How popular is the baby name Gordean in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Find out using the graph below! Plus, check out all the blog posts that mention the name Gordean.

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Popularity of the Baby Name Gordean


Posts that Mention the Name Gordean

Blogiversary: NBN’s sweet sixteen

birthday cake

Nancy’s Baby Names was launched on March 6, 2006. So today is the blog’s birthday.

In fact, it’s the blog’s sweet sixteen!

Happy birthday, NBN. :)

Image by diapicard from Pixabay

Interesting one-hit wonder names in the U.S. baby name data

tulips

They came, they went, and they never came back!

These baby names are one-hit wonders in the U.S. baby name data. That is, they’ve only popped up once, ever, in the entire dataset of U.S. baby names (which accounts for all names given to at least 5 U.S. babies per year since 1880).

There are thousands of one-hit wonders in the dataset, but the names below have interesting stories behind their single appearance, so these are the one-hits I’m writing specific posts about. Just click on a name to read more.

1890s

1900s

  • (none yet)

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

  • (none yet)

As I discover (and write about) more one-hit wonders in the data, I’ll add the names/links to this page. In the meanwhile, do you have any favorite one-hit wonder baby names?

P.S. You might also be interested in this list of the top one-hit wonder baby names since 1880…

Where did the baby name Gordean come from in 1962?

Gordean Leilehua Lee in 1958.
Gordean Leilehua Lee

The intriguing name Gordean appeared in the U.S. baby name data just once, in the early 1960s:

  • 1964: unlisted
  • 1963: unlisted
  • 1962: 6 baby girls named Gordean [debut]
    • 5 born in Hawaii
  • 1961: unlisted
  • 1960: unlisted

Where did this one come from?

Gordean Leilehua Lee, who was crowned Miss Hawaii 1959. She didn’t win the Miss America 1960 pageant (held in mid-1959, a few weeks after Hawaii was granted statehood), but she did earn the title of Miss Congeniality.

Before winning Miss Hawaii, she was a student at the University of Hawaii by day and a hula dancer at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel by night. She performed under the name “Lehua.”

I’m not sure why the name debuted in ’62 as opposed to ’59 or ’60. Perhaps in 1962 she was being featured locally (like at a festival or some other event) and I just haven’t come across evidence of it yet.

But I do know that her parents were Gordon and Josephine, so it would be logical to assume that her unique first name (pronounced gor-deen) is a combination of her parents’ names.

Gordean went on to become a hula teacher and lei maker. These days she owns/operates Bailey Farms Maui.

Sources:

[Latest update: Jan. 2022]

“Miss America” names: Caleche, Jillayne, Osjha, Tangra, Venus

Did you know that there have been Miss Americas named Venus (1944), BeBe (1948), Jacque (1949), Vonda (1965) and Leanza (1993)?

Miss America 1926, Norma Smallwood, had the middle name Des Cygne (French for “swans”), which she then passed along to her daughter as a first name (paired with the middle name L’Amour, French for “love”).

In 2000, the Miss America pageant included delegates named Brandee (from New Hampshire), Brandi (from New York) and Brandy (from Arkansas).

