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1960s Girl Names - Common AND Rare Names

  1. Leigh

    • Origin:

      English variation of Lee

    • Meaning:

      "pasture, meadow"

    • Description:

      This spelling adds a little more femininity to the neutral Lee. Leigh and sister Lee were quite popular in the 1960s and 1970s among the first cool wave of unisex names for girls, but now have vanished from the Top 1000. The Biblical Leah is preferred.
  2. Lela

    • Origin:

      Variation of Leila, Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "night"

    • Description:

      There are a dizzying number of varieties of the Arabic name Leila or Layla, two of the most popular versions, with Lela one of the rarer, given to fewer than 100 baby girls in the US each year. Pronunciation and spelling can be a challenge, so if you choose this simple, lovely name, you will be explaining it much more often than you want to.
  3. Leola

    • Description:

      Leola is a feminine name of Latin and German origins. It can be a variant of Leola, meaning 'lioness,' derived from 'leo' (lion), or an elaboration of Leah or Lee. It was most popular in the United States during the early 20th century, peaking between 1890-1920 when it ranked in the top 300 names. The name conveys strength and grace, resonating with the powerful imagery of a lioness. Though less common today, Leola maintains a classic, vintage charm that appeals to parents seeking something both traditional and distinctive. Its soft sound contrasts with its strong meaning, creating a name with balance and character.

  4. Leonor

    • Origin:

      Spanish and Portuguese variation of Eleanor, from English, meaning unknown

    • Description:

      This streamlined variation of Eleanor is common in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, particularly Portugal itself, where it has ranked among the Top 3 baby girl names for over a decade.
  5. Lesley

    • Origin:

      Variation of Leslie, Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "garden of holly"

    • Description:

      Lesley runs a distant second to more popular sister Leslie, used for about 30 baby girls in one recent year vs. Leslie's 400+. And interestingly, no baby boys were named Lesley though about 40 were named Leslie. Once one of the most widely-used girl names starting with L, Lesley and Leslie now trail behind trendy L-starting girl names like Layla and Lily.
  6. Lida

    • Origin:

      Russian diminutive of Lidia; Scandinavian diminutive of Alida; variation of Leda, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "woman from Lydia; noble; happy"

    • Description:

      Multicultural mini name with an intuitive pronunciation — it's a recipe for success, yet Lida remains under the radar.
  7. Lillian

    • Origin:

      English from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "lily; pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Lillian has ranked among the US Top 50 for the past 20 years, making it Lily's less popular but more grownup cousin.
  8. Lily

    • Origin:

      English flower name

    • Meaning:

      "lily"

    • Description:

      Lily is the most popular of the popular delicate century-old flower names now making a return, thanks to its many irresistible attributes: a cool elegance and a lovely sound, a symbol of purity and innocence, and a role in Christian imagery.
  9. Linda

    • Origin:

      Spanish, Portuguese and Italian

    • Meaning:

      "pretty"

    • Description:

      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.
  10. Lisa

    • Origin:

      English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Elvis naming his daughter Lisa Marie and Nat King Cole's hit song "Mona Lisa" conspired to catapult one of Elizabeth's many offshoots to a high of #4 in 1970.
  11. Lois

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "most desirable"

    • Description:

      The eternal fiancee of Superman turned sweet gray-haired lady who's always available to babysit her grandkids turned....hot new baby name?
  12. Lordes

    • Description:

      Lordes is likely a variant spelling of Lourdes, a feminine name with significant religious and geographical connections. The name references the town of Lourdes in France, famous for reported Marian apparitions to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858 and now a major Catholic pilgrimage site. This spelling variation might reflect regional pronunciation differences or simply a desire for uniqueness. While the traditional Lourdes spelling is moderately common in Spanish-speaking countries and Catholic communities, the Lordes variant remains quite rare. The name carries strong religious connotations of faith, healing, and miracles. Some parents might choose it to honor Our Lady of Lourdes or to express their Catholic faith. Despite its religious significance, the name has a soft, melodious quality that appeals beyond religious contexts, though the altered spelling may occasionally cause confusion.

