How popular is the baby name May in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Find out using the graph below! Plus, check out all the blog posts that mention the name May.

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Popularity of the Baby Name May


Posts that Mention the Name May

Name Story: Anna May Wong

Anna May Wong photo

Chinese-American movie star Anna May Wong was born “Wong Liu Tsong” in Los Angeles in 1905.

Here’s what she had to say about her birth name in 1926:

I was named Wong Lew Song, which means Frosted Yellow Willows. A rather unusual name, isn’t it. Most Chinese children have names, which, interpreted into English, sound rather attractive, though they wouldn’t do for everyday use. They are all right in poetry, but I wouldn’t want to be called Frosted Yellow Willows by my acquaintances. It sounds altogether too quaint for a modern Chinese girl.

Here’s what she had to say about her American name and her stage name in 1928:

I was educated in Los Angeles. […] Our family did not live in the Chinese quarter but on Figueroa Street, where our neighbors were Americans and we were called by our English names. The doctor who brought me into the world named me ‘Anna’; my Chinese name is Tsong. When I was old enough to begin to think about a career, I added ‘May’ to ‘Anna,’ partly because we [daughters] all had four-letter names and I wanted to be different, and partly because it made a prettier signature.

(Her siblings’ American names were Lulu, James, Mary, Frank, Roger, and Richard.)

And, finally, here’s something funny I spotted in a newspaper about the 1924 movie Thief of Bagdad, which featured Wong:

The Mongol slave, a part that required emotional subtlety and balance, was played by Anna May Wong, a Chinese girl, educated in America. Her Chinese name is Lew Wong Song [sic], and means two yellow willows. When the picture was being filmed Miss Wong almost walked out on her job because an enthusiastic press agent misunderstood the translation of her name and published it as “two yelling widows.”

I saw several versions of this “two yelling widows” story, but never managed to track down the press agent’s original mis-translation.

Sources:

Rare Girl Names from Early Cinema: B

bessie love, actress

Time for more unusual female names from old films!

This is the “B” installment, meaning that we are almost done with the series. (I’ve been going backwards since starting with Z in early 2017.)

For those names that saw enough usage to register in the national data set, I’ve included links to the popularity graphs.

*

Babbie
Babbie was a character played by actress Betty Compson in the film The Little Minister (1921).

  • Usage of the baby name Babbie.

Babette
Babette was a character name in multiple films, including A Circus Romance (1916) and Babette (1917).

Babs
Babs was a character name in multiple films, including Blondie Goes to College (1942) and Ever Since Venus (1944).

  • Usage of the baby name Babs.

Babsie
Babsie was a character played by actress Olympe Bradna in the film Souls at Sea (1937).

Babsy
Babsy was a character played by actress Ruth Robinson in the film Under Eighteen (1931).

Baclanova
Olga Baclanova, often credited simply as Baclanova, was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1940s. She was born in Russia in 1896.

Balu
Balu was a character played by actress Kathlyn Williams in the short film The Leopard’s Foundling (1914).

Bara
Bara was a character played by actress Edythe Sterling in the film The Ghost Wagon (1915).

  • Usage of the baby name Bara.

Barah
Barah was a character played by actress Laura Woods Cushing in the short film The Rug Maker’s Daughter (1915).

Bartine
Bartine Burkett was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1980s. She was born in Louisiana in 1898.

Bathsheba
Bathsheba Everdene was a character played by actress Florence Turner in the film Far from the Madding Crowd (1915).

Batooka
Batooka was a character played by actress Evelyn Selbie in the film A Cafe in Cairo (1924).

Bea
Bea Walters was a character played by actress Lila Lee in the film Queen of the Night Clubs (1929).

  • Usage of the baby name Bea.

Beata
Beata was a character played by actress Winifred Greenwood in the short film The Broken Window (1915).

  • Usage of the baby name Beata.

Beatie
Beatie Olna Travers was an actress who appeared in films in the 1920s. She was born in England in 1885.

Beattie
Beattie was a character name in multiple films, including The Magistrate (1921) and Mothers Cry (1930).

Bebe
Bebe Daniels was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1950s. She was born in Texas in 1901. Her birth name was Phyllis Virginia Daniels.

  • Usage of the baby name Bebe.

Becka
Becka Lipvitch was a character played by actress Virginia Valli in the film East Side, West Side (1927).

  • Usage of the baby name Becka.

Bedelia
Bedelia was a character name in multiple films, including A Trap to Catch a Burglar (1913) and Bedelia (1946).

  • Usage of the baby name Bedelia (which saw peak usage in 1947).

Bee
Bee Haven was a character played by actress Alberta Vaughn in the film Uneasy Payments (1927).

  • Usage of the baby name Bee.

Beebe
Beebe was a character played by actress Shirley Mason in the film Flame of Youth (1920).

  • Usage of the baby name Beebe.

Begonia
Begonia Baggot was a character played by actress Bessie Love in the film Sons of the Sea (1941).

Bela
Bela was a character played by actress Colleen Moore in the film The Huntress (1923).

  • Usage of the baby name Bela.

Belinha
Belinha De Rezende was a character played by actress Dolores del Rio in the film Flying Down to Rio (1933).

Belita
Belita was an actress and figure skater who appeared in films from the 1940s to the 1960s. She was born in England in 1923. Her birth name was Belita Gladys Olive Lyne Jepson-Turner.

  • Usage of the baby name Belita (which debuted in the data in 1943).

Belva
Belva McKay was an actress who appeared in films in the 1920s. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1904.

  • Usage of the baby name Belva.

Bendetta
Bendetta was a character played by actress Martha Mattox in the film The Man in Blue (1925).

Benita
Benita Hume was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1950s. She was born in England in 1906.

  • Usage of the baby name Benita.

Benjamine
Benjamine Downey was a character played by actress Anna Murdock in the film The Richest Girl (1918).

Beppa
Beppa was a character played by actress Charlotte Burton in the short film Heart of Flame (1915).

Berengaria
Berengaria was a character played by actress Loretta Young in the film The Crusades (1935).

