# Women's first names in song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776 "2009-08-17T20:12:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/81 "2009-08-20T01:12:39Z")
Another twofer: Mary and Flo (Florence) in Stop In The Name of Love - The Supremes. Leah: Roy Orbison ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/82 "2009-08-20T02:40:05Z")
Rhiannon (Fleetwood Mac) Sara Greta Alice Jane Juliet (all Stevie Nicks) Caroline (Firewater) ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/83 "2009-08-20T02:49:23Z")
Oops, Sara is from Fleetwood Mac’s oeuvre, not Stevie’s solo work. Also from Fleetwood Mac: Caroline Miranda Diane ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/84 "2009-08-20T02:55:21Z")
What? More than 80 posts and no Peggy Sue? Thank you, Buddy Holly. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/85 "2009-08-20T16:24:57Z")
Here’s what we have so far, so the challenge is to come up with new ones. I added a few I thought of along the way: “My Antonia” Emmlyou Harris and Dave Matthews, “Mary Ellen (Carter)” Stan Rogers, “When Thelma Takes the Stand” - Chicago the show Adelaide, Adriana, Adrienne, Aime, Alberta, Alice, Alicia, Alison, Althea, Aly, Alyson, Amanda, Amelia, Amie, Amy, Angela, Angelina, Angie, Anita, Anna, Anna Lee, Anna Molly, Annabel, Annie, Antonia, Arabella, Audrey, Aurora, Babooshka, Barbara Allen, Barbara Ann, Bathsheba, Be-Bop-a-Lula, Bernadette, Bertha, Betsy, Bette, Betty, Betty Lou, Beverly, Billie, Billie Jean, Bobbie, Bobbie Jean, Bobbie Sue, Boney Maronie, Brandy, Breña, Brenda, Brigitte, Camella, Candy, Cara, Carla, Carmelita, Carol, Carolina, Caroline, Carrie, Carrie Anne, Cass, Cassandra, Cassie, Cathy, Cecilia, Charlotte, Chasey, Christine, Cindy, Claire, Clarabella, Clawdy, Clementine, Colette, Condi, Cora, Corrina, Cymbaline, Daisy, Daniella, Daria, Dawn, Debbie, Debbie-Rae, Deborah, Dee-Dee, Delilah, Dena, Denise, Diana, Diane, Dianne, Diggy Liggy Lo, Dinah, Dinah Flo, Dona Maria, Donna, Doreen, Dorina, Dorothy Lee, Elaine, Eleanor, Electra, Elise, Elizabeth, Ellen, Ellin, Eloise, Emily, Emma, Enid, Erica, Ester, Ethyl, Evangeline, Fancy, Fanny, Fauna, Fedora, Felina, Flo, Flora, Frankie, Gail, Georgy, Gina, Ginger, Gloria, Grace, Greta, Griselda, Guinevere, Gurtrude, Hattie, Helen, Helena, Hermoine, Holli, Holly, Honey, Ida, Isabelle, Isadora, Isis, Jackie, Jamie, Jane, Janet, Janie, Janine, Jean, Jean-Marie, Jeannie, Jennifer, Jenny, Jesse, Jessica, Jezebel, Jill, Joan, Joanna, Joanni, Joey, Jolene, Josephine, Josie, Judith, Judy, Julia, Julianne, Julie, Juliet, Karen, Kate, Katherine, Kathleen, Kathy, Katie, Katy, Kay, Kelly, Kiko, Lalena, Lana, Laura, Lauren, Laurie, Layla, Leah, Leilani, Libby, Lil, Lillianne, Lily, Linda, Lisa, Little White Dove, Liza, Liza Jane, Lizzy, Lola, Lolita, Loretta, Lori, Lorraine, Louse, Lucille, Lucretia, Lucy, Lupe Lu, Lyla, Madelaine, Madeline, Magdalena, Maggie, Maggie May, Mandy, Maria, Marianne, Marie, Marilyn, Marlene, Martha, Mary, Mary Jane, Mary Mac, Mary Ellen, Mary Lou, Mary-Anne, Mattie, Maude, Maureen, Maybelline, Medusa, Meg, Melanei, Melinda, Melissa, Michelle, Millie, Mimi, Minnie, Miranda, Molly, Momo, Monica, Nancy, Natalie, Nicole, Nikki, Nina, Nora Lee, Olivia, Paloma, Pam, Pamela, Patty, Paula, Pauline, Peaches, Peggy Sue, Penny, Philippa, Polly