The name Judalon has appeared in the U.S. baby name data just once so far:
- 1955: unlisted
- 1954: unlisted
- 1953: 11 baby girls named Judalon [debut]
- 1952: unlisted
- 1951: unlisted
Where did it come from?
The movie The Iron Mistress (1952), a fictionalized account of American frontiersman James “Jim” Bowie, after whom the Bowie knife was named.
In the film, the love interest of Bowie (played by Alan Ladd) was wealthy New Orleans woman Judalon de Bornay (played by Virginia Mayo).
Judalon never existed in real life, though — she’d been invented by Paul Wellman, the author of the 1951 book upon which The Iron Mistress was based.
What are your thoughts on the name Judalon?
P.S. The similar name Judaline was one-hit wonder several years earlier…
Sources:
- The Iron Mistress – Wikipedia
- Edmondson, J. R. The Alamo Story: From Early History to Current Conflicts. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2022.
- SSA
Image: Screenshot of The Iron Mistress
I’ve always been happy that I had a unique name. Biggest problem is people have problems pronouncing it correctly. I do believe, after reading Bowie’s life story that Judalon was his true love interest.
As far as I know you nailed it. My name is Judalon. My mom worked for a doctor and his receptionist had read the book. So when my mom was pregnant with me and needed a name; the rest is history. So I’m one of the 28, in the USA! I am of Black descent and I am as beautiful as my name.
There probably was that love interest but where did the name Judalon come from? Very beautiful. I hear it’s popular in the Middle East. Not sure which country. I hear it’s feminine for Judah.
@Judalon Harris – Thanks for sharing your story!
I believe the name was invented by the author of the book. (I can’t find “Judalon” in any historical records so far.) It reminds me of the French name Madelon, a diminutive of Madeleine, so my guess is that the author coined “Judalon” thinking that it was a plausible French diminutive form of Jude/Judah or Judith.