1950s Slang For Girl (Explained!)

The most common slang terms for girls in the 1950s were “doll,” “dame,” “chick,” and “broad” in America. In Britain they may have been called “lass” as they still are today. They may also have been referred to as a “queen” if they were very popular. “Baby” was also a common slang term used for girls in general.

There were a select few slang terms for girl, then, that were widely used during the 1950s.

The most iconic and well-known are things like “dame” and “broad” which were constantly used in movies and other kinds of media.

Let’s find out more.

1950’s Slang For Girl

What were girls called in the 1950s?

There were a variety of different slang terms for girls in the 1950s, and most of the diversity comes from the United States.

At this time in America, girls were referred to by many different terms that we might still recognize today from movies and TV.

Dame

“Dame” was perhaps among the most common and closely associated with this particular era, though it had been used earlier and would continue to be used later.

It could mean any woman, though usually meant an attractive young woman.

Broad

Another common slang term heavily associated with the 1950s was the term “broad”.

It’s worth mentioning that most of these terms, though particularly this one, are considered pretty offensive nowadays.

Some people do still use them, but they have mostly fallen out of use.

“Broad” just referred to any woman, though again it usually meant an adult woman who was attractive.

Doll

One term particularly reserved for attractive women and girls in the 1950s was “doll” or sometimes even “dolly”.

This one was extremely common as a way of both addressing a girl directly and of saying she herself was attractive.

Again, it’s not really used anymore and most people think it at best demeaning and at worst insulting.

Plainly, then, attitudes towards women have changed a great deal, and most of these terms are considered at best dated and at worst offensive and sexist.

If you intend to try using them yourself, you’ve got to be sure that the company you’re in is going to be comfortable with it, otherwise you may seriously upset people.

With that said, let’s find out where these terms come from.

Why did people say “dame” in the 1950s?

The word “dame” itself is a very old one which has been in use in English in some form or another since at least the 13th Century.

Originally, though, it just meant a mother. Later, by the 14th Century, it had come to mean just a married woman, or perhaps even just a mistress or a mature woman of any kind.

Though it mostly caught on in this broader sense in the 1950s and this is the period with which its use is most heavily associated, it is attested in this sense much earlier–we first see it used in this way in 1902.

So, it likely predates this even by some time–though, again, it was popularized in the 1950s.

Why did people say “broad” in the 1950s?

Broad is certainly the most unflattering term that was used to refer to women in the past, and one you definitely do not want to use today.

It’s not entirely certain why women were referred to in this way, but there are two theories and neither paints a particularly good picture of the term.

It is first attested in 1911, though again it was made more popular in the 1950s.

It is thought that it either referred to the “broad hips” of a woman, or that it derived from the term abroadwife.

This was a term for a woman who was away from her husband, and thus was often used of low class or “coarse” women.

Why did people say “doll” in the 1950s?

This one is another term that’s very old, though it took on a uniquely 1950s character.

It has been used since the 1550s as a pet name for a woman, particularly for a mistress.

It originally came from the proper name Dorothy, and while it changed meanings a lot over the centuries, by the 1950s it had come back around to be an endearing term for a woman.

While this term is probably the least problematic on this list, some may understandably still not like it.

What else were girls called in the 1950s?

Other terms that you’ll still hear used today were also broadly used in the 1950s.

“Chick” was a very common one at the time, although usually more common among the younger generations at that time.

Once again, this is a fairly demeaning term today.

“Baby” was often a term used for a girl even if the person speaking wasn’t dating them.

You may also have heard a popular girl referred to as a “queen”.

The way that slang evolves is fascinating, and this is one particular area where it’s clear to see that our language has evolved to become less sexist.

Women in the 1950s were broadly viewed very differently to how they are today, and this had a big impact on the way people referred to them.

While some might still use some of these terms,

More in 1950s slang

• 1950s Slang For Cool
• 1950s Slang For Girl
• 1950s Slang For Party
• 1950s Slang For Police