Most popular girls’ names in California, 1940

Official counts of babies given each name, ranked by NameTides (names with the same count share a rank).

Rank	Name	Babies
1	Mary	1,821
2	Patricia	1,675
3	Barbara	1,598
4	Linda	1,568
5	Carol	1,079
6	Judith	1,035
7	Sharon	916
8	Nancy	890
9	Sandra	839
10	Judy	734
11	Susan	630
12	Donna	629
13	Margaret	625
14	Betty	603
15	Joan	586
16	Diane	582
16	Shirley	582
18	Carolyn	553
19	Marilyn	518
20	Joyce	508
21	Virginia	502
22	Gloria	468
23	Beverly	439
24	Janice	428
25	Janet	410

Rank	Name	Babies
26	Dorothy	393
27	Bonnie	371
28	Frances	370
29	Kathleen	346
30	Helen	339
31	Alice	334
31	Karen	334
33	Carole	330
34	Jean	316
35	Elizabeth	298
36	Ann	293
37	Dolores	280
37	Irene	280
39	Ruth	271
40	Darlene	270
41	Martha	265
42	Joanne	259
43	Phyllis	257
44	Gail	248
44	Pat	248
46	Sally	245
47	Norma	240
48	Diana	237
49	Brenda	231
50	Marie	227
51	Roberta	225
52	Elaine	210
53	Evelyn	209
54	Rose	193
55	Marjorie	191
56	Lois	189
57	Loretta	188
57	Marlene	188
59	Arlene	187
60	Anita	186
61	Peggy	181
62	Geraldine	180
63	Charlotte	179
64	Jacqueline	177
65	Sylvia	172
66	Joann	171
67	Jo	169
67	Sue	169
69	Connie	168
70	Eleanor	167
71	Louise	165
72	Doris	164
73	Katherine	159
74	Maria	152
75	Carmen	151
76	Charlene	150
77	Catherine	147
77	Suzanne	147
79	Esther	145
79	Yvonne	145
81	Jane	138
82	Jeanette	136
83	Deanna	133
84	Josephine	131
84	Rosemary	131
86	Jeanne	130
87	Rachel	129
88	Lynda	127
89	Kay	125
89	Marcia	125
89	Wanda	125
92	Ellen	124
93	Juanita	119
94	Patsy	118
95	Rosalie	117
96	Anne	115
96	Dianne	115
98	Lorraine	113
98	Maureen	113
100	Julie	111
100	June	111