Baby girl names tend to cycle in and out of fashion over the decades. According to the Social Security Administration, the current top five girl names have shifted dramatically in popularity over the past dozen years. While the currently popular names, Emma, Olivia and Sophia were in the top 50 names of 1999, the current #1 name, Isabella was #60 and the today's #5 name, Ava, was #259!
You can name your baby a traditional and once-popular name and cross your fingers that it will become more popular, change the name based on the original moniker, or come up with a new and cute nickname for the original name.
Eva, Emma, or Eden for Edna – Ideas to Change This Classic to a Modern Name
Edna was #16 in the Social Security Administration's top 100 List and remained among the top 200 girl names until 1955. Edna is Hebrew for "pleasure and rejuvenation." Alternatives to Edna include Adna, Adnah, and Ednita. New ideas for Edna are: Eda, Edana, Edda, Edeline, Eden, Edsel, Edwina, Eilis, Ekta, Elga, Emma, Etta, Eva, and Evie.
Famous people named Edna include poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay; authors, Edna Ferber, and Edna O'Brien; and actress, Edna Purviance. Notable women with names similar to Edna are: Desperate Housewives actress, Eva Longoria; Harry Potter, actress, Emma Watson; and singer, Etta James.
Erin, Echo or Ella Instead of Ethel for Your Baby Girl
Ethel ranked #13 in Social Security Administration's top names of 1909. Ethel remained in the top 100 until 1940 and in the top 200 until 1952. Ethel is Old English for "noble," and its variations include Adele, Ethelda, and Ethelred. Change Ethel for a modern twist to Edie, Eartha, Ebba, Ebby, Ebere, Ebony, Echo, Edith, Effie, Efia, Ella, Elle, Ellen, Ellie, Eliot or Erin.
Celebrated people named Ethel are: Wimbeldon Women's Tennis champion, Ethel Larcombe; wife of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Ethel Kennedy; actresses, Ethel Barrymore and Ethel Merman; jazz and blues singer, Ethel Waters. Renowned women with names similar to Ethel include comedian and talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres; model, Elle Macpherson, and actresses, Ellen Page and Ellen Burstyn.
Change Florence to Flannery or Finley – From Traditional Girl Name to a Modern Classic
Florence stayed in the top 100 list of popular baby girl names until 1940 and in the top 200 list until 1951. Latin for "blooming flower," options for Florence are: Flora, Florentia, Floria, Florida, Florrie, Floryn, and Flower. New ideas for alternate names are Fannie, Fifi, Finley, Fionna, Fiorenza, Fisher, Flannery, Fleta, Fleur, Florencia, Florian, Flossie, Flower, Flynn, Fola, Forrest, Fritzie, Frost, and Fruma.
Well-known people named Florence include: Brady Bunch actress, Florence Henderson, former American First Lady, Florence Harding; nurse, Florence Nightengale; and medical researcher, Florence Sabin. Notable women with names reminiscent of Florence are singer, Fiona Apple and actress Fannie Flagg.
Try Gilda or Greta for the Classic, Gladys – Update for a Popular Name
The baby girl name, Gladys was a popular #15 in 1909 and stayed in the top 100 until 1938. Gladys remained in the top 200 until 1952. Welsh for "version of Claudia," alternate names include, Gladuce, Gleda, Gleddis, and Gladdys. Change Gladys to a fresh version with Galiana, Galina, Galya, Ganesa, Gabriella, Gelsey, Gemma, Gerda, Ghita, Gia, Gianna, Giavanna, Gigi, Gilda, Gillian, Gina, Gisella, Giselle, Glenda, and Greta.
Famous people named Gladys include: anthropologist, Gladys Reichard; singer, Gladys Knight; missionary, Gladys Aylward; and Elvis Presley's mother, Gladys Presley. Celebrities with names similar to Gladys include: comedian, Gilda Radner; actresses Glenda Jackson, Gina Gershon, and Gina Lollobrigida; American Idol finalist, Gina Glocksen. and actress, Greta Garbo.
When deciding what to name your baby girl, think about both classic baby girl names that were once very popular, as well as classic names that have remained in the top 100 list for over a century. Play with unique variations of the traditional girl names and look at famous people who have the same name.
Sources:
Turner, Marcia Layton. The Idiot's Guide, 40,000 Baby Names, Second Edition, New York: Alpha Books, 2009.
Social Security Administration.gov, "Popular Baby Names, Popular Names by Birth Year: 1911" (Accessed February 21, 2011).
Baby Name Facts.com (Accessed February 21, 2011).
Carolyn Morgan - Carolyn Morgan is a Sales Promotions Specialist at a television station in Portland, Oregon and has produced talk shows, telethons, and ...
