Unusual 1940s Names for Girls

Looking for baby name ideas for a daughter? If you're a retro mom (or dad) who loves all things vintage, including throwback baby names, our list of unusual girl names from the 1940s contains a ton of interesting name relics.

To create this list, we combed through the U.S. Social Security Administration's historical baby name data and picked out the names that met the following criteria: the name was bestowed on more baby girls in the 1940s than any other decade in recorded baby name history; the name was used for at least 1,000 baby girls during that peak decade; and finally, the name had to be outside the Top 100 1940s' Girl Names as we wanted to uncover some hidden gems that other baby name lists covering 1940s' girl names might have missed (so no Barbara and Bonnie, Joyce and Judith on this list). Happy name hunting!

• Annetta. If you're looking for a path to the vintage nickname Netta, this could be one option.
• Arleen. A spelling variation of Arlene. Famous bearers of this variant include silver screen stars Arleen Sorkin and Arleen Whelan.
• Carolann. The mid-century wonder Carol shoot to the top of the charts in the 1940s, so it's hardly surprising also other similar names were on the rise.
• Carolee. Another Carol-inspired appellation that was occasionally used in the 1940s.
• Carolynn. The classic Carolyn with an extra "N".
• Carrol. One of the many variants of Carol.
• Carroll. The frilliest version of Carol.
• Caryl. Yet another variation of Carol.
• Cecelia. A beautiful girl's name that sounds simultanously vintage and modern.
• Charleen. A feminine version of Charles. Charlene is the more popular spelling.
• Claudette. An old lady name headed for obscurity, or a cool vintage name with a bit of French flair? We're not sure.
• Darleen. Technically, Darleen belongs on this list because it fulfills the criteria of an unusual name that peaked in the 1950s. However, to many people, it may have more of a 50s' vibe because the more common spelling, Darlene, was at the height of its popularity in the 1950s.
• Delois. This name has an unmistakably antiquated image, but it does have some cultural cred via the late gospel diva Delois Barrett Campbell.
• Dian. A name that will guarantee a lifetime of misspelled Starbucks cups.
• Dixie. A name equal parts sprightly and sweet.
• Donnie. A masculine-leaning unisex name that charted for girls in the first half of the 20th century.
• Dottie. A vintage darling with the on-trend -ie ending.
• Earlene. This one's been out of commission for a while now. Is it ever going to stage a comeback? Only time will tell.
• Earnestine. An old-lady name through-and-through. It would take a very brave person to opt for this relic of a name.
• Edwina. An old-fangled appellation for the gutsy couple!
• Elida. A vintage rarity waiting to be dusted off.
• Faye. Parents seem to be warming up to Faye again...
• Freddie. During the 1940s, a small but not insignificant number of parents chose this heavily masculine-leaning unisex name for their baby girls.
• Georgene. The classic Georgia had a pretty long run of popularity in the first half of the 20th century, but name-cousin Georgene only experienced a brief and modest uptick.
• Georgianna. Georgia, with extra frills and lace.
• Gerry. A short, to-the-point unisex name that was bestowed on a couple of thousand baby girls (and another few thousand baby boys) during the 40s. Today, Gerry is used virtually only for boys, if at all.
• Glenna. To some ears, Glenna is an old woman playing bridge in a nursing home. To others, it's a retro-cool baby name ripe for the taking.
• Jannie. Has Jannie remained in the attic long enough to sound young and fresh again? You be the judge.
• Jeraldine. A variation of the more popular Geraldine.
• Jerilyn. Jeri spruced/ up with the timeless -lyn suffix.
• Jerrie. A less common version of Jerry (see below).
• Jerry. During the 40s, a small but not insignificant number of parents chose this overwhelmingly masculine name for their baby girls.
• Jonnie. An unusual but not unheard of -ie ender that crested in the 40s.
• Judi. The more common version, Judy, was hugely popular—it ranked #15 in the 1940s—but a number of parents preferred the Judi spelling.
• Judie. Yet another variation of Judy.
• Karolyn. Carolyn—with a slight Kardashian vibe.
• Kaye. All the old-school charm of Kay, with an added E.
• Lana. Never truly in or truly out, the beautiful Lana has been in quiet and sparing use since the 1940s.
• Laraine. Like the sound of this? Our advice: go with the standard spelling Lorraine.
• Lonnie. A heavily masculine-leaning unisex name.
• Lynda. A variation of Linda.
• Marilynn. A variation of Marilyn.
• Marva. An all-but-lost moniker with retro charm.
• Maryann. A mid-century style-star name hasn't been able to make the fashion grade in the modern world.
• Marylou. A cute combo name that pretty much fell off the radar after the 1940s.
• Nedra. A rare but not completely unknown name from last century. Famous bearers include singer Nedra Talley and actress Nedra Volz.
• Paulette. Paula with the very French -ette ending.
• Peggie. Peggy was among the top 100 girl names in the 1930s and 40s, but the version with the -ie ending also had its fans: Peggie popped up on more than 2,000 birth certificates from 1940 through 1949.
• Priscilla. Sooner or later, the biblical beauty will be back!
• Ronnie. Most Ronnies have been boys, but the name remains a possibility for a girl, too.
• Rosemarie. Rosemary with a French twist.
• Rosetta. This Rose offshoot has never been overly popular, but is today almost unused.
• Ruthann. If you like both Ruth and Ann, why not merge them into Ruthann, like the parents of singer Ruthann Friedman did back in 1944?
• Ruthie. If the classic Ruth doesn't sound sweet enough, try Ruthie.
• Sammie. A sweet and sassy blast-from-the-past.
• Saundra. An elaboration of Sandra.
• Sharen. A variation of Sharon that somehow looks like Karen—not recommended.
• Sharron. Sharon with an extra R.
• Sharyn. If you pick this one, be prepared to correct people on the spelling.
• Sherrill. Like Sharyn, Sherrill begs to be misspelled.
• Sondra. Another spelling variation of Sandra.
• Suellen. Part Sue, part Ellen, this compound name has never been overly popular, but it did achieve some currency in the 1940s.
• Toby. A cute retro name with a soft sound, coupled with unisex appeal.