Most Popular Baby Names Of The 1940s

The top 100 girls’ and boys’ names across 1940–1949. Explore their meanings, histories, and popularity today.

Name & meaning	Babies 2025 · rank	5-year rank movement	Peak year
Rebecca Probably join, tie, or snare	872#350	Down 101 rank positions in five years	1981
Deborah Bee	313#864	Up 40 rank positions in five years	1954
Sharon Plain	179#1,256	Down 112 rank positions in five years	1947
Kathleen Traditionally pure, through Katherine; deeper origin disputed	201#1,156	Down 151 rank positions in five years	1951
Gregory Watchful; alert	493#593	Down 158 rank positions in five years	1962
Cynthia Woman from Cynthus	247#1,014	Down 141 rank positions in five years	1957
Patrick Nobleman; patrician	1,495#235	Down 30 rank positions in five years	1964
Shirley Bright clearing	133#1,586	Down 36 rank positions in five years	1935
Catherine Traditionally pure; deeper origin disputed	972#314	Down 47 rank positions in five years	1956
Virginia Traditionally maiden or virgin; Roman family name of uncertain origin	572#526	Up 55 rank positions in five years	1922
Katherine Traditionally pure; deeper origin disputed	1,670#186	Down 50 rank positions in five years	1990
Evelyn From Aveline, an older name of uncertain meaning	9,123#8	Up 1 rank positions in five years	1921
Walter Power of the army	1,381#252	Up 20 rank positions in five years	1918
Dennis Of Dionysus	381#707	Down 60 rank positions in five years	1952
Jerry Several name families: Gerald, Jeremy, Jerome, or Geraldine	262#907	Down 306 rank positions in five years	1947
Brenda Fire, torch, or sword, through Brandr; also a feminine form of Brendan	139#1,527	Down 266 rank positions in five years	1957
Frances Frenchwoman; feminine form of Francis	960#318	Up 100 rank positions in five years	1918
Pamela Possibly all sweetness; a literary creation	82#2,251	Down 577 rank positions in five years	1954
Peter Stone; rock	1,954#187	Up 28 rank positions in five years	1957
Alice Nobility, through the Adalheidis family	3,547#65	Up 11 rank positions in five years	1921
Christine Christian woman; follower of Christ	176#1,274	Down 259 rank positions in five years	1952
Maria Meaning uncertain; Latin form in the Mary and Miriam family	2,887#87	Up 22 rank positions in five years	1964
Douglas Dark river	308#807	Down 70 rank positions in five years	1957
Carolyn Feminine form of Charles, from a Germanic word meaning man	185#1,222	Down 275 rank positions in five years	1947
Janet Yahweh is gracious, through Jane	61#2,791	Down 780 rank positions in five years	1954
Martha Lady; mistress of the household	393#713	Up 54 rank positions in five years	1947
Harold Army + powerful or mighty	230#993	Down 61 rank positions in five years	1924
Arthur Meaning uncertain; possibly a Celtic bear name or related to Artorius	3,847#87	Up 76 rank positions in five years	1921
Marie Meaning uncertain; French and Czech form of Maria	474#618	Down 1 rank positions in five years	1920
Diane Divine; goddesslike, through Diana	66#2,620	Down 272 rank positions in five years	1955
Joyce Lord, from Breton Judoc	226#1,074	Down 97 rank positions in five years	1942
Carl Man, through Karl	187#1,134	Down 321 rank positions in five years	1956
Rose Rose flower; an older name also has Germanic roots	2,386#114	Down 2 rank positions in five years	1917
Albert Noble and bright	461#614	Down 91 rank positions in five years	1921
Joan Yahweh is gracious, through John	222#1,087	Up 460 rank positions in five years	1932
Ann Favor; grace, in the Hannah family	225#1,076	Up 29 rank positions in five years	1957
Doris Dorian woman	58#2,909	Down 529 rank positions in five years	1928
Lawrence From Laurentum, through Laurence; the place name may refer to laurel	578#520	Up 43 rank positions in five years	1952
Jean Yahweh is gracious, through John	88#2,130	Up 228 rank positions in five years	1927
Kathryn Form of Katherine; traditionally associated with pure, deeper origin uncertain	381#729	Down 204 rank positions in five years	1952
Judith Jewish woman; woman of Judah	344#790	Up 120 rank positions in five years	1943
Charlotte Free man, through Charles	13,400#2	Up 3 rank positions in five years	2025
Joe He will add, through Joseph	230#994	Down 266 rank positions in five years	1936
Mildred Gentle strength	98#1,973	Up 1 rank positions in five years	1920
Willie Will or desire + helmet or protection, through William	147#1,322	Down 327 rank positions in five years	1947
Gerald Spear + power or authority	168#1,206	Down 251 rank positions in five years	1942
Roger Famous spear	297#834	Down 149 rank positions in five years	1953
Cheryl Darling, through Cherie	32#4,375	Up 95 rank positions in five years	1958
Keith Possibly wood; Scottish estate-name surname	311#801	Down 203 rank positions in five years	1957
Jacqueline Traditionally supplanter or heel-holder, in the Jacques and Jacob family	541#558	Down 115 rank positions in five years	1964

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Year by year in the 1940s

1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949

This list includes the top 100 girls’ and boys’ names by total use across 1940–1949. Table birth counts and ranks show 2025, and rank movement covers the latest five years. Search, filters, and sorting stay within this decade’s name list.

Counts are based on U.S. births and are tracked separately for girls and boys. Names used fewer than 5 times in a year aren’t published for that year, so totals here are a floor — the shortfall is largest in the sparse early years.