"
    • Description:

      When Gary cracked the Top 10 in 1950, it was one of the first nonclassic boys’ names to do so, largely due to Gary (born Frank) Cooper, who was renamed after Gary, Indiana, his agent's hometown. Now, a 65 years later, Gary isn't particularly high in the charts, and has lost any glitter it had. May we suggest the fuller name Gareth?
  10. Geraldine
    • Origin:

      German and French, feminine variation of Gerald
    • Meaning:

      "ruler with the spear"
    • Description:

      Though twin brother Gerald is still in baby name limbo, Geraldine is in line to follow the path of Josephine to imminent revival—even though Gerry is not as spunky a nickname as Josie.
  11. Mildred
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "gentle strength"
    • Description:

      Is it clunky cute, strong and vintage, or dreadful and mildewy? Like Gertrude and Bertha, Mildred is one that divides the crowds, but with popular nickname Mildred and renewed interest in Winifred, Deborah, Millicent, and Gwendolen, it's not entirely out of the question that Mildred might make a return in coming years
  12. Larry
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Lawrence, English from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "from Laurentium or bay laurel"
    • Description:

      Your friendly next-door neighbor...not your baby. Although Larry was once one of the most popular boys' names starting with L, that title now belongs to Liam.
  13. Phyllis
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "green bough"
    • Description:

      Phyllis has been used by classical poets for the idealized pastoral maiden. A Greek mythological name of a woman who was turned into an almond tree, Phyllis was in the Top 100 from 1916 to 1958, reaching #24 in 1929, and has the (remote) possibility of joining other revived s-ending names like Iris. In the 'St Clare' book series by Enid Blyton Phyllis is nicknamed Fizz. Just a thought. Phyllida is a variation that sounds at once more old-fashioned and more stylish.
  14. Wayne
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "maker of wagons"
    • Description:

      When Marion Michael Morrison became John Wayne around 1930, his last name took on an air of cowboy cool that lasted about thirty years. These days however, Wayne has been replaced by Waylon, Wesley, and Wyatt, and it now resides in the grandpa name camp, alongside Stan, Bruce, and Ronald. For some, thus may well be its selling point. < br>
      Originally an occupational surname, Wayne comes from the Old English wægn meaning "wagon". Associated with wagon makers, it rose to popularity as a give name in the mid-20th-century. Notable bearers include footballer Wayne Rooney, hockey player Wayne Gretzky (generally considered the greatest player in the history of the sport), and rapper Lil Wayne.
  15. Jerry
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Gerald or Jerome, German or Greek
    • Meaning:

      "ruler with the spear or sacred name"
    • Description:

      Jerry is one of those short forms that, like Mike and Debbie, rose to popularity on the coattails of their formal versions. The equivalents today are nickname names like Ellie and Theo.
  16. Sandra
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Alessandra, Italian from Greek
    • Meaning:

      "defending men"
    • Description:

      2012's Hurricane Sandy blew away whatever style currency Sandra retained from its 1960s Sandra Dee heyday. While in recent years it's been associated with Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, as a baby name Sandra is sinking beneath the waves.
  17. Norma
    • Origin:

      English or Latin
    • Meaning:

      "from the north; or, the pattern"
    • Description:

      Invented for Bellini's opera, Norma had some star quality in the silent-screen and Marilyn Monroe days, but at this point it's a graying grandma in baby name limbo.
  18. Wanda
    • Origin:

      Slavic or German
    • Meaning:

      "shepherdess; wanderer"
    • Description:

      Rarely heard, and when it is, usually attached to a witch. Historically, though, Wanda was a legendary eighth century queen of Poland, and in literature it is the central character of Ouida's eponymous novel Wanda. A musical namesake is the great Polish harpsichordist Wanda Landowska.
  19. Janice
    • Origin:

      Variation of Jane
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      For a minute or two this sounded more modern than Janet, now equally outmoded.
  20. Willie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of William, German
    • Meaning:

      "resolute protection"
    • Description:

      There have been many great Willies (Mays, Nelson, Wonka), but a boy with this name could never ever go to England. Most people will also assume it is short for the more traditional William, which might be the best avenue for achieving this nickname.

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