AMERICAN GIRL DOLLS

General Name Discussion
1

I was just re-reading the post about Cabbage Patch dolls (and my suggestion that [name]Pam[/name] and [name]Linda[/name] should have named them, and [name]Nephele[/name]'s that Nameberry should re-market them with appropriate tee-shirts), and I thought of another of my interests, a mixture of loving dolls and history - the American Girl Dolls. Does anyone else on Nameberry love these dolls? My American penfriend from Pennsylvania introduced me to these a couple of decades ago, and I bought some “for my daughters” (i.e. for ME, really). My favourites are [name]FELICITY[/name] and her friend [name]ELIZABETH[/name] (from the period of the American War of Independence). [name]ADDY[/name] is a beautiful black slave girl. There is [name]KIRSTEN[/name] who is like a child from [name]Little[/name] House on the [name]Prairie[/name]. And a lovely Native American [name]Indian[/name] girl, [name]KAYA[/name] from the Nez [name]Perce[/name] tribe.

I wish we had lovely dolls like this in the UK - and think of all the periods in history we could do - [name]Roman[/name] Occupation [name]FLAVIA[/name], [name]Norman[/name] Conquest [name]MAUD[/name], Mediaeval [name]Princess[/name] [name]ELEANOR[/name], [name]Tudor[/name] girl [name]BESS[/name], etc. etc.

Any other enthusiasts out there?

2

I was too old to play with them when they came out, but if they’d come out when I was younger, I would have been in heaven! [name]Felicity[/name] is my favorite, and I love [name]Samantha[/name], too.

I was sick one day in bed, and the Hallmark [name]Channel[/name] aired the American Girl [name]Doll[/name] movies, so I came to know about [name]Felicity[/name], [name]Samantha[/name], and I someone else I now can’t recall. Hmm…

I know I would have owned [name]Felicity[/name] and her Colonial furniture. :slight_smile:

3

If I had been younger when they came out, I would have loved [name]Josefina[/name], the Southwestern doll. I love her clothes and furniture so much! So does my sister.

4

I LOVED the American Girl dolls!! I had [name]Kirsten[/name], [name]Samantha[/name], [name]Molly[/name] and [name]Felicity[/name]. Actually, I still have them. An aunt of mine made me about 40 outfits or so for them when I was about 11 or 12 (Yes, I secretly still played dolls until about then). I still have all 4 of the dolls and all of their clothes in a closet somewhere. When [name]Dottie[/name] (and the twins) are older I can’t wait for them to play with them, too. [name]Dottie[/name] does have one of the bitty babies and she plays with her a bunch.

I think the American Girls actually helped spark an interest in history for me (or maybe it was my love for history that led me to love these dolls so much). I remember talking for hours to my grandma telling her about each doll, where they were from, their friends, and some of their stories. Goodness. She was patient. And yes, I love their names too!

Here is a rundown of the dolls: *** Names under the dolls are characters in the books… family, friends, etc…)***

[name]Kaya[/name] - 1764 - Native American (love the name [name]Kaya[/name])

      Toe-ta, Eesta, [name]Wing[/name] [name]Feather[/name], [name]Sparrow[/name], Speaking [name]Rain[/name], Aalah, [name]Fox[/name] Tail, Two Hawks, Swan Circling, [name]Raven[/name]

[name]Felicity[/name] Merriman - 1774 - Colonial Patriot

      [name]William[/name], [name]Polly[/name], [name]Nan[/name], [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Ben[/name], [name]Isaac[/name], [name]Rose[/name], [name]Annabelle[/name]

[name]Josefina[/name] Montoya - 1824 - Hispanic in New Mexico

 [name]Dolores[/name], [name]Magdalena[/name], [name]Ana[/name], [name]Antonio[/name], [name]Juan[/name], [name]Francisca[/name], [name]Clara[/name], [name]Teresita[/name], [name]Mariana[/name]

[name]Kirsten[/name] [name]Larson[/name] - 1854 - Swedish Pioneer

[name]Lars[/name], [name]Peter[/name], [name]Britta[/name], [name]Olav[/name], [name]Inger[/name], [name]Lisbeth[/name], [name]Anna[/name], [name]Marta[/name], [name]Nora[/name], [name]Ezra[/name]

[name]Addy[/name] [name]Walker[/name] - 1864 - Freed Slave Civil War

[name]Sam[/name], [name]Esther[/name], [name]Sarah[/name], [name]Harriet[/name], [name]Lula[/name], [name]Solomon[/name]

[name]Samantha[/name] Parkington - 1904 - Victorian upper New [name]York[/name]

[name]Mary[/name], [name]Archibald[/name], Gard, [name]Cornelia[/name], [name]Nellie[/name], [name]Bridget[/name], [name]Jenny[/name], [name]Eddie[/name], [name]Agnes[/name] and [name]Agatha[/name] (twins), [name]Ida[/name], [name]Elsa[/name], [name]Jessie[/name]

[name]Rebecca[/name] [name]Rubin[/name] - 1914 - Russian Jewish immigrant in NYC

   [name]Fannie[/name], [name]Jacob[/name], [name]Josef[/name], [name]Michael[/name], [name]Ana[/name], [name]Benny[/name], [name]Victor[/name], [name]Sadie[/name] and [name]Sophie[/name] (twins)

