Historic and Vintage Names
Extinct Names
Across 9 pages
of 9
Babe
Word name or diminutive of Barbara
You can call your baby "babe," but don't name her that.
Barb
English diminutive of Barbara, Greek
"foreign woman"
Barb is a midcentury nickname name that, like Deb and Sue, feels terminally dates now. But with the revival of Barbie, Barb may not be far behind.
Barber
French occupational name
"beard"
This name's all-male occupational roots help it break the Barbara bonds, but still not the most inspiring surname choice.
Barney
Variation of Barnabas
"son of comfort"
The name Barney is hot among hip Londoners and it has been above the Top 500 in the UK since 2012. You can see why - it's got a friendly happy sound and a lovely meaning and is more easily worn than…
Bart
Diminutive of Bartholomew, Hebrew
"son of the earth"
Permanent property of that devilish little Simpson kid.
Bertie
Diminutive of Albert, Bertram etc
Long a royal nickname in England, it's coming back there along with Archie and Alfie. British singer Kate Bush calls her little boy Bertie.
Beryl
Greek
"sea-green jewel"
Dated British favorite that never caught on in this country, where Jade remains the green gem of choice. Interesting namesakes: British writer Beryl Bainbridge and British aviatrix Beryl Markham.
Bess
English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
Although she declared her independence as far back as the reign of Elizabeth I — Good Queen Bess, Bess now sounds less passé than Beth or Betsy.
Beverly
English
"beaver stream"
An English surname name which was originally used as a masculine first name in the 19th century, before becoming more popular for girls from the early 20th century onwards.
Verlin
Latin
"true"
Verlin is an obscure name that found some use in the US in the early part of the 20th century, but now it and variation Verlyn are extinct, given to no baby boys in the US last year. Verlyn…
Verlyn
Latin
"true"
Verlyn is an obscure name that found some use in the US in the early part of the 20th century, but now it and variation Verlin are virtually extinct, given to no baby boys in the US last year. Verlyn…
Biff
American nickname
The quintessential midcentury nickname, famously found in Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman." Biff is late 19th century slang meaning to "hit", so Biff may have originated as a nickname for a…
Bob
English, diminutive of Robert
"bright fame"
Kids love Bob the Builder, but do they want to be Bob the Builder? Bob and Bobby have been out of style since the 1960s, but as vintage nickname-names -- Fred, Archie -- come back into vogue, Bob may…
Britt
Swedish, contracted form of Birgit
"high goddess"
Brisk but rather brittle. Britt Eklund was a Bond Girl in the 1974 The Man with the Golden Gun . Britt is a contracted form of Birgit, but be aware that it does come with the strong possibility of…
Brunette
French
"woman with brown hair"
Brunette is an unusual feminine name derived from the French word for a woman with brown hair. While more commonly recognized as a descriptive term rather than a given name, it has occasionally been…
Buford
English variation of Beaufort, French
"beautiful fort"
Buford has lost any charm it once had. Try Beauford instead.
Burt
Burt is a masculine name with Germanic origins, typically serving as a shortened form of Burton, which meant 'fortified settlement' or 'fortress town.' The name gained notable popularity in the…
Butler
English occupational name
"chief manservant"
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…
Carol
English, Latin
"man"
Although now usually considered a female name in the US, Carol actually had a good run of popularity for boys too, peaking at #325 in 1937 and remaining in the US Top 1000 until the mid 1960s, when…
Adolf
German
"noble wolf"
Adolf may have been a Swedish royal name but the terrible dictatorship of Adolf Hitler has ruled out this name Adolf for any sensible parent. In the US last year, there were more than 100 boys' given…