We’ve all pretty much on board with the Hundred Year Rule that says it usually takes a full century for a name to shake off its musty image and start to sound fresh again. Which is why so many turn-of-the-last-century names have returned, names we don’t associate with any older person we have actually known–those belonging to the great-great or great-great-great grand generation–all those lacy girls’ names like Amelia and Matilda and Clementine that now sound so appealing.

　　But what about the girls’ names of the generations that followed those in the first half of the twentieth century? Most of them are much more simple and matter of fact, often two syllables rather than three or four, feminine rather than feminissima.  These would be the names of our grandmothers and great-aunts and mothers-in-law—the older women in our lives.

　　Though there are some exceptions, such as the relatively recently revived Sylvias, Audreys, Lillians and Evelyns, and starbabies like Julia Roberts’ Hazel and Sarah Jessica Parker’s Marion—most of these examples that were mega-popular from the twenties to the sixties have been consigned to onomastic limbo.

　　Our question today is: Are any of them ready to be sprung?

　　Listed here some of the names that were most popular back  in their day—leaving out the classics, the nicknames and the ephemeral trendies.  They’re in reverse chronological order, starting with the names that peaked in the 1920s, showing the time span in which they ranked in the Top 100, followed by the highest number they ever reached.

　　And who knows? Maybe we’ll come up with a Half-Hundred Year Rule!

　　1920s

　　Bernice— 1900-36          #39 in 1921

　　Doris— 1902-54                #6   in 1929

　　Gloria— 1922-63              #29 in 1925-26

　　June— 1915-49                 #39 in 1925

　　Lois–1902-1953              #17 in 1929-30

　　Lorraine—1918-48        #39 in 1928

　　Marian —1912-34           #64 in 1924

　　Marjorie—1904-45        # 16 in 1921-23

　　Maxine—1915-30           #76  in  1923

　　Phyllis–1916-58            #24 in 1929

　　Virginia—1893-1959    #6 in 1921

　　Wilma—1912-40           #62 in 1925

　　1930s

　　Arlene 1931-43             #53 in 1934

　　Barbara  1913-76          #2  from 1937 to 1944

　　Beverly 1926-64           #14 in 1937

　　Dolores 1923-44           #13 in 1930

　　Elaine 1923-57              #42 in 1938

　　Geraldine 1916-46       #38 in 1931

　　Janet 1928-70                #17 in 1939

　　Jeanette 1936-41          #82 in 1939

　　Joan 1924-64                  #5 from 1931 to 1933

　　Joanne  1930-60           #45 in 1934-35

　　Joyce 1924-89               #11 in 1937-38

　　Loretta 1931-44             #62 in 1938

　　Marilyn 1925-58           #13 in 1936-37

　　Marlene 1931-42           #39 in 1935-36

　　Norma 1918-47             #22 in 1931-1932

　　Rita 1914-60                    #42 in 1930

　　Roberta 1935-53           #64 in 1936

　　Shirley 1918-63              #2 in 1935-36

　　Wanda 1922-66             #47 in 1934

　　Yvonne  1935-37         #77 in 1937

　　1940s

　　Bonnie 1928-66               #33 in 1941, 46, 50

　　Carol 1928-71                 #4 in 1941

　　Ellen 1880-1961 (on and off)  #59 in 1942

　　Glenda 1941-52               #79 in 1944

　　Judith 1934-64              #4 in 1940

　　Kathleen 1920-90        #9 in 1949

　　Kay 1936-45                      #70 in 1941

　　Linda 1936-77               #1 from 1947 to 1952

　　Rosemary 1926-49      #75 in 1946

　　Sandra 1934-94              #5 in 1947

　　Sharon 1935-77             #8 in 1943

　　Suzanne 1941-73           #52 in 1946

　　1950s

　　Cynthia 1945-93            #7 in 1957

　　Deborah 1950-76          #2 in 1955

　　Denise 1950-81               #23  in 1955-56

　　Diane 1937-71                 #14 in 1955

　　Donna 1926-76                #5 in 1959-60

　　Gail 1937-61                      #36 in 1951

　　Janice 1932-67                 #21 in 1951

　　Marsha 1946-54              #68 in 1950

　　Nancy 1920-78                 #6 in 1950

　　Pamela 1943-83              #10 in 1953

　　Paula 1943-74                 #38 in 1954

　　Susan 1937-85                #2 1957– 1960

　　Valerie 1953-87             #60 in 1959

　　60s

　　Anita 1937-67                 #77 in 1963

　　Annette 1957-67           #62 in 1960

　　Brenda 1939-77             #11 in 1961

　　Karen 1938-85                #2 in 1965

　　Lisa                                       #1 1962-69

　　Michelle 1954-2007    #2 in 1968-69, 71-72

　　Renee 1960-78                #62 in 1967

　　Teresa  1938-81 #18 in 1961- 63

　　So which if any of these names do you think show some promise of returning?  Would you use any of them yourself—and not just because they’re family names?