Molly

The name began as a Middle English pet form of Mary, altering consonants much like Sarah becoming Sally. Eighteenth-century England used it for stage heroines and street ballads, but nineteenth-century America placed it directly onto birth certificates. By the time federal records opened in 1880, it was already operating without reference to its parent name.

The name reads as someone who arrived during the peak of compact disc sales and never entirely abandoned corduroy. It carries the cadence of an early-nineties kindergarten roll call, positioned beside Jessica and Amanda with noticeably less hair gel. A Molly tends to be pictured carrying a canvas tote bag and organizing group logistics without being asked. The average bearer is thirty-two, which places the name squarely at the age where dental insurance becomes interesting.