Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1941

In this article we'll look at what the most popular baby girl names were for the year 1941. These names are taken directly from the Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States.

The table below shows the top 250 most popular baby girl names in 1941, with a total count for the number of births registered with that given name.

You can also use the links below to research more about the most popular baby names.

Top 1000 most popular boy names: 1-250 | 251-500 | 501-750 | 751-1000

Top 1000 most popular girl names: 1-250 | 251-500 | 501-750 | 751-1000

Rank Name Count
1 Mary 58,041
2 Barbara 39,539
3 Patricia 36,903
4 Carol 24,181
5 Linda 23,721
6 Judith 23,318
7 Betty 20,905
8 Nancy 20,883
9 Sandra 19,500
10 Shirley 16,953
11 Carolyn 16,273
12 Margaret 15,698
13 Joyce 15,682
14 Dorothy 14,568
15 Sharon 14,271
16 Judy 13,967
17 Joan 13,383
18 Janet 11,139
19 Karen 10,830
20 Donna 10,446
21 Elizabeth 10,268
22 Janice 10,061
23 Virginia 10,042
24 Helen 9,888
25 Martha 9,157
26 Gloria 9,007
27 Susan 8,888
28 Ruth 8,864
29 Beverly 8,727
30 Marilyn 8,557
31 Frances 8,468
32 Jean 7,840
33 Bonnie 7,760
34 Alice 7,446
35 Phyllis 7,348
36 Kathleen 7,160
37 Ann 7,122
38 Doris 7,077
39 Peggy 6,559
40 Diane 6,426
41 Brenda 6,332
42 Marie 6,153
43 Lois 6,107
44 Elaine 5,378
45 Geraldine 5,226
46 Jane 5,089
47 Norma 5,021
48 Carole 4,965
49 Rose 4,952
50 Evelyn 4,929
51 Catherine 4,882
52 Patsy 4,790
53 Wanda 4,735
54 Joanne 4,665
55 Charlotte 4,564
56 Anna 4,433
57 Dolores 4,385
58 Joann 4,275
59 Annie 4,073
60 Sarah 3,982
61 Sally 3,964
62 Louise 3,911
63 Rita 3,879
64 Mildred 3,847
65 Sylvia 3,787
66 Jo 3,756
67 Ellen 3,664
68 Gail 3,609
69 Ruby 3,583
70 Kay 3,536
71 Marjorie 3,517
72 Roberta 3,396
73 Jacqueline 3,388
74 Irene 3,370
75 Sue 3,359
76 Darlene 3,346
77 Arlene 3,290
78 Eleanor 3,249
79 Connie 3,205
80 Delores 3,159
81 Loretta 3,100
82 Anne 3,096
83 Marlene 3,068
84 Juanita 3,044
85 Katherine 3,004
86 Rebecca 2,924
87 Kathryn 2,868
88 Julia 2,847
89 Edna 2,834
90 June 2,766
91 Anita 2,741
92 Josephine 2,726
93 Lorraine 2,688
94 Rosemary 2,676
95 Theresa 2,674
96 Glenda 2,643
97 Suzanne 2,611
98 Jeanette 2,597
99 Emma 2,545
100 Diana 2,544
101 Christine 2,470
102 Maria 2,468
103 Edith 2,462
104 Lillian 2,460
105 Marcia 2,430
106 Wilma 2,427
107 Florence 2,391
108 Thelma 2,368
109 Pauline 2,353
110 Sheila 2,341
111 Clara 2,299
112 Cynthia 2,297
113 Vivian 2,279
114 Constance 2,276
115 Laura 2,273
116 Ethel 2,272
117 Audrey 2,233
118 Gladys 2,223
119 Lucille 2,203
120 Yvonne 2,198
121 Eileen 2,196
122 Margie 2,149
123 Grace 2,103
124 Sara 2,071
125 Charlene 2,060
126 Jeanne 2,060
127 Georgia 2,051
128 Annette 2,023
129 Maureen 1,992
130 Marion 1,986
131 Hazel 1,981
132 Priscilla 1,970
133 Bernice 1,932
134 Pat 1,900
135 Eva 1,861
136 Willie 1,860
137 Deanna 1,856
138 Esther 1,810
139 Maxine 1,749
140 Bertha 1,723
141 Ella 1,697
142 Marian 1,678
143 Beatrice 1,665
144 Lillie 1,655
145 Bobbie 1,634
146 Dianne 1,631
147 Maryann 1,612
148 Ida 1,610
149 Billie 1,554
150 Joy 1,550
151 Paula 1,540
152 Rosalie 1,513
153 Lynda 1,490
154 Rosa 1,475
155 Pamela 1,468
156 Lucy 1,443
157 Elsie 1,416
158 Harriet 1,396
159 Rachel 1,385
160 Faye 1,376
161 Myrna 1,372
162 Emily 1,368
163 Mattie 1,364
164 Alma 1,363
165 Jessie 1,355
166 Minnie 1,355
167 Nellie 1,284
168 Gwendolyn 1,268
169 Julie 1,267
170 Vera 1,266
171 Lynn 1,259
172 Sherry 1,252
173 Bessie 1,176
174 Caroline 1,173
175 Rosemarie 1,168
176 Patty 1,138
177 Rosie 1,106
178 Jackie 1,094
179 Agnes 1,093
180 Geneva 1,049
181 Dixie 1,047
182 Marianne 1,032
183 Carrie 1,030
184 Stella 1,023
185 Claudia 1,019
186 Cora 1,007
187 Gayle 1,007
188 Velma 1,001
189 Gertrude 998
190 Leona 998
191 Mae 993
192 Johnnie 987
193 Naomi 987
194 Myrtle 965
195 Carmen 956
196 Claire 953
197 Dora 951
198 Jeannette 948
199 Kathy 946
200 Lynne 944
201 Madeline 940
202 Viola 901
203 Marsha 895
204 Deloris 888
205 Nina 877
206 Alberta 864
207 Verna 862
208 Hattie 853
209 Nora 845
210 Veronica 837
211 Lola 836
212 Pearl 835
213 Shelby 826
214 Lula 824
215 Angela 822
216 Victoria 814
217 Hilda 795
218 Janie 795
219 Lena 795
220 Myra 788
221 Ramona 786
222 Jacquelyn 782
223 Violet 780
224 Marguerite 778
225 Irma 774
226 Eunice 770
227 Sondra 770
228 Ernestine 763
229 Valerie 752
230 Bette 747
231 Bonita 742
232 Susie 742
233 Daisy 740
234 Antoinette 732
235 Bettie 731
236 Bettye 729
237 Erma 727
238 Regina 727
239 Fannie 724
240 Andrea 720
241 Teresa 716
242 Melba 715
243 Miriam 713
244 Jennie 712
245 Flora 702
246 Iris 700
247 Lydia 682
248 Marcella 678
249 Ada 677
250 Della 673

