Mad Men‘s final season started last night. But even if the show brought ’60s cocktails and fashions back into vogue, it hasn’t exactly done the same for baby names. (When’s the last time you met a new baby named Don?) Here’s the scoop on what hit (and what didn’t) from the show:
Don Don Draper rises from a dark and troubled past to become a partner in his own advertising agency, but left behind a broken marriage, three kids and lots of other trouble in his wake. (FYI—the current Don actually took his name from a Korean War buddy who died near him. His real name was Richard.) Donald is a Scottish name that means chief, and has been on a slow decline in popularity since the 1950s.
Betty This short form of Elizabeth was ubercommon in this era—and was given to Don Draper’s first wife and mother of his children. While Betty itself is rarely heard on the playground, Elizabeth is still a top 20 favorite. You may want to consider a more stylish nickname, like Eliza, Lizzy, or Beth.
Peggy Copywriter Peggy Olson also rose through the ranks from the secretarial pool—and engaged in some Don Draperesque behavior in her personal life. Her name is a vintage nickname for the classic Margaret. Peggy hasn’t yet made a comeback, but there’s a slew of nicknames for Margaret that are popular, including Maggie, Maisie, May, Greta, and Daisy.
Pete Pete Campbell probably has one of the most timeless names on the show, thanks to its association with the popular saint. Peter means “rock,” and is currently hovering near the top 200.
Joan Joan started out in the secretarial pool, before being elevated to partner at Don Draper’s new agency. Joan is a female variant on John and shares its meaning (“God is gracious”) but not its popularity—it dropped out of the top 1000 in the early 1990s.
Sally Don and Betty’s daughter scores this nickname for Sarah that shares its meaning, princess. Sally fell out of the top 1000 in the 1990s, after a long reign near the top.
Roger Roger Sterling was head of Sterling Cooper and the later agency, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. His name, currently in the top 600, means warrior.
Megan This Welsh variant of Margaret shares its meaning, pearl. It’s the name of Don’s second wife, a former junior copywriter at the firm and aspiring actress. Megan was actually up and coming during the 1950s and 1960s, and hit its peak in the 1990s. It’s currently still in the top 200.
Tell us: Which of these baby names do you think have a shot of coming back into style? And would you name your baby any of them?
If you’re looking for the perfect baby name, check out our Baby Name Finder, or email me at lamilbrand@gmail.com for advice. (You could find your question answered here!) And don’t forget to like In Name Only on Facebook to keep up with the very latest in baby names!
Image via AMC/Facebook