Bernarda
Bernarda was a character played by actress Martha Mattox in the film Torrent (1926).

Bernice
Bernice Allen was a character played by actress Judith Allen in the film Boots and Saddles (1937).

Bertalda
Bertalda was a character played by actress Marguerite Snow in the short film Undine (1912).

Bertha
Bertha Kalich was an actress who appeared in films in the 1910s. She was born in Austria-Hungary (now Ukraine) in 1874. Bertha was also a character name in multiple films, including Fisher Folks (short, 1911) and Caravan (1946).

  • Usage of the baby name Bertha.

Berthe
Berthe de Praslin was a character played by actress Ann Todd in the film All This, and Heaven Too (1940).

  • Usage of the baby name Berthe.

Berthelda
Berthelda was a character played by actress Edna Maison in the film Undine (1916).

Berthine
Berthine Waller was a character played by actress Margaret Livingston in the film The Lady Refuses (1931).

Bertie
Bertie Pitcairn was an actress who appeared in films in the 1910s. Bertie was also a character played by actress Wanda Hawley in the film Let Women Alone (1925).

  • Usage of the baby name Bertie.

Beryl
Beryl Mercer was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1930s. She was born in England in 1876. Beryl Morhange was an actress who appeared in 1 film in 1915. Beryl was also a character name in multiple films, including Only the Maid (short, 1915) and The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939).

  • Usage of the baby name Beryl.

Berylune
Berylune was a character played by actress Lillian Cook in the film The Blue Bird (1918).

Bessie

  • Bessie Learn was an actress who appeared in films in the 1910s. She was born in California in 1888.
  • Bessie Love was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1980s. She was born in Texas in 1898. Her birth name was Juanita Horton.
  • Bessie Eyton was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1920s. She was born in California in 1890.

Bessie was also a character name in multiple films, including Tomboy Bessie (short, 1912) and The False Alarm (1926).

  • Usage of the baby name Bessie.

Betta
Betta was a character played by actress Marga Rubia Levy in the film Betta, the Gypsy (1918).

  • Usage of the baby name Betta.

Bettina
Bettina was a character name in multiple films, including Bettina’s Substitute (short, 1912) and The Woman in Red (1935).

Beulah
Beulah Bondi was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1960s. She was born in Illinois in 1889. Beulah was also a character name in multiple films, including Beulah (1915) and The Martyr Sex (1924).

  • Usage of the baby name Beulah.

Bijou
Bijou was a character name in multiple films, including The Goat (1918) and Seven Sinners (1940).

  • Usage of the baby name Bijou.

Billee
Billee was a character played by actress Ruth Roland in the short film When Men Wear Skirts (1914).

  • Usage of the baby name Billee (which debuted in the data the year after When Men Wear Skirts came out).

Bina
Bina was a character played by actress Neva Gerber in the short film The Prodigal Widow (1917).

  • Usage of the baby name Bina.

Binnie
Binnie Barnes was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was born in England in 1903. Binnie was also a character name in multiple films, including Children of Chance (1930) and Big House (1938).

  • Usage of the baby name Binnie.

Birdie
Birdie was a character name in multiple films, including This Side of Heaven (1934) and A Stranger in Town (1943).

  • Usage of the baby name Birdie.

Blanche
Blanche Friderici was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to 1930s. She was born in New York in 1878. Blanche Sweet was an actress who appeared in films from the 1900s to the 1950s. She was born in Illinois in 1896. Blanche was also a character name in multiple films, including The War o’ Dreams (short, 1915) and The Wild Party (1923).

Blanchette
Blanchette was a character played by actress Marguerite Snow in the film The Patriot and the Spy (1915).

Blanny
Blanny Wheeler was a character played by actress May Allison in the film Fair and Warmer (1919).

Blanquette
Blanquette was a character played by various actresses (such as Madge Stuart and Margaret Lockwood) in various movies called The Beloved Vagabond, all based on the novel of the same name by William John Locke.

Bleuette
Bleuette Bernon was an actress who appeared in films from the 1890s to the 1900s. She was born in France in 1878. Her birth name was Léontine Ernestine Gauché.

Bliss
Bliss Milford was an actress who appeared in films in the 1910s. She was born in South Dakota in the late 1880s.

  • Usage of the baby name Bliss.

Blossom
Blossom was a character name in multiple films, including The Arizona Cat Claw (1919) and Alias Mary Smith (1932).

Blossy
Blossy Waveney was a character played by actress Olive Sloane in the film The Door That Has No Key (1921).

Bodil
Bodil Rosing was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1940s. She was born in Denmark in 1877. Bodil Ipsen was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1960s. She was born in Denmark in 1889.

Bona
Bona was a character name in multiple films, including The Silken Spider (short, 1916) and The Wine Girl (1918).

  • Usage of the baby name Bona.

Bonita
Bonita Granville was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1980s. She was born in Illinois in 1923. Bonita was also a character name in multiple films, including A Question of Seconds (1912) and Arizona (1913).

  • Usage of the baby name Bonita.

Boots
Boots Mallory was an actress who appeared in films in the 1930s. She was born in Louisiana in 1913. Her birth name was Patricia Mallory.

  • Usage of the baby name Boots.

Bricotte
Bricotte was a character played by actress Jacqueline Logan in the film Playing with Souls (1925).

Brida
Brida was a character played by actress Clara Blandick in the film Rockabye (1932).

Bridgeen
Bridgeen was a character played by actress Fay Tincher in the short film The Deceiver (1914).

Brigida
Brigida was a character played by actress Rosina Galli in the film Escape to Paradise (1939).

Brina
Brina was a character played by actress Neva Gerber in the short film The Mansard Mystery (1916).

  • Usage of the baby name Brina.

Brita
Brita Kaurin was a character played by actress Signe Hasso in the film A Double Life (1947).

  • Usage of the baby name Brita.

Bronwyn
Bronwyn was a character played by actress Anna Lee in the film How Green Was My Valley (1941).

