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Popular 1910s Names for Girls

1910s baby girl names

Choosing a name for your baby girl is one of the most exciting decisions you'll make ahead of your new arrival, but it can also stir up a lot of stress. That beautiful little human being you're about to welcome into the world is counting on you to come up with a great for her to grow up with!

But don't worry: we're here to help. If you like old-fashioned names, the top names of the 1910s could prove to be a great source of inspiration (or, if you want to break the mould, we also have a list of rare 1910s' girl names).

First, let's have a look at the top 10 girl names of the decade, as ranked by the U.S. Social Security Administration which has been keeping track of birth certificates since the late 19th century.

Top 10 Girl's Names of the 1910s

  1. Mary. This biblical classic ruled the roost as the most popular girl's name in the 1910s, with almost 500,000 newborns given the name during that decade.
  2. Helen. Coming at a distant second was Helen, with around 250,000 births.
  3. Dorothy. Both Dorothy and its short form Dottie have distinct vintage charm—courtesy of the name's popularity in the first part of the 20th century.
  4. Margaret. This popular 1910s' name has a beautiful meaning ('pearl') and an entire raft of short forms (Maggie, Marge, Meg, Peggy, Mags, Daisy, Margo, Maisie...).
  5. Ruth. If you're looking for 1910s' inspired baby name with biblical roots and an impressive list of namesakes, this one delivers.
  6. Mildred. This early-twentieth-century favorite may feel too fusty for the average twenty-first-century parent, but it does have one thing going for it: the cute vintage nickname Millie.
  7. Anna. Unlike many other names on this list, Anna has stood the test of time and is still heard on the playgrounds.
  8. Elizabeth. Another timeless classic, with a great choice nicknames (Ellie, Elle, Liz, Lizzie, Beth, Bettie—just to mention a few).
  9. Frances. An Old Hollywood darling, borne by Golden Age stars Farmer, Drake, Dee and Langford. Add in first lady Frances Cleveland and a couple of Roman Catholic saints, and you've got a charming, multi-layered name with plenty of distinguished namesake cred.
  10. Virginia. This name comes with the cool V-sound, literary cred via Virginia Woolf, nicknames galore, and patriotic overtones (Virginia was the site of the first permanent English settlement in North America and became known as "the birthplace of a nation").

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 1910s. The names in bold were at the height of their popularity in the 1910s, so they might give off a particularly strong turn-of-the-twentieth-century vibe, if that's what you're going for.