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 Tennessee 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 / 30Glenda is a name of Celtic origin meaning "holy".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,256
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,888 (#163 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 33,197 (#88 most common name)
Oleksiy Avtomonov // Shutterstock
2 / 30Sharon is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "a fertile plain".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,292
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 38 (#1,158 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 221,232 (#8 most common name)
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3 / 30Phyllis is a name of Greek origin meaning "green leaf".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,418
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 38 (#1,158 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 76,107 (#38 most common name)
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4 / 30Frances is a name of Latin origin meaning "free man".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,454
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 195 (#380 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 85,421 (#35 most common name)
Dasha Muller // Shutterstock
5 / 30Doris is a name of Greek origin meaning gift of the ocean.
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,562
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 195 (#380 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 64,109 (#43 most common name)
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6 / 30Judith is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "praised".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,582
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 73 (#827 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 218,035 (#9 most common name)
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7 / 30Donna is a name of Italian origin meaning "lady of the home".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,591
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#2,226 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 165,520 (#17 most common name)
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8 / 30Virginia is a name of Latin origin meaning pure.
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,821
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 279 (#272 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 98,995 (#28 most common name)
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9 / 30Helen is a name of Greek origin meaning "shining light".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,008
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 179 (#421 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 90,739 (#32 most common name)
Dasha Muller // Shutterstock
10 / 30Carol is a name of German origin meaning "free man".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,010
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#2,226 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 292,330 (#5 most common name)
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11 / 30Patsy is a name of Latin origin meaning "noble".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,111
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#2,226 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 40,162 (#72 most common name)
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12 / 30Elizabeth is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "god is my oath".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,168
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 2,295 (#9 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 116,541 (#25 most common name)
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13 / 30Janice is a name of English origin meaning "God is gracious".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,494
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#2,226 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 118,880 (#23 most common name)
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14 / 30Peggy is a name of English origin meaning pearl.
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,351
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#2,226 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 72,044 (#42 most common name)
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15 / 30Margaret is a name of Greek origin meaning "pearl".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,431
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 722 (#86 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 173,025 (#13 most common name)
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16 / 30Dorothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "God's Gift".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,634
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 164 (#461 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 132,255 (#20 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 30Martha is a name of Aramaic origin meaning "lady of the house".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,859
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 98 (#683 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 95,365 (#30 most common name)
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18 / 30Wanda is a name of Polish origin meaning "wanderer".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,866
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 98 (#683 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 50,663 (#55 most common name)
Surne1shots // Shutterstock
19 / 30Joyce is a name of Latin origin meaning "lord".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,960
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 38 (#1,158 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 151,477 (#19 most common name)
Liudmila Fadzeyeva // Shutterstock
20 / 30Nancy is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "grace".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 5,517
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 64 (#891 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 252,058 (#7 most common name)
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21 / 30Sandra is a name of Greek origin meaning "defender of man".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 5,970
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 33 (#1,220 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 265,527 (#6 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 30Judy is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "praised".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 6,467
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 10 (#1,824 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 167,714 (#15 most common name)
Max Bukovski // Shutterstock
23 / 30Shirley is a name of English origin meaning "bright".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 7,090
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 11 (#1,755 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 171,776 (#14 most common name)
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24 / 30Carolyn is a name of German origin meaning "free man".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 7,962
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 82 (#772 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 181,844 (#12 most common name)
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
25 / 30Brenda is a name of Norse origin meaning "sword".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 8,387
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 28 (#1,294 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 112,335 (#26 most common name)
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26 / 30Patricia is a name of Latin origin meaning "noble".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 9,239
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 63 (#899 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 411,412 (#4 most common name)
Aaron Amat // Shutterstock
27 / 30Betty is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "oath of God".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 9,860
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 18 (#1,500 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 194,620 (#11 most common name)
Natalia Kirichenko // Shutterstock
28 / 30Barbara is a name of Greek origin meaning "foreign".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 10,563
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 23 (#1,381 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 425,267 (#3 most common name)
Black-Photogaphy // Shutterstock
29 / 30Linda is a name of Italian origin meaning "beautiful".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 16,314
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 63 (#899 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 531,652 (#2 most common name)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 30Mary is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "drop of the sea".
Tennessee
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 18,212
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 1,063 (#46 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 640,070 (#1 most common name)
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