Boy Names Lists · Historic and Vintage Names
Colonial Names for Boys | 1700s Names
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About this list
Many Colonial boy names from the 1700s have been out of use for long enough that they're beginning to sound fresh and cool again. Early Americans used a range of baby names from obscure biblical picks such as Micajah and Zophar, to evocative virtuous word names such as Increase and Prosperity (which honestly wouldn't sound so out of place today).
Of course, the most common boy name during colonial times was John, closely followed by other very classic boy names such as William and Henry. Along with John and William, other 18th century names for boys in the US Top 200 today include Abraham, Alexander, Christopher, Elias, Isaac, Jacob, Levi, and Nathaniel.
Male names from Colonial times that are rare today include Absalom, Bazel, Eliphalet, and Zadock. Unique colonial-era nicknames for boys include Cuddy, Dobbin, Fate, Hiley, and Quill.
If you like historic baby names but want to move beyond the Victorian and biblical choices we've heard so much of in recent years, consider these names culled from Revolutionary War rolls and eighteenth-century town histories.
Here, our lineup of Colonial names from the 1700s for boys.
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The names
Oliver
Germanic, Latin
"elf army; ancestor's relic; olive tree"
Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts throughout the English-speaking world and in a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to…
Henry
German
"estate ruler"
Henry is well and truly back in style. The classic returned to the Top 10 in the US in 2021 for the first time in over a century, and as of 2024, sits at Number 6. Like James and Theodore, Henry is a…
Elijah
Hebrew
"Yahweh is God"
The Top 10 boys' name Elijah is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, composed of the elements ’el and yah , both of which refer to God. In the Old Testament, Elijah was the prophet who went to…
William
German
"resolute protection"
William is one of the most enduring of classic names for boys. It's also among the most popular boys' names, as American parents see it as being ideally conservative yet contemporary, and hands-down…
Levi
Hebrew
"joined, attached"
Levi, lighter and more energetic than most biblical names, with its up vowel ending, combines Old Testament gravitas with the casual flair associated with Levi Strauss jeans. Now it's being…
Elias
Greek variation of Elijah, Hebrew
"Yahweh is God"
Strong, charismatic, and sleek, Elias has followed in the footsteps of Elijah and Eli to become a popular choice among parents today. While it may sound cool and fresh, Elias is a name with history…
John
Hebrew
"God is gracious"
John reigned as the most popular of all boys' Christian names for 400 years, from the time the first Crusaders carried it back to Britain until the 1950s. Then American baby namers finally seemed to…
Alexander
Greek
"defending men"
Alexander has been in a Top 25 boys' name in the US for 30 years now. But namers are still attracted to its imposing historic pedigree. Alexander is derived from the Greek name Aléxandros, composed…
Jacob
Hebrew
"supplanter"
Biblical Jacob ceded his Number 1 spot to biblical Noah, in 2013, after holding first place on the list of baby boy names from 1999 to 2012, given a huge boost by the Twilight phenomenon. Jacob has…
Isaac
Hebrew
"laughter"
Isaac has shaved off his biblical beard and leaped into the upper echelon of popular boys' names, outrunning cousin Isaiah. A favorite of the Puritans, Isaac has never dipped below Number 400 on the…
