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Victorian Girl Names from the 1800s

  1. Georgina
    • Origin:

      English, feminine variation of George
    • Meaning:

      "farmer"
    • Description:

      Now more popular than Georgiana in Britain, this elegant Dickens. Jane Austen name deserves attention. Most American parents prefer Georgia to Georgina or any other feminization of George.
  2. Mercy
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "compassion"
    • Description:

      The quality of mercy makes this lovely Puritan virtue name a quiet favorite today. Although it was most popular in the late nineteenth century, Mercy is on its way to a comeback -- it rose 143 spots between 2012 and 2013, making it one of the year's fastest-rising names. Right now, it's still stylish and distinctive, a rare and wonderful combination.
  3. Janet
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Jane
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      Janet started as a pet form of Jane but has long been used independently. Jane is a feminine form of John, which derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan. Janet can also be considered a variation of Jeannette, a derivative of Joan and another feminization of the name John.
  4. Euphemia
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "fair speech"
    • Description:

      Ancient martyr's name that, though not especially appealing, might still be mildly possible, especially for Anglophiles. It was widely used in early Scotland, but was overtaken by its nickname, Effie.
  5. Peggy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Margaret, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "pearl"
    • Description:

      Just when we had written off Peggy as the eternal perky, pug-nosed prom-queen she projected from the 1920s into the fifties, along came Mad Men, with intriguing mid-century characters with names like Joan and Betty--and Peggy, causing a bit of a re-think. MM's proto-feminist Peggy Olson was followed by Amy Adams's strong Oscar-nominated Peggy Dodd character in The Master.
  6. Marianne
    • Origin:

      French combination of Marie and Anne
    • Meaning:

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

      A midcentury Catholic classic that's not chosen by many parents today. Leonard Cohen fans might think of the beautiful song So Long, Marianne, named for his lover and muse Marianne Ihlen.
  7. Lucretia
    • Origin:

      Latin, female form of Lucretius
    • Meaning:

      "profit, wealth"
    • Description:

      A pretty and plausible Latin name that's gotten a bad rap through the years via a link to Lucrezia Borgia, who, though long considered a demon poisoner, was actually a patron of learning and the arts.
  8. Blanche
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "white"
    • Description:

      Blanche, which originated as a nickname for a pale blonde and then became associated with the notion of purity, was in style a century ago, ranking in the double digits until 1920. She then had to fight the stereotype of faded Southern belle, a la Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire and Blanche Devereaux in TV's Golden Girls. Now all three of the Golden Girls--Blanche, Rose and Dorothy--could be ready for revival, with Blanche sounding like a stronger, simpler alternative to Bianca.
  9. Muriel
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "of the bright sea, sea-bright"
    • Description:

      Once a poetic Celtic name, that of the angel who governs the month of June, Muriel has for a time, become the mom or grandma of TV sitcoms. A Top 200 name from 1912 to 1933, Muriel might just be due for a comeback, fitting as it does with the likes of Margot, Mabel, Marjorie, and Marilyn.
  10. Maud
    • Origin:

      English and French diminutive of Matilda, German
    • Meaning:

      "battle-mighty"
    • Description:

      Maud, lacy and mauve-tinted, was wildly popular a hundred years ago but has been rarely heard in the past fifty. Some stylish parents are starting to choose Maud again, especially as a middle. Maude is another spelling, associated with actress Maude Apatow.
  11. Hester
    • Origin:

      Medieval variation of Esther, Persian
    • Meaning:

      "star"
    • Description:

      The disgraced heroine of The Scarlet Letter's name, after long neglect, just might have a chance at revival, following in the wake of sister-name Esther. We've characterized her elsewhere as an eccentric aristocrat, much more accepted in the U.K. than she has been here.
  12. Jessie
    • Origin:

      Anglicized form of Teasagh or diminutive of Jessica, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "behold or wealthy"
    • Description:

      Jessie has never been used as much as Jennie/Jenny, partly because it's a boys’ name as well (spelled Jesse), but it does have a friendly and unpretentious pioneer feel. In Scotland, it's found as an Anglicized form of Teasagh, itself a form of Jean, and is used as a full name. And in the rest of the world, Jessie may be short for Jessica or used on its own.
  13. Adela
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "noble"
    • Description:

      A vibrant variation of Adele, with a bit of extra flair from that "-a" ending. It could join the army of popular A girls' names, especially with its tie to the success of singer Adele.
  14. Pamela
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "all honey"
    • Description:

      Pam was a somewhat pampered prom queen of the sixties who was never called by her full name, which is a pity because Pamela is so mellifluous and rich in literary history. A Top 25 name from the late 1940's through the late 60's, Pamela has just, sadly, dropped out of the Top 1000.
  15. Phyllis
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "green bough"
    • Description:

      Phyllis has been used by classical poets for the idealized pastoral maiden. A Greek mythological name of a woman who was turned into an almond tree, Phyllis was in the Top 100 from 1916 to 1958, reaching #24 in 1929, and has the (remote) possibility of joining other revived s-ending names like Iris. In the 'St Clare' book series by Enid Blyton Phyllis is nicknamed Fizz. Just a thought. Phyllida is a variation that sounds at once more old-fashioned and more stylish.
  16. Temperance
    • Origin:

      Virtue name
    • Description:

      Not too long ago, Temperance was found only on lists of Puritan baby names.
  17. Mildred
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "gentle strength"
    • Description:

      Is it clunky cute, strong and vintage, or dreadful and mildewy? Like Gertrude and Bertha, Mildred is one that divides the crowds, but with popular nickname Mildred and renewed interest in Winifred, Deborah, Millicent, and Gwendolen, it's not entirely out of the question that Mildred might make a return in coming years
  18. Georgiana
    • Origin:

      English, feminine variation of George
    • Meaning:

      "farmer"
    • Description:

      Long a popular upper-crust form in England, where it's pronounced George-ee-AH-na, Georgiana has been been neglected here. But with Georgia growing more popular and the general fashion for elaborate feminine names, Georgiana might have room to grow.
  19. Annette
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "grace"
    • Description:

      Annette is a French diminutive of Ann which was among the first wave of widely-used girls' names from France, now neglected for so long that it's almost starting to feel stylish again.
  20. Gertrude
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "strength of a spear"
    • Description:

      Could cute nickname Gertie, remembered as cute five-year-old Drew Barrymore in E.T., revive the long shunned Gertrude?

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