50 Vintage Names That Were Popular in the Early 20th Century and Prior

Vintage names are a hit or miss with parents today. Some parents absolutely love the idea of bringing back some old gems, while other parents hope old-fashioned names disappear – never to be seen again.

The real question is – which side of that spectrum do you land on? And does your significant other agree?

For those who take a strong liking to vintage names, then you’ll be excited to learn that many of the names that were popular in the early 20th century and prior are gradually starting to pick up steam again.

RELATED: Prediction: These Vintage Names Are Primed for a Comeback

“Just a generation ago, parents soundly rejected many names from the early 20th century and prior — they saw them as ‘old lady’ or ‘grandpa’ names,” says Sherri Suzanne in a 2024 interview with TODAY. 

“However, today’s parents see vintage names as fresh alternatives … rare and charming,” she added. 

She goes on to point out that vintage names used to be go-to names for authors who wanted to convey a sweet old aunt or a crotchety old neighbor, but now they’re starting to make a return in a normalized way.

Vintage Names That Are Ready to Make a Comeback – Baby Boy Edition

According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the top five most popular boy names in 1900-1910 were John (84,591 births), William (69,320), James (62,170), George (43,589), and Charles (36,184). 

But when you think of vintage names, those aren’t the first names that pop in your head. 

You’re probably thinking more along the lines of Ernest, which ranked No. 30 in 1900 with 8,657 births, or Herbert – which was six spots behind Ernest at No. 36 with 6,957 births. At least that’s what I think of. 

If you can say the same, then here are 25 vintage names that you should consider for your next son!

25. Wilbur

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Old English

Meaning: derived from the Old English elements “wil” (will, desire) and “burg” (fortress, stronghold)

24. Otis

# of Births in 2023: 417 (ranked No. 652)

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: derived from the Old German name “Odo” or “Otto,” which means “wealth” or “prosperity.”

23. Milton

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Old English

Meaning: comes from the Old English elements “mill” (mill) and “tun” (town or settlement). Therefore, the name means “mill town” or “settlement with a mill.”

22. Marvin

# of Births in 2023: 426 (ranked No. 645)

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: derived from the Welsh name “Mervyn,” which is believed to come from the Old Welsh elements “mer” (marrow, eminent) and “myn” (hill, sea). 

21. Cornelius

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Latin

Meaning: Cornelius is a Roman family name that likely comes from the Latin word “cornu,” meaning “horn.”

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20. Maurice

# of Births in 2023: 225 (ranked No. 973)

Origin: Latin, French

Meaning: comes from the Latin name “Mauritius,” which means “Moorish” or “dark-skinned.” It was popularized in France before being adopted into English-speaking countries.

19. Gerald

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: derived from the Old High German name “Gerwald,” which is composed of the elements “ger” (spear) and “wald” (rule). 

18. Gilbert

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: derived from the Old High German name “Gisilbert,” which is composed of the elements “gisil” (pledge, hostage, or noble youth) and “beraht” (bright or famous). 

17. Franklin

# of Births in 2023: 776 (ranked No. 410)

Origin: English

Meaning: comes from the Middle English word “frankeleyn,” which itself is derived from the Anglo-Norman French word “franc” (free)

16. Walter

# of Births in 2023: 1,272 (ranked No. 267)

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: derived from the Old High German name “Walthari,” which is composed of the elements “wald” (rule) and “heri” (army). 

15. Bernard

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: derived from the Old High German name “Bernhard,” which is composed of the elements “bern” (bear) and “hard” (brave, hardy, or strong).

14. Melvin

# of Births in 2023: 298 (ranked No. 821)

Origin: Celtic, Old English

Meaning: Some experts believe the name “Melvin” is derived from the Gaelic name “Maolmhín,” which means “gentle chieftain” or “polished chief.” Others believe it comes from the Old English elements “mǣl” (council) and “wine” (friend), meaning “council friend” or “friend at council.” 

13. Hubert

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: derived from the Old German name “Hugubert,” which is composed of the elements “hug” (mind, intellect, or spirit) and “beraht” (bright or famous).

12. Grover

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: English

Meaning: derived from the Old English word “graf,” which means “grove” or “a group of trees.”

11. Herschel

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Yiddish, Germanic

Meaning: Herschel is a diminutive form of the Yiddish name “Hersh,” which means “deer.” It can also be derived from the German word “Hirsch,” which also means “deer.”

