In 1941, the name Aloma re-emerged in the U.S. baby name data after a brief absence. It went on to achieve peak usage the very next year:
- 1944: 40 baby girls named Aloma
- 1943: 103 baby girls named Aloma [rank: 762nd]
- 1942: 147 baby girls named Aloma [rank: 616th]
- 1941: 47 baby girls named Aloma
- 1940: unlisted
- 1939: unlisted
It also managed to reach the girls’ top 1,000 twice.
What was drawing attention to the name Aloma around that time?
The movie Aloma of the South Seas, which was released in August of 1941.
The main character was Tanoa (played by Jon Hall), a young man from a tropical island in the Pacific Ocean. After spending many years abroad, Tanoa returned home upon the death of his father, the chief. Soon after, Tanoa fell in love with a fellow islander named Aloma (Dorothy Lamour). But Tanoa also had a villainous cousin named Revo (Philip Reed), who coveted both the lady and the throne…
Plot-wise, the movie didn’t have much in common with the 1926 silent film of the same name, which featured dancer Gilda Gray as Aloma. The original film was based on the Broadway play Aloma of the South Seas (1925) by LeRoy Clemens and John B. Hymer.
The 1941 version did, however, end with a spectacular volcanic eruption. It also earned a pair of Academy Award nominations (for cinematography and special effects). Oh, and one of the screenwriters happened to be former actress Seena Owen.
What are your thoughts on the baby name Aloma?
Sources: Aloma of the South Seas (1941 film) – Wikipedia, Aloma of the South Seas (1941) – TCM, SSA
Image: Movie poster for Aloma of the South Seas