Time for another mystery baby name! Today’s stumper is Zeline, which charted in 1957 with a dozen baby girls:
- 1959: unlisted
- 1958: unlisted
- 1957: 12 baby girls named Zeline
- 1956: unlisted
- 1955: unlisted
The name Zelene debuted the same year, with half as many baby girls.
I’ve done all my standard research, which includes looking at newspapers and periodicals of the era, and so far I haven’t found any notable people/characters/products named Zeline (or Zelene) in 1956-1957.
These names don’t appear to be a variant of a more popular name, though I should mention that Celine saw an uptick in usage in ’58, which is interesting.
At least three of the Zelines and two of the Zelenes were born in California, but this probably isn’t much of a clue, given the relative population of California.
Anyone have a theory about the origin of this one?
Update, Apr. 2025: I think Anonymous has figured it out!
A character named Zeline was featured in a late 1956 episode of the popular TV anthology series Climax! (1954-58).
The episode, “Ten Minutes to Curfew,” which was set in the French Quarter of New Orleans, was broadcast on December 27. The main character was ex-convict George Slattery (played by Dewey Martin), and George’s love interest was Zeline Marie Preval (played by Susan Kohner).
“Ten Minutes to Curfew” was based on a story by William Fay called “The Outcasts,” which had been published in The Saturday Evening Post just three months earlier. (In Fay’s version, the setting was New York City, and the female character was named Rose Bruno.)
Thank you again, Anonymous!
Sources:
- Funk, Dorothy. “Story of ex-convict on Climax tonight.” Chronicle Telegram 27 Dec. 1956: 18.
- Fay, William. “The Outcasts.” Saturday Evening Post 29 Sept. 1956: 34+.
- SSA
Second image: Clipping from The Daily Reporter (27 Dec. 1956)