What's in a (Popular) Name?

How do we know which baby names are hot each year? It's simple! The Social Security Administration collects data as parents register their newborns for a Social Security card. So, instead of waiting for the 10-year census, we get an annual update on the trending names!

Popular Baby Names vs. Popular First Names: Any Differences?

If you're wondering why the most popular baby names and the most popular first names aren't the same, remember: first names include everyone, not just babies. With 16.5% of the population over 65, names popular in their generation, like 'Flora' or '', still top the charts. As the birth rate declines, we won't see baby names like 'Mary' or '' topping the overall popular names list until the Baby Boomer generation decreases significantly.

What Factors Influence Baby Name Popularity?

Ever wondered how a name like 'Carol' or '' hits the charts? It's not an exact science, but here are some cool factors:

Celebrity Influence

Americans adore their stars! A favorite celeb can influence baby names, so if you see more little 'Patricias' or 's' running around, you might have a Hollywood A-lister to thank!

Character-Inspired Names

Bookworms and movie buffs often name their kids after beloved characters. If 'Linda' or '' sound familiar, check out the latest bestseller or box-office hit!

Following the Trend

We humans are trend-followers. So, if a friend's baby 'Judith' or '' has a cute ring to it, don't be surprised if it catches on!

The Power of Recall

Names heard repeatedly stick in our minds. So if 'Shirley' or '' are on repeat, you'll likely see them in the baby name charts.

Family Tradition

Some names like 'Betty' or '' stand the test of time, thanks to the tradition of naming babies after older relatives.

Religion and Politics

Religious texts and political figures inspire many parents. Evergreen choices like 'Nancy' or '' show the lasting impact of religion and politics on baby names.

So, while we can't always predict why a name like 'Sandra' or '' becomes popular, these factors give us some fun insights into the ever-changing landscape of baby names!

Historical Data for Baby Names

If you're interested to see how the trends and popularity of baby names have changed, you can use the links below to view the historical data by decade.

Most popular first names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Most popular boy names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Most popular girl names, 1880-present | since 1950 | since 1960 | since 1970 | since 1980 | since 1990 | since 2000 | since 2010

Data Source(s)

All of the data on this page is sourced from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and excludes any names with fewer than 5 occurrences in any geographic area.

Link To or Reference This Page

We spent a lot of time downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

  • "Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1941". NameCensus.com. Accessed on April 23, 2024. https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-girl-names-in-1941/.

  • "Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1941". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-girl-names-in-1941/. Accessed 23 April, 2024

  • Most Popular Baby Girl Names in 1941. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from https://namecensus.com/baby-names/popular-girl-names-in-1941/.