  • Usage of the baby name Bronwyn (which debuted in the data the year after How Green Was My Valley came out).

Brouquet
Brouquet was a character played by actress Rosita Marstini in the film In Love with Life (1934).

Buena
Buena Bent was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1930s. She was born in England in 1890.

  • Usage of the baby name Buena.

Bunny
Bunny was a character played by Glenda Farrell in the film Merry Wives of Reno (1934).

  • Usage of the baby name Bunny.

Bunty
Bunty Payne was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1940s. She was born in England in 1912. Her birth name was Gladys Helena Pain. Bunty was also a character played by actress Ilka Chase in the film The Careless Age (1929).

Burahami
Burahami was a character played by actress Gladys Frazin in the film Kiss Me Sergeant (1932).

Buria
Buria was a character played by actress Maude Eburne in the film The Warrior’s Husband (1933).

Burnu
Burnu Acquanetta was an actress who appeared in films from the 1940s to the 1990s. She was born in Wyoming in 1921. Her birth name was Mildred Davenport.

Butterfly
Butterfly McQueen was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1980s. She was born in Florida in 1919. Her birth name was Thelma McQueen.

Byrdie
Byrdie May was a character played by actress Pearl White in the film McGuirk, the Sleuth (1912).

  • Usage of the baby name Byrdie.

Byrdine
Byrdine Zuber was an actress who appeared in films in the 1910s. She was born in Illinois in 1886.

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Which of the above B-names do you like best?

Source: IMDb

Name Quotes 81: Anne, Wendy, Charlie

It’s a new month — time for a new batch of name-related quotations!

From a write-up about Ryan Reynolds’ appearance on the Today show in mid-December:

After Hoda asked how he and Blake came up with the name of their third (a clever way to get the actor to publicly confirm what the name actually is), Reynolds quipped, “We haven’t yet! We’re gonna be original, and all the letters in her name are silent.” […] He continued, “I want to give her something to push against in life.”

From an article about the science of baby name trends (thank you, Uly!):

You can even see how the zeitgeist of the age affected American’s [sic] desire for novelty. As Matthew W. Hahn and Alexander Bentley found, the incidence of new, unusual names rose in the 20s, peaked around 1930, but then plummeted in the 40s and 50s. Then it shot up again in the 60s, before reversing and plummeting again in the late 70s. Why? If you wanted to engage in some armchair zeitgeist analysis, you could argue that this makes a crude sort of cultural sense: The “roaring 20s” and the 60s were both periods when significant subsets of the population treasured creative, rule-breaking behavior; the 50s and early 80s weren’t.

From an article announcing the cancellation of a TV series with a name-referencing title:

The Netflix and CBC drama Anne With an E, adapted from Lucy Maud Montgomery’s beloved Anne of Green Gables, has been cancelled after three seasons.

From an article about the weirdly common celebrity baby name Charlie Wolf:

Celebrity moms and dads are going wild for the animal-inspired baby name Charlie Wolf.

Zooey Deschanel and her estranged husband, Jacob Pechenik, kicked off the trendy moniker when they welcomed their baby boy in 2017.

[…]

Lauren Conrad and William Tell welcomed their second little one in October 2019 — and named him Charlie Wolf as well.

[…]

The following month, another Charlie Wolf arrived — or rather, Charles Wolfe.

(The third one was born to former Bachelor in Paradise contestants Evan Bass and Carly Waddell.)

From an article and a blog post about the naming of Wendy’s:

When it came to deciding what to call the chain, [Dave Thomas] tried out the names of all five of his children before he settled on the nickname for his daughter, Melinda, which was Wendy.

Before my dad left us [in 2002], we had a long conversation about him naming the restaurant Wendy’s. It was the first time we’d ever had this conversation. He said, “You know what? I’m sorry.” I asked him what he meant. He explained, “I should’ve just named it after myself, because it put a lot of pressure on you.”

From an article about the “-Mae” trend in Australia:

Marlie-Mae, Gracie-Mae, Mila-Mae… you may have noticed the trend.

Aussie celebs are giving their baby girls hyphenated names with a sweet, old-fashioned sound. The Bachelor’s Matty J and Laura Byrne went for Marlie-Mae, Bachelor In Paradise’s Simone Ormesher and partner Matt Thorne chose Gracie-Mae, while Married at First Sight’s Davina Rankin and boyfriend Jaxon Manuel decided on Mila-Mae.

[…]

Although these names might sound American – think Elly May Clampett from The Beverly Hillbillies – this is actually a huge British trend that seems to be just taking off in Australia.

For more name-related quotes, check out the name quotes category.

Rare Girl Names from Early Cinema: F

fredi

On the hunt for a rare girl name with a retro feel?

Here’s a long list of uncommon female F-names associated with early cinema (1900s-1940s). Each of the names below is either a character name or an actress name from that era. For those names that have seen enough usage to appear in the SSA data, I’ve included links to the popularity graphs.

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Fabienne
Fabienne was a character name in multiple films, including Fazil (1928) and The Doctor and the Girl (1949).

  • Usage of the baby name Fabienne (which debuted in the data in 1949).

Fadette
Fadette was a character name in multiple films, including Fanchon, the Cricket (1915) and The Inner Chamber (1915).

Faire
Faire Binney was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1950s. She was born in New Jersey in 1900. Her birth name was Frederica Gertrude Binney. Faire was also a character played by actress Frances Dade in the film The She-Wolf (1931).

Falfi
Falfi Tumble was a character played by actress Marjorie Daw in the film Fear-Bound (1925).

Faline
Faline was an animated character in the film Bambi (1942).

  • Usage of the baby name Faline (which debuted in the data in 1943).

Fanchette
Fanchette was a character name in multiple films, including A Million a Minute (1916) and The Daring of Diana (1916).

Fanchon
Fanchon was a character name in multiple films, including Fanchon, the Cricket (1915) and The Clown (1927).

Fancy
Fancy was a character name in multiple films, including The Heart Line (1921) and The Fighting O’Flynn (1949).

  • Usage of the baby name Fancy.

