| Baby boy names and baby girl names of 1930 to | | | | Joseph (Hebrew) means "supported by God." |
| 1939 reflected art, music, and literature. | | | | |
| Perhaps new parents tried to spare their | | | | From 1930 to 1939, the top baby girl names |
| children the tough times by naming their | | | | were a big change from the names of the |
| babies for a more gentle side of life. This | | | | previous decade. New entries included |
| was especially true for baby girl names. | | | | Shirley, Patricia, Joan, and Nancy. Most are |
| | | | powerful biblical names, names of saints and |
| People often name their infants in harmony | | | | world leaders. |
| with the world around them. | | | | |
| | | | These names, in order of their popularity, |
| The decade of the 1930s was known for hard | | | | are Mary, Betty, Barbara, Shirley, Patricia, |
| times and unemployment. One song that said it | | | | Dorothy, Joan, Margaret, Nancy, and Helen. |
| all was, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime." The | | | | |
| stock market crash of 1929 dragged on and | | | | Mary (Hebrew) means "spiritual;" Betty |
| left many people penniless. | | | | (Hebrew) from "Elizabeth" means "God-loving;" |
| | | | Barbara (Greek) means "unusual;" Shirley |
| To get away from it all, people crowded | | | | (English) is derived from a place name |
| around their radios listening to the | | | | meaning "bright meadow;" Patricia (Latin) |
| best-known comics of the day - Jack Benny, | | | | means "of noble birth;" Dorothy (Greek) means |
| Gracie Allen, and Fred Allen. In 1934, music | | | | "gift of God;" Joan (Middle English) is the |
| producer, Cole Porter, brought the house down | | | | female form of "John," meaning "God-loving;" |
| with his swinging songs, "Anything Goes," and | | | | Margaret (Greek) means "treasured pearl;" |
| "You're the Tops." For a few precious | | | | Nancy (Medieval English) is the pet form of |
| moments, people could forget hunger and | | | | "Agnes," and means "generous;" Helen (Greek) |
| worry. | | | | means "beautiful." |
| | | | |
| The following year, Cole Porter came out with | | | | People struggled to make it through the |
| "Begin the Beguine," and "Just One of Those | | | | decade of the 1930s. The stock market crash |
| Things." Meanwhile, George Gershwin's | | | | left the whole country shattered. Tens of |
| "Rhapsody in Blue" made everyone feel like | | | | thousands abandoned farms to move into the |
| dancing. In the art world, Childe Hassam | | | | city and look for jobs that did not exist. |
| caught the sunlight and placed it in his | | | | |
| paintings for all to see. | | | | On the plus side, there was a new president, |
| | | | Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in the White |
| The 10 top baby boy names from 1930 to 1939, | | | | House. A fast sleek car called the "Pierce |
| in order of popularity, were Robert, James, | | | | Arrow" was all the rage. Artists of the |
| John, William, Richard, Charles, Donald, | | | | 1930's such as William Graves Sharp and John |
| George, Thomas, and Joseph. They are | | | | Singer Sargent produced paintings to lift the |
| essentially the same popular names of the | | | | heart. Broadway came alive again with the |
| 1920s - with only one change. "Thomas" took | | | | smash musical, "Over the Rainbow." Hemingway |
| the place of "Edward." They are all Christian | | | | and Steinbeck were writing masterpieces that |
| saints' names. They are also royal names that | | | | have never been matched. |
| go back in history for centuries. | | | | |
| | | | The glorious baby boy names and baby girl |
| Robert (English) means "brilliant;" James | | | | names of the 1930s may have helped children |
| (English) means "steadfast;" John (Hebrew) | | | | weather the storm and dash happily into the |
| means "honorable;" William (English) means | | | | fabulous 1940s. Everyone knew the road ahead |
| "staunch protector;" Richard (Germanic) means | | | | was filled with sunshine. |
| "strong ruler;" Charles (German) means | | | | |
| "well-loved;" Donald (Scots Gaelic) means | | | | (c) Benedict Manovill. All Rights Reserved |
| "world ruler;" George (Greek) means "loving | | | | Worldwide. |
| the land;" Thomas (Greek) means "twin;" and | | | | |