Midcentury Baby Names

Jerry is one of those short forms that, like Mike and Debbie, rose to popularity on the coattails of their formal versions. The equivalents today are nickname names like Ellie and Theo.

A Top 100 name from the 1930s all the way through the 1950s, it's now firmly in Mom -- or Grandma -- land and supplanted for babies by Joanna.....or even great-grandmother Josephine. In its heyday, it had a host of variations, including JoAnn and Jo-Anne.

Charlene is a Charlotte variation that, along with similar names like Arlene and Marlene, spiked in popularity in the 1940s and fifties, reaching a high of Number 100 in 1949. Most parents today would prefer one of the note classic versions -- or even nickname Charlie.

Midcentury Irish-American favorite, never used in Ireland itself, being the generic word for "girl"; rarely given today.

Paula still seems somewhat stuck in the era of duo Paul and Paula bopping out the song "Hey, Paula." Two pronunciations are possible—the English "PAW-la" and the Portuguese "POW-la."

Your friendly next-door neighbor...not your baby. Although Larry was once one of the most popular boys' names starting with L, that title now belongs to Liam.

As frozen in the pre-Beatles era as short white gloves.

Gone with Richard and Rick, Ricky has been falling since the turn of the 21st century. Probably still suffering from overuse in the 1990s.

Medieval name without much of a future.

For a minute or two this sounded more modern than Janet, now equally outmoded.

A modern(ish) invented name, only in widespread use since the 20th century. It is a combination of the English word darling and the popular midcentury suffix -lene.

When Deborah seemed too formal in the laid-back sixties, Debra stepped in as a pared-down alternative, but the pendulum is about to swing back.

Peppy cheerleader name of the 1960s and 70s that's sure to evoke the Four Seasons song of that name.

Laurie morphed into the more streamlined Lori in the sixties but now feels dated for a girl in either spelling. Update Lauren has been renovated as Laurel or Laura itself.

See TERRY.

There are lots of Kathy moms and grandmas but very few babies, most of whom are now called Kate or Katie.

Much fresher Irish imports available for colleens now.

Pitt is the prototypical blond Brad.