1960s Baby Names
74 1960s names with meanings, U.S. popularity, and audio pronunciation on every page.
1960s baby names are the first names that were common on American birth certificates during the 1960s — a decade of easygoing nicknames-as-given-names, soulful classics, and warm, friendly sounds. Parents drawn to this era love how approachable and unpretentious these names feel: familiar, cheerful, and full of nostalgic charm.
What makes a name feel “1960s”?
Many names from this decade started life as nicknames and were given outright, like Barb, Cindi, and Doug. Others carry a soulful, expressive warmth shaped by the music and culture of the time, such as Aretha and Coretta.
Girl names from the 1960s
Breezy and bright favorites include Sandie, Ronda, Fonda, and Gidget, alongside playful spellings like Cherri and Cinnamon.
Boy names from the 1960s
Boys of the decade were often Rod, Doug, Kirt, or Kraig — short, sturdy names with an easy, friendly ring, alongside distinctive picks like Raynard.
Every name below links to its own page with a sourced meaning, U.S. popularity, famous bearers, and a clear audio pronunciation — so you can hear it before you choose.
1960s Girl Names
Barb#5506 in the U.S.A short form of Barbara, from the Greek barbaros, 'foreign, stranger.' It was used casually as ▶Tonda#7998 in the U.S.A mid-century American coinage, most likely reworking Tonya or Wanda into a short -a name. No s▶Tamla#10548 in the U.S.Tamla has no settled origin. Its arc and sound point two ways: it may echo Tamla, the Motown re▶Kathyann#11171 in the U.S.Kathyann is a run-together compound of Kathy and Ann in the mid-century American style. Kathy i▶Shirl#11781 in the U.S.Shirl is a short form of Shirley, from the Old English scir ('bright') and leah ('meadow, clear▶Dawne#12168 in the U.S.An -e spelling of Dawn, the English word for 'daybreak; the first light of morning.' A mid-cent▶Renita#12213 in the U.S.A feminine name of Latin flavor, generally read as an elaboration of Rena or a relative of Rena▶Cindi#12770 in the U.S.Cindi is an -i spelling of Cindy, the short form of Cynthia, from Greek Kynthia, 'woman from Mo▶Sonji#12928 in the U.S.Sonji is a rare American name whose origin is uncertain. It may be a reshaping of Sonia/Sonya (▶Sandie#13249 in the U.S.An -ie pet form of Sandra, itself short for Alexandra, from the Greek for 'defender; protector ▶Ronda#13303 in the U.S.Ronda is the h-less spelling of Rhonda, a 20th-century name with a Welsh ring (often connected ▶Tamatha#13318 in the U.S.A modern coinage blending Tammy (from Tamara) with Tabatha or Samantha. Built for its sound rat▶Adriene#13494 in the U.S.A respelling of Adrienne, the feminine of Adrian, from the Latin Hadrianus, 'from Hadria' (a to▶Aretha#13616 in the U.S.From the Greek arete, 'virtue, excellence.' A rare classical name, it became famous through sin▶Cinnamon#13777 in the U.S.Cinnamon is a word name from the fragrant spice, whose name reached English through Greek kinna▶Dee#13855 in the U.S.An initial-letter name, used as a short form for names beginning with D (Dorothy, Deborah, Delo▶Djuna#13879 in the U.S.Djuna is a rare name of uncertain origin, best known from the modernist writer Djuna Barnes. Ex▶Deanne#13911 in the U.S.A variant of Deanna or Diane, or a compound of Dee and Anne. Diane/Deanna trace to the Roman go▶Denine#14003 in the U.S.A respelling of Denise, a French feminine of Dennis, ultimately from Dionysus, the Greek god of▶Danean#14248 in the U.S.Danean is a mid-century American name, best read in the Deanne and Denine family or as a blend ▶Kellyann#14467 in the U.S.Kellyann joins Kelly — the anglicized Irish Ó Ceallaigh, often read 'bright-headed' or 