Historic and Vintage Names · International Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 13 pages
of 13
German
"peace"
This traditional Germanic name hasn't been on the U.S. list since 1958, but perhaps due to the mythic power of painter Frida Kahlo, parents are beginning to show some interest in it.
Latin, feminine variation of Justin
Justina was the pre-Justine feminization of Justin, now a possible alternative to Christina. Oddly, while Justine feels like a name unto itself, Justina feels like a pinned-together feminization in…
Lavern is a gender-neutral name that has been used predominantly for males in the United States, though it can also be found as a feminine name. It likely derives from French elements, possibly from…
German variation of Moses, Egyptian
"delivered from the water"
Mose is the German variation of Moses, a widely familiar name thanks to the character in the Old Testament. Mose is also used a nickname for Moses. Fans of the American TV series The Office will…
English diminutive of Barbara, Greek
"foreign woman"
Despite the voluptuous doll's various career choices, from astronaut to doctor, her name still remains a euphemism for "bimbo".
"bold voyager"
Ferdinand is a traditional name among Spanish royal families and also appears in Shakespeare's The Tempest , borne by the handsome young prince shipwrecked on Prospero's island. Bold, daring, and…
Diminutive of Amanda, Latin
"she must be loved"
A seventies favorite, Mandy once appeared in the US Top 100, joined by the likes of Brandi, Kristy, Nancy, Lori, and Misty. By the mid-2000s, it had fallen out of favor, and while long form Amanda…
Hebrew
"delicate or judged"
The modern name Dena can be considered to come from either of two Old Testament names. Adina, which means delicate, was the name of a male soldier in the Bible. Dinah, meaning judged, Dinah was the…
"estate ruler"
Traditional German names of this ilk have had a difficult time emigrating into the American name pool, mostly because anti-German sentiment during the two world wars of the 20th century drove German…
Dannie is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive form of Daniel, meaning 'God is my judge' in Hebrew. While the spelling 'Danny' is more common for boys, 'Dannie' represents a less frequent…
English variation of Irma, English, German, Slovene
"whole, great, universal; army man"
A variation of the German Irma, Erma emerged in the 19th century in English-speaking countries where its similarity to timeless Emma might have helped it gain popularity. In fact, if you follow its…
English, diminutive of names ending in -ette or -etta, or variation of Neta, Hebrew
"plant"
You may never have known a Nettie personally, but there well might be one hidden in your family history, considering that she was a Top 100 name until 1901 and stayed on the Social Security list…
Slovak and Croatian variation of Salome, Hebrew
Disproportionately common among the American Amish.
English
"elf-friend"
This variation of the more well known Alvin adds an unusual and feminine touch to the original. It sounds a bit more like what it means--"elf friend."
Levina is a feminine name with several possible origins. It may be a variant of Lavinia, an ancient Roman name associated with Latin roots meaning 'woman of Rome' and featured in Virgil's 'Aeneid.'…
German variation of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Katharina is an attractive form of Katherine and a great way to update a classic. Popular in Austria and a classic in Germany, it is typically pronounced as ka-ta-REE-na, though kath-uh-REE-nuh or…
German variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
Although they could be easily confused, Elsbeth is a fairly unusual contracted German version of Elizabeth, while cousin Elspeth hails from Scotland. With its 'beth' ending, Elsbeth feels closer to…
Latin
"fruitful"
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.…
Lovisa is a Scandinavian feminine name, particularly popular in Sweden, derived from Louise, which ultimately comes from the Germanic name Ludwig, meaning 'famous warrior' or 'renowned fighter.'…
Variation of Lawrence
Alive thanks to Ponderosa papa Greene and SNL creator Michaels, both from Canada, where the name is much more popular.
