Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Agnes

Pure, holy

Greek

Alberta

Noble, bright, famous

German

Alice

Of nobility

German

Amelia

Work

German

Andrea

Manly and virile

Greek

Anita

“The graceful one,” based on the Hebrew hannah, grace.

Spanish

Anna

Gracious

Hebrew

Annette

A French variant of Anna.

French

Arlene

Pledge, promise

Modern

Barbara

Foreign woman

Latin

Beatrice

Voyager (through life); blessed

Latin

Belinda

“The beautiful river,” from the Latin bella (beautiful) and Indus (a river in Asia).

German

Bernadette

Strong, brave bear

German

Bernice

Victory bringer

Greek

Bessie

House; God's promise; God is my oath

Hebrew

Beth

House

Hebrew

Betty

A diminutive form of Elizabeth.

Hebrew

Beulah

Bride

Hebrew

Beverly

Beaver stream or meadow

English

Billie

A feminine diminutive of William.

English

Blanche

White, pure

German

Bonnie

Fine, attractive, pretty

Scottish

Brenda

Sword

Scandinavian

Carla

Free man

German

Carol

Free man

German

Caroline

Free woman

French

Carolyn

Free man

German

Catherine

Pure

Greek

Cecilia

Blinded one

Latin

Charlene

Free man

German

Cheryl

Cherry fruit; green gemstone

Greek

Christine

Follower of Christ

Latin

Cindy

A diminutive form of Cynthia.

Latin

Clara

Bright and clear

Latin

Claudia

Lame

Latin

Connie

A short form of Constance.

English

Cora

Maiden

Greek

Cynthia

From Mount Kynthos

Greek

Dana

From Denmark

English

Darlene

Dearling; darling

English

Dawn

The first appearance of light, daybreak

English

Deanna

Valley; church leader

English

Debbie

Bee

Hebrew

Deborah

Bee

Hebrew

Della

Noble

German

Denise

Follower of Dionysius

French

Diana

Heavenly and divine

Latin

Diane

Divine

Latin

Dolores

Sorrows

Spanish

Donna

Lady

Italian

Doris

From Doris; gift

Greek

Dorothy

Gift of God

Greek

Dotty

Gift of God

Greek

Edith

Strife for wealth

English

Edna

Renewer

Hebrew

Eileen

“The brightly shining one,” from the Greek lielene, something shining, as a torch.

Gaelic

Elaine

Sun ray, shining light

Greek

Eleanor

Of unknown meaning

English

Elizabeth

God is my oath

Hebrew

Ellen

Sun ray, shining light

Greek

Eloise

Healthy one

English

Emily

To excel

Latin

Emma

Whole or universal

German

Erma

Complete, universal

German

Ernestine

Serious; battle to the death

German

Esther

Star

Persian

Ethel

Noble

English

Eunice

Good victory

Greek

Evelyn

Desired one

English

Florence

Flowering, in bloom

Latin

Frances

From France

Latin

Gail

Father of exaltation

Hebrew

Georgia

Farmer

English

Gina

Shortened form of Regina

Italian

Gladys

“The bright one,” from the Anglo- Saxon glaecl, bright, shining.

Welsh

Glenda

Fair; good

Welsh

Gloria

Glory

Latin

Gretchen

“The little pearl.” Regarded as a diminutive of Margarete, the German equivalent of Margaret, which see.

German

Gwendolyn

Blessed ring

Welsh

Harriet

Home ruler

German

Helen

Sun ray, shining light

Greek

Irene

Peace

Greek

Jackie

Supplanter

French

Jacqueline

Supplanter

French

Janet

“The gracious gift of God.” A diminutive form of Joanna, the feminine form of John.

Scottish

Janice

“The gracious gift of God.” A variant form of Joanna, a feminine form of John.

English

Jean

God is gracious

Hebrew

Jeanne

God is gracious

Hebrew

Joan

God is gracious

Hebrew

Jodi

He Will Add

Hebrew

Josephine

God will increase

Hebrew

Joy

Happiness

Latin

Joyce

Lord

Latin

Juanita

God is gracious

Spanish

Judith

From Judea; Jewish

Hebrew

Judy

A diminutive form of Judith.

Hebrew

June

Month of June

Latin

Karen

A Scandinavian form of Catherine.

Danish

Kathleen

An Irish equivalent of Catherine.

Irish

Kathy

Short form of Katherine

English

Latoya

Victorious one

Spanish

Laura

Laurel

Latin

Laurie

The bay, or laurel plant

Latin

Laverne

“Bathed in dew,” from the Latin lavere, to bedew.

Latin

Leona

Lion

Latin

Leslie

Holly garden

Scottish

Leticia

Joy

Latin

Lillian

Lily flower

English

Lily

Lily flower

English

Linda

Pretty

Spanish

Lisa

A variant-diminutive of Elizabeth, “to the Lord I consecrate thee.”

Hebrew

Lois

Superior

Greek

Loretta

“The knowing one,” from the Middle English lore, traditional learning.

Italian

Lori

“The lazy one,” in allusion to the loris, a slow-moving nocturnal lemur, from the Flemish lorrias.

