As history tells, the 1940s were a decade that shaped American life. The country faced World War II, ration books, factory work, radio news, and families waiting for letters from loved ones who were overseas. By the end of the decade, the war was completely over, and people were starting fresh, and the first signs of the baby boom were starting to appear.
Stacker compiled a list of the most popular baby names for girls in the 40s in Mississippi using data from the Social Security Administration. Names are ranked by number of babies born.
Keep reading to see if your name made the list.
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1 / 30Frances is a name of Latin origin meaning "free man".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,616
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 71 (#392 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 85,421 (#35 most common name)
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2 / 30Lillie is a name of Old English origin meaning "beauty".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,764
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 93 (#317 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 15,126 (#154 most common name)
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3 / 30Judy is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "praised".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,772
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 93 (#317 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 167,714 (#15 most common name)
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4 / 30Emma is a name of German origin meaning "universal".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,825
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,067 (#3 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 22,487 (#114 most common name)
Liudmila Fadzeyeva // Shutterstock
5 / 30Alice is a name of German origin meaning "noble".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,915
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 200 (#127 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 72,381 (#40 most common name)
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6 / 30Joyce is a name of Latin origin meaning "lord".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,977
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 200 (#127 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 151,477 (#19 most common name)
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7 / 30Sarah is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "princess".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,037
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 262 (#85 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 39,844 (#74 most common name)
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8 / 30Nancy is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "grace".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,071
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 7 (#987 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 252,058 (#7 most common name)
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9 / 30Bobbie is a name of German origin meaning "bright fame".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,096
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 7 (#987 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 15,893 (#149 most common name)
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10 / 30Elizabeth is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "god is my oath".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,137
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 772 (#8 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 116,541 (#25 most common name)
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11 / 30Doris is a name of Greek origin meaning gift of the ocean.
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,179
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 772 (#8 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 64,109 (#42 most common name)
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12 / 30Rosie is a name of Latin origin meaning "rose".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,191
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 12 (#869 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 11,094 (#173 most common name)
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13 / 30Peggy is a name of English origin meaning pearl.
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,232
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 12 (#869 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 72,044 (#41 most common name)
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14 / 30Helen is a name of Greek origin meaning "shining light".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,300
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 60 (#445 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 90,739 (#32 most common name)
Michael Pettigrew // Shutterstock
15 / 30Ruby is a name of Latin origin meaning "precious red stone".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,379
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 242 (#96 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 31,681 (#96 most common name)
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16 / 30Brenda is a name of Norse origin meaning "sword".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,428
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 242 (#96 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 112,335 (#26 most common name)
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17 / 30Margaret is a name of Greek origin meaning "pearl".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,503
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 217 (#114 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 173,025 (#13 most common name)
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18 / 30Gloria is a name of Latin origin meaning "glory".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,688
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 7 (#987 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 105,028 (#27 most common name)
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19 / 30Sandra is a name of Greek origin meaning "defender of man".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,700
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 7 (#987 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 265,527 (#6 most common name)
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20 / 30Willie is a name of English origin meaning "resolute".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,729
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 7 (#987 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 17,907 (#138 most common name)
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21 / 30Carolyn is a name of German origin meaning "free man".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,305
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 12 (#869 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 181,844 (#12 most common name)
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22 / 30Martha is a name of Aramaic origin meaning "lady of the house".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,648
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 32 (#604 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 95,365 (#30 most common name)
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23 / 30Patricia is a name of Latin origin meaning "noble".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,079
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 17 (#790 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 411,412 (#4 most common name)
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24 / 30Shirley is a name of English origin meaning "bright".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,477
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 17 (#790 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 171,776 (#14 most common name)
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25 / 30Annie is a name of English origin meaning "grace".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,890
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 180 (#153 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 38,387 (#77 most common name)
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26 / 30Barbara is a name of Greek origin meaning "foreign".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 6,064
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 180 (#153 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 425,267 (#3 most common name)
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27 / 30Dorothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "God's Gift".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 6,560
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 28 (#639 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 132,255 (#20 most common name)
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28 / 30Betty is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "oath of God".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 6,723
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 28 (#639 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 194,620 (#11 most common name)
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29 / 30Linda is a name of Italian origin meaning "beautiful".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 6,749
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 28 (#639 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 531,652 (#2 most common name)
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30 / 30Mary is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "drop of the sea".
Mississippi
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 16,442
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 796 (#7 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 640,070 (#1 most common name)
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