VINTAGE GIRL NAMES — 1800s / 1900s / 1910s / 1920s / 1930s / 1940s / 1950s /

Popular 1900s Names for Girls

1900s baby girl names

Having a baby girl and looking for a vintage name that harks back to times gone by? The top names of the first decade of the 20th century might be a good starting point for your search. Of course, some of the names that were popular back then may sound too fusty and dusty today, but there are plenty of beautiful vintage options that are perfectly wearable in 2024.

First, let's have a look at the top 10 girl names of the 1900s, as ranked by the U.S. Social Security Administration which has been keeping records of American baby names for more than a hundred years.

Top 10 Girl's Names of the 1900s (1900-1909)

  1. Mary. In the first decade of the 20th century, more than 160,000 American babies were given the name Mary, making it by far the most popular girl's name of the 1900s.
  2. Helen. Coming at a distant second was Helen, with around 70,000 little Helens welcomed into the world during the decade.
  3. Margaret. A nickname-rich possibility, offering choices from Maggie, Mags, Marge and Margo to Meg, Peggy, Daisy and Maisie. Bonus points for the beautiful meaning ("pearl").
  4. Anna. Unlike many other popular names of the era, Anna never completely lost its luster in the following decades and even today, it's a relatively popular choice for baby girls.
  5. Ruth. If you're looking for a turn-of-the-twentieth-century name with biblical origins and a host of notable namesakes, this is one to consider.
  6. Elizabeth. A cultured classic with plenty of nickname options (e.g. Ellie, Elle, Liz, Lizzie, Beth, Bettie).
  7. Dorothy. Both Dorothy and its short form Dottie have a distinct retro vibe, which is not surprising given Dorothy's popularity in the early decades of the 20th century.
  8. Marie. The French version of Mary was a Top 10 name in the U.S. back in the 1900s.
  9. Florence. This one could be an interesting option if you're looking for an old-fashioned baby name with an Italian twist (Florence is the capital of Italy's Tuscany region).
  10. Mildred. Perfectly on-trend in the 1900s, this sepia-toned name is struggling to find favor with modern parents—despite the sweet short form Millie.

Now let's move on to the Top 100. The following list includes all the names that didn't make it to the Top 10 but that were among the 100 most popular girl names in the 1900s. We hope you find your perfect vintage moniker below, but if you don't, you can always broaden your search to include the most popular girl's names of the 1910s, or the top Victorian-era girl names from the 1800s.