Obscure (At the time) 1880's names

You may be surprised?
  1. Adelaide
    • Origin:

      Variant of Adelheidis, German
    • Meaning:

      "noble, nobility"
    • Description:

      Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for the name of her second daughter.
  2. Adelina
    • Origin:

      Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Slavic variation of Adeline
    • Meaning:

      "noble, nobility"
    • Description:

      Adelina is back in the Top 1000 after an absence of nearly a century, thanks to the meteoric rise of her sister name Adeline -- along with Adelaide, Adele, and Ada. Some parents choose Adelina because they want to get to cute vintage nickname Addie, but others favor it as a slightly more unusual form of this sweet vintage girls' name. A lot of attention was focused on it recently via the women's figure skating gold medal winner at the Sochi winter olympics--Adelina Sotnikova.

      While Adeline is usually pronounced in the U.S. with a long i in the last syllable, to rhyme with mine, Adelina is pronounced with the long e sound at the end, as in 'lee-na'.

  3. Albertina
    • Alcide
      • Origin:

        French version of Heracles
      • Meaning:

        "glory of Hera"
      • Description:

        This is the French version of Alcides, birth name of the Greek mythological Heracles (Hercules). You're more likely to recognize it as the name of the hot True Blood werewolf, Alcide Herveaux.
    • Aline
      • Origin:

        Variation of Adeline or Aileen
      • Description:

        Aline may have originated as a short form of Adeline in the Middle Ages, but it may also be a variation of the Irish Aileen or Scottish Eileen. Aline dropped off the Top 1000 in the 1950s. Fewer than 40 baby girls were named Aline in the US last year.
    • Allene
      • Almon
        • Amber
          • Origin:

            Word name, English
          • Description:

            Though perhaps not as currently stylish as Ruby, Jade, or Pearl, Amber has a colorful history (remember the notorious Forever Amber heroine?). Unfortunately, it does come with the "Amber Alert" connotation for modern parents (and their children).
        • Ammon
          • Origin:

            Variation of Amman, German occupational name
          • Meaning:

            "administrator"
          • Description:

            Ammon is connected to two religions in the US and is used exclusively between the two of them. Prior to the 1960s, Ammon was considered a solely Amish name. In the Amish community, Ammon is bestowed in honor of Jacob Amman, whom the Amish sect is named after.
        • Annabell
          • Description:

            Variation of Annabelle.
        • Ardella
          • Arlie
            • Arlington
              • Origin:

                English habitational surname, place name
              • Description:

                A patriotic place name, with its connections to Arlington National Cemetary.
            • Arminda
              • Asbury
                • Origin:

                  Place name
                • Description:

                  Asbury Park, a quirky town on the Jersey Shore, was named for Francis Asbury, the first American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Springsteen fans will likely be among those most drawn to Asbury as a first name; the Boss's first album was called "Greetings from Asbury Park."
              • Augustine
                • Origin:

                  Latin
                • Meaning:

                  "great, magnificent"
                • Description:

                  Augustine is more substantial (and saintly) than August, less pretentious than Augustus, and, along with its nickname Gus, is definitely a viable choice.
              • Aura
                • Origin:

                  Greek
                • Meaning:

                  "soft breeze"
                • Description:

                  Aura has an otherworldly, slightly New Age-y glow, but is beginning to sound more more like a legitimate name. In Greek and Roman mythology, Aura was the Titan of the breeze and the fresh, cool air of early morning. But at odds with her peaceful, well, aura, the mythological Aura is a tragic figure, ultimately transformed into a fountain by Zeus.
              • Avie
                • Beth
                  • Origin:

                    Diminutive of Elizabeth
                  • Meaning:

                    "pledged to God"
                  • Description:

                    The sweetest and most sensitive of the pet names for Elizabeth, now also one of the most dated.
                • Blaine
                  • Origin:

                    Irish and Scottish
                  • Meaning:

                    "slender, angular"
                  • Description:

                    Attractive Scottish and Irish surname name of a seventh-century saint, associated with the illusionist and escape artist David Blaine.