1922 girl names range from classic Margaret and Elizabeth to vintage gems like Esther and Pearl. Some, like Wilma and Bernice, still feel stuck in style limbo, while a few more – Rita, Betty, Mabel – feel ready for revival.
The hundred year rule says that 1922 favorites ought to feel fresh and new, just in time for 2022.
It’s never that simple, of course.
Mary topped the charts for so many years that parents still perceive it as popular – even though a baby girl named Mary is rare (and refreshing!) today.
But if you love names with history and antique appeal, turning the clock back a solid century is a good place to start.
First we’ll look at the official Top 100 from the year 1922. (Look up the entire Top 1000 here.)
Then we’ll look at names on the fringes way back then – but surprisingly stylish today. The second list proves that 1922 girl names are worth a closer look, from the former favorites to the names on the edges.
MOST POPULAR 1922 GIRL NAMES
- Mary
- Dorothy
- Helen
- Margaret
- Ruth
- Betty
- Virginia
- Mildred
- Elizabeth
- Frances
- Doris
- Anna
- Evelyn
- Marie
- Alice
- Marjorie
- Irene
- Florence
- Lillian
- Jean
- Martha
- Louise
- Rose
- Catherine
- Gladys
- Ruby
- Josephine
- Eleanor
- Edna
- Annie
- Thelma
- Ethel
- Lucille
- Edith
- Lois
- Pauline
- Hazel
- Grace
- Shirley
- Barbara
- Bernice
- Marion
- Beatrice
- Esther
- June
- Norma
- Clara
- Gertrude
- Ann
- Emma
- Sarah
- Rita
- Phyllis
- Katherine
- Jane
- Lorraine
- Juanita
- Geraldine
- Elsie
- Julia
- Gloria
- Agnes
- Bertha
- Eva
- Ida
- Anne
- Marian
- Laura
- Patricia
- Willie
- Pearl
- Viola
- Kathryn
- Vivian
- Myrtle
- Charlotte
- Wilma
- Nancy
- Vera
- Kathleen
- Bessie
- Maxine
- Nellie
- Alma
- Lillie
- Violet
- Jessie
- Stella
- Audrey
- Ella
- Minnie
- Wanda
- Lucy
- Sylvia
- Ellen
- Eileen
- Jeanne
- Genevieve
- Mabel
- Margie
1922 GIRL NAMES JUST RIGHT FOR 2022
BIRDIE
Sweet and sparky Birdie blends the best of Sadie with Wren. It could be short for Elizabeth, Beatrice, or Bernadette … but back in 1922, Birdie ranked in the US Top 1000 on its own.
GEORGETTE
Take Georgia, add a healthy dose of Juliette, and you’ll have Georgette.
LEATRICE
It looks like a smoosh of Leah and Beatrice, and that’s likely the name’s origins. Silent film star Leatrice Joy put the name on parents’ list of possibilities way back in the 1910s.
LUCINDA
Author Miguel Cervantes stretched traditional Lucia into elaborate Lucinda. It’s been in use ever since.
MILLICENT
Strong and delicate at once, Millicent comes with accessible nickname Millie.
NOVELLA
It might be an elaboration of Nova, but Novella feels most like a literally literary name.
POLLY
Molly is a long-time favorite, while Penelope is a smash hit. Poppy is on the rise. So why have we overlooked Polly? It’s the perfect blend of edge and sweet.
PRUDENCE
Virtuous Prudence sounds at home on Plymouth Rock – or, possibly, as the title of a Beatles song.
ROSALIND
Tailored and sophisticated, Rosalind sounds like a name from another era. But Rose and Rosie are timeless.
TWILA
Dancer Twyla Tharp made her unusual name slightly more familiar. But she wasn’t the first to bear it, and Twila had a good run in the 1920s, peaking in the 1930s. It’s said to be based on the word twilight.
WILLIA
Cross Willa with all those girl names ending in -lia, and Willia is a logical possibility.
YVETTE
Relatively few Y names are in use, and Yvette remains rare circa 2022. But we do love a great Eve name these days, and Yvette might be a surprisingly wearable vintage find.
My daughters are both there, in the 50-100 range.