Fanette
Fanette was a character name in multiple films, including Money Mad (1918) and A Gamble with Hearts (1923).

Fania
Fania Marinoff was an actress who appeared in films in the 1910s. She was born in Russia (now Ukraine) in 1890. Fania was also a character name in multiple films, including When a Girl Loves (1924) and The Yellow Ticket (1931).

  • Usage of the baby name Fania.

Fanina
Fanina was a character played by actress Carmen Phillips in the film The Man Who Turned White (1919).

Fannia
Fannia was a character played by actress Ann Rork in the film The Blonde Saint (1926).

Fantasca
Fantasca was a character played by actress Alice Joyce in the short film Fantasca, the Gipsy (1912).

Fanutza
Fanutza was a character played by actress Margaret Loomis in the film Law of the Lawless (1923).

Farina
Farina was a character played by actress Gloria Swanson in the film The Fable of Elvira and Farina and the Meal Ticket (1915).

  • Usage of the baby name Farina.

Faun
Faun was a character played by actress Inez Courtney in the film Big City Blues (1932).

  • Usage of the baby name Faun.

Fauvette
Fauvette was a character played by actress Elsie Ferguson in the film His Parisian Wife (1919).

Fay
Fay Tincher was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1920s. She was born in Kansas in 1884. Fay Bainter was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1960s. She was born in California in 1893. Fay Wray (of King Kong fame) was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1950s. She was born in Canada in 1907. Her birth name was Vina Fay Wray. Fay was also a character name in multiple films, including The Rainbow Trail (1925) and Stage Kisses (1927).

  • Usage of the baby name Fay.

Fayaway
Fayaway was a character played by actress Raquel Torres in the film White Shadows in the South Seas (1928).

Fedora
Fedora was a character name in multiple films, including Fedora (1918) and The Woman from Moscow (1928).

  • Usage of the baby name Fedora.

Felicitas
Felicitas was a character played by actress Greta Garbo in the film Flesh and the Devil (1926).

Femie
Femie was a character played by actress Neva Gerber in the short film Billie, the Hillbilly (1915).

Fenella
Fenella was a character name in multiple films, including A Man of His Word (1915) and Name the Man (1924).

Ferike
Ferike Boros was an actress who appeared in films in from the 1910s to the 1940s. She was born in Austria-Hungary (now Romania) in 1880.

Fernande
Fernande was a character played by actress Bodil Rosing in the film Roberta (1935).

Fernie
Fernie Schmidt was a character played by actress Colleen Moore in the film It Must Be Love (1926).

  • Usage of the baby name Fernie.

Fernway
Fernway de la Fer was a character played by actress Lena Horne in the film Broadway Rhythm (1944).

Fiammetta
Fiammetta was a character played by actress Marion Leonard in the short film An Awful Moment (1908).

Fidelia
Fidelia was a character played by actress Armida in the film General Crack (1930).

Fieda
Fieda Druse was a character played by actress Ann Little in the film The World for Sale (1918).

Fifi
Fifi D’Orsay was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1960s. She was born in Canada in 1904. Her birth name was Marie-Rose Angelina Yvonne Lussier. Fifi was also a character name in multiple films, including The Blackbird (1926) and While Paris Sleeps (1932).

  • Usage of the baby name Fifi.

Filina
Filina was a character played by various actresses (such as Blanche Cornwall and Clara Beyers) in various movies called Mignon, all based on the 1866 opera of the same name.

Filomena
Filomena was a character played by actress Rafaela Ottiano in the film All Men Are Enemies (1934).

Fiora
Fiora Bixby was a character played by actress Barbara Brown in the film Arthur Takes Over (1948).

  • Usage of the baby name Fiora.

Fioretta
Fioretta was a character name in multiple films, including The Conspiracy of the Crazy (1941) and Song of Scheherazade (1947).

Flametta
Flametta was a character played by actress Marion Leonard in the short film The Duke’s Plan (1910).

Flavia
Flavia Arcaro was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1930s. She was born in Texas in 1876. Flavia was also a character name in multiple films, including Ponjola (1923) and The Prisoner of Zenda (1937).

  • Usage of the baby name Flavia.

Fleur
Fleur Forsyte was a character played by actress Barbara La Marr in the film The White Monkey (1925).

  • Usage of the baby name Fleur.

Fleurette
Fleurette was a character name in multiple films, including Heart’s Desire (1917) and It Happened in New York (1935).

Fleurie
Fleurie was a character played by actress Christiane Yves in the film They Had to See Paris (1929).

Fleurique
Fleurique was a character played by actress Thelma Leeds in the film The Toast of New York (1937).

Flo
Flo was a character name in multiple films, including The Labyrinth (1915) and G. I. Honeymoon (1945).

  • Usage of the baby name Flo.

Florabel
Florabel Thurston was a character played by actress Florence Baker in the short film The Course of True Love (1910).

Florabelle
Florabelle was a character name in multiple films, including The Case of the Curious Bride (1935) and Wives Never Know (1936).

Florella
Florella was a character played by actress Nina Mae McKinney in the film Dark Waters (1944).

Florelle
Florelle was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1950s. She was born in France in 1898. Her birth name was Odette Elisa Joséphine Marguerite Rousseau.

Florentine
Florentine Fair was a character played by actress Cleo Madison in the film The Lure of Youth (1921).

Floretta
Floretta was a character played by actress Ruth Clifford in the short film The Keeper of the Gate (1917).

Florette
Florette was a character name in multiple films, including Indiscreet Corinne (1917) and Lilies of the Field (1924).

Floria
Floria was a character name in multiple films, including The Barbarian (1921) and Breezing Home (1937).

  • Usage of the baby name Floria.

Florianne
Florianne was a character played by various actresses (such as Mary Thurman and Genevieve Tobin) in various movies called Zaza, all based on the 1898 play of the same name.

Florida
Florida Kingsley was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1920s. She was born in Florida in 1867. Florida was also a character played by actress Maude George in the film The Frame-Up (1915).

