The 20 Most Popular Girls' Names From The 1940s

During the 1940s, babies were being born left, right, and center — all thanks to the baby boom, of course. And all of those little tots needed names. New moms of the decade seemed to have clear favorites, but they’re not names you'd hear being called in the playground today...

Dorothy

When The Wizard of Oz came out on American screens, its heroine was so brave and endearing that everybody just had to name their daughter after her. We can't blame them; it's got a nice ring to it.

Joyce

Joyce sounds like the girl everybody wants to be friends with. Day or night, she's up for an adventure. She has enough charm for 20 people, always tries new foods, and probably keeps a swimsuit in her car just in case.

Kathleen

Kathleen's a lovely Irish name, originally spelled "Caitlín" in Gaelic. It means "pure," has been around for centuries, and is oddly common as a given name among writers, according to Wikipedia.

Donna

With a name literally meaning "girl" or "woman" in Italian, the Donnas of the world are not here to goof off. It's an efficient, "get 'er done" name fit for a hardworking individual such as disco star Donna Summer.