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10. Clarence

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Latin

Meaning: derived from the Latin word “clarus,” which means “clear,” “bright,” or “famous.”

9. Eugene

# of Births in 2023: 250 (ranked No. 918) 

Origin: Greek

Meaning: comes from the Greek word “eugenēs,” which is composed of “eu” (good, well) and “genēs” (born). Therefore, the name Eugene means “well-born” or “noble.”

8. Clifford

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Old English

Meaning: comes from the Old English words “clif” (cliff or slope) and “ford” (ford, a shallow place in a river where one can cross).

7. Ernest

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: derived from the Old High German name “Ernst,” which means “serious” or “resolute.”

6. Ronald

# of Births in 2023: 456 (ranked No. 612)

Origin: Old Norse, Scottish

Meaning: derived from the Old Norse name “Rögnvaldr,” which is composed of the elements “regin” (advice or counsel) and “valdr” (ruler). Therefore, the name means “ruler’s counsel” or “mighty counselor.” It was eventually brought to Scotland by Norse settlers and became popular in the Scottish Highlands.

5. Alfred

# of Births in 2023: 245 (ranked No. 927)

Origin: Old English

Meaning: derived from the Old English name “Ælfræd,” which is composed of the elements “ælf” (elf) and “ræd” (counsel). 

4. Theodore

# of Births in 2023: 11,041 (ranked No. 7)

Origin: Greek

Meaning: comes from the Greek name “Theodoros,” composed of the elements “theos” (God) and “doron” (gift). Therefore, the name means “gift of God.”

3. Albert

# of Births in 2023: 481 (ranked No. 590)

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: derived from the Old High German name “Adalbert,” which is composed of the elements “adal” (noble) and “beraht” (bright or famous).

2. Barnaby

# of Births in 2023: less than 220 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Aramaic, Greek

Meaning: derived from the name Barnabas, which comes from the Aramaic name “Bar-Nabba.” In Aramaic, “bar” means “son of,” and “nabba” is interpreted as “comfort” or “encouragement.” 

1. Abraham

# of Births in 2023: 1,681 (ranked No. 218)

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: derived from the Hebrew name “Avraham” (אַבְרָהָם). The name is traditionally understood to mean “father of many” or “father of a multitude.”

Vintage Names That Are Aging Gracefully – Baby Girl Edition

Going back to the data compiled by the SSA between 1900 and 1910, the top five most popular girl names include Mary (161,504), Helen (69,428), Margaret (57,920), Anna (54,918), and Ruth (51,010). 

Fast forward to data from 2010-2020 and none of those names are in the top 100. 

In fact, Mary and Margaret are the only two that are still listed in the top 200 – with Mary ranking 127th with 25,667 births in the 2010s and Margaret ranking No. 158 with 20,031 births during that decade. 

If you’re looking for vintage names for your future daughter, here are 25 that are aging gracefully!

25. Matilda

# of Births in 2023: 706 (ranked No. 437)

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: derived from the Old High German name “Mahthildis,” which means “strength in battle” or “mighty in battle,” and is composed of the elements “maht” (might, strength) and “hild” (battle).

24. Gladys

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: derived from the Welsh name “Gwladys” or “Gwladus.” The meaning of Gladys is often associated with “country” or “nation,” from the Welsh word “gwlad,” meaning “country” or “land.”

23. Ethel

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Old English

Meaning: derived from the Old English word “æthel,” which means “noble.” 

22. Edna

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Hebrew, Celtic

Meaning: In Hebrew, Edna (עֶדְנָה) means “pleasure” or “delight.” In Celtic, particularly in Irish tradition, Edna is sometimes considered a variant of the name Etna, derived from the Old Irish name “Eithne,” meaning “kernel” or “grain.” 

21. Minnie

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: various origins

Meaning: The name Minnie is often considered a diminutive or nickname for names such as Wilhelmina, Hermione, Minerva, and sometimes Mary or Margaret. The specific meaning is unclear.

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20. Gertrude

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: derived from the Old High German name “Gertrud,” which is composed of the elements “ger” (spear) and “trud” (strength).

19. Marjorie

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Latin, Greek

Meaning: In Greek, the name “Margaret” is derived from the Greek word “margaritēs,” meaning “pearl.” The Latin form “Margarita” also means “pearl.”

18. Pearl

# of Births in 2023: 345 (ranked No. 805)

Origin: English

Meaning: The name Pearl comes from the English word for the precious gem, which is derived from the Latin “perla.” The gem itself is created within the shells of certain mollusks and has been valued as a gemstone and an object of beauty for centuries.

