1960s Girl Names - Common AND Rare Names
- Carla
Origin:
Feminization of Carl, German, Carlo, Italian, and Carlos, SpanishMeaning:
"free man"Description:
While Charlotte and Caroline are considered stylish and classic members of the Charles family, this Germanic form peaked in the US at Number 76 in 1965. It fell out of favor in the 2010s, but recent years have seen it re-enter the Top 1000.
- Dallas
Origin:
Place name, surname and IrishMeaning:
"meadow dwelling, valley house, skilled"Description:
A name with a bit of glamor but also cowgirl vibes, Dallas entered the US Top 1000 for girls in 1992. It fell out of style during noughties, but reappeared in 2012 when other gender neutral names like River, Sawyer, Rowan, and Blake were also climbing fast.
- Eugenia
Origin:
Feminine variation of Eugene, GreekMeaning:
"wellborn, noble"Description:
Eugenia, a name scarcely used at all since the 1980's, is another that flourished a century ago and could be due for a revival.
- Regina
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"queen"Description:
A classic name with regal elegance--Queen Victoria, like other queens, had Regina appended to her name. She was a Top 100 name in the 1960s.
- Wilma
Origin:
Diminutive of WilhelminaMeaning:
"resolute protection"Description:
In the US, Wilma is appears to be eternally fossilized in Bedrock as Fred Flintstone's wife, but in Sweden it's a Top 10 hottie. It did have its moment in the US--from 1912 to 1940 it was a Top 100 name. One notable namesake: track and field star Wilma Rudolph.
- Lee
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"pasture, meadow"Description:
The original brief, breezy name is somewhat out of favor now even as a middle name. The Leigh spelling has more substance and is more identifiable as female.
- Elisa
Origin:
Spanish and Italian, diminutive of ElizabethDescription:
Elisa is one of the most appealing of this contingent of Elizabeth-related names. In the US, Eliza is much more stylish these days, but Elisa is very popular internationally — especially in Europe and Latin America.
- Leigh
Origin:
English variation of LeeMeaning:
"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.
- Aimee
Origin:
Variation of Amy, FrenchMeaning:
"beloved"Description:
Amy was a 1970s favorite, and French spelling Aimee peaked in the same decade. Today, about 1500 baby girls are still named Amy every year in the US, versus about 150 named Aimee.
- Sandra
Origin:
Diminutive of Alessandra, Italian from GreekMeaning:
"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.
- Joanne
Origin:
French variation of Joanna, HebrewMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
A Top 100 name from the 1930s all the way through the 1950s, it's now firmly in Mom -- or Grandma -- land and supplanted for babies by Joanna.....or even great-grandmother Josephine. In its heyday, it had a host of variations, including JoAnn and Jo-Anne.
- Judy
Origin:
Diminutive of Judith, HebrewMeaning:
"He will be praised or woman from Judea"Description:
Judy was the nickname of choice for almost all the Judiths born in the 1940s and 50s; today's little Judiths are much more likely to be called Judith -- or, possibly, Jude.
- Francine
Origin:
French diminutive pet form of FrancoiseMeaning:
"from France or free man"Description:
With the advent of Pope Francis, all forms of this ancient and saintly name came up for a fresh look. Along with most other -een and -ine (when pronounced like -een) names for girls, Francine has a dated midcentury Mad Men feel. But its choice for their daughter by modern glamour couple Casey Neistat and Candice Pool, respectively a video star and a jewelry designer, has made Francine chic again.
- Laine
Origin:
English variation of Elaine, Estonian and LatvianMeaning:
"bright, shining light; wave"Description:
Lainey is one of the many fast-rising nickname names of the last few years, and longer forms like Elaine, Alaina, and Delaney are enjoying their own bouts of popularity. Simple and tailored, but equally sweet Laine is not yet in the Top 1000, but feels stylish today.
- Helene
Origin:
French variation of HelenMeaning:
"bright, shining one"Description:
Whether it's pronounced with an "een" or an "aine" or an "enn" sound at the end, Helene doesn't feel as current the more forthright Helen or the airier Helena. Helene reached a high of Number 228 in the US in 1916, when ene, ine and een names were all the fashion, and stayed in the Top 500 until 1962, making a final exit in 1970. It still ranks well in its native France, and even more in Norway (#70). Model Heidi Klum's daughter 'Leni' has Helene on her birth certificate.
- Ocie
Origin:
Short form of Ocean, nature nameDescription:
Ocie is antiquated ie-ending nickname that was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s and has seen a slight uptake in interest in recent years.
- Rhonda
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"noisy one"Description:
"Help Me, Rhonda. sang the Beach Boys -- help me convince my parents not to give me this sixties name.
- Annette
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"grace"Description:
Annette is a French diminutive of Ann which was among the first wave of widely-used girls' names from France, now neglected for so long that it's almost starting to feel stylish again.
- Blanche
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"white"Description:
Blanche, which originated as a nickname for a pale blonde and then became associated with the notion of purity, was in style a century ago, ranking in the double digits until 1920. She then had to fight the stereotype of faded Southern belle, a la Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire and Blanche Devereaux in TV's Golden Girls. Now all three of the Golden Girls--Blanche, Rose and Dorothy--could be ready for revival, with Blanche sounding like a stronger, simpler alternative to Bianca.
- Gayle
Description:
Gayle is a feminine name with multiple origins. It can be derived from the Hebrew name Abigail, meaning 'father's joy,' or it may be a variant of Gail, which began as a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element 'gal' meaning 'happy' or 'cheerful.' The name may also relate to the English word 'gale,' referring to a strong wind. Gayle enjoyed particular popularity in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s but has declined since then. The name has a clean, straightforward quality with a subtly nature-inspired undertone. Its brief, single-syllable structure gives it a certain crisp efficiency, while the spelling with 'y' adds a touch of distinction to this classic mid-century favorite.
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