The “Roaring '20s” was a defining decade in American history. New styles of dress and dance were embraced with open arms. Many of the traditional moral standards were abolished. Americans experienced unprecedented economic growth during this era, and that economic growth brought about childbirths in record numbers. The previous decade had 15,458,359 births recorded. In the roaring '20s, there were an astounding 23,775,132 births recorded. The number of male births almost doubled from the 1910s. What are some of the 1920s baby names? Let's find out.
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1920s Boy Names
- Robert
- John
- James
- William
- Charles
- George
- Joseph
- Richard
- Edward
- Donald
- Thomas
- Frank
- Harold
- Paul
- Raymond
- Walter
- Jack
- Henry
- Kenneth
- Arthur
- Albert
- David
- Harry
- Eugene
- Ralph
- Howard
- Carl
- Willie
- Louis
- Clarence
- Earl
- Roy
- Fred
- Joe
- Francis
- Lawrence
- Herbert
- Leonard
- Ernest
- Alfred
- Anthony
- Stanley
- Norman
- Gerald
- Daniel
- Samuel
- Bernard
- Billy
- Melvin
- Marvin
- Warren
- Michael
- Leroy
- Russell
- Leo
- Andrew
- Edwin
- Elmer
- Peter
- Floyd
- Lloyd
- Ray
- Frederick
- Theodore
- Clifford
- Vernon
- Herman
- Clyde
- Chester
- Philip
- Alvin
- Lester
- Wayne
- Vincent
- Gordon
- Leon
- Lewis
- Charlie
- Glenn
- Calvin
- Martin
- Milton
- Lee
- Jesse
- Dale
- Cecil
- Bill
- Harvey
- Roger
- Victor
- Benjamin
- Ronald
- Wallace
- Sam
- Allen
- Arnold
- Willard
- Gilbert
- Edgar
- Oscar
While those are the most overall popular names for the decade, the individual years within the decades had some very interesting names that made the top ten list for the year but not the decade. Do you want to know what they are?
Popular Boy Names From The 1920s
Several names during the decade were popular for a year but did not rank in the top 10 for 1920s decade popularity. Here is a list of those names and the year they were famous.
- 1920: Daniel
- 1921: Frank and Thomas
- 1922: Jebediah
- 1923: Frank
- 1924: Tony
- 1926: Michael
In the early part of the decade, there seems to be more variety of popular boy names. By the end of the decade, America had adopted some traditional names that are still chosen almost 100 years later. The name “William” is still listed in the top ten most popular boy names from 2010 to the present. That is Amazing!
The boy’s names are revealed. Now for more popular 1920s names let us take a look at the girl’s names. What name do you think will be at number one?
1920s Girl Names
- Mary
- Dorothy
- Helen
- Betty
- Margaret
- Ruth
- Virginia
- Doris
- Mildred
- Frances
- Elizabeth
- Evelyn
- Anna
- Marie
- Alice
- Jean
- Shirley
- Barbara
- Irene
- Marjorie
- Florence
- Lois
- Martha
- Rose
- Lillian
- Louise
- Catherine
- Ruby
- Eleanor
- Patricia
- Gladys
- Annie
- Josephine
- Thelma
- Edna
- Norma
- Pauline
- Lucille
- Edith
- Gloria
- Ethel
- Phyllis
- Grace
- Hazel
- June
- Bernice
- Marion
- Dolores
- Rita
- Lorraine
- Anne
- Esther
- Beatrice
- Juanita
- Clara
- Jane
- Geraldine
- Sarah
- Emma
- Joan
- Joyce
- Nancy
- Katherine
- Gertrude
- Elsie
- Julia
- Agnes
- Wilma
- Marion
- Bertha
- Eva
- Willie
- Audrey
- Theresa
- Vivian
- Wanda
- Laura
- Charlotte
- Ida
- Elaine
- Anne
- Marilyn
- Kathryn
- Maxine
- Kathleen
- Viola
- Pearl
- Vera
- Bessie
- Myrtle
- Alma
- Beverly
- Violet
- Nellie
- Ella
- Lillie
- Jessie
- Jeanne
- Eileen
- Ellen
Some baby names from the 1920s given to the boys are still given to baby boys in our era. But as for the girls, that is not the case. Are you ready for the list?
Those are considered old names in our current generation. There is not one of the most popular girl names from the 20s listed in the top 50 popular names from 2010 to the present year. What are some girl names that hit the top ten for the year but missed the mark on the decade?
Popular Girl Names From The 1920s
- 1920 Elizabeth and Anna
- 1921 Anna
- 1922 Gladis, Elizabeth, and Anna
- 1923 Elizabeth
- 1925 Elizabeth
- 1926 Jean and Maria
- 1927 Maria and Shirley
- 1928 Maria and Patricia
- 1929 Maria, Barbara, and Shirley
Interestingly, a few popular names chosen for the individual years are given to babies today. These are fun facts and trivia. At your next baby shower play a game of Popular Names From the 1920s. And then compare these results to the names from the 1930s and beyond!