Historic and Vintage Names · Classic Baby Names
Unusual Antique Baby Names
Across 10 pages
of 10
Sybil
Greek
"seer, prophetess"
The image of the lovely Lady Sybil, tragic youngest daughter of the Crawley family on Downton Abbey is likely to go a long way towards reviving this almost forgotten name, off the list since 1966 and…
Tennie
Diminutive of Tennessee, Cherokee
"bend in the river; meeting place"
A short form of Tennessee.
Thebe
Greek mythological name
Thebe is the name of more than one daughter of Zeus, according to some myths, and is also the name of a moon of Jupiter. Thebe rhymes with Phoebe and may appeal to lovers of that name.
Thomasina
English, feminine variation of Thomas, Aramaic
"twin"
Though rarely used now that many parents would rather appropriate men's names than sweeten them with feminine endings, Thomasina does have some vintage appeal. Thomasina Coverly plays a large part in…
Thora
Norse
"thunder goddess"
Thora, related to Thor, is the ancient Norse thunder goddess name that's much softer and gentler than its meaning suggests. A noted bearer is actress Thora Birch.
Thornton
English
"place in the thorns"
Despite Thornton Wilder, playwright of the perennial Our Town, only a handful of baby boys receive this name each year..
Thurston
Scandinavian
"Thor's stone"
Shades of Thurston Howell, the effete millionaire castaway on Gilligan's Island.
Tiberius
Latin
"of the Tiber"
The name of an important ancient Roman emperor, Tiberius might sound a bit heavy for a modern boy to carry, but with the rise of Atticus, Tiberius and brothers begin to feel more baby-friendly, much…
Urban
Latin
"of the city"
Urban was not an uncommon name through the 1930s (rising as high as Number 435), having been attached to several saints and early popes, but it has completely disappeared from the landscape--both…
Vance
English and Irish
"someone who lives near marshland"
Short and sharp with a nature related meaning, Vance was trending upwards in recent years thanks to the musicians Foy Vance and Vance Joy. 2024 saw it take a downwards dip however, likely due to its…
Verna
Latin
"springtime"
Verna may mean "springtime," but May or Spring is fresher.
Virgie
Diminutive of Virginia, Latin
"virginal, pure"
Virginia is a hundred years past its peak of the 1920s, but according to Nameberry's own Hundred Year Rule, that means it's due for a comeback. Indeed, Virginia's long downward slide leveled off and…
Virgil
Latin
"staff bearer"
The name of the greatest Roman poet and an early Irish saint who believed the earth was round, Virgil is heard most notably today as the name of designer Virgil Abloh of Off-White. The first century…
Webster
English occupational name
"weaver"
Webster is one of several W-starting surname names back on the drawing board, now that it has recovered from its childlike eighties sitcom identity. Webster was used in respectable numbers in the…
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…
Wilda
Variation of the word wild or German
"to strive"
Wilda (or Wylda) has two widely divergent images. Pronounced vill-da, it feels like a cousin of Hilda: a sturdy and none-too-attractive prairie settler. But you can also think of her as wild-ah, as…
Wilhelmina
German and Dutch, feminine variation of Wilhelm
"resolute protection"
Wilhelmina might once have been condemned as a clunky relic best left in the past, but a steadily increasing number of parents are dusting it off for their 21st century babies. A reasonably popular…
Willard
English from German
"resolutely brave"
Unfortunate identification with an army of rats in the movie of the same name.
Wilmer
German
"determined fame"
The visibility of actor Wilmer (That 70s Show) Valderrama has highlighted this name, but it's not likely to spread because of its similarity to the feminine (and dated) Wilma.
Winfield
English
"meadow, field"
An English surname derived from multiple place names, which ranked in the Top 500 for boys in the US until the turn of the 20th century.