Popular baby names from the roaring 20s that could be making a comeback, according to the ‘100-year rule’

A theory shared by baby name trend experts suggests that certain names gain popularity every 100 years.

Proponents of the ‘100-year rule’ say names that have fallen out of public favor are revived every century or so because many parents notice names that are no longer common as they try to find their baby. a unique nickname, according to a recent report from Nameberry, an online baby name resource, which touched on the subject.

Nameberry wrote that expectant parents tend to ignore names that were given to their parents or grandparents because they don’t want to choose a name that sounds dated.

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“But the names of your great-grandparents’ generations are appealing,” the Nameberry report explained. “Once there aren’t many people with a specific name, it starts to look fresh and intriguing.”

The 100-year rule does not include classic names that have dominated baby name charts for decades and centuries, such as James, William and Alice, but some names seem to decline over time, according to name records. retained by the Social Security Administration. (ASS).

Here is a look at 10 baby names that were popular for boys and girls in the United States during the Roaring Twenties, their meanings, and their respective rank during that decade.

Scroll down to see how these names compare to the top names of 2021 and if the 100-year rule theory has any truth behind it.

Popular boy names from the 1920s

More than 576,370 baby boys born in the 1920s were named Robert in the United States, according to the SSA. (Stock)

1.Robert

Robert is an anglicized German name meaning “bright frame”, according to Nameberry.

The name Robert is technically unisex, but is more commonly given to boys. In the 1920s, Robert was the most popular male given name in the United States. It was given to 576,373 boys from 1920 to 1929, according to the SSA.

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2. John

John is an anglicized Hebrew name meaning “God is merciful,” according to Nameberry.

The name has a biblical connection, and it is believed to be derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan and the Latin-Greek name Iohannes, both of which have the same meaning, according to Nameberry. John is also considered unisex, but it is a name that is mostly given to boys.

The name John was given to 564,060 boys born in the United States in the 1920s, according to SSA records.

3. James

James is a gender-neutral anglicized Hebrew name believed to mean “supplanter,” and is a variant of the name Jacob, which has biblical connections, according to Nameberry.

The name James was given to 515,307 boys born in the United States in the 1920s, according to the SSA.

4. William

William is an anglicized German name said to mean “resolute protection”, according to Nameberry.

The online name dictionary states that the name William can be given to both boys and girls, but it has notably been most popular among boys.

The name William was given to 512,407 boys born in the United States in the 1920s, according to SSA records.

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5. Charles

Charles is a French name with Germanic roots, and it is said to mean “man” or “free man”, according to Nameberry. The German name Karl is said to be the root that gave the name Charles.

The name Charles is primarily masculine, although it is considered unisex, according to Nameberry.

The name Charles was given to 298,033 boys born in the United States in the 1920s, according to the SSA.

More than 298,000 baby boys born in the 1920s were named Charles in the United States, according to the SSA. (Stock)

6. George

George is an anglicized unisex Greek name said to mean “farmer”, according to Nameberry.

The name has been closely associated with the British Royal Family for centuries, reports the Dictionary of Names Online.

The name George was given to 261,946 boys born in the United States in the 1920s, according to SSA records.

7.Joseph

Joseph is a Biblical name believed to be unisex and meaning “Jehovah increases” in Hebrew, according to Nameberry.

The name Joseph is most common among boys, while the name Josephine (which ranked 33rd for the opposite sex in the 1920s) is most common among girls, according to Nameberry and SSA records.

The name Joseph was given to 243,814 boys born in the United States in the 1920s, according to the SSA.

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8.Richard

Richard is a masculine given name of German origin meaning “ruling ruler”, according to Nameberry.

The name Richard was given to 222,606 boys born in the United States in the 1920s, according to SSA records.

9. Edward

Edward is a unisex name meaning “wealthy guardian” in English, and it is believed to be derived from the word “wealthy” and “guardian”, according to Nameberry. The name has been closely associated with the Anglo-Saxon royal family and the English upper class.

The name Edward is mostly attributed to boys. It was given to 197,352 boys born in the United States in the 1920s, according to the SSA.

10. Donald

Donald is a name of Scottish origin derived from the Clan Macdonald, and it means “proud leader”, according to Nameberry. The name has been closely associated with Scottish royalty.