17. Myrtle

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: English

Meaning: The name Myrtle is taken directly from the myrtle plant, a type of evergreen shrub that produces fragrant white or pink flowers and aromatic leaves. The plant’s name comes from the Latin word “myrtus,” which is derived from the Greek word “myrtos.”

16. Bessie

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: many people believe the name “Bessie” is a diminutive or affectionate form of the name “Elizabeth,” which comes from the Hebrew name “Elisheva,” meaning ‘God is my oath.” The nickname Bessie was eventually popularized in English-speaking countries.

15. Bernice

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Greek

Meaning: derived from the name “Berenike” (Βερενίκη), which means “bearer of victory,” and comes from the Greek elements “phero” (to bring) and “nike” (victory).

14. Fannie

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Latin

Meaning: “Fannie” is often considered a diminutive or nickname for the name “Frances,” which is derived from the Latin name “Franciscus,” meaning “Frenchman” or “free man.”

13. Agnes

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Greek

Meaning: derived from the Greek name “Hagnē” (Ἁγνή), which comes from the Greek word “hagnos,” meaning “pure,” “chaste,” or “holy.”

12. Betty

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: another diminutive or nickname for Elizabeth, the name “Betty” often translates to “God is my oath” – just like Bessie. 

11. Maude

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Old Germanic

Meaning: Maude is derived from the Old High German name “Mahthildis,” which is composed of the elements “maht” (might, strength) and “hild” (battle), and is often considered a variant of Matilda. 

RELATED: 100 Vintage Names That Were Popular in the 1800s That More Parents Should Consider Today

10. Elaine

# of Births in 2023: 803 (ranked No. 381)

Origin: Old French, Greek

Meaning: Elaine is considered a variant of the Greek name “Helene,” which means “torch” or “light.” It was brought to England by the Normans and became popular through Old French.

9. Maxine

# of Births in 2023: 588 (ranked No. 513)

Origin: Latin

Meaning: Maxine is derived from the Latin name “Maximus,” which means “greatest” or “largest.”

8. Mabel

# of Births in 2023: 1,125 (ranked No. 278)

Origin: Latin

Meaning: Mabel comes from the Latin word “amabilis,” which means “lovable” or “worthy of love.”

7. Loretta

# of Births in 2023: 368 (ranked No. 764)

Origin: Latin, Italian

Meaning: The name Loretta is derived from the Latin word “laurus,” which means “laurel.” It’s also an Italian diminutive of the name Laura, which shares the same Latin root.

6. Rita

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Latin, Italian

Meaning: Rita is often considered a short form of the name Margarita, which is derived from the Latin word “margarita,” meaning “pearl.” The name Rita is also associated with Saint Rita of Cascia, an Italian saint known for her piety and miracles.

5. Mildred

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Old English

Meaning: Mildred comes from the combination of the Old English words “mild,” meaning “gentle” or “mild,” and “þryð,” meaning “strength” or “power.” Thus, the name Mildred means “gentle strength.”

4. Geraldine

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: Geraldine is derived from the name Gerald, which comes from the Germanic elements “ger” (spear) and “wald” (rule). Therefore, Gerald means “ruler with the spear” or “spear ruler.”

3. Ruth

# of Births in 2023: 1,594 (ranked No. 187)

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: Ruth originates from the Hebrew word “Re’ut,” meaning “friend” or “companion.”

2. Gloria

# of Births in 2023: 436 (ranked No. 671)

Origin: Latin

Meaning: Gloria comes directly from the Latin word “gloria,” meaning “glory,” “fame,” or “renown.”

1. Phyllis

# of Births in 2023: less than 250 (outside of the top 1,000)

Origin: Greek

Meaning: Phyllis comes from the Greek word “phyllon,” meaning “foliage” or “leaf.”

Which of These Vintage Names Are You Bringing Back? 

There’s a growing trend centered around reviving cultural heritage through the use of vintage names – those being names that were once extremely popular, but have since either lost steam or disappeared. 

But in a world where modern names are overused, vintage names are starting to gain some appeal. 

It’s just like Sherri Suzanne outlined in her recent interview with the TODAY Show – “Nowadays, most names are just a Netflix series, YouTube personality or celebrity baby away from being reborn,” she said.

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Whether you like the sophistication and elegance that come with vintage names or the cultural and historical roots they’re attached to – we hope you find the perfect baby name for your little bundle of joy!