Florie
Florie Watson was a character played by actress Ona Munson in the film The Cheaters (1945).

  • Usage of the baby name Florie.

Florine
Florine Hanna was an actress who appeared in 1 film in 1916. She was born in Kentucky in 1883. Florine was also a character name in multiple films, including The Rose of Paris (1924) and Broadway Babies (1929).

Florrie
Florrie was a character name in multiple films, including Bells of San Juan (1922) and Murder by an Aristocrat (1936).

Floss
Floss was a character played by actress Madge Kennedy in the film The Blooming Angel (1920).

  • Usage of the baby name Floss.

Flossie
Flossie was a character name in multiple films, including A Deal in Diamonds (short, 1915) and Little Miss Broadway (1938).

Flossy
Flossy was a character played by actress Gwen Lee in the film Sharp Shooters (1928).

  • Usage of the baby name Flossy.

Flotilda
Flotilda was a character played by actress Nina Mae McKinney in the film The Power of the Whistler (1945).

Flotilla
Flotilla was a character played by actress Florence Turner in the short film Flotilla the Flirt (1914).

Fola
Fola Dale was a character played by actress Lila Lee in the film A Bit of Heaven (1928).

  • Usage of the baby name Fola.

Follette
Follette Marsh was a character played by actress Mary Astor in the film The Lost Squadron (1932).

Fortuna
Fortuna Donnelly was a character played by actress May Allison in the film Castles in the Air (1919).

Fortune
Fortune Chedsoye was a character played by actress Kathlyn Williams in the film The Carpet from Bagdad (1915).

  • Usage of the baby name Fortune (which debuted in the data as a girl name the year after The Carpet from Bagdad came out.)

Foxey
Foxey Dennison was a character played by actress Joyce Compton in the film Affairs of a Gentleman (1934).

Francelia
Francelia Billington was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1930s. She was born in Texas in 1895.

Francey
Francey was a character name in multiple films, including Dead End (1937) and Vivacious Lady (1938).

Franchette
Franchette was a character played by actress Helen Dunbar in the short film Mrs. Trenwith Comes Home (1914).

Francie
Francie Callahan was a character played by actress Arline Judge in the film Harvard, Here I Come! (1941).

Francine
Francine was a character name in multiple films, including Francine (short, 1914) and High Pressure (1932).

Franzi
Franzi was a character played by actress Claudette Colbert in the film The Smiling Lieutenant (1931).

Freda
Freda was a character name in multiple films, including Many Waters (1931) and Hard Steel (1942).

  • Usage of the baby name Freda.

Freddie
Winifred “Freddie” Jones was a character played by actress Betty Grable in the film The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend (1949).

Frederica
Frederica was a character played by actress Irene Rich in the film Beau Brummel (1924).

Frederika
Frederika was a character name in multiple films, including Confessions of a Queen (1925) and White Hunter (1936).

Fredi
Fredi Washington was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1930s. She was born in Georgia in 1903. Her birth name was Fredericka Carolyn Washington.

  • Usage of the baby name Fredi.

Frieda
Frieda Inescort was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1960s. She was born in Scotland in 1901. Frieda was also a character played by actress Evelyn Brent in the film Spy Train (1943).

  • Usage of the baby name Frieda.

Fritzi
Fritzi Massary was an actress who appeared in films from the 1900s to the 1920s. She was born in Austria-Hungary (now Austria) in 1882. Her birth name was Friederike Massaryk. Fritzi Brunette was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1940s. She was born in Georgia in 1890. Her birth name was Florence Brunet. Fritzi Ridgeway was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1930s. She was born in Montana in 1898. Fritzi was also a character name in multiple films, including Broadway Arizona (1917) and One Heavenly Night (1931).

  • Usage of the baby name Fritzi.

Fulvia
Princess Fulvia was a character played by actress Vola Vale in the film Zollenstein (1917).

Furja
Furja was a character played by actress Blanche Friderici in the film Fleetwing (1928).

…Which of the above F-names do you like best?

Source: IMDb

Rare Girl Names from Early Cinema: Letter L

leatrice, actress, cinema, name

Looking for an uncommon girl name with a retro feel?

Here’s a list of rare female L-names associated with the earliest decades of cinema (1910s to 1940s).

And I’ve included links to popularity graphs for the names that have seen enough usage to appear in the SSA data.

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Labela
Labela was a character played by actress Virginia Brissac in the short film Hawaiian Love (1913).

Laetitia
Laetitia Bonaparte was a character played by actress May Whitty in the film Conquest (1937).

Lahleet
Lahleet was a character played by actress Bessie Love in the film Tongues of Flame (1924).

Laissabeth
Laissabeth Powys was a character played by actress Una Venning in the film A Welsh Singer (1916).

Lala
Lala was a character name in multiple films, including A Soul Astray (short, 1914) and The Rustle of Silk (1923).

  • Usage of the baby name Lala.

Lali
Lali was a character name in multiple films, including The Translation of a Savage (1913) and Behold My Wife! (1920).

  • Usage of the baby name Lali.

Lalia
Lalia Fleming was a character played by actress Gerda Holmes in the short film The Strength of the Weak (1915).

  • Usage of the baby name Lalia.

Laline
Laline Coxheim was a character played by actress Marie Walcamp in the short film The Mysterious Contragrav (1915).

  • Usage of the baby name Laline.

Laloe
Laloe Berchmans was a character played by actress Julie Suedo in the film The Woman from China (1930).

Lamentina
Lamentina was a character played by actress Nancy Brown in the film Red Wagon (1933).

Lammchen
Emma “Lammchen” Pinneberg was a character played by actress Margaret Sullavan in the film Little Man, What Now? (1934). Lammchen means “little lamb” in German.

Landra
Landra was a character played by actress June Collyer in the film Revenge at Monte Carlo (1933).

  • Usage of the baby name Landra.

Laraine
Laraine Day was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1960s. She was born in Utah in 1920. Her birth name was La Raine Johnson.

Laramie
Laramie Winters was a character played by actress Ruth Terry in the film Man from Music Mountain (1943).

