Actress Angelina Jolie was a rising star in the late ’90s and early 2000s, thanks to movies like Gia (1998), Girl, Interrupted (1999), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001).
But she wasn’t just becoming a familiar face in the movie theaters — she was also having a strong influence on baby names. In 2000, the name Jolie broke into the U.S. top 1,000 for the first time, and, a year later, the name Angelina entered the top 100 for the first time:
| Girls named Angelina | Girls named Jolie | |
| 2003 | 4,271 (rank: 71st) | 377 (rank: 691st) |
| 2002 | 3,979 (rank: 74th) | 412 (rank: 620th) |
| 2001 | 3,368 (rank: 93rd) | 385 (rank: 655th) |
| 2000 | 2,140 (rank: 157th) | 275 (rank: 820th) |
| 1999 | 1,327 (rank: 237th) | 152 (rank: 1,241st) |
| 1998 | 1,167 (rank: 268th) | 109 (rank: 1,536th) |
Best of all, though, are the debuts of Anjolina and Anjolie — names that cleverly blend “Angelina” with “Jolie” — in 2000. I know of other actresses (e.g., Cyd Charisse, Pier Angeli) who popularized both their first and last names, but Angie is the only one I know of to inspire mash-ups like this.
Which name do you like better for a baby girl, Angelina or Jolie? (Or do you prefer one of the portmanteaus?)
Source: Angelina Jolie – Rotten Tomatoes
Angelina Ballerina books became a television series in 2001 which may have also influenced the usage.
That’s true! Thanks Diana. :)
I like Jolie over Angelina for a first name but Angelina is a pretty name.
when I was a child I watched this popular childrens show Romper Room , at the end program the teacher would look in her magic mirror and say the names of the kids she saw through the tv. She would say I see Susie,Barbara,Linda ,Debbei, never Angela
now I hear variations of my name all over the media,movies commercials.