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 Ohio 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.
You may also like: Best draft picks in Cleveland Cavaliers history
javi_indy // Shutterstock
1 / 30Phyllis is a name of Greek origin meaning "green leaf".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,493
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 20 (#130 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 76,107 (#38 most common name)
Kateryna Gurska // Shutterstock
2 / 30Pamela is a name of Greek origin meaning "all sweetness".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 5,149
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 10 (#2,330 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 73,030 (#39 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
3 / 30Joan is a name of Hebrew origin meaning God is gracious.
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 5,150
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 37 (#1,507 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 117,682 (#24 most common name)
Krystyna Taran // Shutterstock
4 / 30Cheryl is a name of Greek origin meaning "cherry fruit".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 5,695
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 11 (#2,237 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 70,811 (#43 most common name)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
5 / 30Janice is a name of English origin meaning "God is gracious".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 5,964
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 10 (#2,330 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 118,880 (#23 most common name)
You may also like: Hottest Julys in Ohio since 1895
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
6 / 30Ruth is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "friend".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 5,983
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 554 (#207 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 85,639 (#34 most common name)
Marlon Lopez MMG1 Design // Shutterstock
7 / 30Bonnie is a name of Scottish origin meaning "pretty".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 6,066
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 135 (#717 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 86,868 (#33 most common name)
Tetiana Iatsenko // Shutterstock
8 / 30Beverly is a name of English origin meaning "beaver stream or meadow".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 6,683
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 55 (#1,271 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 95,106 (#31 most common name)
pixelheadphoto digitalskillet // Shutterstock
9 / 30Diane is a name of Latin origin meaning "divine".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 7,000
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 11 (#2,237 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 122,870 (#22 most common name)
Maria Evseyeva // Shutterstock
10 / 30Marilyn is a name of English origin meaning beloved lake.
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 7,096
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 183 (#573 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 98,966 (#29 most common name)
You may also like: Best Cleveland Browns fantasy performances so far this season
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
11 / 30Betty is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "oath of God".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 7,506
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 100 (#886 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 194,620 (#11 most common name)
Lopolo // Shutterstock
12 / 30Margaret is a name of Greek origin meaning "pearl".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 8,050
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 933 (#109 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 173,025 (#13 most common name)
Aaron Amat // Shutterstock
13 / 30Shirley is a name of English origin meaning "bright".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 8,223
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 44 (#1,399 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 171,776 (#14 most common name)
Nolte Lourens // Shutterstock
14 / 30Joyce is a name of Latin origin meaning "lord".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 8,813
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 57 (#1,238 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 151,477 (#19 most common name)
Max Bukovski // Shutterstock
15 / 30Carolyn is a name of German origin meaning "free man".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 9,404
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 150 (#662 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 181,844 (#12 most common name)
You may also like: How Ohio ranks for most motorcycle fatalities
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 30Kathleen is a name of Irish origin meaning "pure".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 9,614
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 103 (#872 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 152,971 (#18 most common name)
Shyamalamuralinath // Shutterstock
17 / 30Janet is a name of Scottish origin meaning "God is gracious".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 9,885
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 12 (#2,161 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 130,746 (#21 most common name)
pixelheadphoto digitalskillet // Shutterstock
18 / 30Judy is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "praised".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 10,050
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 35 (#1,532 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 167,714 (#15 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
19 / 30Donna is a name of Italian origin meaning "lady of the home".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 11,188
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 17 (#1,951 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 165,520 (#17 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 30Susan is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "lily".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 12,788
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 156 (#646 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 212,010 (#10 most common name)
You may also like: Cleveland Browns seasons that exceeded expectations the most
CroMary // Shutterstock
21 / 30Karen is a name of Danish origin meaning "pure".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 14,090
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 122 (#781 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 167,698 (#16 most common name)
DONUT6_STUDIO // Shutterstock
22 / 30Sharon is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "a fertile plain".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 14,720
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 50 (#1,327 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 221,232 (#8 most common name)
Surne1shots // Shutterstock
23 / 30Judith is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "praised".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 14,923
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 78 (#1,040 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 218,035 (#9 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 30Nancy is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "grace".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 16,353
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 93 (#930 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 252,058 (#7 most common name)
Tatiana Katsai // Shutterstock
25 / 30Sandra is a name of Greek origin meaning "defender of man".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 17,263
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 81 (#1,015 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 265,527 (#6 most common name)
You may also like: Baldest states: See how Ohio ranks for hair-loss medication prescriptions
Liudmila Fadzeyeva // Shutterstock
26 / 30Carol is a name of German origin meaning "free man".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 19,840
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 14 (#2,070 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 292,330 (#5 most common name)
DONOT6_STUDIO // Shutterstock
27 / 30Patricia is a name of Latin origin meaning "noble".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 22,941
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 71 (#1,093 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 411,412 (#4 most common name)
Darren Brode // Shutterstock
28 / 30Barbara is a name of Greek origin meaning "foreign".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 23,989
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 121 (#786 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 425,267 (#3 most common name)
Marko Poplasen // Shutterstock
29 / 30Linda is a name of Italian origin meaning "beautiful".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 30,663
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 164 (#627 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 531,652 (#2 most common name)
Nina Buday // Shutterstock
30 / 30Mary is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "drop of the sea".
Ohio
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 30,920
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 896 (#117 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 640,070 (#1 most common name)
You may also like: Most expensive homes for sale in Ohio