The name Donald was given to 191,820 boys born in the United States in the 1920s, according to SSA records.

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Popular female names of the 1920s

There were 701,760 baby girls born in the United States in the 1920s who were named Mary, according to the SSA. (Stock)

1. Mary

Mary is an anglicized name of Hebrew or Egyptian origin, and it is said to mean “drop of the sea”, “bitter” or “beloved”, according to Nameberry.

The name has biblical ties, and it makes an appearance in the Christian New Testament, according to Nameberry.

The name Mary was given to 701,760 girls born in the United States between 1920 and 1929, according to the SSA.

2. Dorothy

Dorothy is an anglicized Greek name derived from the name Dorothea, and it is said to mean “gift of God”, according to Nameberry.

The name was given to 368,874 girls born in the United States in the 1920s, according to SSA records.

3. Helen

Helen is a Greek name meaning “torch” or “shining light”, according to Nameberry. It has been famously linked with the beauty and history of the Trojan War.

The name Helen was given to 290,404 girls born in the United States in the 1920s, according to the SSA.

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4. Betty

Betty is a name of Hebrew origin which would mean “dedicated to God”, according to Nameberry.

The name Betty was given to 283,097 girls born in the United States in the 1920s, according to SSA records.

5. Daisy

Margaret is an anglicized name said to mean “pearl”, according to Nameberry.

According to the SSA, the name Margaret was given to 245,011 girls born in the United States in the 1920s.

More than 245,000 baby girls born in the 1920s have been named Margaret in the United States, according to the SSA. (Stock)

6.Ruth

Ruth is a name believed to mean “compassionate friend” in Hebrew, according to Nameberry.

The name has biblical connections, and it makes an appearance in the Christian Old Testament, according to Nameberry.

The name Ruth was given to 218,522 girls born in the United States in the 1920s, according to SSA records.

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7. Virginia

Virginia is a female given name of Latin origin which would mean “virginal” or “pure”, according to Nameberry.

The name Virginia was given to 169,555 girls born in the United States in the 1920s, according to the SSA.

8. Dory

Doris is a Greek name said to mean “gift of the ocean,” and it’s been considered a name that means “the paragon of grace,” according to Nameberry.

“In classical Greek mythology, Doris is the daughter of Oceanus, god of the sea, who gave birth to fifty golden-haired sea nymphs,” Nameberry wrote in a name profile.

The name Doris was given to 151,191 girls born in the United States in the 1920s, according to SSA records.

9. Mildred

Mildred is an English name that has an “old Anglo-Saxon” origin, and is said to mean “gentle strength”, according to Nameberry.

The name Mildred was given to 147,155 girls born in the United States in the 1920s, according to the SSA.

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10. Francoise

Frances is an anglicized Latin name said to mean “of France” or “free man”, according to Nameberry.

Variations of the classic female name include Francis (Latin), Franciscus (Latin), and Francisca (German), according to Nameberry.

The name Frances was given to 140,390 girls born in the United States in the 1920s, according to SSA records.

How are popular baby names from the Roaring Twenties doing in the 2020s?

Most pregnant women choose a name for their baby long before it is born. (Stock)

Of the 20 names the SSA identified as the most common in the 1920s, only two made it onto the government agency’s “Top 10 Baby Names of 2021” list, which is the most trusted list of names. day available to the SSA.

Both names – William and James – are usually given to boys. Liam, a variant of William, also made the list.

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None of the SSA Popular Names girl names from the 1920s list made it to the 2021 list.

The name ranking charts on Nameberry appear to show that most of the names on the SSA’s 1920s list have fluctuated over time, with the exception of William and James.

Only six of the 20 names appear in Nameberry’s Top 100 Names list as of 2021. The names are all considered male, including Robert, John, James, William, Charles and Joseph.

Two names that were popular with girls in the 1920s – Doris and Mildred – have not appeared on Nameberry’s Top 1,000 list for several years.

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The SSA reports that in 2021, the top 10 names for boys were Liam, Noah, Oliver, Elijah, James, William, Benjamin, Lucas, Henry and Theodore.

For girls, the top 10 names were Olivia, Emma, ​​Charlotte, Amelia, Ava, Sophia, Isabella, Mia, Evelyn, and Harper.