Where did the baby name Dixiana come from in 1930?

The character Dixiana Caldwell from the movie "Dixiana" (1930)
Dixiana Caldwell from “Dixiana

The name Dixiana has appeared in the U.S. baby name data just twice, in the early 1930s:

  • 1932: unlisted
  • 1931: 6 baby girls named Dixiana
  • 1930: 6 baby girls named Dixiana [debut]
  • 1929: unlisted
  • 1928: unlisted

The variant spelling Dixianna was a one-hit wonder during the same period.

Where did these names come from?

The musical film Dixiana, which was released in mid-1930 and which — like The Wizard of Oz — included an innovative mid-movie transition from black-and-white to Technicolor.

The film’s main character, Dixiana Caldwell (played by Bebe Daniels), was a circus performer in the antebellum South. She fell in love with the son of a plantation owner, but a crooked gambler had his designs on her as well.

The movie also featured a song called “Dixiana,” sung by the main character.

What do you think of the name Dixiana?

P.S. If you’d like to watch the entire film (which is now in the public domain), there’s a copy of Dixiana at the Internet Archive.

Sources: Dixiana (film) – Wikipedia, Dixiana – Rotten Tomatoes
Image: Screenshot of Dixiana

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