Names Worn by Jean Harlow

Jean Harlow

Before there was Marilyn Monroe, there was Jean Harlow. She eloped at the age of sixteen with a businessman and made her way to Los Angeles, where she played bit parts, until her big break in Howard Hughes' "Hell's Angels", in which there is an eight minute scene in color featuring her. With her platinum hair, thin brows, and deep-set eyes, she was instantly adored. Next, she was in "Platinum Blonde" which asserted her as America's new sex symbol. Sadly, at the age of twenty-six, during the filming of "Saratoga", she was hospitalized with uremic poisoning, and eventually died from it. Surely, it is partly due to her untimely death that she is the icon she is today.

Lillian - "Red-Headed Woman" - The glamorous counterpart to Lily, Lillian is one of the prettiest and simplest forms of the name. Perhaps originally a diminutive of Elizabeth, it has been used since the 16th century.

Vantine - "Red Dust" - An unusual name that I can't find anything about, although it appears to be a surname. One source states it means "son of the jockey".

Ruby - "Hold Your Man" - Ruby is getting more and more popular, and for good reason. It's vintage and sassy, a girl who won't let anyone, or anything get in her way. The word ruby comes from the Latin ruber, meaning "red".

Eadie - "The Girl from Missouri" - Eadie can be a sweet nickname for Edith, or stand on its own. Eadie is also a surname, coming from the Middle English Edwy, or Old English Eadwig.

Hattie - "Riffraff" - Brought back into the limelight by Tori Spelling, who chose it for her daughter, Hattie can also be used as a nickname for Harriet.

Gladys - "Libeled Lady" - Gladys is surely fusty, but could it possibly come back? It comes from the Old Welsh name Gwladus, and possibly means "country".