Victorian Girl Names from the 1800s

Betsy

Diminutive of Elizabeth

"pledged to God"

This Elizabeth nickname has a decidedly retro feel--think Betsy Ross and the Betsy Wetsy doll-- once seen as a perkier, younger-sounding alternative to Betty. But with Betty on the brink of a…

Carrie

Diminutive of Carol, English, or Caroline, French"free man"

"free man"

Carrie lives on mainly on the screen, as the new/old antiheroine of Stephen King's classic Carrie , as turn-of-the-21st-century diva Carrie Bradshaw of Sex & The City , and as Claire Danes'…

Janet

Diminutive of Jane

"God is gracious"

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…

Philippa

Greek, feminine variation of Philip

"lover of horses"

Philippa is a prime example of a boy's name adapted for girls that was common as crumpets in Cornwall, but rarely heard stateside. That was before the advent of royal sister-in-law Philippa…

Christiana

Latin feminization of Christian, Greek from Latin

"follower of Christ"

Not cutting edge, but still graceful and feminine. Parents who care about style may pass on all names Chris (or Kris) related, which were so popular in the second half of the 20th century. But…

Rosanna

Combination of Rose and Anna

Rose lovers today would probably prefer Rosemary, Rosamund, or even Rose itself, all more stylish variations of the name. Some may associate this form of the name with actress Rosanna Arquette and…

Hilda

German

"battle woman"

Short for Brunhilda, the operatic Valkyrie of Teutonic legend, Hilda still has not quite shaken off that image that image. Though with the resurgence of Matilda, she might just have a bit of a…

Minnie

Diminutive of Wilhelmina, German

"resolute protection"

Minnie was wildly popular at the turn of the last century — it was the fifth or sixth most popular name throughout the 1880s — but is completely obscure in the US today. Blame Mickey's girlfriend.…

Clarice

Medieval form of Clarita, a derivative of Clara

"bright, clear"

If you’re a fan of the annual animated Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, you’ll recognize the name of Rudolph’s beautiful doe sweetheart, pronounced cla-REES—uncomfortably close to the Silence of the…

Lulu

Diminutive of Louise or Lucy, or Arabic

"pearl"

Lula has a firecracker personality, a singing and dancing extrovert. Interesting that Lulu was a Top 100 name when the Social Security list was born in 1880, but it's been sliding ever since and has…

Augusta

Feminine variation of Augustus, Latin

"great, magnificent"

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…

Gladys

Possibly a form or Claudia or Welsh

"land, nation"

Hard as it might be to believe, Gladys was the Harper of 1900, emerging almost out of nowhere to take the naming world by storm. It became a favorite among parents — and writers of romantic Edwardian…

Rhoda

Greek

"rose"

To those who remember, Rhoda is still reminiscent of the brassy Bronx 1970s sitcom Rhoda Morgenstern. But Rhoda has a much longer history--it is a name that can be found in the New Testament as a…

Fannie

Spelling variation of Fanny, diminutive of Frances

"from France; free man"

It's hard to believe, via a 21st-century sensibility, that Fannie was ever a Top 50 name. But Fannie was even more popular than Fanny in its late 19th-century heyday, and stuck around much longer,…

Maude

English and French diminutive of Matilda, German

"battle-mighty"

Maude, also spelled Maud, is a lacy, mauve-tinted name that was wildly popular a hundred years ago, but has been rarely heard in the past fifty. Some stylish parents are starting to choose it again,…

Jemima

Hebrew

"dove; daytime"

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…

Dorcas

Greek

"doe, gazelle"

Classic name used by the Romans, the Puritans, and the Bard, but pretty much taboo today due to the objectionable connotations of both its front and back ends.

Eveline

English or French

"desired; or water, island"

Variant of Evelyn or Aveline

Dinah

Hebrew

"God will judge"

Dinah is a charming, underused Old Testament name with a rich literary and musical resume. In the Old Testament, Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah and while some conflate her with…

Ethel

English

"noble maiden"

Ethel is a name we once declared as 'So Far Out They'll Probably Always Be Out,' but with the return of other names on that list and with its new starbaby cred via Lily Allen, its soft sound and…