Historic and Vintage Names · Classic Baby Names
Unusual Antique Baby Names
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Merlin
Welsh
"sea fortress"
This name of the famous fifth-century sorcerer and mentor of King Arthur may or may not be a bit wizardy for a real-life modern child. Its most noted modern bearer: football star turned actor Merlin…
Meta
German, Slovene, and Scandinavian diminutive of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
A unique international short form of Margaret, now associated with Facebook and Instagram and with "meta" fiction, books, TV shows, and similar that are self-referential.
Millicent
German
"strong in work"
Combining the mild and the innocent, this sweet and feminine name is worthy of a comeback, in the mode of Madeline and Cecilia. Its original, also attractive form is Melisende, which came from…
Minnie
Diminutive of Wilhelmina, German
"resolute protection"
Minnie was wildly popular at the turn of the last century — it was the fifth or sixth most popular name throughout the 1880s — but is completely obscure in the US today. Blame Mickey's girlfriend.…
Mirabel
Latin
"wonderful"
Mirabel is one of those names that's not on the Top 1000 but ought to be, and undoubtedly will be soon following the release of Disney's 2021 Encanto . Mirabel is the film's quirky and highly…
Missouri
Native American
"dugout canoe"
Missouri, the name of a tribe, a state and a river, derives from the Illinois word mihsoori meaning "dugout canoe". It became a somewhat popular American girls' name in the mid-19th century. Missouri…
Mittie
Diminutive of Matilda or Martha
Mittie is an antiquated nickname, best known as the name of the mother of President Theodore Roosevelt. It may be a short form of the pet name Mitten.
Morton
English
"town near the moor"
An English family name used a few generations ago as an Anglicization of Moses, but hardly heard since th 1950s.
Mose
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…
Myrtis
Greek botanical name
This Myrtle variation may not be the most melodious choice but it does have that appealing nature meaning.
Ned
English, diminutive of Edward
"wealthy guardian"
Ned is a gently old-fashioned Nancy Drew-Bobbsey Twins-era short form for Edward that sounds cooler than Ed and is enjoying a small style renaissance. Usage of Ned in literature goes back to a Ben…
Neva
Spanish
"white snow"
Has a pure, clean aura, but is also evocative.
Newton
English
"new town"
Named after Isaac. Or Wayne.
Noble
Latin
"aristocratic"
With parents beginning to show an interest in virtue names for boys, this Puritan favorite just might be revived, for what could be more admirable than nobility in terms of having strength of…
Ocie
Short form of Ocean, nature name
Ocie is antiquated ie-ending nickname that was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s and has seen a slight uptake in interest in recent years. What's Ocie short for? Ocean in all its forms is the…
Olin
Swedish, Norwegian, English
"ancestor, to inherit, legacy; from the low-lying land"
Distinctive yet familiar, Olin is both a Scandinavian name and an English surname. Currently a rare choice, yet reminiscent of popular options, like Oliver, Orion, and Colin. Following its…
Ollie
Short form of Olive or Olivia, Latin
"olive tree"
Less used than Liv or Livvy, Ollie is a boyish nickname for girls, sometimes used for Olivia and Olive. Currently out of the US charts, you might be surprised to learn that Ollie actually ranked more…
Ora
Latin
"prayer"
Short and slight, with great potential now that names like Ava, Ida and Orla are popular. Ora Beach is a tourist destination on Seram Island, Indonesia.
Orpha
Variation of Orpah, Hebrew
"fawn"
Orpha, with its Biblical roots and its animal meaning, was once a fairly popular name, but fell from sight around the time of the Second World War, along with so many other Old School Names. And its…
Orville
French
"gold town"
Only if you're an aviation buff or seriously addicted to popcorn.