User-created list
Miss America Names
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Lynda
Spelling variation of Linda
"pretty"
When President LBJ's daughter Linda Bird changed the spelling of her name to Lynda, she set a trend for spelling adventurism that's still rippling through the name world today.
Leanza
Marian
French medieval variation of Marie, Hebrew
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Marian's (and sister spelling Marion's) image has gone through a sea change of late, recalling less middle-aged matron and more Robin Hood's romantic Maid Marian. Some influences: the SJ Parker-M.…
Marjorie
Scottish variation of Margery, diminutive of Margaret
"pearl"
Scottish Marjorie and her English twin Margery were early twentieth century favorites that date back to medieval times, when it was popular among the royals. They were at their height in the 1920s,…
Neva
Spanish
"white snow"
Has a pure, clean aura, but is also evocative.
Norma
English or Latin
"from the north; or, the pattern"
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.
Pamela
English
"all honey"
Pam was a somewhat pampered prom queen of the sixties who was never called by her full name, which is a pity because Pamela is so mellifluous and rich in literary history. A Top 25 name from the late…
Patricia
Latin
"noble, patrician"
Patricia still sounds patrician, though its scores of nicknames definitely don't. Wildly popular from the forties (alternately Number 3 and 4 throughout the decade) to the sixties, Patricia has been…
Phyllis
Greek
"green bough"
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,…
Sharlene
Variation of Charlene, English feminization of Charles
"free man"
Dates from when Charlene was hot enough to have spelling variations.
Sharon
Hebrew
"a plain"
This Old Testament place name was in the Top 10 fifty years ago, but now Sharon, along with sound-alike Karen, have fallen out of favor.
Shirley
English
"bright meadow"
Shirley Temple almost single-handedly lifted the gloom of the Great Depression, and in tribute (and perhaps wishing for a similarly curly-headed, dimpled darling of their own), thousands of parents…
Susan
English diminutive of Susannah, Hebrew
"lily"
Although Susan had her heyday from the thirties to the sixties, and is now common among moms and new grandmas, and though most modern parents would prefer Susanna/Susannah, we have spotted some…
Suzette
French diminutive of Susannah, Hebrew
"lily"
Suzette has a kind of clunky retro charm – so kitsch it's almost cool again.
Shawntel
Tawny
English word name
"golden brown"
Y-ending color adjectives like Tawny and Rusty are nowhere near as stylish as the more sophisticated Lilacs and Violets.
Terry
English, diminutive of Theresa
"to harvest"
Terry hit the Top 30 in the fifties when it was seeen as a cool, sleek gender neutral name , but it's long since lost that edge. Today's Terry would probably be Tess or Tessa.
Venus
Latin
"love, desire"
The name of a heavenly planet and the Roman goddess of beauty and love was an intimidating no-no until tennis champ Venus Williams put an athletic, modern spin on it. Associated with the Greek…
Vonda
Vonda is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may derive from African languages, or possibly be a variant of the Germanic name Wanda, meaning "wanderer." The name gained modest…
Yolande
Yolande is a feminine name of medieval French origin derived from the Germanic elements 'yol' meaning 'viking' or 'valiant' and 'lande' meaning 'land' or 'territory'. It was introduced to England…