1920s Girls Names That Are Still Popular Today

Last Updated: October 24th, 2023 by Kerry Wisby (Teacher-BA English Literature, 1920s & Great Gatsby Expert)

Everything old becomes new again- that’s an age-old saying that has withstood the test of time!

It seems as though everything comes back in style eventually, even baby names.

It’s interesting to see what baby names from the 1920s are still being used today.

Whether you’re trying to choose a popular girl name from a century ago, or you want to find unique names from the 1920s, we’ve made several lists of popular baby names, including the most popular girl names, from the 1920s so you can find some inspiration.

What Girl Names Were Popular in the 1920s?

Chances are that you are going to recognize a great many of your aunts, cousins, and maybe even your grandmother’s name from this list.

Top 50 girl names from the 1920s - www.gatsbyflappergirl.com

The top 50 girl names from the 1920s are:

50- Lorraine                   30- Patricia

49- Rita                         29Eleanor

48- Dolores                   28- Ruby

47- Marion                    27- Catherine

46- Bernice                   26- Louise

45- June                       25- Lillian

44- Hazel                      24- Rose

43- Grace                     23- Martha

42- Phyllis                    22- Lois

41- Ethyl                     21- Florence

40- Gloria                    20- Marjorie

39- Edith                     19- Irene

38- Lucille                   18- Barbara

37- Pauline                  17- Shirley

36- Norma                   16- Jean

35- Edna                     15- Alice

34- Thelma                 14- Marie

33- Josephine             13- Anna

32- Annie                   12- Evelyn

31- Gladys                 11- Elizabeth

The interesting thing that we noted about these names is how many of these popular names started with the letter E or I, such as Irene and Edith.

Are you ready to check out the top 10 most popular girl names?

Top 10 popular girls names 1920 - www.gatsbyflappergirl.com

10- Frances

9- Mildred

8- Doris

7- Virginia

6- Ruth

5- Margaret

4- Betty

3- Helen

2- Dorothy

1- Mary

Were you surprised at any of these? We weren’t, but you might be surprised at how many of these names are still going strong in 2020.

Which Baby Girl Names Are Still Popular?

While girls’ names change more than boys’ names, there are some that are still holding on. The Top 50 baby girl names of 2020/2021 are:

Top 50 baby girl names - www.gatsbyflappergirl.com

1- Olivia                               26- Aria

2- Emma                              27- Chloe

3- Ava                                  28- Grace

4- Charlotte                          29- Ellie

5- Sophia                             30- Nora

6- Amelia                             31- Hazel

7- Isabella                            32- Zoey

8- Mia                                  33- Riley

9- Evelyn                             34- Victoria

10- Harper                           35- Lily

11- Camila                           36- Aurora

12- Gianna                           37- Violet

13- Abigail                           38- Nova

14- Luna                             39- Hannah

15- Ella                              40- Emilia

16- Elizabeth                      41- Zoe

17- Sofia                            42- Stella

18- Emily                           43- Everly

19- Avery                          44- Isla

20- Mila                             45- Leah

21- Scarlett                       46- Lillian

22- Eleanor                       47- Addison

23- Madison                      48- Willow

24- Layla                          49- Lucy

25- Penelope                     50- Paisley

While some of the names from the 1920s have been replaced (you won’t find any Ediths or Ethyls here) some names seem immemorial, such as Elizabeth, Lucy, Lily, and Eleanor.

What Are Rare Names for Girls from the 1920s?

In the same way that you probably won’t meet any parents from today’s era naming their baby girl Myrtle or Edith, there appear to be names that simply were not common or popular in the 1920s.

The most uncommon but beautiful names for a little girl from the 1920s include:

  • Fern– An old English name meaning one who lives among the ferns.
  • Millicent– Your aunt Milly probably knows that her name has a German background and it means One Who Is Strong.
  • Opal– One of the most beautiful gemstones around, Opal is an ancient name that, in Sanskrit, means Jewel.
  • Harriet– This is an old French word meaning Ruler of the House or Ruler of the Land.
  • Petra– An ancient Latin name meaning Stone, this is a female version of Peter.
  • Adele– Oh yes, the famous singer Adele takes her name from the German word Nobility.
  • Althea– From the Greek word meaning To Heal, who wouldn’t want a beautiful name like this?
  • Geneva– Don’t think convention, think Swiss Alps!
  • Faye– A sweet English name meaning “From the Fairies”
  • Garnet– If you like names like Ruby or Pearl, but want something a bit different, Garnet is a nice unisex name.
  • Winifred– Sounds very old-fashioned but imagine the nicknames: Freddie, Winnie, Winsome! Winifred has Welsh origins, and it means Blessed Peacemaker.

