What were some popular names during World War II, or before? I'm writing a diary entry and I need a name. help

I am seventeen (I mean my character is) and it is during World War II. What type of name should I give myself? Any other tips/hints on what to mention or say? Were YOU in World War II?

What were some popular names during World War II, or before? I'm writing a diary entry and I need a name. help
Women: Mary, Sally, Anne (Annie), Margaret (Maggie), Edna, Ruth, Katherine (Kay, Kate), Mildred, Martha, Nancy, Jane, Rose, Mae, Joan, Margorie





(I'm trying to avoid names which became popular with babies born as the war ended - that would be a generation late for you. Like my mom's name Virginia, Judy, Carol, etc. )





Men: Eddie (Edward), Frank, Don, John (Jack), James (Jim), George, Joseph (Joe), William (Bill), Richard (Dick)





My grandmother was 20 when the war started. She was already married, and was grateful that Grandpa wouldn't be called to the draft, because he had been in a car accident when young, and hurt his leg - so he was ineligible. However, his brother joined the navy. When Pearl Harbor was bombed, the family was terrified that the brother was dead, because his ship was docked in Pearl Harbor.





There wasn't mass communication as there is now, so when the ships were out, they were out of communication, unless sailors could mail a letter to loved ones while in some port...the letter could take weeks to arrive. So Grandpa would go down to the post office every single day, and check the lists of the war dead, to look for his brother. After several weeks, they got a letter from the brother saying their ship was secretly deployed one day before the harbor was bombed!





I know the war changed American society in a lot of ways. For example, women who never dreamt of working outside the home, had to go to work when their husbands left for war. There were a lot of factory jobs for these women because we were manufacturing weapons en masse (google 'Rosie the Riveter'). These women learned to be strong and independent, and then the war ended, the men came back and wanted their wives home. Many times, the women were fired and their jobs given to returning men (yep it was legal!). That was hard on marriages and families. Also, many young people married in a hurry when the war started. . . and people change during a war (on both sides, husband and wife), and so they were strangers when they saw one another again. Remember they weren't gone for 6 mo and then home for leave, as now, but they were gone for years, and out of communication for much of that time. You just had to have faith that your sweetheart was still alive.





My grandmother several years ago didn't want to see the movie Pearl Harbor when it was in the theatres. I had heard it was praised as being a very good depiction of those years, and she said, "I don't need to see it again - I lived through it." and she got really quiet and said, "and nothing was ever the same again, you know. Not for any of us. . ." It was the saddest thing I've ever heard her say.





You might want to rent "Pearl Harbor" and there are also a lot of other great films out there - I don't mean "war movies" - I mean films more about the people IN the war. Maybe if you go to AMazon and search WWII in DVDs you'll find some.





You also should talk to anyone you know over 80 or 85. They would be happy to share with you, I'll bet.
Reply:I forgot "Betty" (short for Elizabeth)!! LOL Report Abuse

Reply:harry, arthur, richard(dickie), james, johnny, sidney, robert, charles( charlie) if you are living in england you could mention food rationing where everyone had books of coupons to buy food and they were only allowed small amounts. the blackout where all street lights were turned off, car headlights were covered with tape leaving only a small gap to allow the light out. all windows had to be covered with black material to stop light getting out. this was done to prevent german planes seeing where they were. you could talk about the air raids where especially in london and the south of england german planes dropped a lot of bombs and people had to go into air-raid shelters in the under ground at night to sleep. hope this helps.
Reply:I was not in WWII, but my Dad was. His name was Joseph or Joe. My uncle was also in WWII his name was Andy. I also had an uncle Johnny, Eddie,Matt, Louis. My aunt's names were Mamie, Nellie and Mary. My sister was born in 1942 and her name is Connie Sue. Other names popular during the time were Franklin, Bill or William and Herman. James and Phillip were also common.





This is an edit. My Mom's name was Virginia Larayne and I had an great-aunt Mabel and also cousine Lucia and Margie.
Reply:Hitler was a popular name for babies while Hitler and The Nazis were in power.
Reply:Adolph was quite popular
Reply:Well, look at some diaries that other people wrote that were in WW2. For example...





Anne Frank!


Margot


Kitty


Elli


Kerli


Jopie





Well, I don't know if those were 'popular', but I looked through the book "Anne Frank: The Diary Of A Young Girl" and found names, then found if those names were girls or boys. (All above are girls!)





I also just read a book for a book report, and it was non-fiction about the Houlucost. (WW2)


Some other names included:





Rachel


Aurelia


Luncia


Barbara





(It really depends on which language! Like "Aurelia" in english is "Ruth" but in Hebrew (in the book) it said it was "Rachel", and a nickname for "Aurelia" was "Luncia", and so!)


Book was called: "Destined to Live". It was very interesting %26amp; exciting!!! Recomended.





Well, I hope this helped!!!





~ Animal Lover, your fav contact!!! =)





P.S. No, I am not that old!!! I didn't fight in WW2. Lol!!! =]
Reply:The most popular female names in the US were Mary, Carol, Barbara, Jean, Jane and Joan.
Reply:howbout edward or alice??


no i wasnt in WW11
Reply:Here were the 10 most popular names in the US for girls born in 1924 (which would make them 17 at the time of Pearl Harbor). Very different from today's!!





1 Mary


2 Dorothy


3 Helen


4 Betty


5 Margaret


6 Ruth


7 Virginia


8 Mildred


9 Doris


10 Frances





If you want a really comprehensive list, you can go to http://www.socialsecurity.gov/cgi-bin/po... and go down to "Popular Names by Birth Year" or "Top 1000 names by decade".
Reply:Amelia Marie or maybe Edna Annette
Reply:well, it depends what country, so we need to know that... but adolf was a popular name in Germany











and no, i was not in WW2, although all my grandparents where... i have to admit, they fought FOR Hitler -- I'm German. my uncle worked with Adolf Eichmann, if you've heard of him. Eichmann was ordered to death years later in the Nuremberg trials
Reply:Male or female?


What country?


Are you civilian or military?


Give it some thought and try again. People will give you more serious answers.