Names that Peaked in 1972

Possibly meaning "bold", this West African surname is less commonly found as a first name, too.

The Shirley of the 1950s. Shelley Winters was born a Shirley.

Sometimes heard in the Latino community, has not crossed over into others.

This French feminine version of Germain is a unisex choice in the U.S., also spelled Jermaine, Jemaine, and Germain. Rooted in the ancient Latin Germanus, which may mean sprout or brother, it's no longer a fashionable choice in any version.

Outmoded comic book choice.

Streamlined version of outdated Nicki.

Sweet and retro, Cherilyn peaked in 1972, when Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian) rose to fame. Possibly not quite ready for a comeback, though perhaps fun nickname Cherry might swing it.

One of the names of Allah, this name is also associated with basketball great Kareem Abdul Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr.).

As the popular 80s and 90s Angelica falls more and more out of favor, word name Angelic is feeling extra fresh. Fitting in with the trend of grandiose and ethereal word names such as Legend and Dream, Angelic feels more than useable today — especially with similar sounding Angelique being one of the fast-rising names of 2022.

La is the French prefix used to indicate paternity, much the same way Mc or O' are used in Irish and the son suffix is used in English. First names with the La prefix were popularized in the 19th century by the Free Blacks of New Orleans, who used La plus the father's first name, making Lashawn (or LaShawn) a name meaning son (or child) of Shawn, a phonetic spelling of Sean, the Irish variation of John.