Lark
Lark Ingoldsby was a character played by actress Teresa Wright in the film Enchantment (1948).

  • Usage of the baby name Lark.

Lasca
Lasca was a character name in multiple films, including Lasca (1919) and Lasca of the Rio Grande (1931).

  • Usage of the baby name Lasca.

Laska
Laska Winter was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1930s. She was born in Missouri in 1905.

Latona
Latona was a character played by actress Anna Demetrio in the film Call of the South Seas (1944).

  • Usage of the baby name Latona.

Laurabelle
Laurabelle Ronson was a character played by actress Gloria DeHaven in the film The Thin Man Goes Home (1945).

Lauralee
Lauralee Curtis was a character played by actress Wendy Barrie in the film Wings Over Honolulu (1937).

Laurella
Laurella Consadine was a character played by actress Ricca Allen in the film The Power and the Glory (1918).

  • Usage of the baby name Laurella (which debuted in the data the year The Power and the Glory came out).

Lauretta
Lauretta was a character name in multiple films, including A Bad Egg (short, 1914) and I Was to Blame (1937).

Laurette
Laurette Taylor was an actress who appeared in films in the 1920s. She was born in New York in 1884. Her birth name was Loretta Cooney. Laurette was also a character played by actress Molly Lamont in the film Scared to Death (1947).

Laurine
Laurine was a character name in multiple films, including The Key to the Past (1915) and Expensive Husbands (1937).

Lavara
Lavara was a character played by actress Mae Clarke in the film Lady from Chungking (1942).

  • Usage of the baby name Lavara.

Laverne
LaVerne LaPeer was a character played by actress Kathryn Keys in the short film Radio Runaround (1943).

Lavina
Lavina was a character name in multiple films, including Why Smith Left Home (1919) and Young Tom Edison (1940).

  • Usage of the baby name Lavina.

Lavita
Lavita was a character played by actress Marie Burke in the film After the Ball (1932).

  • Usage of the baby name Lavita.

Lavolia
Lavolia was a character played by actress Etta McDaniel in the film Magnificent Brute (1936).

Leatrice
Leatrice Joy was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1950s. She was born in Louisiana in 1893. Leatrice Joy Gilbert (Leatrice Joy’s daughter) was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1940s. She was born in California in 1924.

Leda
Leda was a character name in multiple films, including The Worst Woman in Paris? (1933) and Cleopatra (1934).

  • Usage of the baby name Leda.

Ledda
Ledda Perrin was a character played by actress Alyce Mills in the film Faint Perfume (1925).

Lelia
Lelia Dodson was a character played by actress Margaret Livingston in the film Lying Lips (1921).

  • Usage of the baby name Lelia.

Lemona
Lemona Reighley was a character played by actress Alma Rubens in the film Reggie Mixes In (1916).

Lenie
Lenie Retief was a character played by actress Caroline Frances Cooke in the film De Voortrekkers (1916).

Lenita
Lenita Lane was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1950s. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1901.

  • Usage of the baby name Lenita.

Lenke
Lenke was a character played by actress Julanne Johnston in the film Prisoners (1929).

Leo
Leonore “Leo” Bewlay was a character played by actress Mary Astor in the film Enticement (1925).

  • Usage of the baby name Leo.

Leonie
Leonie was a character name in multiple films, including The Sword of Damocles (1920) and Safe in Hell (1931).

  • Usage of the baby name Leonie.

Leonora
Leonora was a character name in multiple films, including Susan and God (1940) and The Girl Who Forgot (1940).

Leontine
Leontine Dranet was an actress who appeared in 2 films in the 1910s. Leontine was also a character name in multiple films, including The Closing Net (1915) and The Shielding Shadow (serial, 1916).

Leopoldine
Leopoldine was a character played by actress Luise Rainer in the film Escapade (1935).

Leota
Leota Long was a character played by actress Katherine DeMille in the film Banjo on My Knee (1936).

  • Usage of the baby name Leota.

Lescaboura
Lescaboura was a character name in multiple films, including So’s Your Old Man (1926) and You’re Telling Me! (1934).

Letitia
Letitia was a character name in multiple films, including Pretty Mrs. Smith (1915) and 52nd Street (1937).

Lettice
Lettice Musgrave was a character played by actress Vola Vale in the short film Harvest (1915).

Leva
Leva Lemaire was a character played by actress Barbara La Marr in the film Souls for Sale (1923).

  • Usage of the baby name Leva.

Levinnia
Levinnia was a character played by actress Louise Beavers in the film The Dark Horse (1932).

Levisa
Levisa Hatfield was a character played by actress Hope Emerson in the film Roseanna McCoy (1949).

Li Wanna
Li Wanna was a character played by actress Elena Verdugo in the film The Lost Tribe (1949).

Liane
Liane was a character name in multiple films, including Shadows of Paris (1924) and Parisian Life (1936).

  • Usage of the baby name Liane.

Lianne
Lianne Demarest was a character played by actress Mae Murray in the film Princess Virtue (1917).

  • Usage of the baby name Lianne.

Lida
Lida was a character name in multiple films, including Red and White Roses (short, 1913) and Atlantic Convoy (1942).

  • Usage of the baby name Lida.

Liddy
Liddy was a character played by actress Bonita Granville in the film Silver Dollar (1932).

  • Usage of the baby name Liddy.

Lihula
Lihula was a character played by actress Marie Walcamp in the short film Tribal War in the South Seas (1914).

Lil
Lil Vanderhoven was a character played by actress Marjorie Rambeau in the film Oh, What a Night! (1944).

  • Usage of the baby name Lil.

Lilac
Lilac was a character played by actress Julanne Johnston in the film Twinkletoes (1926).

  • Usage of the baby name Lilac.

Lilas
Lilas Niles was a character played by actress Sarah Truax in the film Fool’s Gold (1919).

  • Usage of the baby name Lilas.

Lilaya
Lilaya was a character played by actress Mona Maris in the film The Man Called Back (1932).

