We already know that Gone with the Wind had an effect on the usage of Scarlett and Tara. But what other baby names did it influence?
The main character, Scarlett O’Hara, had sisters named Suellen (a contraction of “Susan Elinor”) and Carreen (“Caroline Irene”). She also had a a sister-in-law named Melanie Hamilton. All three of these names were given a double-boost by Gone with the Wind — first, after the release of the book in mid-1936, and, second, after the release of the film in late 1939.
Suellen
Here’s the U.S. usage of the name Suellen. (In the movie, the character was played by actress Evelyn Keyes.)
- 1942: 144 baby girls named Suellen
- 1941: 159 baby girls named Suellen [peak]
- 1940: 141 baby girls named Suellen
- 1939: 40 baby girls named Suellen
- 1938: 31 baby girls named Suellen
- 1937: 30 baby girls named Suellen
- 1936: 5 baby girls named Suellen [debut]
- 1935: unlisted
- 1934: unlisted
The name saw peak usage in 1941 — also the year that variant form Sueellen debuted. After that, usage petered out.
Carreen
Here’s the U.S. usage of the name Carreen. (In the movie, the character was played by actress Ann Rutherford.)
- 1942: unlisted
- 1941: 8 baby girls named Carreen
- 1940: 6 baby girls named Carreen
- 1939: unlisted
- 1938: unlisted
- 1937: 8 baby girls named Carreen [debut]
- 1936: unlisted
- 1935: unlisted
- 1934: unlisted
The name Carreen appeared in the data a few more times in the ’60s and ’70s, but that’s it. Interestingly, the variant form Careen, which debuted in 1936, has seen more usage in the U.S. overall.
Melanie
Here’s the U.S. usage of the name Melanie from the mid-’30s to the early ’40s. (In the movie, the character was played by actress Olivia de Havilland.)
- 1942: 388 baby girls named Melanie
- 1941: 308 baby girls named Melanie
- 1940: 200 baby girls named Melanie
- 1939: 57 baby girls named Melanie
- 1938: 53 baby girls named Melanie
- 1937: 39 baby girls named Melanie
- 1936: 13 baby girls named Melanie
- 1935: 9 baby girls named Melanie
- 1934: 9 baby girls named Melanie
The name Melanie is quite old — it comes from an ancient Greek word meaning “black” or “dark” — but its usage was revived by Gone with the Wind. It went on to crack the top 100 for the first time in 1968 and has been popular ever since. It ranked 82nd in 2010.
