
These names came, then they went…and they never came back!
Here are all the one-hit wonder baby names that I’ve written about so far.
These particular names are “full list” one-hit wonders, not “top 1,000” one-hit wonders. That is, they’ve only ever popped up once in all the publicly available U.S. baby name data, which accounts for all names given to at least 5 babies per year nationally.
None of these (outside of several of the 1989 glitch-names) have ever appeared in the U.S. top 1,000.
1890s
- 1898: Maine, Mayne, Philippina, Schley
1900s
(none yet)
1910s
- 1910: Leneve
- 1915: Gorizia
- 1916: Ormi, Ortrude, Trudis, Ysobel
- 1917: Laurece, Tessibel, Westmoreland
- 1918: Allenby
- 1919: Nellora
1920s
- 1920: Dardenella
- 1921: Essfa, Garnelle
- 1922: Donaldine
- 1924: Chadyeane, Derelys, Juneve, Myraline
- 1925: Valoyce
- 1926: Narice
- 1927: Iyone, Jahala, Mateel, Seroba, Tunny
- 1928: Geraine, Yuvawn
1930s
- 1931: Dixianna, Vergean
- 1932: Ilomae
- 1933: Ardoth, Patsyann
- 1934: Veree
- 1935: Rheeta
- 1936: Clarabeth, Thayle, Verilea
- 1937: Swanee
- 1939: Torchy
1940s
- 1940: Janalene, Willkie
- 1941: Nawatha, Saford, Spessard
- 1942: Donivee, Royalene, Wainwright, Wavell
- 1943: Angharad
- 1946: Darlia, Drene
- 1947: Junellen, Miralee
- 1948: Gwyned
- 1949: Judaline
1950s
- 1950: Frosty, Learta, Rosezena
- 1951: Desnee, Glenalee, Jilla
- 1952: Eisenhower, Gevan
- 1953: Jerilou, Judalon, Lastarza
- 1954: Bimbo, Bobbyetta, Topper
- 1955: Tammis, Twig
- 1956: Decca, Deltina
- 1957: Bryndis, Cindye, Gogi, Marsheela, Theonita, Zeline
- 1958: Daintry, Monsita, Sayonara, Tootie
- 1959: Kitza, Kookie,
Rapunzel*
1960s
- 1960: Andamo, Ansara, Bonanza, Claudinette, Devy, Flip, LaVelda, Marpessa, Nedenia, Perriann
- 1961: Gwendalina, Jefre
- 1962: Artra, Chubbie, Clu, Elcid, Gordean, Perette
- 1963: Bouvier, Brycie, Stanja
- 1964: Bavan, Dejuna, Djana, Duuana, Duuna, Guendalina, Thedy
- 1965: Apasra, Marichal, Mellyora
- 1966: Agena, Bedar, Daktari, Trumell
- 1967: Devara, Malette, Milette, Melette, Mellette, Molette, Ronisue, Tandeka, Twiggy
- 1968: Ondina, Stassa
- 1969: Biafra, Francellia, Troas, Tron
1970s
- 1970: Gandalf, Quetzy, Shalako
- 1971: Corelle, Kwabene, Lawanika, Shangaleza, Shelbra, Unseld
- 1972: Bayete, Genghis, Kattina, Kipchoge
- 1973: Cedeno, Cymande, Hec, Trevira
- 1974: Condredge, Pashun, Sirica, Sundown
- 1975: Chaffee, Durville, Foxy, Tchalla, Tyneal
- 1976: Comaneci, Suehay, Tavores, Vulnavia
- 1977: Akwete, Bnai, Civona, Debraca, Ibe, Idi, Jitu, Kairaba, Kefentse, Kizi, Kontar, Kuntakinte, Lavare, Loleatta, Makalani, Qiuana, Reannan, Shonski, Sommers, Stardust, Tristica, Wilona
- 1978: Astreia, Boz, Enchantra, Kushana, Namath, Travolta
- 1979: Ayatollah, Dilanjan, Kayatana, Santini, Spanky, Starbuck, Tekulve
1980s
- 1980: Estrada, Kimario, Lencola, Nykeba, Zhivago
- 1981: Fame, Nahema, Sadane, Shirret, Zimbabwe
- 1982: Chachi, Shashi, Senchal
- 1983: Jeopardy, Tyecha
- 1984: Ecaterina, Etoshia, Mergeron, Thawann, Tranel
- 1985: Chada, Mattlock, Meyosha, Sadea, Teenamarie
- 1986: Calizza, Chardey, Cindal, Codero, Marlesa, Tchanavian, Tereva
- 1987: Condola, Enchantee, Matlock
- 1988: Cassarah, Lung, Nattiel, Stedmen
- 1989: Alejandr, Anastasi, Angeliqu, Annamari, Annemari, Antoinet, Bernadet, Cassandr, Cassondr, Christop, Constanc, Demetriu, Dominiqu, Francisc, Geneviev, Jacqueli, Jacquely, Johnatho, Kassandr, Kristofe, Priscill, Sebastia, Dokken, Ikea
1990s
- 1990: Trinere, Tyski
- 1991: Dhahran, Eritrea, Vaitiare
- 1992: Adeva, Ilirida, Iniki, Macauly
- 1993: Ilish, Thurgood
- 1994: Blancaestela, Keemo, Ziyadah
- 1995: Corvina, Mufasa
- 1996: Jumanji
- 1997: Dodi,
Versace* - 1998: Picabo, Tiriq, Tsianina
2000s
- 2000: Alancia, Iuma, Rikishi, Sisqo
- 2003:
Legolas*, Nasiriyah - 2004: Tsitsiki
- 2005: Anhuar, Gemelli, Ginobili, Joemy, Neyzer
- 2006: Narnia, Peregrina, Qorianka, Sensi
- 2007: Euphoria
- 2008: Karmindy
2010s
- 2010: Benhur
- 2011: Adrialys
- 2012: Ryujin, Ryuki, Thienlong
- 2013: Citori
- 2015: Ayanami, Maleficent, Tamriel
- 2016: Alduin
- 2017: Petehn, Tolkien
As I write about other one-hits, I’ll add the links to this page. (Names without links represent posts that are written, but not live on the blog yet.)
For more one-hit wonders that I’ve mentioned but not really written about yet, check out the lists of top one-hit wonders, year by year, top one-hit wonders overall for girls, and top one-hit wonders overall for boys.
How many one-hit wonders are there in the data overall? Here are some statistics:
Decade | One-Hit Girl Names | One-Hit Boy Names |
---|---|---|
1880s | 7 | 8 |
1890s | 23 | 7 |
1900s | 26 | 5 |
1910s | 466 | 360 |
1920s | 708 | 521 |
1930s | 280 | 188 |
1940s | 238 | 109 |
1950s | 412 | 194 |
1960s | 626 | 168 |
1970s | 1,340 | 532 |
1980s | 1,500 | 732 |
1990s | 2,363 | 1,311 |
2000s | 3,412 | 2,242 |
2010-2015 | 3,025 | 2,140 |
Send me a note if you have any questions or suggestions, or if there’s a particular one-hit wonder name you know of that you’d like me to write about.
*Demoted! No longer a one-hit wonder; has since popped up on the charts at least one more time.