Other interesting names I spotted skimming over lists of delegates include…

  • Acacia Courtney (2015)
  • Adria Elaine Easton (1970)
  • Alansa Rounds Carr (1960)
  • Aloha Eugenia Porter (1926)
  • Ami Vice (2005) – just two letters away from Miami Vice!
  • Aniska T. Tonge (2013)
  • Annalou Johnston (1949)
  • Annyse Diane Sherman (1942)
  • Armelia Carol Ohmart (1946)
  • Arron Racheal Wendel (2001)
  • BaShara Crystelle Chandler (1994)
  • Bee Jay Johnston (1949)
  • Bethlene Pancoast (2007)
  • Bindhu Pamarthi (2014)
  • Brantlee Corinne Price (1970)
  • Burma Ann Davis (1969)
  • Caleche Manos (2008)
  • Charlavan Baker (1955)
  • Chardelle Hayward (1953)
  • Che’Vonne Dalora Burton (2001)
  • Chuti Lynn Tiu (1995)
  • Clark Janell Davis (2016)
  • Cloris Leachman (1946)
  • Coline-Helen Kaualoku Aiu (1975)
  • Cullen Johnson (1995)
  • Dakeita Tania Vanderburg (1984)
  • Dalyce Gail Smith (1956)
  • Daphne Jean Cochran (1981)
  • Darby Lynn Moore (1975)
  • Daureen Podenski (1980)
  • Delight Michelle Scheck (1999)
  • Dell-Fin Kala’upaona Po’aha (1951)
  • Dellynne Cole Catching (1969)
  • Delta Burke (1975)
  • Denby Annette Kwai Foong Dung (2002)
  • Devanni Partridge (2010)
  • Djuan Keila Trent (2011)
  • Dusene Alee Vunovich (1961)
  • Du Sharme Le Shette Carter (1993)
  • Dustin-Leigh Konzelman (2006)
  • Echo Layne Rost (1974)
  • Edithea Lois Wilde (1923)
  • Eisa Megan Krushansky (1998)
  • Eldrida Fisk (1922)
  • Ethelda Bernice Kenvin (1923)
  • Eudora Leola Mosby (2006)
  • Eugenia Alexandra Primis (2002)
  • Fairfax Bushnell Mason (1948)
  • Ferol Amelia Dumas (1941)
  • Fianna Marie Dickson (2004)
  • Florine Holt (1939)
  • Freita Fuller (1973)
  • Galen Aubrey Giaccone (2009)
  • GiGi Marie Gordon (1997)
  • Glenna Marie Pohly (1953)
  • Glynnelle Hubbard (1958)
  • Gordean Leilehua Lee (1960)
  • Gunnel Ragone (1969)
  • Gussie Short (1937)
  • Guylyn Elaine Remmenga (1979)
  • Haunani Asing (1977)
  • Hela Yungst (1971)
  • Helmar Liederman (1922)
  • Herma Loy Elliott (1963)
  • Honey Castro (1986)
  • Iora June Victor (1944)
  • Irmgard Dietel (1937)
  • Itha Duerrhammer (1944)
  • Jade-Romejii Smalls (2000)
  • Jalee Fuselier (2011)
  • Jaleigh Jeffers (1983)
  • Jeffie Lorraine Ventling (1998)
  • Jenileigh Avriel Sawatzke (2007)
  • Jere Wright (1957)
  • Jillayne Ann Mertens (2002)
  • Jini Boyd (1946)
  • Jinx Burrus (1951)
  • Junnie Young Cross (2001)
  • Kalyn Evel Chapman (1994)
  • Kama Katherine Boland (2000)
  • Kanoe Aberegg (1994)
  • Kanoelehua Kaumeheiwa (1974)
  • Kapri Allyse Rose (2002)
  • Karissa Carol Rushing (1991)
  • Karlyne La Rae Abele (1951)
  • Kehaulani Tiffanie Naleialoha Christian (2003)
  • Kendi Lynn Brown (1979)
  • Keone Cook (1981)
  • Keungsuk Kim (1982)
  • Kiaraliz Medina (2013)
  • Kinila Latia Callendar (2005)
  • Kippy Lou Brinkman (1966)
  • La Bruce Sherrill (1940)
  • LaFrance Boyett (1935)
  • LaRue Wilson (1935)
  • Lencola Sullivan (1981)
  • Lenena Ruth Holder (1994)
  • Lennie Josephine Nobles (1946)
  • Ligaya Stice (1990)
  • Loveta Chera-Lyn Cook (1999)
  • Luna Lynn McClain (1947)
  • Madonna Kimberly Emond (2004)
  • Marlinda Mason (1960)
  • Marshawn LaToya Evans (2002)
  • Mattigene Palmore (1939)
  • Melanne Pennington (1985)
  • Merissa Starnes (1998)
  • MerriBeth Cox (2013)
  • Merrilee Gay Miller (1965)
  • Mifaunwy Dolores Shunatona (1941)
  • Mikka Lynn Darby (1989)
  • Mineola Graham (1944)
  • Molla Barnett (1926)
  • Monnie Drake (1940)
  • Monta Anne Maki (1980)
  • Mozelle Ransome (1927)
  • Najla Ghazi (1988)
  • Naylene Vuurens (1979)
  • Nelle Xerminia Owens (1942)
  • Neva Jackson (1923)
  • Noralyn Olsen (1971)
  • Onalee Louise Olson (1966)
  • Osjha Michelle Anderson (2000)
  • Othelia Mitsch (1935)
  • Pennisue Largent (1982)
  • Pepper Donna Shore (1947)
  • Pilialoha Kalai Gaison (2007)
  • Ramsey Carpenter (2015)
  • Rana Beth Jones (2004)
  • Ra Nae Petersen (1977)
  • Rashida Tulani Jolley (2001)
  • Raven Malone (1947)
  • ReJean Ann Bowar (1962)
  • Renelle Kimberly Richardson (2001)
  • Ronnee Brunk (1968)
  • Sabrian Olena Rubin (2005)
  • Savvy Shields (2016)
  • Scarlotte Lee Deupree (2003)
  • Semmelle Shantae Ford (2001)
  • Seva Celeste Day (1976)
  • Shandi Finnessey (2003)
  • Sherrylyn Patecell (1961)
  • ShonDrell Latasha Hunter (2004)
  • Soncee Brown (1992)
  • Stuart Fraser Johnson (1959)
  • Tangra Lea Riggle (2003)
  • Tanssia Zara (1922)
  • Timmy Weston (1945)
  • Tippe Emmott (2013)
  • Titilayo Rachel Adedokun (1994)
  • Tosca Carolyn Masini (1951)
  • Toula Hages Straton (1943)
  • Toyia Tynae Taylor (2000)
  • Trelynda Kerr (1984)
  • Urania Judith Nicholaides (1946)
  • Valli Suzanne Kugler (2003)
  • Vanadora Baker (1940)
  • Veena Michelle Goel (2005)
  • Velva Irene Robbins (1954)
  • Wayring Smathers (1937)
  • Wilda Georgine Bowman (1946)
  • Wildeana Withers (1925)
  • Wren Prather (1973)
  • Yanci Jane Yarbrough (2000)
  • Yetta Haber (1925)
  • Ysleta LaVerne Leissner (1949)
  • Yun Tau Zane (1948)
  • Zasada Lord (1926)
  • Zulma Caballero Lopez (1938)

Which of the above do you like best?

Sources: Miss America Organization, Norma Smallwood – Wikipedia

[Latest update: Aug. 2017]