Historic and Vintage Names · Popular Names and Name Trends
Endangered Baby Names
Across 11 pages
of 11
Rudolph
German
"famous wolf"
Sure, he'd probably get a certain amount of red-nosed teasing around the holiday, but a boy named Rudolph could probably take it. Besides, he's got other, more distinguished namesakes -- the great…
Prescott
English
"priest's cottage"
Prescott is one of several distinguished, upper-crusty surnames beginning with P. There are several historical surnamed Prescotts, including William, a Massachusetts Minuteman and commander at the…
Hubert
German
"bright, shining intellect"
A name that sounds so old-fashioned some parents out there might conceivably find it quirky enough for a comeback, along with other one-time fuddie-duddies like Oscar and Homer. Along with other…
Fergus
Scottish and Irish
"man of force"
In Celtic lore, Fergus was the ideal of manly courage, making it a charming, slightly quirky Scottish and Irish favorite. As a name, Fergus forms a link between Ireland and Scotland, as Gaelic…
Courtney
English from French
"short nose; courteous, from the court"
This courtly old Southern name has several cool male bearers: NFL player Courtney Brown, British jazz musician Courtney Pine, and Barbados-born economist Courtney Blackman, to name but a few.
Willard
English from German
"resolutely brave"
Unfortunate identification with an army of rats in the movie of the same name.
Ed
Diminutive of Edward et al
"wealthy"
The most minimalist of names, Ed is decidedly out -- though that usually means it's due to swing back in. More stylish these days: Ned or even Ted.
Gregg
Gregg is a masculine name that originated as a variant spelling of Greg, which itself is a diminutive form of Gregory. The name Gregory comes from Greek origins meaning 'watchful' or 'vigilant.'…
Cyril
Greek
"lordly"
A British-accented Greek name with an intellectual image that has been off the U.S. charts since 1966, but was a Top 300 name at the turn of the last century. We have the feeling Cyril's ready for a…
Wilber
Wilber is a masculine name of Germanic origin, derived from the elements "wil" meaning "will" or "desire" and "berht" meaning "bright" or "famous." It's a variation of the more common Wilbur, which…
Wilbur
English, German
"wild boar"
Clunky yet cuddly, Wilbur is a stylish name in the UK where it currently sits in the Top 600, as cool as Rupert or Wilfred. Its merits are starting to be rediscovered in the US, where it was last…
Brad
Diminutive of Bradley
Pitt is the prototypical blond Brad.
Doug
Doug is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive form of Douglas, a Scottish surname meaning 'dark water' or 'dark stream,' derived from the Gaelic elements 'dubh' (dark) and 'glas' (water).…
Gerry
Gerry is a friendly, approachable masculine name that functions both as a standalone name and as a diminutive of Gerald, Gerard, or Geraint. Derived from Germanic roots meaning 'spear ruler' or…
Marybeth
English, combination of Mary and Beth
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + oath"
Marybeth, something written like this as one word and sometimes as Mary Beth, is one of those compound versions of Mary popular in the midcentury US. Parents were trying to move away from plain old…
Maryellen
English, combination of Mary and Ellen
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + shining light"
A gentle old-fashioned compound name that has never been epidemically popular, but is now almost unused. The meaning of Mary is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots…
Bonita
Spanish
"pretty"
Like Benita, had some popularity in the fifties.
Mimi
Diminutive of Mary, Miriam, and others
Sweet, nicknamey name belonging to the tragic heroines of both La Bohème and Rent . Mimi might feel too slight for many parents to use on the birth certificate, but as a short form, it's one of the…
Cecile
French feminine form of Cecil
"blind"
Cecile is a fairly common French saint's name, scattered throughout classic French literature--in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, in Balzac's Cousin Pons, and Zola's Germinal. Cecile, Cecily and Cecilia…
Melba
Modern invented name
Australian opera singer Nellie Melba—self-named for her hometown of Melbourne—inspired this now-dated name more associated today with a peach dessert and dietetic toast.