Historic and Vintage Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Hebrew
"fawn or gazelle"
Old Testament name of the daughter-in-law of Naomi, now eclipsed by the originally misspelled Oprah. Oprah Winfrey may have made her name more famous than this original Biblical version, but no baby…
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…
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…
Algie is a vintage masculine name that originated as a diminutive of names beginning with 'Alg-' such as Algernon or Albert. With Old French and Germanic roots, it gained modest popularity in the…
Spelling variation of Gail
When Gail was popular, half a century ago, Gale was a plausible choice. Gale does put a slightly more masculine spin on the name, but it's dated in any version.
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…
English
"elf counsel"
Short form of Alfred that had fallen out of favor, but could come back alongside Alfie and other clunky old-style nicknames like Gus and Ike.
Spanish
"green"
Verde is an uncommon color name with a Latinate accent, perfect for a spring baby. Other unique color names include Cerulean, Amethyst, and Iolanthe, while color names with green meanings include…
Diminutive of Florence, Latin
"flourishing, prosperous"
Flo is an antiquated nickname not often used these days, possibly because "Aunt Flo" is a euphemism for a period.
French diminutive of Josephine, Hebrew
"Jehovah increases"
Fifi is a perfect name -- for a French poodle. But Fifi may seem more child-friendly as names like Coco and Lulu rise. Fifi in its fluffiness also balances the seriousness of such full names as…
Diminutive of Frances
"from France or free man"
This short form has been pretty much replaced by Frankie, however, it could fit in with other clunky but charming names, like Peggy, Bess, and Enid.
Word name
Sociable middle name choice with a Quaker feel.
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…
Occupational name
"farmer"
Shepherd is soaring in the charts, so why not Farmer? Perhaps because, unlike some of the occupation names that are so popular today, it is still an everyday word. Even so, if you're looking for a…
"joyful"
The meaning of this word flipped from "cheerful" to "homosexual" during the twentieth century, and it's now almost certainly too loaded to sit comfortably as a baby name. Which is a shame as…
"brisk, high-spirited"
Best left on the old southern plantation, sipping his mint julep.
Geoff is a shortened form of Geoffrey, a masculine name of Germanic origin meaning 'peace pledge' or 'divine peace.' This shorter variant gained popularity particularly in British-influenced regions…
Diminutive of Gerladine, feminine variation of Gerald, English and French
"ruler with the spear"
Out of fashion alongside the full form - Geraldine. But with boyish nicknames for girls rising, maybe Geri isn't so far out.
Diminutive of Geraldine, feminine variation of Gerald, English and French
Boyish nicknames for girls -- like Charlie and Frankie -- are in fashion, but Geraldine is out. Gerri just might split the difference.
English, word name or combination of Mary and Lee, or Scottish place-name
Merrilee has several different origins. It's an alternative spelling of the unusual word name Merrily, as well as a variant of the smoosh name Marilee (Mary + Lee). Merrilee, Merrilees or Mirrlees…