Parents everywhere are sure to be touted as being original and sweet when they give their baby girl one of these names that have real staying power!

What Are Some Names of Famous Women from the 1920s?

If you’re looking for baby names after some history-making women from the 1920s, you can certainly give your little one a name to live up to.

Zelda-Fitzdgerald- The first flapper

There were plenty of females in the 1920s who certainly took life by the horns, including:

  1. Louise Brooks– The name Louise means Fearless Warrior and Louise Brooks literally lived her name! Both an access and a dancer, Louise made the short, bob hairstyle famous!
  2. Coco Chanel– While coco is the bean that makes chocolate, when you think of Coco Chanel, you instantly think of luxury and riches! Coco was a trendsetter in her time, making sporty, casual clothing look elegant. Many of her quotes are still famous and are often heard today, including the line “I only drink champagne on two occasions, when I’m in love and when I’m not.”
  3. Josephine Baker– Josephine is the feminine version of Joseph, which means Shall Grow. Josephine Baker certainly took on that role, working as an actress, dancer, French Resistance agent, and civil rights activist. Josie is a really cute nickname as well.
  4. Gloria Swanson– Gloria is a beautiful name, and Gloria Swanson is still talked about today. Working as an actress, movie producer, and businesswoman, Gloria performed in both theater and television, making her career a real show-stopper.
  5. Zelda Sayre– In a world full of Zoe’s, be a Zelda! Zelda means Fighting Woman, and if you want a fun name to honor the 1920s, Zelda Sayre, wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, who wrote The Great Gatsby, is known as America’s first Flapper!

The women above all had a dramatic effect on America, changing social norms with their fashion, fire, and flash!

Imagine the fun your daughter will have to learn the history and famous people that belong to the history of her name.

What Are Some Really Old Fashioned 1920s Female Names?

Some parents want fresh and new names for their babies, others like popular girl names from the past.

If you love old fashioned or “old lady” type names for your little one, you might be interested in some of these 1920s girl names:

  • Ada
  • Alice
  • Audrey
  • Ava
  • Cora
  • Dora
  • Elsie
  • Edna
  • Esme
  • Evie
  • Flora
  • Gretchen
  • Harriet
  • Irene
  • Ivy
  • Iris
  • Mabel
  • Maggie
  • Matilda
  • Nell
  • Nora
  • Olive
  • Pearl
  • Rosalie
  • Winifred

If you want your daughter to stand out among the crowd of Ashley’s and Emma’s, try one of these old-fashioned-sounding names from 100 years ago or more.

The Bottom Line on Popular Girls Names in the 1920’s

There’s an old saying that every 100 years, names that were once fashionable will once again come back into the mainstream.

While most parents wouldn’t want to name their child after something from their parent’s generation, names like Jennifer, Jessica, Lisa, Cathy, or Karen, they often find that popular names from their grandparents or great grandparents suddenly sound fresh and “cool”.

Older names free us from thinking about our parent’s problems or even our extended family. No one wants to be named after a relative who ended up in jail, for example.

By choosing a name from the 1920s, parent’s free themselves from that association. It also frees them from having a child that has one of the most popular baby names of their current time.

Chances are that you remember 3 or more children in your class who all had the same name. No one wants to be just another “Jennifer” in the crowd.

When you choose one of the popular 1920s girl names, you can almost guarantee that your daughter will have a unique name among her classmates, and hopefully, a rich name filled with history and meaning that she will relate to.

1920s Girls Names That Are Still Popular Today
1920s Girls Names That Are Still Popular Today
Mary? Anna? Irene? What baby girl name that was popular in the 1920s is still going strong today? Look here to find fresh yet old-fashioned baby names!
Gatsby Flapper Girl