Modern

Lorraine

From Lorraine

French

Louise

Famous warrior

German

Lucille

Of the light

French

Lynette

Nymph; idol

Welsh

Lynn

Lake", "waterfall" or "pool", and probably would have been given to a family living near such a body of water. Sometimes used as a diminutive of Linda (Spanish) "pretty

Spanish

Mabel

Lovable

Latin

Mae

The fifth month

English

Maggie

Pearl

English

Margaret

Pearl

English

Marilyn

“Tempestuous Mary,” from Mary and the Anglo-Saxon hlynn, a torrent.

Modern

Marion

A variant form, through the French, of Mary.

French

Marjorie

Pearl

English

Marsha

A variant form of Marcia.

English

Martha

Lady; mistress of the house

Aramaic

Mary

Of the sea

Latin

Mary Ann

Combination of Mary and Ann

English

Maureen

Star of the sea

Irish

Maxine

Greatest

Latin

Meredith

Great, noted ruler

Welsh

Mildred

Gentle strength

English

Mindy

Short form of Melinda

Latin

Minnie

A variant form of Mary.

English

Miriam

Of the sea

Hebrew

Myrtle

“The exclusive,” in allusion to the plant of the same name regarded as sacred to Venus.

Latin

Nadine

A French form of Nadya

French

Nancy

A diminutive-variant of Anna or Anne, from the Hebrew hannah, grace.

Hebrew

Naomi

Pleasant one

Hebrew

Norma

The standard or norm

Latin

Pamela

Honey; all sweetness

Greek

Patricia

Noble; patrician

Latin

Patsy

Noble; patrician

Latin

Patty

Noble; patrician

Latin

Paula

Small

Latin

Pauline

Small

Latin

Pearl

Pearl

Latin

Peggy

A variant form of Peg.

Greek

Penny

Weaver

English

Phyllis

Greenery

Greek

Reba

A diminutive form of Rebecca.

Hebrew

Regina

Queen

Latin

Rhonda

Good lance

Welsh

Rita

Right

Spanish

Roberta

Bright fame

German

Robin

A short variant form of Roberta.

German

Rose

Rose flower

English

Rosemary

Dew of the sea

Latin

Roxanne

Dawn

Persian

Ruth

Friend

Hebrew

Sally

“The princess,” a diminutive form of Sarah.

Hebrew

Sandra

A short form of Alexandra, which see.

Italian

Sandy

Defender of man

Greek

Sarah

Princess

Hebrew

Shannon

Old, ancient

Gaelic

Sharon

A fertile plain

Hebrew

Sheila

Blind

Latin

Shelly

Ewe, female sheep; little rock; rest; sloped meadow

Hebrew

Sherry

Dear

French

Shirley

Bright meadow

English

Susan

Lily

Hebrew

Susie

Lily

Hebrew

Suzanne

A French form of Susanna.

French

Tamara

Date palm

Hebrew

Tammy

Date Palm Tree

English

Teresa

Late summer

Greek

Thelma

Will, volition

Greek

Tracy

Warlike

Latin

Trudy

A diminutive form of Gertrude.

German

Valerie

Strength and vigor

French

Velma

A variant form of Wilhelmina.

German

Vicky

A diminutive form of Victoria.

Latin

Viola

Purple

Latin

Virginia

Maiden

Latin

Wanda

The tribe of the Vandals

Slavic

Wendy

Friend

English

Yolanda

Violet flower

Spanish

Yvonne

Yew

German

Get some namespiration from a blast from the past with old school girl names. Uncovered from yesteryear, these throwback picks pack a wallop of style from the decades they dominated. Our master list has them all in ABC order, but we have some standouts here for your consideration.

Many old school girl names used to rule the name charts like Linda. A Spanish sweetheart, she means “pretty” and reigned in the Top 10 from 1940 to 1965. She even spent 1947 to 1952 as the #1 girl name. She has dropped down to #850 in 2021. Mirroring here is Patricia, whose Top 10 stint was far longer, lasting from 1929 to 1966! This feminine form of Patrick is loaded with nickname options, including Patty, Tricia, and Trixie. Another option is Barbara, meaning “the stranger.” She also had a long stay in the Top 10, lasting from 1927 to 1958. See Susan, Nancy, and Donna for more old-school names for girls that were once mega-popular.

Other vintage options remain popular today like Elizabeth. Meaning “God is my oath,” this beauty has almost always been in the U.S. Top 25 aside from a handful of years where she dipped just beyond the cutoff. This makes her a classic choice with a timeless appeal. She’s also incredibly versatile, appearing refined in her full form or playful with nicknames like Lizzie and Beth. Similarly, Anna has always enjoyed a relatively high position on the name charts. A Hebrew name, she means “gracious.” You likely recognize Mary, too. She held the #1 spot on the charts for decades between the 1800s and 1940s, but today she’s dancing just outside the Top 100. Other throwback options that remain popular include Margaret, Sarah, and Emily.

Other old school girl names are more unique yet ready for a comeback. These names are great if you’re seeking a less common moniker that suits the red-hot vintage trend in names. Judy is a prime pick. This short form of Judith is similar to retro Ruby who’s trending on the charts today. There’s also Reba, a short form of Rebecca. She has a peppy energy that fits an active little one. Check out June, Cynthia, and Laura for more unique old-school finds.

Get reacquainted with more familiar faces from the past or discover new friends on our complete list of old school girl names.