Personal Favorites of 1950

Gay

French

"joyful"

The meaning of this word flipped from "cheerful" to "homosexual" during the twentieth century, and it's now almost certainly too loaded to sit comfortably as a baby name. Which is a shame as…

Fay

English

"fairy"

Fay, also spelled Faye, who had been napping quietly since the 1930's, has, like cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae, sat up and started rubbing her eyes, ready for a mini-comeback, especially as a middle…

Mable

Mable is a vintage feminine name, primarily a spelling variant of Mabel, which derives from the Latin 'amabilis' meaning 'lovable.' This particular spelling was quite popular in the late 19th and…

Dorothea

Greek

"gift of God"

Dorothea is a romantic Victorian-sounding name that blends elegance, gravitas and a hint of clunkiness too. Popular in the early decades of the twentieth century, it has been off the charts since…