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 West Virginia 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 / 30Martha is a name of Aramaic origin meaning "lady of the house".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,632
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 55 (#938 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 95,365 (#30 most common name)
Natalia Kirichenko // Shutterstock
2 / 30Frances is a name of Latin origin meaning "free man".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,632
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 55 (#938 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 85,421 (#35 most common name)
Kateryna Gurska // Shutterstock
3 / 30Dorothy is a name of Greek origin meaning "God's Gift".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,675
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#714 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 132,255 (#20 most common name)
Durganand // Shutterstock
4 / 30Connie is a name of Norman origin meaning "constant".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,738
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#714 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 56,507 (#49 most common name)
s_oleg // Shutterstock
5 / 30Bonnie is a name of Scottish origin meaning "pretty".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,766
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 5 (#714 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 86,868 (#33 most common name)
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6 / 30Virginia is a name of Latin origin meaning pure.
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,788
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 30 (#383 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 98,995 (#28 most common name)
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7 / 30Elizabeth is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "god is my oath".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,855
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 391 (#23 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 116,541 (#25 most common name)
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8 / 30Helen is a name of Greek origin meaning "shining light".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,891
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 391 (#23 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 90,739 (#32 most common name)
Amalia Zilio // Shutterstock
9 / 30Ruth is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "friend".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,893
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 17 (#477 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 85,639 (#34 most common name)
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10 / 30Wanda is a name of Polish origin meaning "wanderer".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 1,955
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 17 (#477 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 50,663 (#55 most common name)
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11 / 30Phyllis is a name of Greek origin meaning "green leaf".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,235
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 17 (#477 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 76,107 (#38 most common name)
Dasha Muller // Shutterstock
12 / 30Margaret is a name of Greek origin meaning "pearl".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,541
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 173,025 (#13 most common name)
javi_indy // Shutterstock
13 / 30Janet is a name of Scottish origin meaning "God is gracious".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,621
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 130,746 (#21 most common name)
Marko Poplasen // Shutterstock
14 / 30Karen is a name of Danish origin meaning "pure".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,757
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 167,698 (#16 most common name)
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15 / 30Joyce is a name of Latin origin meaning "lord".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 2,801
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 151,477 (#19 most common name)
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16 / 30Judy is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "praised".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,080
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 167,714 (#15 most common name)
Shyamalamuralinath // Shutterstock
17 / 30Donna is a name of Italian origin meaning "lady of the home".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,096
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 165,520 (#17 most common name)
Tatyana Domnicheva // Shutterstock
18 / 30Judith is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "praised".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,653
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 218,035 (#9 most common name)
Olesia Bilkei // Shutterstock
19 / 30Shirley is a name of English origin meaning "bright".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,867
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 171,776 (#14 most common name)
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock
20 / 30Carol is a name of German origin meaning "free man".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 3,942
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 292,330 (#5 most common name)
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21 / 30Sharon is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "a fertile plain".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,316
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 221,232 (#8 most common name)
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22 / 30Brenda is a name of Norse origin meaning "sword".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,342
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 112,335 (#26 most common name)
phadungsak sawasdee // Shutterstock
23 / 30Nancy is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "grace".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,506
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 252,058 (#7 most common name)
Rob Marmion // Shutterstock
24 / 30Betty is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "oath of God".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,736
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 194,620 (#11 most common name)
Dasha Muller // Shutterstock
25 / 30Carolyn is a name of German origin meaning "free man".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 4,979
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 181,844 (#12 most common name)
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26 / 30Sandra is a name of Greek origin meaning "defender of man".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 5,101
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 265,527 (#6 most common name)
FreelySky // Shutterstock
27 / 30Patricia is a name of Latin origin meaning "noble".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 6,278
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 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".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 6,552
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 53 (#275 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 425,267 (#3 most common name)
Black-Photogaphy // Shutterstock
29 / 30Mary is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "drop of the sea".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 9,899
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 84 (#195 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 640,070 (#1 most common name)
DONOT6_STUDIO // Shutterstock
30 / 30Linda is a name of Italian origin meaning "beautiful".
West Virginia
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 10,113
- Babies from 2015 to 2024: 84 (#195 most common name)
National:
- Babies from 1940 to 1949: 531,652 (#2 most common name)
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