Names That Mean Old

The modern form of Þórdís.

Romani form of the Scandinavian name Vandill.

Still heard today on the Faroe Islands, Drós comes from the Old Norse word for woman.

Popular in mid-century Norway, Turid was ultimately derived from the Old Norse name Þórfríðr, from Þórr, "Thor," and fríðr, "beautiful." Turi is a more contemporary spelling, connected to aviator Turi Widerøe.

Unlike many other western city names, Tulsa has not proved attractive to parents. The name derives from Tallasi, meaning "old town" in the Creek language. Elvis Presley played a character named Tulsa in the 1960 musical comedy G. I. Blues.

Sounds just like its cognate Estelle, but with a more streamlined spelling.

Dropping the H off hot surnames gets you a whole new name. The trend is multiplying: Hadley becomes Adley, Harley become Arley, Harlow becomes Arlowe, and now Halston becomes Alston.

A cute and sprightly Faroese name from the Old Norse word for "sprout".

A goddess worshipped in Roman times by Celtic peoples on the British isles, only recently rediscovered by historians. Though little is understood about her -- most of what we know comes from a single archeological finding -- she seems to have been a virgin goddess, analogous to the Greek Athena, Roman Minerva and, distantly, the Virgin Mary. Her name was initially thought to be Senua; both are intriguing, highly unusual possibilities for a little girl today.

The Icelandic variation of Móheiðr, an Old Norse name combined of the elements mod, meaning "courage," and heid, "bright."

Faroese name related to the Norse goddess of destiny.

Too ripe for teasing for an English speaker, but Brá is heard on occasion in Scandinavia.

Faroese name derived from the Old Norse word fífa, which refers to cotton grass.