The adults who had survived the Great Depression and the Second World War created a prosperous country of conformity and neat suburban houses. Men went to work and women stayed home. Between 1946 and 1964, the number of children born in America consistently rose. Boys born during the Baby Boom were often given traditional names with cute nicknames that could be shortened when they grew older, such as Robert/Bobby/Bob and William/Billy/ Bill. Another trend that started in the mid-century was using rhyming or matching names for siblings and twins. 

Traditional Boys' Names 

Anthony

Charles

Daniel

David

Edward 

James

John

Joseph

Michael 

Richard

Robert

Stephen

Thomas

William 

Nicknames

Bill

Billy

Bob

Bobby

Charlie 

Dan

Danny

Dave

Davey

Ed

Eddie 

Jim

Jimmy

Joe

Joey

Johnny 

Mike

Mikey

Richie

Rick

Ricky 

Steve

Tom

Tommy

Tony 

Spanish Glamour 

In 1947, Linda, which means "pretty" in Spanish, replaced Mary as the most popular girls' name. To adults at the time, Linda sounded exotic and glamorous. Other Spanish girls' names followed it onto the popularity charts: 

Anita

Bonita

Dolores

Juanita

Linda

Rita 

French Glamour 

The French rhythm usually accents the second syllable of a name rather than the first. The most distinguishing feature of girls' names of this generation is: two syllables, with the accent on the second syllable. Some Irish names, like Eileen and Maureen, also have this rhythm and became popular. Some parents replaced the last syllable of existing names with elements such as "een" or "ette." Virtually any name, male or female, could be modernized in this way. Charlotte was changed to Charlene, George could be feminized into Georgette, Paul or Paula into Pauline or Paulette, and Maud into Maudeen: 

Adele

Annette

Arlene

Carline

Celeste

Charlayne

Charlene

Christine

Clarice 

Claudette

Claudine 

Colleen

Darlene

Deanne

Denise

Diane 

Doreen

Eileen

Elaine

Estelle 

Francine

Georgette

Helene

Irene

Jacqueline

Jeannette

Jeannine 

Joanne

Jolene

Julianne

Justine

Kathleen 

Liane

Lorraine

Louise

Lucille 

Marie

Marlene

Maudeen

Maureen 

Nadine

Nanette

Noreen 

Paulette

Pauline 

Raylene 

Renee

Roseanne

Roxane

Suzanne 

Suzette

Yvette

Yvonne