What gave the baby name Angelique a boost in 1953?

The character Angelique Dureau from the movie "The Mississippi Gambler" (1953)
Angelique from “The Mississippi Gambler

The baby name Angelique saw its first conspicuous increase in usage in the early 1950s:

  • 1955: 48 baby girls named Angelique
  • 1954: 46 baby girls named Angelique
  • 1953: 88 baby girls named Angelique
  • 1952: 7 baby girls named Angelique
  • 1951: 5 baby girls named Angelique

Angelique was the fastest-rising baby name of 1953, in fact.

What was drawing attention to the name that year?

A movie called The Mississippi Gambler, which was released in January.

The film was set in New Orleans during the antebellum era. The main character was riverboat gambler Mark Fallon (played by Tyrone Power), and Fallon’s love interest was Southern belle Angelique “Leia” Dureau (played by Piper Laurie).

What are your thoughts on the name Angelique? Would you use it?

Sources: The Mississippi Gambler (1953 film) – Wikipedia, The Mississippi Gambler – Rotten Tomatoes, SSA

Image: Screenshot of The Mississippi Gambler

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.