The unusual name Grindl appeared in the U.S. baby name data just twice, both times during the 1960s:
- 1965: unlisted
- 1964: 23 baby girls named Grindl
- 1963: 18 baby girls named Grindl [debut]
- 1962: unlisted
- 1961: unlisted
Where did it come from?
A single-season sitcom called Grindl, which aired from 1963 to 1964 (32 episodes) on NBC. The title character, played by comedienne Imogene Coca, was a woman who used an employment agency to find various temporary job assignments — as a maid, a cook, a babysitter, and so forth.
She was only ever known by the single name Grindl:
Even in an episode in which she was being interrogated by the police, she told them her name was Grindl, and they seemed totally satisfied with that information. One can only assume that Grindl was her first name by a couple of episode titles, like “Lady Grindl” and “Aunt Grindl.”
Even contemporary sources drew attention to the character’s curious name. Here’s some commentary from May of 1963:
The final “e” in the name “Grindl” was not lost in some mishap or dropped in the interests of numerology. Nope. The fact is that the name has always been spelled that way, and it’s really just as un-fancy as the gal herself.
What do you think of it?
Sources:
- “A Gal named Grindl.” Broadcasting 27 May 1963: 24-25.
- Leszczak, Bob. Single Season Sitcoms, 1948–1979: A Complete Guide. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2012.