Blanche, which originated as a nickname for a pale blonde and then became associated with the notion of purity, was in style a century ago, ranking in the double digits until 1920. She then had to fight the stereotype of faded Southern belle, a la Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire and Blanche Devereaux in TV's Golden Girls. Now all three of the Golden Girls--Blanche, Rose and Dorothy--could be ready for revival, with Blanche sounding like a stronger, simpler alternative to Bianca.

Susanna is an old and under-appreciated name, perhaps because of the recent overpopularity of Susan, that is certainly due for a comeback.

An x makes any name cooler, so that Baxter has a bit more pizzazz than the original Baker. Baxter had some currency as a first name a century ago--it was on the popularity lists sporadically from 1880 till the 1920s, peaking at Number 515 in 1886-- which means it's just about due for a comeback. And we can see Bax as a worthy follow-up to Max and Jax.

Whit is an uplifting short form of any number of surname-y full names, for Whitman to Whitaker to Whitney. But Whit stands perfectly well on its own and makes for a witty spin on modern virtue names.

While this name came into being in the Victorian era as a nickname for a man with whiskers, the name was quickly embraced as a true name by the Victorians and is likely most familiar to you as the name of Oscar Wilde's fabulous character in The Importance of being Earnest . However, Algernon is not confined to the fictional world of satire; many real world namesakes exist including US footballer Algernon Crumpler (aka Alge Crumpler), British impressionist painter Algernon Talmage, and Canadian astrophysicist Joseph Algernon Pearce, who discovered many thinks about the Milky Way. Plus, who can go past the adorable nickname Algie?

Cliff is a familiar, timeless short form -- never too popular, yet widely known -- that you might also think of as a geographical name ala Vale or Field.

West is the most fashionable of what you might call the direction names, with North and East (or Easton and Easter) coming up behind, and South not yet on the map.

A sweet Scottish short form of Alexander which is feeling newly appealing now the era of Sandra is far behind us. Sandy would also work well as a nickname for a child with pale red or dark blond hair.

Drusilla is an ancient Roman name, (probably) borne by descendants of Antony and Cleopatra, and is one of the 'illa' names that are ready for a comeback, especially with its cute short form Dru.

Celestia is a heavenly name that sounds more ethereal than Celeste, Celestia might make a distinctive, feminine choice if your taste runs toward names like Angelina and Seraphina.

Foppish name with a distinguished forebear, French general Marquis de Lafayette, who fought in the American Revolution. It accounts for the L in L. Ron Hubbard. Old-time short form: Fayette or Fate.

Lovett is a masculine name that functions both as a surname and given name. Its primary origin is as an English surname derived from the Old French "Louvet," a diminutive of "loup" (wolf), possibly referring to someone with wolf-like characteristics or as an occupational name for a wolf hunter. As a given name, Lovett has been used since at least the 19th century but remains relatively uncommon. The name's connection to the word "love" (though etymologically unrelated) may influence its appeal to modern parents. Lovett has a distinctive, strong sound with its two syllables and crisp ending consonant. The name carries a certain sophistication and traditional quality while being uncommon enough to be distinctive. Its usage as a first name has been sporadic but persistent across different regions in the United States.

Hardy is a spirited and durable un-Germanic German surname that is starting to be used in this country.

It's hard to believe now that Herman was once, at the turn of the last century, a Top 50 name, remaining in the Top 100 until 1935, and even harder to imagine it making a comeback. But then again, our parents thought the same thing about Max and Jake. Consider the French Armand or Spanish Armando instead. Notable bearers include writers Herman Melville and Hermann Hesse--and then there was TV's Herman Munster.

Parthenia may be a bit unwieldy, but does conjure up majestic images of the Parthenon. It was briefly in the US charts in the late 19th century.

An old name, with a history separate from Emily and Emma and a different kind of vintage feel, that's a possible alternative to top-of-the-pops names. More common spelling is Emmeline.

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.

Florence is back, and the adorable short form Florie (or Flory) is too. Or you could just name her Flora and be done with it.

An English occupational name and surname that brings to mind old, stately homes, black suits, and white gloves, Butler peaked back in 1919 when 30 boys were given the name. It hasn't appeared in the stats since the 90s and, despite the popularity of occupational names, that first syllable likely puts parents off using this one.

So uncool it's cool! Bertie makes for a boyish nickname for Alberta, Roberta, Bertille, Albertine... or just use it on its own, à la Billie or Frankie. Old school unisex nickname names are back in and Bertie has an undeniable vintage charm; particularly given soundalike Birdie rising in the ranks.