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Top 1950s Baby Names

Baby names from the 1950s epitomize the Baby Boom. Denise and Dennis, Donna and Donald — these are the names of today's grandmas and grandpas, not quite baby-ready for another generation.

Along with Dennis and Donald, other 1950s baby names that remain in the US Top 1000 include Barbara, Carolyn, George, Gloria, Joyce, Judith, Randy, and Terry. The names with the steepest decline in popularity since their peaks include Gail, Peggy, Cheryl, and Kathy.

Sourced from the 1950s' Top 100, here is a list of popular baby names from that decade which are relatively rare today. If you really want to buck current fashions, you might choose one of these 1950s baby names for your 21st century child.

Pamela

Meaning: all honey

Origin:English
899
Patricia

Meaning: noble, patrician

Origin:Latin
437
Paula

Meaning: small

Origin:Feminine variation of Paul
1967
Linda

Meaning: pretty

Origin:Spanish, Portuguese and Italian word name meaning "pretty"
825
Julie

Meaning: youthful, sky father

Origin:French from Latin
1001
Christine

Meaning: Christian

Origin:French variation of Christina
850
Gloria

Meaning: glory

Origin:Latin
642
Diane

Meaning: divine

Origin:French variation of Diana
1039
Beverly

Meaning: dweller near the beaver stream

Origin:English
1070
Sharon

Meaning: a plain

Origin:Hebrew
1249
Donna

Meaning: lady

Origin:Italian
1355
Carol

Meaning: free man

Origin:English, feminine variation of Charles
1388
Denise

Meaning: god of Nysa

Origin:French, feminine variation of Denis
1421
Joyce

Meaning: merry, joyous

Origin:Latin
1546
Sandra

Meaning: defending men

Origin:Diminutive of Alessandra, Italian from Greek
1625
Carolyn

Meaning: free man

Origin:Variation of Caroline
1631
Cheryl

Meaning: darling

Origin:Modern invented name, variation of Cherie, French
1678
Brenda

Meaning: blade of a sword

Origin:Scottish
1755
Origin:Diminutive of Judith
1984
Shirley

Meaning: bright meadow

Origin:English
2508