Popular 70s Names Making a Comeback

You know the saying about how everything that’s old must be made new again? Well that applies to names for your baby, too.

Take a little retro inspiration for your baby-to-be from our list of popular 70’s names plus monikers made famous by 1970s icons and moments in history.

We’re not just talking about vintage monikers from the Victorian era, but totally cool, that’s so 70’s names from the age of the Hippies and the rise of Disco.

Unique 70s Names for Baby

Amy

The second most popular name for girls in the year 1970 with 269,000 little girls sharing the name that year, the three-letter French moniker means “beloved” or “well-loved”.

Apollo

An infinity and beyond kind of name inspired by Apollo 13, the historic space craft mission which launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, the name Apollo means “destroyer” and is of Greek origin.

Cher

Cher as a girl’s name is of French origin and means “dear”. The moniker landed itself on our list of popular 70’s names thanks to the “Goddess of Pop” herself, Cher whose full name is Cherilyn.

Christopher

The second most popular name for boys, with a shared 475,597 babies named Christopher in 1970, the name is of English origin and means “Christ-bearer”.

Cicely

Cicely Tyson won 11 Primetime Emmy nominees and rose to fame in the 70’s, she has a beautiful name we couldn’t help but include on this list. Cicely means “blind of self beauty”.

Diana

Diana Ross, another icon that requires little introduction, has a name that originates back to the Greek and Roman goddess Diana. The Greek name can mean “to shine”, “sky”, or “godlike”.

Goldie

Going for pure gold here with this list of popular 70’s names, Goldie, in honor of Goldie Hawn, just had to be included. Goldie literally means “gold” or can be a nickname for Marigold.

Halston

A gender neutral name of English origin, Halston means “hallowed stone”. It’s on this list thanks to the emblematic Roy Halston Frowick, American fashion designer who rose to international fame in the 1970s. His name is still used on glamorous fashions today.

Jennifer

Earning the top spot for 1970s names for girls, a whopping 581,759 baby girls were named Jennifer that year. It is of English origin and means”fair one” or “white wave”.

John

Coming in at number six in popularity for boys in 1970, not only were 402,813 babies named John, but 70’s icons including John Lennon and John Travolta make the name oh-so retro in all the right ways. John is of Hebrew origin and means “graced by God”.

Martin

Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. His mission lived on and memory was honored throughout the 1970’s and into today. The name has Latin ties to the Roman god Mars.

Mia

Mia Farrow, a 70’s starlet whose full name was actually Maria de Lourdes Villiers. Mia has a 70’s vibe we love and cross cultural origins of Italian and Spanish. The name sweetly means ‘mine’.

Michael

A staggering 707,588 baby boys were named Michael in the year 1970, making it the winning moniker of the time. The name Michael is of Hebrew origin and means “gift from God”.

Peace

The name Peace is another gender-neutral option that’s found itself on our list of popular 70’s names because of the “Peace and Love” movement that was widespread by the hippie community during the era. In fact, Peace and Love could make for a perfectly serene pair of names for twins. Officially, Peace is an American name that means “tranquility”.

Presley

Presley is an iconic 70’s name that belongs Elvis Presley who rose to and enjoyed fame in the 1970s. This last name turned first name is derived from Old English and means “priest” and “forest clearing”.

Priscilla

Priscilla Presley was the equally alluring wife of Elvis, the name is of Roman origin and means “venerable” “ancient”, “classical”, and “primordial”.

Ramone or Ramona

The Ramones became famous during the rise of punk in the 70’s. The name Ramone is of Spanish origin and means “counsel protection” while Ramona is usually a feminine given name and means “wise protector”.

Reagan

Politics aside, the name Regan is reminiscent of the 70’s and manages to stay fresh and cool today. The name is considered a gender neutral moniker of Irish origin and means “little king”. And for horror movie fans, Regan was the name of the daughter in the 1973 film, The Exorcist.

Sonny

The other half of the powerful 70’s pair – Sonny and Cher. A name of Anglo-Saxon origin, Sonny literally means “son”.

Sunshine

With the rise of disco came the rise of the infamous KC and the Sunshine Band. Perfectly 70’s, perfectly hippie in vibe, the name mean is pretty obvious: sunshine.

That’s So 70’s First and Middle Name Combos

• Apollo John: A name that’s reminiscent of the unique time in history.
• Mia Cecily: Unique, pretty and a subtle nod to the bygone era, the name has an Italian ring to it.
• Presley Peace: Alliteration, iconic, symbolic. What could be a better 70’s name?
• Christopher Ramone: Classic meets punk.
• Cherilyn Sunshine: Totally hippie-approved, totally 70’s.

Have a 70’s name idea of your own? Drop it in the comments, we want to hear it!