Lilibelle
Lilibelle Bolton was a character played by actress Martha Raye in the film Navy Blues (1941).

Liliha
Queen Liliha was a character played by actress Florence Bates in the film Tahiti Nights (1944).

Lillo
Lillo was a character played by actress May Allison in the short film Lillo of the Sulu Seas (1916).

Lillums
Lillums was a character name in multiple films, including Harold Teen (1928) and Harold Teen (1934).

Lilongo
Lilongo was a character played by actress Nina Mae McKinney in the film Sanders of the River (1935).

Lilya
Lilya Vallon was an actress who appeared in 1 film in 1933.

  • Usage of the baby name Lilya.

Lilybeth
Lilybeth was a character played by actress Gladys Blake in the film Scared to Death (1947).

Linee
Linee Hayden was a character played by actress Alice Joyce in the short film The Cabaret Dancer (1914).

Linette
Linette was a character name in multiple films, including The Open Road (short, 1913) and The Man Who Reclaimed His Head (1934).

Linnie
Linnie was a character name in multiple films, including Thrown to the Lions (1916) and The Price of Pleasure (1925).

  • Usage of the baby name Linnie.

Lio
Lio Sha was a character played by actress Ressel Orla in the film Die Spinnen (1919 & 1920).

Lione
Lione Brune was a character played by actress Florence Short in the film A Man’s World (1918).

Liseben
Liseben was a character played by actress Gertrude McCoy in the short film The Workman’s Lesson (1912).

Lisetta
Lisetta was a character played by actress Natalie Kingston in the film Street Angel (1928).

Lispeth
Lispeth was a character played by actress Helen Gardner in the short film Vampire of the Desert (1913).

Lissa
Lissa Campbell was a character played by actress Margaret Lockwood in the film A Lady Surrenders (1944).

  • Usage of the baby name Lissa.

Lita
Lita Grey was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1940s. She was born in California in 1908. Her birth name was Lillita MacMurray. Lita was also a character name in multiple films, including Bachelor Apartment (1931) and The Girl from Monterrey (1943).

  • Usage of the baby name Lita.

Liva
Liva Weel was an actress who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1950s. She was born in Denmark in 1897. Her birth name was Olivia Olsen.

  • Usage of the baby name Liva.

Livette
Livette was a character played by actress Simone Bourday in the film Roi de Camargue (1935).

Lizabeth
Lizabeth Anne was a character played by actress Mary Fuller in the short film The Heart of the Hills (1914).

Lizaveta
Lizaveta Ivanova was a character played by actress Yvonne Mitchell in the film The Queen of Spades (1949).

Lize
Lize was a character played by actress Sarah Padden in the film Wild Girl (1932).

  • Usage of the baby name Lize.

Lizee
Lizee was a character played by actress Adele DeGarde in the film The Triumph of the Weak (1918).

Loana
Loana was a character played by actress Carole Landis in the film One Million B.C. (1940).

  • Usage of the baby name Loana.

Loey
Loey Tsing was a character played by actress Helen Jerome Eddy in the film The First Born (1921).

  • Usage of the baby name Loey.

Lolah
Lolah was a character played by actress Fritzi Ridgeway in the film Prince of Diamonds (1930).

  • Usage of the baby name Lolah.

Lolaire
Lolaire was a character played by actress Evelyn Brent in the film The Shadow of the East (1924).

Lolano
Lolano was a character played by actress Mamo Clark in the film Air Devils (1938).

Lolette
Lolette was a character played by actress Rosemary Theby in the film One Year to Live (1925).

Lolly
Lolly was a character played by actress Joan Davis in the film Too Busy to Work (1939).

  • Usage of the baby name Lolly.

Lolomi
Lolomi was a character played by actress Enid Markey in the film The Captive God (1916).

Lona
Lona was a character played by actress Dorothy Lamour in the film Rainbow Island (1944).

  • Usage of the baby name Lona.

Looloo
Looloo Blake was a character played by actress Lillian Harvey in the film My Weakness (1933).

Loris
Loris Lane was a character played by actress Josephine Dunn in the film Fascinating Youth (1926).

  • Usage of the baby name Loris.

Lorita
Lorita was a character played by actress Edith Borella in the short film As a Man Thinketh (1914).

  • Usage of the baby name Lorita.

Lorna
Lorna Gray was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1950s. She was born in Michigan in 1917. Her birth name was Virginia Pound. Lorna was also a character name in multiple films, including Traffic in Souls (1913) and The Butterfly Girl (1921).

  • Usage of the baby name Lorna.

Lorry
Lorry was a character name in multiple films, including Bed of Roses (1933) and Strange Faces (1938).

  • Usage of the baby name Lorry.

Loru
Loru was a character played by actress Nina Quartero in the film Isle of Escape (1930).

Lory
Lory James was a character played by actress Eileen Percy in the film East Side – West Side (1923).

  • Usage of the baby name Lory (which debuted in the data as a girl name the year East Side – West Side came out).

Lota
Lota was a character played by actress Kathleen Burke in the film Island of Lost Souls (1932).

  • Usage of the baby name Lota.

Loti
Loti San was a character played by actress Bessie Eyton in the short film The Love of Loti San (1915).

Lotta
Lotta was a character name in multiple films, including One Thousand Dollars (1918) and Black Oxfords (1924).

  • Usage of the baby name Lotta.

Lottice
Lottice Howell was an actress who appeared in films in the 1930s. She was born in Kentucky in 1897.

Lotti
Lotti Pelgram was a character played by actress Rita La Roy in the film Amateur Daddy (1932).

  • Usage of the baby name Lotti.

Louella
Louella Parsons was a gossip columnist who appeared in films from the 1920s to the 1960s. She was born in Illinois in 1881.

Louelle
Louelle Fenwick was a character played by actress Dorothy Christy in the film Forbidden Company (1932).

Louisiana
Louisiana Rogers was a character played by actress Vivian Martin in the film Louisiana (1919).

Loulie
Loulie was a character played by actress May Allison in the film The Secretary of Frivolous Affairs (1915).

