Historic and Vintage Names · Popular Names and Name Trends · Girl Names Lists
Victorian Girl Names from the 1800s
Across 11 pages
of 11
Gwenllian
Welsh
"white, flaxen"
While it may look like it to those unfamiliar, Gwenllian is not a blend of Gwendolyn and Lillian! It is in fact a Welsh name, borne by a medieval Welsh princess noted for her bravery and beauty.…
Annis
Variation of Agnes
"pure, virginal"
Annis and Anice are both antique variations of Agnes that have fallen out of use, perhaps because of pronunciation problems (ANN-is, or an-EES?)
Lois
Greek
"most desirable"
The eternal fiancee of Superman turned sweet gray-haired lady who's always available to babysit her grandkids turned....hot new baby name? True to the Hundred Year Rule, Lois is poised to climb the…
Pamela
English
"all honey"
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…
Edna
Hebrew
"rejuvenation, delight"
Edna is one of those names that, until what it seemed like a few minutes ago, felt so terminally frumpy that no one could imagine a parent choosing it for an innocent modern baby girl. But with the…
Tamar
Hebrew
"date palm tree"
Tamar is a rich, strong Old Testament name sometimes given to girls born on the holiday of Sukkoth, as palm branches were used to make the roof of the sukkah. In the Bible, there are several Tamars,…
Alix
French
"noble type"
A chic and sassy French choice, popular in France but likely to be confused with the more prosaic Alex in English-speaking countries. Although sometimes used in the US as a variant spelling of Alex,…
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…
Thomasin
English, feminine variation of Thomas, Aramaic
"twin"
Pre-Thomasina female form of Thomas, now seen as more literary and upscale British. In Thomas Hardy's novel The Return of the Native, a leading character is Thomasin Yeobright.
Adela
German
"noble"
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. Adela, which…
Rosamond
German
"horse protection"
The kind of serious old-school name that sounds appealing again; perfect for the intrepid baby namer. More commonly spelled Rosamund but highly unusual these days in either version, with fewer than…
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'…
Drusilla
Latin
"fruitful"
Drusilla is an ancient Roman name, (probably) borne by descendants of Antony and Cleopatra, and is one of the 'illa' names that are ready for a comeback, especially with its cute short form Dru.…
Alberta
English, feminine variation of Albert
"noble, bright"
This jazzy old name could make a comeback, the way Josephine and Ella have. In England the name was popularized by Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, after whom her governor…
Nannie
Nannie is a feminine name that originated as a diminutive form of Ann or Nancy. The name has historical roots as an affectionate nickname before establishing itself as a standalone given name,…
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…
Addie
Diminutive of Adelaide or Adeline
Old-fashioned nickname with sweet turn-of-the-last-century charm that's become a favorite among the popular girl names starting with A of today. In fact, with all spellings of Adeline/Adalynn taken…
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…
Muriel
Irish
"of the bright sea, sea-bright"
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…
Belle
Short form of Isabelle or French
"beautiful"
Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast . As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of…