[name]Kit[/name] Kittredge - 1934 - Great Depression

[name]Millie[/name], [name]Charlie[/name], [name]Hendrick[/name], [name]Will[/name], [name]Roger[/name], [name]Ruthie[/name], [name]Stirling[/name]

[name]Molly[/name] McIntire - 1944 - WWII

[name]Jill[/name], [name]Ricky[/name], [name]Brad[/name], [name]Linda[/name], [name]Susan[/name], [name]Alison[/name], [name]Emily[/name] (from [name]England[/name])

[name]Julie[/name] Albright - 1974 - San [name]Francisco[/name]

[name]Tracy[/name], [name]Ivy[/name], T.J., [name]Joy[/name], [name]Mark[/name], Stinger, [name]Andrew[/name], [name]Missy[/name]

5

Thanks for the information, [name]Kate[/name]! I’m wondering when the dolls started being sold, because I’m thinking that perhaps they were indeed around for me, but I was unaware of them. Hmmm…

Due to my love of [name]Little[/name] House on the [name]Prairie[/name], I would have loved [name]Kirsten[/name], and my fascination with Colonial times would have made me a huge [name]Felicity[/name] fan! I feel robbed!
:slight_smile:

I can’t wait to buy these dolls for my future daughters! :slight_smile:

Thanks again! :slight_smile:

6

The company started in 1986. When I discovered them, there were only 3 dolls, [name]Kirsten[/name], [name]Molly[/name] and [name]Samantha[/name]. [name]Felicity[/name] was added shortly after and then the rest of them were added year after year. You should go to their website and check it out.

I went through phases where each of them were my favorites! I loved [name]Kirsten[/name] and [name]Felicity[/name] because of all the colonial things, but loooved [name]Samantha[/name] because she had all the Victorian things and lived in a Victorian house, etc.

7

Holy Filet-o-[name]Fish[/name] with a side of tartar sauce!!! I see now that we’re basically the same age, and that my 11-year-old-doll-playing self could indeed have played with American Girl dolls!!! I was robbed! Robbed!

Okay. I don’t know how in the world I missed out on these dolls! I became aware of them when I was about 18-years-old, and by that time, I thankfully had too much pride to play with dolls anymore. :slight_smile:

You know what? I may just buy myself a [name]Felicity[/name] doll!

8

[quote=“jill”]

Holy Filet-o-[name]Fish[/name] with a side of tartar sauce!!! I see now that we’re basically the same age, and that my 11-year-old-doll-playing self could indeed have played with American Girl dolls!!! I was robbed! Robbed!

Okay. I don’t know how in the world I missed out on these dolls! I became aware of them when I was about 18-years-old, and by that time, I thankfully had too much pride to play with dolls anymore. :slight_smile:

You know what? I may just buy myself a [name]Felicity[/name] doll![/quote]

I think [name]Kaya[/name] came out when I was about 17 or 18 and I thought that she was so awesome. There was one particular outfit that I thought looked so pretty. My mom said that I should go ahead and get her more as a “collector’s item” with my hardwork money I had been saving. I was so worried about the teasing that would come with me buying a doll at that age, so I didn’t. I love having a good excuse to get them now! LOL!

I totally think that you should look into getting [name]Felicity[/name]! And she has one of your “happy names”. lol.

9

I’m seriously going to by a [name]Felicity[/name] doll when I get around to it. :slight_smile:

I love the name [name]Felicity[/name] [name]Jane[/name], and as you know, I’m a [name]Blythe[/name] fan, too. ([name]Hilary[/name] isn’t a contender, but I still love its meaning.)

Which dolls does [name]Dottie[/name] have?

10

I haven’t given [name]Dottie[/name] any of my American Dolls yet. But eventually (when she is 6 or so) I will start letting her play with them. I think that she is too young right now. She has the Bitty [name]Baby[/name] (two actually - one from us and one from grandma) which she refers to as her twin sisters.

11

My daughter [name]Jane[/name] (6) has a Bitty [name]Baby[/name] and [name]Kit[/name]. [name]Santa[/name] brought [name]Kit[/name] for [name]Christmas[/name], and [name]Jane[/name] immediately wanted her hair cut just the same! We’ll have to start reading the books soon now that she’s reading really well, but at the time, she was too young. My niece is 27 now, and was a huge American Girl fan – I think she still has all of her stuff (and it was still out when she went to college)!

12

Mine was [name]Samantha[/name] . . . but now they’ve discontinued her! They all had nice names, I especially loved [name]Felicity[/name] and [name]Kit[/name].

13

“My daughters” have "

[name]Felicity[/name]
[name]Elizabeth[/name]
[name]Addy[/name]
[name]Kirsten[/name]
[name]Kaya[/name]
[name]Samantha[/name]
[name]Molly[/name]
and
[name]Kit[/name]!

I’m glad there are some other adult fans out there. I think these are fabulous dolls for our daughters.
x

14

I never had one! I know that deprived feeling, I had to watch all my friends play with them. [name]Ever[/name] since I got the first catalog when I was about 3 I wanted one (they still send me the catalog). At first I had to have [name]Kirsten[/name], and then [name]Kit[/name] once she came out. I don’t know why I never had one.