Loulou
Loulou was a character name in multiple films, including Kiss Me Again (1925) and Breakfast at Sunrise (1927).

  • Usage of the baby name Loulou.

Lou-scha-enya
Lou-Scha-Enya was an actress who appeared in 1 film in 1930. She was born in Oklahoma in 1906. Her birth name was Tessie Mobley.

Louvette
Louvette Corbeau was a character played by actress Paulette Goddard in the film North West Mounted Police (1940).

Lovey
Lovey was a character name in multiple films, including Love’s Greatest Mistake (1927) and Blondie Goes Latin (1941).

  • Usage of the baby name Lovey.

Lowizie
Lowizie Smith was a character played by actress Sarah Padden in the film Private Snuffy Smith (1942).

Loxi
Loxi Claiborne was a character played by actress Paulette Goddard in the film Reap the Wild Wind (1942).

  • Usage of the baby name Loxi.

Loyola
Loyola O’Connor was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1920s. She was born in Minnesota in 1868.

  • Usage of the baby name Loyola.

Loys
Loys Andres was a character played by actress Peggy Pearce in the film The Red-Haired Cupid (1918).

  • Usage of the baby name Loys.

Lu
Lu was a character name in multiple films, including The Good Fairy (1935) and Across the Sierras (1941).

  • Usage of the baby name Lu.

Luana
Luana Walters was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1950s. She was born in California in 1912. Luana Patten was an actress who appeared in films from the 1940s to the 1980s. She was born in California in 1938. Luana was also a character played by actress Dolores del Rio in the film Bird of Paradise (1932).

  • Usage of the baby name Luana.

Luani
Luani was a character played by actress Burnu Acquanetta in the film Rhythm of the Islands (1943).

Lucette
Lucette was a character played by actress Bessie Eyton in the short film The Going of the White Swan (1914).

Luchia
Luchia Luff was a character played by actress Claire Du Brey in the film Ponjola (1923).

  • Usage of the baby name Luchia.

Lucienne
Lucienne was a character played by actress Merle Oberon in the film Berlin Express (1948).

Lucile
Lucile Watson was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1950s. She was born in Canada in 1879. Lucile Browne was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1950s. She was born in Tennessee in 1907. Lucile was also a character played by actress Marguerite Snow in the short film Lucile (1912).

  • Usage of the baby name Lucile.

Lucilla
Lucilla was a character played by actress Alice Joyce in the films The Green Goddess (1923) and The Green Goddess (1930).

Lucindy
Lucindy was a character played by actress Edna Murphy in the film Silver Comes Through (1927).

Lucita
Lucita was a character played by actress Ethel Wales in the film The Bonded Woman (1922).

  • Usage of the baby name Lucita.

Lucretia
Lucretia was a character name in multiple films, including Lucretia Lombard (1923) and The Flaming Frontier (1926).

Lucrezia
Lucrezia was a character name in multiple films, including Don Juan (1926) and Private Angelo (1949).

Ludivine
Ludivine Bucaille was a character played by actress Betty Balfour in the film Little Devil May Care (1928).

Luena
Luena Hagen was a character played by actress Billie Dove in the film Sensation Seekers (1927).

  • Usage of the baby name Luena.

Luigia
Luigia was a character played by actress Jane Dryden in the film The Man Without Desire (1923).

Luise
Luise Rainer was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1990s. She was born in Germany in 1910.

  • Usage of the baby name Luise.

Lule
Lule Warrenton was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1920s. She was born in Michigan in 1862.

Lulubelle
Lulubelle (and Lulu Belle) were character names in multiple films, including Cowboy and the Senorita (1944) and Lulu Belle (1948).

Lura
Lura Wood was a character played by actress Gertrude McCoy in the film Miriam Rozella (1924).

  • Usage of the baby name Lura.

Lureen
Lureen was a character played by actress Cleo Moore in the film Congo Bill (1948).

  • Usage of the baby name Lureen.

Lurene
Lurene Tuttle was an actress who appeared in films from the 1930s to the 1980s. She was born in Indiana in 1907.

  • Usage of the baby name Lurene.

Lurline
Lurline was a character played by actress Juanita Hansen in the film The Sea Flower (1918).

Lute
Lute Mae Sanders was a character played by actress Gladys George in the film Flamingo Road (1949).

Lutie
Lutie was a character played by actress Ruth Stonehouse in the short film The Fable of Lutie, the False Alarm (1914).

  • Usage of the baby name Lutie.

Luya
Luya was a character played by actress Edith Roberts in the film Black Cargoes of the South Seas (1928).

Lya
Lya De Putti was an actress who appeared in films from the 1910s to the 1920s. She was born in Austria-Hungary (now Slovakia) in 1897. Her birth name was Amalia Putti.

  • Usage of the baby name Lya.

Lycia
Lycia was a character played by actress Winifred Greenwood in the short film The Beggar Child (1914).

  • Usage of the baby name Lycia.

Lyda
Lyda Marston was a character played by actress Alice Hollister in the short film The Scorpion’s Sting (1915).

  • Usage of the baby name Lyda.

Lyddie
Lyddie was a character played by actress Dorothy Rowan in the film Far from the Madding Crowd (1915).

Lyle
Lyle Pennington was a character played by actress Kathryn McGuire in the film Children of the Ritz (1929).

  • Usage of the baby name Lyle.

Lynda
Lynda was a character played by actress Marcia Moore in the film The Grip of Jealousy (1916).

  • Usage of the baby name Lynda.

Lynne
Lynne Evans was a character played by actress Virginia Brissac in the film Dressed to Kill (1941).

  • Usage of the baby name Lynne.

Lynnie
Lynnie Willis was a character played by actress Dorothy Mackaill in the film Twenty-One (1923).

  • Usage of the baby name Lynnie.

Lysbeth
Lysbeth was a character played by actress Manora Thew in the film The Homemaker (1919).

Lysette
Lysette DeJon was a character played by actress Ruth Clifford in the film The Storm Breaker (1925).

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…Which of the above names do you like best?

Source: IMDb