  13. Lorean

    • Description:

      Lorean is a feminine name with varied origins. It likely developed as a variant of Loraine or Lorraine, which refers to the French region of the same name. Alternatively, it may be a modification of Lauren or an elaboration of Lora. The name carries a melodic quality with its flowing syllables. Lorean peaked in limited popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century but remains relatively uncommon. Some may associate it with the DeLorean car made famous in the 'Back to the Future' films, though this connection is coincidental. With its elegant sound and unique spelling, Lorean offers a distinctive alternative to more common 'Lor-' names while maintaining a classically feminine feel.
  14. Lorene

    • Description:

      Lorene is a feminine name derived from the Latin 'Laurentius,' meaning 'from Laurentum' or 'crowned with laurel.' It emerged as a variant of Laura or Lauren, gaining modest popularity in the United States during the early to mid-20th century, particularly in the 1920s-1940s. The name carries a vintage charm that evokes the elegance of bygone eras. While never reaching the heights of more common names, Lorene has maintained a consistent presence throughout the decades. It offers a balance between familiarity and distinctiveness, being recognizable but not overused. The name has a gentle, melodic quality with its soft consonants and flowing syllables, conveying a sense of grace and timeless femininity.

  15. Loretta

    • Origin:

      English variation of Italian Lauretta; diminutive of Laura

    • Meaning:

      "bay laurel"

    • Description:

      Though Loretta has long ago lost its Latin flair, fashionable Sarah Jessica Parker's choice of it as the middle name of one of her twin daughters freshens it up a bit. It's one of several such names, like Anita and Rita that we can envision making a comeback.
  16. Lori

    • Origin:

      English spelling variation of Laurie; diminutive of Laura

    • Meaning:

      "from Laurentium or bay laurel"

    • Description:

      Lori, with this sleek modern spelling, was an extremely popular name in the middle of the 20th century, ranking among the Top 100 girls' names from the early 1950s until the early 1980s.
  17. Lorna

    • Origin:

      English literary name

    • Description:

      One of those names like Pamela, Vanessa and Wendy, Lorna was invented for a particular literary character--the protagonist of the 1869 novel Lorna Doone by R. D. Blackmore--and then perpetuated as the name of a shortbread cookie. The author claimed to have based it on the Scottish place-name, Lorn. In baby name limbo for quite some time, it was chosen by Judy Garland for her younger daughter, Lorna Luft. Lorna Simpson is an important contemporary American artist.
  18. Lorraine

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "from the province of Lorraine"

    • Description:

      Sweet Lorraine might just be old enough to be ripe for reconsideration. This French place name has moved in and out of fashion in the few hundred years it's been used as a girls' first name, somewhat influenced by the alternative name of Joan of Arc--Saint Joan of Lorraine. It was quite popular from the 1920s to the fifties, but has pretty much been in limbo since then.
  19. Louise

    • Origin:

      French and English, feminine variation of Louis

    • Meaning:

      "renowned warrior"

    • Description:

      Louise has for several decades now been seen as competent, studious, and efficient—desirable if not dramatic qualities. But now along with a raft of other L names, as well as cousin Eloise, Louise is up for reappreciation—sleek and chic, stylish in Paris, and starting to become so in the US as well. Louisa is perhaps more in tune with the times, but Louise has more edge. Louise has been on the rise lately, and reentered the US Top 1000 for the first time in a quarter century in 2016.
  20. Lucia

    • Origin:

      Italian, feminine variation of Lucius, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "light"

    • Description:

      Lucia is a lush, rich Latinate equivalent of Lucy, popular in Spain and throughout Latin America and also a cross-cultural favorite. You might be surprised to know that Lucia has ALWAYS ranked among the Top 1000 girl names in the US, though she's really taken off only since the turn of this century.