'descend▶Fonda#14487 in the U.S.Fonda is chiefly a surname-name, associated with the celebrated Fonda acting family (Henry, Jan▶Cheray#14602 in the U.S.Cheray belongs to the Cherie and Cheree family, names built on the French cher, 'dear' or 'belo▶Shelli#14732 in the U.S.A respelled pet form of Michelle or Shelley (and sometimes Rochelle). Michelle traces to Michae▶Lorri#14849 in the U.S.Lorri is a stylized spelling of Lori, itself a short form of Laura (from Latin laurus, 'laurel'▶Lesa#14883 in the U.S.A respelled form of Lisa, a short form of Elizabeth, from the Hebrew Elisheva, 'God is my oath'▶Deirdra#14957 in the U.S.Deirdra is an Americanized -a ending of Deirdre, the tragic heroine of Irish legend. The name's▶Gidget#14967 in the U.S.Gidget is a pop-culture coinage from the 1959 film Gidget and its follow-ons. The name was inve▶Cherri#14971 in the U.S.Cherri is a variant of Cherry or Cherie, drawing on both the sweet fruit word and the French ch▶Venita#15042 in the U.S.A melodic Latinate name, read variously as a variant of Vinita or Benita (feminine of Benito, '▶Deedee#15319 in the U.S.Deedee is a playful reduplicated nickname, often from the initials D.D. or from D-names such as▶Antionette#15452 in the U.S.A common respelling of Antoinette, the French feminine diminutive of Antoine (Anthony), from th▶Felecia#15583 in the U.S.A respelling of Felicia, the feminine of Latin Felix, 'lucky, happy, fortunate.' The -e- spelli▶Charla#15663 in the U.S.Charla is a feminine form of Charles, from the Germanic karl, 'free man'. It sits alongside Cha▶Coretta#15744 in the U.S.An -etta elaboration of Cora, from the Greek 'kore,' 'maiden.' The name is inseparable from Cor▶Dawna#15752 in the U.S.An -a elaboration of Dawn, the English word name for 'daybreak; first light.' The added ending ▶Deann#15818 in the U.S.A compound of Dee and Ann, or a variant of Deanna/Diane (tied to the Roman goddess Diana). A ti▶Cristine#15831 in the U.S.A spelling of Christine, from the Latin Christina, 'follower of Christ; a Christian,' rooted in▶Deeann#15903 in the U.S.A mid-century American combination joining the initial-name Dee with Ann, from the Hebrew Hanna▶Caryn#15999 in the U.S.A respelling of Karen, a Danish short form of Katherine, from Greek katharos, 'pure.' The -yn s▶Heide#16132 in the U.S.Heide is a German name, a variant of Heidi — itself a pet form of Adelheid (Adelaide), from Ger▶Djuana#16155 in the U.S.Djuana is a rare American name of uncertain origin. It reads most naturally as a stylized spell▶Sharyl#16190 in the U.S.A respelling of Cheryl, a twentieth-century English name usually explained as a blend of Cherry▶Jenice#16296 in the U.S.Jenice is a twentieth-century respelling of Janice, which grew from Jane plus the -ice ending b▶Tonja#16305 in the U.S.A Slavic-styled spelling of Tonya/Tanya, a short form of Antonia (from a Roman family name) or ▶Jannette#16313 in the U.S.A double-n spelling of Jeannette (Janet), a French diminutive of Jeanne, the feminine of John, ▶Tammi#16343 in the U.S.Tammi is a stylized spelling of Tammy, itself a short form of Tamara, from Hebrew tamar, 'date ▶Shannan#16545 in the U.S.An -an spelling of Shannon, from the River Shannon in Ireland, a name linked to an old goddess ▶Lavonda#16592 in the U.S.A coined name joining the La- prefix with Vonda, itself a variant of Wanda, a Slavic name read ▶Jacquline#16639 in the U.S.A respelling of Jacqueline, the French feminine of Jacques (from Jacob), from Hebrew Yaakov, 's▶Loria#16647 in the U.S.Most likely a trimmed form of Gloria, from the Latin for 'glory,' or an elaboration of Lori. Th▶Melissia#16687 in the U.S.An elaborated spelling of Melissa, from the