Old-Fashioned, Vintage, Retro, Classic, Eclectic, Unusual and Uncommon Names for Girls

Morna

Irish and Scottish variation of Myrna

"festive; affection, endearment"

Poetic name that's terminally mournful, though its meaning is anything but. Myrna plays a powerful role in Irish legend.

Dorinda

Greek

"bountiful gift"

Cinderella stepsister type Victorian-valentine name.

Cosima

Italian feminine variation of Cosmo, Greek

"order, beauty, universe"

Cosima, the kind of elegant and unusual name the British upper classes love to use for their daughters, is given to a handful of baby girls in the US after being chosen by two high-profile celebs in…

Melisande

French form of Millicent, German

"strong in work"

This old-time fairy tale name is rarely heard in the modern English-speaking world, but it's so, well, mellifluous, that it would make a lovely choice for a twenty-first century girl--a romanticized…

Hatsy

Diminutive of Harriet

"estate ruler"

So-old-it's-cute-again short from of Harriet, reminiscent of Patsy and Betsy but fresher and more appealing than either of those choices. Hattie is another adorable short form.

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…

Betty

Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Combine the popularity of Betty White and Mad Men 's glamorous Betty Draper Francis, with the residual sweetness of Ugly Betty 's Betty Suarez, and the result is an impending return of the name. It's…

Libby

English, diminutive of Elizabeth

"pledged to God"

Through all the years when Betty, Betsy, Beth, Liz, and Lizzie were the Elizabethan nicknames of choice, the bubblier Libby was set aside, but today it may be the most modern of all—it has already…

Fay

English

"fairy"

Fay, also spelled Faye, who had been napping quietly since the 1930's, has, like cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae, sat up and started rubbing her eyes, ready for a mini-comeback, especially as a middle…

Shirley

English

"bright meadow"

Shirley Temple almost single-handedly lifted the gloom of the Great Depression, and in tribute (and perhaps wishing for a similarly curly-headed, dimpled darling of their own), thousands of parents…

Tillie

English, diminutive of Matilda

"battle mighty"

A surprise recent hit revival with cutting-edge British, Tribeca and Malibu parents; Tillie, also spelled Tilly, is cute, frilly, and sassy all at once. Tilly features in the England and Wales Top…

Mattie

Diminutive of Martha or Matilda

"lady; battle-mighty"

Mattie, which might be a short form of Martha, Matilda, or even Madeline, ranked among the Top 100 names for girls in the 1880s and in fact, has held a place among the Top 1000 for most of U.S.…

Rosemarie

Combination of Rose and Marie

"rose flower + drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

Rosemarie had its moment in the sun back in the middle of the last century, when parents were looking for new ways to recycle traditional family names. So a child might combine her two grandma's…

Milly

Variation of Millie, English diminutive of Mildred or Millicent

"gentle strength; strong in work"

Milly and her more popular sister Millie are adorable Old Lady nickname-names springing back to life. Nearly 100 baby girls were named Milly, just Milly, last year, and Millie is in the US Top 500.…

Wilma

Diminutive of Wilhelmina

"resolute protection"

In the US, Wilma is appears to be eternally fossilized in Bedrock as Fred Flintstone's wife, but in Sweden it's a Top 10 hottie. It did have its moment in the US--from 1912 to 1940 it was a Top 100…

Melusine

French, folkloric name

Melusine was a figure from early European folklore, associated with the water. Her legends are especially connected with the northern and western areas of France, as well as the Low Countries. She is…

Corisande

Greek

"chorus-singer"

Corisande is a very unusual, haunting choice, with the aura of medieval romance--it is found in early Spanish romantic tales, arriving in the English-speaking world in the nineteenth century. 'La…

Ginger

English diminutive

Originally a unisex nickname for a redhead -- red hair is called "ginger" in Britain -- or for the name Virginia, Ginger perennially wears pink gingham and spike heels.

Ginny

Diminutive of Virginia, Ginevra, Genevieve, or Imogen

"virgin, pure; white wave; maiden"

A nickname to Latin Virginia, French Genevieve, Italian Ginevra, English Imogen, and any other name with the 'gin' sound in there, Ginny ranked in the latter end of the US charts in the mid 20th…

Polly

English variation of Molly, diminutive of Mary, Hebrew

"bitter"

An alternative to the no-longer-fresh Molly, the initial 'P' gives Polly a peppier sound, combining the cozy virtues of an old-timey name with the bounce of a barmaid. Associated with Tom Sawyer's…