Charmaine

I always assumed Charmaine (as well as Shermaine and Sharmaine) were anglicized versions of Germaine, or at least influenced by it.

I'm a Charmaine in the US. The name peaked in popularity in the early 1950s due to a hit song by that name. So consider me a pop culture casualty. I have met only one other Charmaine in my lifetime. She is a black woman who expressed great surprise when she learned that we shared the same name, pointing out that the name is often associated with black culture. I did some research on my own and discovered that she is correct. I also located a few white and latina Charmaines in the US, but very few. The name just isn't that popular with anyone it seems. Except in Asia, especially Singapore and the Philippines, where several major celebrities with that name are responsible for making Charmaine a popular name choice for girls. Once again, pop culture rules.

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I did not like my name at all as a child as it made me stand out too much. This was an era where parents conformed to choosing from a small set of names for their kids. As I grew older, I learned to appreciate being a Charmaine. The name has really aged well. It's unique enough to generate interest, yet is not bizarre. If I really want to mess with someone's head, I tell them that I was named after the warlord Charlemagne.

An interesting example of how pop culture can greatly impact the naming culture from the decade. Charmaine had a huge surge in the 1920s from the film.