Where did the baby name Gwili come from in 1932?

Actress Gwili Andre (1907-1959)
Gwili Andre

Here’s an unusual name I recently discovered in the U.S. baby name data:

  • 1934: unlisted
  • 1933: 9 baby girls named Gwili
  • 1932: 10 baby girls named Gwili [debut]
  • 1931: unlisted
  • 1930: unliste

Gwili was only listed for 2 years before disappearing again.

The influence? Danish actress Gwili Andre (birth name: Gurli Andresen), who had a brief career in Hollywood.

U.S. movie studios were on the lookout for the next Greta Garbo, and many thought Gwili would fit the bill. Newspaper articles introducing her to readers in the early ’30s noted that Gwili was pronounced jee-lee.

Unfortunately, Gwili Andre’s career never really took off. She appeared in a string of B-movies until the early ’40s, then apparently stopped acting altogether. (One of her movies, Meet the Boyfriend, is available online if you want to check it out.)

P.S. Jinx, Sivi, and Donivee are three more forgotten Hollywood actresses who left their mark on U.S. baby names.

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