Anne, Polly, Pomerante, Prescilla, Prudence, Ramona, Rebecca, Renee, Reno, Rhiannon, Rhonda, Rita, Roeena, Ronnie, Rosa, Rosalina, Rosalita, Rosanna, Rose, Rosemarie, Rosemary, Rosie, Roxanne, Roxie, Rozetta, Ruby, Sabina, Sadie, Saffron, Sally, Samantha, Sandra, Sandy, Sara, Sarah, Scarlet, Sheba, Seattle, Shannon, Sharona, Shauna, Sheena, Shelia, Shelley, Sherri, Sherry, Shirley, Sloopy, Sophia, Stacy, Stella, Sue, Sugar, Susan, Susanna, Suzanne, Suzy, Suzy Q, Sylvia, Tammy, Tanya, Terri, Thelma, Tina, Valencia, Valerie, Venetia, Vera, Veronica, Vicky, Virginia, Wendy, Windy, Wynona, Xylla, Yetta, Yoko, Yoshimi, Zsa Zsa ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/86 "2009-08-20T16:58:44Z")
Not sure if you want to consider this an alternate spelling or a separate name, but: “(Visions of) Johanna” by Bob Dylan “Cinnamon” by Derek “(Sweet Lady) Genevieve” by the Kinks “Victoria” by the Kinks And probably every female R&B singer of the past decade has either mentioned herself or been mentioned in a song. Examples: Rihanna (in “Umbrella”) Shakira (in “Hips Don’t Lie”) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/87 "2009-08-20T17:01:32Z")
> [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > Oops, Sara is from Fleetwood Mac’s oeuvre, not Stevie’s solo work. > > Also from Fleetwood Mac: > Caroline > Miranda > Diane Jefferson Starship also does a song called “Caroline.” Did anybody mention “Athena” by the Who yet? Or Maggie from Dylan’s “Maggie’s Farm”? And Aunt Sarah, Siffronia, Sweet Thing, and (her! name! is!) PEACHES!!! from Nina Simone’s “Four Women.” ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/88 "2009-08-20T17:07:30Z")
Brandy (Looking Glass) ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/89 "2009-08-20T18:18:38Z")
Barbie (from “Barbie Girl” by Aqua) Cinderella (by the Cheetah Girls) Sukey, Lotte (from “Mack the Knife”) “(For He’s Gone and Married) Yum-Yum” (Gilbert & Sullivan) “Bess (You Is My Woman Now)” – from “Porgy & Bess” Delia (“Delia’s Gone” by Johnny Cash among others) ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/90 "2009-08-20T18:37:57Z")
Becky (“Last Train from Poor Valley” by Norman Blake) Darcy (“Darcy Farrow” by Steve Gillette) Juanita (from “Fat Man in the Bathtub” by Little Feat) Sharon (by David Bromberg) …and how could we forget… “A Girl Named Sandoz” by the Animals? ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/91 "2009-08-20T20:14:43Z")
To fill in some missing names (I hope this isn’t “cheating” - I do collect these songs and I’m just going down the list in my ipod) Abigail - The Broken West Adia - Sara McLachlan Allison - Permanent Me (Allison with 2 Ls vs Alison) Amber Awaits - Blues Traveller Angeline is Coming Home - The Badlees Anne-Marie - DAn Dyer Annie May - Tony Toni Tone Appeline - Ghost Repeater Ariel - The Mayflies USA Beth - Kiss Hey Brittany - Forever the Sickest Kids Carmen - Anything Box Carolyna - Melanie C Cerilene - Sister Hazel Chantal & Leroy - Carolyn Mark Colleen - The Heavy Come on Eileen - Dexy’s Midnight Runners (did we really miss this one?) Dahlia - Curtis Wayne Dear Hannah - Metro Station Elodie - David Mead Felicia - Blues Traveller Fiona - Marcus Eaton & the Lobby Gillian - The Waifs Gracie - Ben Folds Gwen - The Broken West Hey Heather - Farewell Jainy - Five for Fighting Josey - Hey Monday Julianna - Audrye Sessions Kate - Thrillcat Kelsey - Metro Station Kim the Waitress - Green Pajamas Leigh - Nathan Angelo Lena - The Nines Lila - Stillwater Lilah - Alkalid Lillian - +44 Luanne - Foreigner Lucinda - Jessie Malin Mistress Mabel - The Fratellis Madison - Cavashawn Three Marlenas - The Wallflowers Melody - Down the Line Mischale - Andru Donalds Nora - Blessid Hunion of Souls Ophelia - Natalie Merchant Rosalie - Thin Lizzy Rosealia - Better Than Ezra Sad Theresa - Warrant Sofia - Live Stephanie - Milow Tess - Newton’s Theorem Valentina - Drew Isleib Violet - Dakota Moon Xavia - The Submarines Xena - [Universaldice.com](http://Universaldice.com) Yvonne - Wild T & The Spirit Zoe Jane - Staind ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/92 "2009-08-20T20:26:13Z")
Does “ **Jessie’s Girl** ” count? How bout “ **My Sharona** ” ? ---
**Author:** ![batsto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/93 "2009-08-20T20:31:49Z")
Another I hadn’t thought of, but it just came on in my office: So Fine-Betty Jean, by Canned Heat. And evidently “Blue Jean” is a girl’s first name, according to David Bowie. He just met a girl by that name. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/94 "2009-08-20T20:43:45Z")
Marsha (in “The Name Game” by Shirley Ellis) “(Darlin’) Corey” by Flatt & Scruggs “Sugaree” (Jerry Garcia) Kitty (from “Kitty Can” by the Bee Gees) “Velouria” (Pixies) I wrote a song in which one of the characters was named Charlene, and I was starting to hope that it was the only one… but a Google search turned up: “Charlene” (Anthony Hamilton) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/95 "2009-08-20T21:34:10Z")
From Billie Joel’s _We Didn’t Start the Fire_: Doris Day Marilyn Monroe Princess Grace (nee Kelly) Sally Ride At this point, I’m half-tempted to start a thread about women’s names that _aren’t_ mentioned in a pop song. Seems like that’d be a much shorter list. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/96 "2009-08-20T21:41:43Z")
Billie Jean (Michael Jackson) Daisy Jane (America) Waltzing Matilda ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/97 "2009-08-21T12:41:42Z")
This one’s not on the list: Marian, from the Madame Librarian song from The Music Man ---
**Author:** ![emjaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f475e1/32.png) [@emjaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emjaya)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/98 "2009-08-21T13:15:35Z")
No Hendrix fan here? Three of his songs mention girls names. Catherina, from 1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) Dolly, from Dolly Dagger Dolly Mae, from Wait Until Tomorrow Also: (Whole lotta) Rosie - AC/DC. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/99 "2009-08-21T13:24:33Z")
I’m a huge Tom Paxton fan, and love his “Annie” trilogy: Has Annie Been In Tonight? Annie’s Going to Sing Her Song When Annie Took Me Home ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/100 "2009-08-21T15:32:30Z")
“(Sweet) Adeline” “(Darling) Anne” by Walter Forbes (you won’t find it on the Internet but I have a copy on vinyl!) “Little Red Riding Hood” by Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs (not sure which part of that is a “first name”) “Darlene” by Led Zeppelin “Selene” by Gong “Tipitina” by Professor Longhair “Iphigenia (in Brooklyn)” by P.D.Q. Bach “Dulcinea” from “Man of La Mancha” (There must be huge numbers of classical women’s names in operas and cantatas, but I don’t know them. for example, I would assume that “Aida” and “Carmen” are mentioned by name in those operas at some point, but I don’t know!) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776.md?page=6)