Victorian Girl Names from the 1800s

  1. Agatha
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "good woman"
    • Description:

      Agatha until recently summoned up visions of martyred saints, mauve silk dresses, and high lace collars, but now that some dauntless excavators have begun to resurrect it, we're sure more will follow their lead. Actor Thomas Gibson used it for his daughter in 2004.
  2. Clarissa
    • Origin:

      Elaboration of Clara
    • Meaning:

      "bright, clear"
    • Description:

      Clarissa, the daintier version of Claire, has a long literary history of its own, having been featured in the novels of Samuel Richardson, Charles Dickens, and Virginia Woolf—Clarissa was the title character of Mrs. Dalloway—not to mention the 1990s teen sitcom, Clarissa Explains it All.
  3. Sabina
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "Sabine"
    • Description:

      Sabina is a sleek but neglected name with the same spirited, stylish feel of Sabrina, Serena, and Selena. It ranked towards the latter end of the US charts in the early 20th century while a more recent year saw it given to 70 American girls.
  4. Priscilla
    • Origin:

      Latin, diminutive of Prisca
    • Meaning:

      "ancient"
    • Description:

      Despite her somewhat prissy, puritanical air, Priscilla has managed to stay widely used for well over a century -- it reached as high as Number 127 in 1940 -- appreciated for its delicacy and solid history.
  5. Augusta
    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Augustus, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "great, magnificent"
    • Description:

      Augusta is a dignified name reminiscent of wealthy great-aunts and stately homes, but with the fashion for both August and Gus for boys, and the renewed interest in clunky classics like Gwendolyn and Winifred for girls, Augusta might just appeal to contemporary parents.
  6. Maria
    • Origin:

      Hebrew or Egyptian
    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
    • Description:

      As a highly popular girls' name in all Spanish-speaking countries, this saintly Latin variation of Mary retains a timeless beauty. Through the centuries, Maria remains one of the most widely-used girl names starting with M.
  7. Martha
    • Origin:

      Aramaic
    • Meaning:

      "lady"
    • Description:

      The name of our first First Lady still has something of a prim and proper image, academic and efficient. That quiet, traditional, and tasteful gestalt is exactly what makes Martha appealing to some parents today.
  8. Maggie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Margaret
    • Meaning:

      "pearl"
    • Description:

      Maggie is a cute, earthy short form that has been in style for several decades now, still sometimes used as an independent name by such parents as Jon Stewart. First used in Scotland, it got a large bump in popularity via the 1971 Rod Stewart hit song "Maggie May." Today's Maggie might just as well be short for a more adventurous name such as Magdalena or Magnolia as for the classic Margaret.

      Maggie Gyllenhaal was born Margaret.

  9. Marion
    • Origin:

      English and French diminutive of Marie
    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
    • Description:

      An underused classic that has proved surprisingly unisex over the last few decades, being given to roughly the same number of baby girls and boys in the US from the 1970s to the 2000s. For a girl, Marion has a sturdy old-fashioned charm.
  10. Kathleen
    • Origin:

      Anglicized form of Irish Caitlin
    • Meaning:

      "pure"
    • Description:

      Kathleen is the early Irish import version that came between Katherine and Kaitlin, and which hasn't been used in so long it's almost beginning to sound fresh again. It was a surprise pick by one of the hip Dixie Chicks, Martie Maguire. Kathleen was a Top 10 name from 1948 to 1951, and it is the subject of several old sentimental songs, such as "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen."
  11. Leonora
    • Origin:

      Italian diminutive of Eleonora or Eleanor, meaning unknown
    • Description:

      Its mellifluous sound makes Leonora--which has a rich history and a tie to the popular Leo names-- a keen possibility for revival. Though it's been hiding below the Top 1000 since the 1940s, Leonora is being rediscovered by stylish parents in the US and Europe.
  12. Lois
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "most desirable"
    • Description:

      The eternal fiancee of Superman turned sweet gray-haired lady who's always available to babysit her grandkids turned....hot new baby name?
  13. Norah
    • Origin:

      English, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "woman of honor, light"
    • Description:

      The skyrocketing success of singer Norah Jones brought this spelling of the name onto the pop charts in 2003. As well as being a spelling variant of Nora in English, it's also an alternative transcription of the Arabic name Nura, from Nur/Noor "light".
  14. Johanna
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      Johanna is the version of this name used in Holland, Germany, and Scandinavia. The extra h makes Johanna a slightly more dignified version of Joanna.
  15. Myra
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "sweet-smelling oil"
    • Description:

      As with many grandmother-y names, this choice may be coming back into style.
  16. Marjorie
    • Origin:

      Scottish variation of Margery, diminutive of Margaret
    • Meaning:

      "pearl"
    • Description:

      Scottish Marjorie and her English twin Margery were early twentieth century favorites that date back to medieval times, when it was popular among the royals. They were at their height in the 1920s, when they were seen as more lively versions of the old standard. Marjorie was always the preferred spelling, in the Top 25 from 1920 to 1927.
  17. Judith
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "He will be praised or woman from Judea"
    • Description:

      The biblical Judith, the fourth most popular name in 1940, may be getting ready for a comeback in its full, elegant, if somewhat solemn form. Many of those earlier Judiths were called Judy—some after Judy (born Frances) Garland—preferring it over their more formal proper name. Today, Judith, like Deborah, may have shaken off just enough to appeal to parents looking for a traditional, yet under-the-radar biblical name. And Jude would be a likelier nickname these days than the Judge Judy connection.
  18. Ann
    • Origin:

      English variation of Hebrew Hannah
    • Meaning:

      "grace"
    • Description:

      Ann, the name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary, was among the top girls’ names for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970 and show no signs of returning, with Anne is the middle of the US Top 1000 and Ann dropped out of sight.
  19. Amanda
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "she must be loved"
    • Description:

      Amanda may no longer be the most popular girls' name in her class, but it still holds appeal with its pleasing meaning and solid yet romantic sound. Its heyday however was back in the eighties when it skyrocketed alongside Samantha, Vanessa, Melissa, and co.
  20. Jemima
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "dove; daytime"
    • Description:

      Jemima, the name of a strong and beautiful Biblical daughter of Job, has long been among the chicest choices of aristocratic Brits, and has since shifted to be used more generally too, replacing Gemma/Jemma as a way to nickname "Jem". In a recent year, it featured in the England and Wales Top 500.

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