Doll names are time capsules of trends and popularity during different eras. Of course, the manufacturers tried to pick names that they thought would be especially appealing and attractive to little girls, which is why Barbara Lou appears in the 1930s, while Barbie comes around in the 1960s.

　　Here, doll names throughout the ages:

　　

1890s-1910s

Unfortunately, few of the gorgeous early French, German and other bebe dolls were given names–they would more likely be identified as “Baby Open-Mouth, Glass Eyes” or “Molded Blonde Hair Child,” leaving the actual bestowing of a name up to the child playing with it. But those with an official ID had names that were typical of their time:

　　Alma

　　Florence

　　Hilda

　　Jeanette

　　Katie

　　Lilly

　　Mabel

　　Marie

　　

1920s Doil Names

The Patsy series introduced the double names that would soon become prevalent in the population of dollyland. Most of the other names were relatively formal and conventional, some a little on the fancy side.

　　Benedetta

　　Edwina

　　Gloria

　　Henriette

　　Laura

　　Marilee

　　Norma

　　Patsy

　　Patsy Ann

　　Patsy Joan

　　Patsy Lou

　　Patsy Mae

　　Patsy Ruth

　　Phyllis

　　Priscilla

　　Rita

　　Roberta

　　Rosemary

　　

1930s Doll Names

The inclusion of middle names like Ann and Lee now became quasi-ubiquitous for 1930s baby names; also seen are time-stamped Bobbsey Twinish nicknames like Flossie and Ginger.

　　Barbara Ann

　　Barbara Lou

　　Dora Lee

　　Flossie

　　Ginger

　　Hilda

　　Lucia

　　Mary Lee

　　June

　　Nancy Lee

　　Patricia

　　Peggy Jean

　　Roberta

　　Sally

　　Shirley

　　Suzanne

　　Suzette

　　Wendy

　　Wendy-Ann

　　

1940s Doll Names

Nickname names take over — Barbara Ann is now Babs and Patricia has become Patty.

　　Babs

　　Betty Jane

　　Cynthia

　　Debby Jean

　　Jennie

　　Judy

　　Julie

　　Maggie

　　Mary Jane

　　Patty

　　Peggy

　　Polly

　　Sue

　　Trudy

　　Valerie

　　Velva

　　Wanda

　　

1950s Doll Names

A wide range of names for early Baby Boomers, with fresher choices like Karen, Cheryl and Cindy entering the mix.

　　April

　　Becky

　　Beryl

　　Betsy

　　Binnie

　　Bonnie

　　Carol

　　Cheryl

　　Cindy

　　Connie

　　Dawn

　　Edie

　　Elise

　　Ellie

　　Eloise

　　Ginny

　　Hope

　　Iva

　　Jan

　　Jill

　　Julie

　　Karen

　　Kay

　　Linda

　　Lucy

　　Margie

　　Margot

　　Muffie

　　Nan

　　Nanette

　　Pamela

　　Pat

　　Posie

　　Rosemary

　　Ruth

　　Sandra Sue

　　Sara Ann

　　Saralee

　　Susie

　　Taffy

　　Tina

　　Toni

　　Wanda

　　Wendy

　　Winnie

　　

1960s Doll Names

Includes names emerging from and reflecting popular culture, such as First Lady Jacqueline, Marlo, Tabitha and Tammy.

　　Barbie

　　Cathy

　　Coco

　　Crissy

　　Elise

　　Francie

　　Heidi

　　Janie

　　Jacqueline

　　Katie

　　Leslie

　　Liz

　　Marlo

　　Mary Ellen

　　Midge

　　Polly

　　Sally

　　Stacey

　　Tabitha

　　Tammy

　　

1970s Doll Names

Names become much more imaginative in the Swinging '70s, with new and unconventional choices popping up on doll boxes, including Cricket, Harmony, Tiffany, Tuesday and Velvet.

　　Blythe

　　Cara

　　Cinnamon

　　Cora

　　Cynthia

　　Crissy

　　Cricket

　　Darci

　　Dawn

　　Dina

　　Glori

　　Harmony

　　Heather

　　Lynn

　　Kerry

　　Melanie

　　Mia

　　Sasha

　　Sheryl

　　Steffie

　　Tara

　　Tiffany

　　Tuesday

　　Velvet

　　

1980s-today: American Girl Doll Names

The 1980s introduced American Girl, a brand of dolls portraying young girls from various points in American history. The dolls are fully developed characters that come with books about their lives.

　　Below, the historical dolls, listed in chronological order by their "birthdays:"

　　Kaya (1755)

　　Elizabeth (1765)

　　Felicity (1765)

　　Caroline (1802)

　　Josefina (1815)

　　Cécile (1843)

　　Marie-Grace (1843)

　　Kirsten (1845)

　　Addy (1855)

　　Nellie (1895)

　　Samantha (1895)

　　Rebecca (1905)

　　Kit (1923)

　　Ruthie (1923)

　　Nanea (1932)

　　Emily (1933)

　　Molly (1936)

　　Maryellen (1945)

　　Melody (1954)

　　Ivy (1966)

　　Julie (1966)

　　Courtney (1976)

　　Girl of the Year dolls were introduced in 2001 as limited-edition contemporary characters. They are meant to represent 10-12-year-old girls and come with their own backstories, much like the historical dolls. Their names are listed below, along with their ascribed birth years:

　　Lindsey (1991)

　　Kailey (1993)

　　Marisol (1995)

　　Jess (1996)

　　Nicki (1997)

　　Mia (1998)

　　Chrissa (1999)

　　Gwen (1999)

　　Sonali (1999)

　　Lanie (2000)

　　Kanani (2001)

　　McKenna (2002)

　　Saige (2003)

　　Isabelle (2004)

　　Grace (2005)

　　Lea (2005)

　　Gabriela (2006)

　　Luciana (2006)

　　Blaire (2009)

　　Joss (2010)

　　Kira (2010)

　　

About the Author

　　

Linda Rosenkrantz

　　Linda Rosenkrantz is the co-founder of Nameberry, and co-author with Pamela Redmond of the ten baby naming books acknowledged to have revolutionized American baby naming. You can follow her personally at Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. She is also the author of the highly acclaimed New York Review Books Classics novel Talk and a number of other books.

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