# 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:** 15\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Ruby\_Slippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/94ad74/32.png) [@Ruby\_Slippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby_Slippers)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/101 "2009-08-21T16:30:38Z")
Rosemary (“Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes” by Edison Lighthouse) ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/102 "2009-08-21T16:37:02Z")
_They Call the Wind Maria_ from _Paint Your Wagon_ ---
**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, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/103 "2009-08-21T17:47:58Z")
> [@5-4-Fighting](#): > > _They Call the Wind Maria_ from _Paint Your Wagon_ We’ve already got Maria (although maybe not pronounced with a long “i”), but that song does also mention Tess, which hasn’t come up before. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/104 "2009-08-21T17:49:57Z")
Third page and mention of “Rio” by Duran Duran!? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/105 "2009-08-21T17:58:32Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Third page and mention of “Rio” by Duran Duran!? :eek: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/106 "2009-08-21T18:21:35Z")
“Carlene” - Phil Vassar “Amazing Grace” - Phil Vassar “Bernadette” - Paul Simon “Amy’s Back in Austin” - Little Texas “Austin” - Blake Shelton “Cleopatra, Queen of Denial” - Pam Tillis “Julie” - Merril Bainbridge “Margarita” - Israel Kamakawiwo’ole “Mildred, Won’t You Behave” - Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra “Nancy Whiskey” - Scottish Folk Song “Rebecca Lynn” - Brian White “Mambo No. 5\*” and “All My Ex’s Live in Texas\*\*” both name many names. \*: Monica, Erica, Rita, Tina, Sandra, Mary, Jessica, as well as Angela and Pamela \*\*: Rosanna, Eileen, Allison, and “Dimples” ---
**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 22, 2009, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/107 "2009-08-22T06:38:59Z")
I see PJ Harvey’s Elise has already been mentioned, but she also sings about: Angelene Leah Joy Catherine Nina Rebecca April Stella Sixteen Horsepower sings about: Ruthie (Last name: Lingle) Phyllis Ruth Asher Joanna Leah Samantha ---
**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 22, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/108 "2009-08-22T15:57:28Z")
Ooh, thought of one more! Bjork: Isobel ---
**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 27, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/109 "2009-08-27T15:14:08Z")
(Poison) Ivy. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/110 "2009-08-27T17:49:37Z")
“Bitch” numerous artists. I’ve known women with that as their first name (or it should have been) 😃 ---
**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:** [September 3, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/111 "2009-09-03T20:57:18Z")
Sorry to revive this, but I just watched a rerun of Flight of The Conchords and remembered the **“Carol Brown”** song: > [@](#): > > \*\*Loretta \*\*broke my heart in a letter > Told me she was leaving and her life would be better > **Joan** broke it off over the phone > After the tone she left me alone > \*\*Jen \*\*said she’d never ever see me again > When I saw her again, she said it again > **Jan** met another man > \*\*Liza \*\*got amnesia, just forgot who I am > **Felicity** said there was no electricity > **Emily** , no chemistry > **Fran** , ran, Bruce turned out to be a man > **Flo** had to go, I couldn’t go with the flow > **Carol** Brown just took the bus out of town > But im hoping that you’ll stick around > He doesnt cook or clean > He’s not good boyfriend material > Ooh, we can eat cereal > You’ll lose interest fast, his relationships never last > Shut up girlfriends from the past > He says he’ll do one thing and then he goes and does another thing > Oooh > Who organized all my ex-girlfriends into a choir > And got them to sing? > Ooh Ooh Ooh, Shut up > Shut up girlfriends from the past > **Mimi** will no longer see me > **Brittany** , brittany hit me > **Paula, Persephone, Stella, and Stephanie** > There must be fifty ways that lovers have left me > Carol Brown just took the bus out of town > Love is a delicate thing, you can’t just throw it away on the breeze > He said the same thing to me > How can we ever know if im the right person in this world > That means he looks at other girls > Love is a mystery, it does not follow rules > This guy is a fool > He’ll always be a boy, hes a man that never grew up > I thought I told you to shut up > **Mona** , you told me you were in a coma > **Tiffany** , you said that you had an epiphany ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/112 "2009-09-03T22:49:35Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > [Video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG8UnuFx23c)🙂 I LOVE it! Thanks. (and that last look that she gives him–that is so me at a young age. I wonder if they just made all the cute girls wear Eleanor tags or if they had a cattle call for CYTs\* that are named Eleanor.) \*CYT=cute young things. ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/113 "2009-09-04T06:20:40Z")
Allison has already been mentioned, but not the Pixies song which kicks ass. My additions come from Dion’s **the Wanderer**. Flo, Mary, Janie, and Rosie. I think Flo at least has not yet been mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/114 "2009-09-04T20:09:09Z")
From Billy Joel songs: Brenda – _Scenes from an Italian Restaurant_, a reworked version of a song called _The Ballad of Brenda and Eddie_ Rosalinda – _Rosalinda’s Eyes_ Gordon Lightfoot gives many of his female characters memorable names, and others ordinary monikers: _Sweet **Guinevere** _ _Daylight **Katy** _ _Approaching **Lavender** _ _Dream Street **Rose** _ _ **Sundown** _ Surprised I haven’t seen _867-5309/Jenny_ by Tommy Tutone. “ **Katie** Casey was baseball mad” is the actual opening line of a song known better for its [chorus.](http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/summer_2009/endnotes/katies-song.html) A popular song of the early twentieth century featured an invitation to “Come away with me, **Lucille** / In my merry Oldsmobile”. Besides the already-mentioned Sukey Tawdry and Lotte Lenya, _Mack the Knife_ also features references to **Jenny** Diver and **Lucy** Brown. Some versions also include **Polly** Peachum. And finally, the Beatles have been invoked often in this thread, yet I didn’t notice any acknowledgment of _Lovely **Rita** meter maid_. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776/115 "2009-09-04T20:28:49Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > From Billy Joel songs: > > Brenda – _Scenes from an Italian Restaurant_, a reworked version of a song called _The Ballad of Brenda and Eddie_ I thought that was “Brender”. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-first-names-in-song/506776.md?page=5)