Old Northern Maine Names

Historic, vintage, and retro names collected from headstones found in graveyards throughout Northern Maine, including Aroostook Country and the Allagash. Some interesting spellings and unique family names.
  1. Roscoe
    • Origin:

      English, Norse
    • Meaning:

      "deer forest"
    • Description:

      Fairly popular a hundred years ago but out of the US charts since 1978, the quirky yet edgy Roscoe feels very much in step with the trending o-ending boy names popular now, such as Milo, Hugo, and Otto. A Top 1000 choice in the UK (albeit near the latter end), it could make a cool alternative to Ross, Russell, Robert, and Ronan.
  2. Sadie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Sarah
    • Meaning:

      "princess"
    • Description:

      Sadie started as a nickname for Sarah, but their images couldn't be more disparate. Where Sarah is serious and sweet, Sadie is full of sass and fun.
  3. Jasper
    • Origin:

      Persian
    • Meaning:

      "bringer of treasure"
    • Description:

      Jasper originated as a variation of the Latin Gaspar, which ultimately derived from the Persian word ganzabara, meaning "bringer of treasure." As a given name, Jasper’s etymology is unrelated to that of the gemstone, which comes from a Semitic word meaning "speckled stone." Jasper is the usual English form for one of the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the infant Christ according to medieval tradition and appears in the Bible as a reference to the stone itself in Revelations 4:3.
  4. Ambrose
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "immortal"
    • Description:

      Gentle but grandiose and beloved by British novelists including Evelyn Waugh and P. G. Wodehouse, Ambrose was a fast rising name in 2022. Entering the UK Top 1000 for the first time and proving popular among Nameberry users, its elegance, softness, and vintage style means it fits in with popular Theodore, Sebastian, and Jeremiah.
  5. Ivo
    • Origin:

      Germanic, Slavic
    • Meaning:

      "yew wood, archer; God is gracious"
    • Description:

      Succinct, stylish, and catchy, Ivo has the energetic impact of other names ending in -o. It is a multicultural choice with two distinct origins, and, as such, is familiar across a variety of countries, ranging from the Netherlands to Brazil, from Portugal to Czechia.
  6. Emerson
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Emery"
    • Description:

      Emerson is a dignified, somewhat serious name associated with transcendental thinker Ralph Waldo Emerson. Much more popular now for girls since Desperate Housewife Teri Hatcher used it for her daughter, it is definitely still a viable boys name.
  7. Weston
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "western town"
    • Description:

      Weston has gone from being a Jane Austenish British surname to a first name with a relaxed American western cowboy feel. Along with other trendy 'n'-ending boys’ names, Weston is rising in popularity, and is now more popular than ever, ranking in the Top 100 since 2021.
  8. Alden
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "old, wise friend"
    • Description:

      Hot young actor Alden Ehrenreich, the new Han Solo, gives this formerly-stodgy surname name an attractive new image, making it a fresh successor to Aiden or Holden. Before it got this fresh shine, Alden was among the classic Thanksgiving baby names.
  9. Hollis
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "near the holly bushes"
    • Description:

      Hollis is a rugged, gentle and quietly used name, given to over 200 boys and 150 girls each year in the US. In 2023, it became one of the newest entries to the US Top 1000, where it fits in with the surnames-as-first-names trend, and other familiar choices like Ellis, Silas, and Holden.
  10. Oren
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "laurel or pine tree"
    • Description:

      Soft and sensitive name often heard in Israel.
  11. Sena
    • Origin:

      Korean; Hindi; Turkish; Arabic; Ewe
    • Meaning:

      "this world's beauty or grace; army; to praise; bringing heaven to earth"
    • Description:

      Sena is one of those names that is as obscure in the Western World as it is simple and straightforward. Sena exists as a name in a range of languages and cultures and may be pronounced like Senna (with a soft e) or Sienna.
  12. Vada
    • Origin:

      English, Sanskrit, German
    • Meaning:

      "knowledge, rule"
    • Description:

      Vada is a feisty retro choice that feels like a fresh spin on the likes of Ava and Ada. Its bold V initial is bang on trend, although Vada remains very uncommon in the US. It is perhaps best known as the heroine of the 1991 cult classic coming-of-age movie My Girl, Vada Sultenfuss, played by Anna Chlumsky.
  13. Elva
    • Origin:

      Feminine form of Alf or anglicized form of Ailbhe, Danish, Icelandic, Irish
    • Meaning:

      "elf; bright, light, white"
    • Description:

      Elva is a multicultural choice, being both an anglicization of the Irish Ailbhe and an feminine form of the name Alf, meaning "elf". Popular in the US at the beginning of the 20th century, it remained in the charts until the 1970s before falling out of favor.
  14. Rowen
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Rowan, Scottish and Irish
    • Meaning:

      "rowan tree; little redhead"
    • Description:

      While the Rowan spelling is in the Top 1000 for both boys and girls, this spelling is much more unusual though maintains the same gender split at nearly four boy Rowens for every girl.
  15. Twila
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "woven with a double thread; twilight; star"
    • Description:

      The intriguing and creative feeling Twila is a vintage name that was semi-popular in the first half of the 20th century. Evoking the glowing light of twilight, it might appeal as an alternative to Lila, Tyler, or Skylar, or for the for the grown-up fans of the Stephanie Meyer's vampire series, Twilight.

      Twila — also spelled Twyla — has a number of possible origins. On one hand, it could simply be inspired by the word "twilight", connecting it to the time of evening when the sun is below the horizon. Alternatively, it could come from the word "twill", a type of textile weave that creates a sturdy fabric, or, it could be inspired by the French Étoile (said EH-TWAL), meaning "star".
  16. Iva
    • Origin:

      Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Slovak, Czech, English
    • Meaning:

      "willow tree; God is gracious; yew tree; bow warrior"
    • Description:

      Short, sweet, and sharp, this multicultural choice is currently popular in Croatia, Czechia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. While not in the charts elsewhere, it is familiar in English speaking countries, and in the Netherlands.
  17. Warner
    • Origin:

      English from German
    • Meaning:

      "army"
    • Description:

      Long connected to the world of movie biz thanks to Warner Bros, Warner is tough sounding surname of Germanic origin. While some English speakers may find it leans a little too close in sound to "worn out" or "warmer", it nevertheless shares the cool -er ending of contemporary favorites like Sawyer, Parker, Cooper, and Carter, while also matching the sturdy sounds or feel of Warren or Walter.
  18. Iona
    • Origin:

      Scottish place-name
    • Description:

      This name of a small island off the coast of Scotland is trending upwards along with other I names.
  19. Havelock
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "sea competition"
    • Description:

      A name from medieval romance with an endearingly clunky sound, à la Sherlock. The most famous modern wearer was twentieth-century psychologist/sexologist Havelock (born Henry) Ellis.
  20. Wilda
    • Origin:

      Variation of the word wild or German
    • Meaning:

      "to strive"
    • Description:

      Wilda (or Wylda) has two widely divergent images. Pronounced vill-da, it feels like a cousin of Hilda: a sturdy and none-too-attractive prairie settler. But you can also think of her as wild-ah, as in the feminine of wild and wilder.

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