Historic and Vintage Names
Medieval Names
Across 17 pages
of 17
Malkin
English diminutive of Maud or Matilda, German
"battle mighty"
Malkin is medieval short form of Maud or Matilda, popular in the Middle Ages. The name later developed folkloric associations, sometimes referring to a female cat (particularly a green-eyed one) or a…
Mally
Scottish short form of Mary, Hebrew or Egyptian,"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
Mally actually has several possible derivations beyond being a medieval nickname, ala Molly, for Mary . It might be a diminutive of names like Mallory, derived from French meaning "unfortunate" or…
Margery
Medieval variation of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
An old royal name in England and Scotland that's also spelled Marjorie. Popular in the Middle Ages and Tudor period, it was revived at the end of the 19th century, peaked in 1921 and dropped off the…
Marion
English and French diminutive of Marie
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
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,…
Mariota
Scottish variation of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
This obscure Margaret variation was a popular name in medieval Scotland and could make a truly distinctive, feminine choice today.
Mariott
English
"descendant of Mary"
Medieval nickname for Mary that became a surname, then the name of a hotel chain, which makes it unlikely to be adopted as a baby name in modern times.
Marjorie
Scottish variation of Margery, diminutive of Margaret
"pearl"
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,…
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,…
Maurice
English and French from Latin
"dark-skinned"
In the USA, Maurice was in the Top 200 for most of the 20th century; since 1990, however, it has been on a slow and steady decline. This name has the potential for some old-school cute nicknames such…
Maurin
French diminutive of Maurus, Latin
"dark-skinned"
Maurin comes from the ancient Roman Maurus, which literally means 'Moorish.' This name was traditionally given to people with darker complexions or those from North African descent. Throughout…
Meraud
Cornish
"a profit from the sea"
A medieval Cornish name which despite sounding similar to the French name Emeraude, is actually connected to the Welsh name Morfydd. Pronunciation rhymes with Herod -- and yes, the final d is…
Milia
Diminutive of Emilia, Latin, or Greek
"rival; apple tree"
While only 8 baby girls were named Milia in the US in 2021, its rise seems inevitable along with the rise of Emilia and Mila and other similar names. Like Livia, Milia has the advantage of being…
Milla
Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Hungarian
"young ceremonial attendant, gracious people"
Milla originated as a diminutive of names like Camilla and Ludmilla, but has since become well established as a name in its own right in several European countries. Milla Jovovich is a Ukrainian-born…
Millicent
German
"strong in work"
Combining the mild and the innocent, this sweet and feminine name is worthy of a comeback, in the mode of Madeline and Cecilia. Its original, also attractive form is Melisende, which came from…
Mirabel
Latin
"wonderful"
Mirabel is one of those names that's not on the Top 1000 but ought to be, and undoubtedly will be soon following the release of Disney's 2021 Encanto . Mirabel is the film's quirky and highly…
Modwenna
Irish, meaning unknown
Modwenna is the name of a medieval Irish saint who, according to legend, founded Burton Abbey on the River Trent, site of many miracles. Saint Modwenna, also called Modwen, made a pilgrimage to Rome…
Nicolette
French, diminutive of Nicole, feminine variation of Nicholas, Greek
"people of victory"
Frilly and feminine, Nicolette is the name of an enchanting princess in the medieval French romance, Aucassin et Nicolette , but really got its publicity from the heyday of Desperate Housewives and…
Norbert
German
"bright or renowned north"
A medieval German saint's name which remained popular in Germany until the middle of the 20th century. It is still in relatively wide use in other European countries, including Poland and Hungary.…
Oona
Irish, variation of Una
"lamb"
Oona is a name made famous by Eugene O'Neill's daughter, who became Charlie Chaplin's wife. One of the original Oona's granddaughters was named after her, and is now an actress famous in her own…
Oriana
Latin
"dawn; gold"
Oriana is a dashing medieval name, with a meaning similar to Aurora. At this point, though, Oriana is much more unusual than Aurora and makes a unique choice if you're searching for names that mean…