Greek 'melissa,' 'honeybee' (from 'meli,' honey). A▶Patrica#16763 in the U.S.A variant (and common respelling) of Patricia, feminine of the Latin 'patricius,' 'noble; of th▶Mechelle#16846 in the U.S.A phonetic respelling of Michelle, the French feminine of Michael, from the Hebrew for 'who is ▶Barbra#16956 in the U.S.A streamlined spelling of Barbara, from the Greek 'barbaros,' 'foreign; strange' (literally 'on▶Kecia#17054 in the U.S.Origin uncertain. Kecia is likely a modern respelling of Keisha, or a form of the biblical Kezi▶Lesia#17340 in the U.S.A name read either as a variant of Lisa/Leisa (short for Elizabeth) or as the Slavic Olesia, a ▶Terrie#17516 in the U.S.Terrie is an -ie spelling of Terry, most often a short form of Teresa/Theresa. Teresa's own roo▶Donita#18066 in the U.S.Donita is a diminutive of Donna, from the Italian donna, 'lady', dressed with the Spanish-style▶Machelle#18098 in the U.S.Machelle is a variant of Michelle, the French feminine of Michael, from the Hebrew mikha'el, 'w▶Kimmarie#18293 in the U.S.Kimmarie combines Kim, the short form of Kimberly, with Marie, the French form of Mary from the▶Deneen#18360 in the U.S.Deneen is a 20th-century American coinage that most likely blends Denise (feminine of Dennis, f▶Nannette#18467 in the U.S.A French pet form of Anne, from the Hebrew Hannah, 'grace; favor.' The doubled-n spelling gives▶Glynis#18487 in the U.S.A Welsh feminine name from 'glyn,' 'valley' (a small, wooded valley). It gained mid-century vis▶Susette#19249 in the U.S.Susette is a diminutive of Susan or Susanne formed with the French -ette ending, a sister to Su▶Vernita#20046 in the U.S.An elaboration of Verna, from the Latin for 'springlike,' finished with the affectionate Spanis▶Vonda#20326 in the U.S.Vonda is an American respelling of Wanda, a Polish name borne by a legendary queen of Krakow an▶
1960s Boy Names
Rondey#8969 in the U.S.Rondey is a phonetic respelling most likely related to Rodney, an English surname-turned-given-▶Rod#10573 in the U.S.A short form of Roderick, from Germanic elements hrod ('fame') and ric ('power, ruler') — 'famo▶Doug#11182 in the U.S.Doug is the everyday short form of Douglas, from Scottish Gaelic dubh glas, 'dark water' or 'bl▶Kraig#11377 in the U.S.Kraig is a variant spelling of Craig, from the Scottish Gaelic creag, 'rock' or 'crag'. The K- ▶Kirt#11909 in the U.S.Kirt is a variant spelling of Kurt, a German short form of Konrad (Conrad), from the Germanic k▶Jemal#13068 in the U.S.Jemal is a variant spelling of Jamal, from the Arabic jamāl, 'beauty; grace'. It grew popular i▶Raynard#13710 in the U.S.A spelling of Reynard, from the Germanic Reginhard, joining 'ragin' ('counsel; advice') and 'ha▶
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Frequently Asked
What are 1960s baby names?
1960s baby names are first names that were commonly given to American babies during the 1960s — often casual nicknames used as full given names, alongside soulful classics shaped by the decade's music and culture.
What are popular 1960s girl names?
Sandie, Ronda, Fonda, Gidget, Cherri, and Cinnamon are all breezy, characterful girl names that capture the spirit of the 1960s.
What are popular 1960s boy names?
Rod, Doug, Kirt, and Kraig are short, friendly boy names typical of the era, while Raynard offers a more distinctive 1960s option.
Why do parents like 1960s names today?
These names feel warm and unpretentious — familiar enough to recognize instantly, yet distinctive enough to stand out from today's most common choices.
How many 1960s baby names are on More4Kids?
More4Kids lists 74 1960s baby names, each with a sourced meaning, U.S. popularity, and an audio pronunciation.