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 Washington 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 / 30Kathy is a name of Greek origin meaning "pure".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,219
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 8 (#1,813 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 34,628 (#85 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
2 / 30Virginia is a name of Latin origin meaning pure.
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,284
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 98 (#662 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 98,995 (#28 most common name)
Amalia Zilio // Shutterstock
3 / 30Beverly is a name of English origin meaning "beaver stream or meadow".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,291
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 48 (#1,008 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 95,106 (#31 most common name)
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4 / 30Joyce is a name of Latin origin meaning "lord".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,400
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 55 (#938 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 151,477 (#19 most common name)
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5 / 30Betty is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "oath of God".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,553
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 71 (#811 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 194,620 (#11 most common name)
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6 / 30Bonnie is a name of Scottish origin meaning "pretty".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,553
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 139 (#500 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 86,868 (#33 most common name)
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7 / 30Joan is a name of Hebrew origin meaning God is gracious.
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,625
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 28 (#1,248 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 117,682 (#24 most common name)
Tatyana Domnicheva // Shutterstock
8 / 30Cheryl is a name of Greek origin meaning "cherry fruit".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,867
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#2,187 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 70,811 (#43 most common name)
riggleton // Shutterstock
9 / 30Carolyn is a name of German origin meaning "free man".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,939
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 43 (#1,058 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 181,844 (#12 most common name)
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10 / 30Shirley is a name of English origin meaning "bright".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,951
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 21 (#1,377 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 171,776 (#14 most common name)
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11 / 30Pamela is a name of Greek origin meaning "all sweetness".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,980
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 21 (#1,377 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 73,030 (#39 most common name)
Oleksiy Avtomonov // Shutterstock
12 / 30Margaret is a name of Greek origin meaning "pearl".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,145
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 505 (#128 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 173,025 (#13 most common name)
pixelheadphoto digitalskillet // Shutterstock
13 / 30Marilyn is a name of English origin meaning beloved lake.
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,191
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 106 (#624 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 98,966 (#29 most common name)
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14 / 30Janice is a name of English origin meaning "God is gracious".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,344
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 12 (#1,631 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 118,880 (#23 most common name)
Nina Buday // Shutterstock
15 / 30Diane is a name of Latin origin meaning "divine".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,517
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 12 (#1,631 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 122,870 (#22 most common name)
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16 / 30Janet is a name of Scottish origin meaning "God is gracious".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,645
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 23 (#1,338 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 130,746 (#21 most common name)
Liudmila Fadzeyeva // Shutterstock
17 / 30Donna is a name of Italian origin meaning "lady of the home".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,032
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 11 (#1,693 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 165,520 (#17 most common name)
Oksana Kuzmina // Shutterstock
18 / 30Kathleen is a name of Irish origin meaning "pure".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,339
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#962 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 152,971 (#18 most common name)
Michael Pettigrew // Shutterstock
19 / 30Judith is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "praised".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,672
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 50 (#991 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 218,035 (#9 most common name)
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20 / 30Judy is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "praised".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,965
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 15 (#1,533 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 167,714 (#15 most common name)
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21 / 30Nancy is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "grace".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,125
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 43 (#1,058 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 252,058 (#7 most common name)
Dasha Muller // Shutterstock
22 / 30Karen is a name of Danish origin meaning "pure".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,332
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 66 (#848 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 167,698 (#16 most common name)
Darren Brode // Shutterstock
23 / 30Sandra is a name of Greek origin meaning "defender of man".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,510
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 50 (#991 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 265,527 (#6 most common name)
s_oleg // Shutterstock
24 / 30Susan is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "lily".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,976
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 21 (#1,377 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 212,010 (#10 most common name)
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25 / 30Carol is a name of German origin meaning "free man".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 5,160
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#2,187 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 292,330 (#5 most common name)
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26 / 30Barbara is a name of Greek origin meaning "foreign".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 5,238
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 11 (#1,693 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 425,267 (#3 most common name)
Max Bukovski // Shutterstock
27 / 30Patricia is a name of Latin origin meaning "noble".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 5,638
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 47 (#1,016 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 411,412 (#4 most common name)
ucchie79 // Shutterstock
28 / 30Sharon is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "a fertile plain".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 5,725
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 15 (#1,533 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 221,232 (#8 most common name)
phadungsak sawasdee // Shutterstock
29 / 30Mary is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "drop of the sea".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 6,447
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 365 (#195 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 640,070 (#1 most common name)
Tatiana Katsai // Shutterstock
30 / 30Linda is a name of Italian origin meaning "beautiful".
Washington
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 9,684
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 55 (#938 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 531,652 (#2 most common name)
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