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

Pia

Feminine form of Pius or diminutive of Olympia, Latin, Greek, Sanskrit

"pious; from Mount Olympus; beloved"

Soft, light, and international, Pia is familiar across Europe, South America, and Asia. Usually considered a feminine form of the Latin Pius — lending it a surprisingly serious and spiritual air — it…

Mathilda

Variation of Matilda

"battle-mighty"

The addition of the h makes it more Old World, which is not the direction you want to push Matilda in.

Kathlyn

Combination of Katherine and Lynn, or a variation of Kathleen, English

"pure + lake; pure + pretty"

Not Katelyn, not Kathryn, not Kathleen, but a blend of the three, Kathlyn might be considered a compound name, mixing Lynn and Katherine, which gets you the appealing meanings "pure lake" or "pure…

Katharine

Spelling variation of Katherine, Greek

"pure"

This is the spelling that old-time film star Katharine Hepburn used, and it's still favored by fans wanting to reference her classic strength and beauty. But in general, it's losing ground to…

Eulalia

Greek

"sweetly speaking"

Eulalia is a melodious name with a southern drawl, thanks to those lilting double L s and similarity to similar Eudora and Eula. Familiar in the US in the early 20th century, it was also a popular…

Temperance

Virtue name

Not too long ago, Temperance was found only on lists of Puritan baby names . With increased increase in virtue names, and Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan on long-running television series Bones , this…

Emeline

French form of German Amelina

"work"

An old name, with a history separate from Emily and Emma and a different kind of vintage feel, that's a possible alternative to top-of-the-pops names. More common spelling is Emmeline.

Patience

Latin virtue name

"ability to accept or tolerate inconveniences, and suffering without anxiety or anger"

Patience is a passive virtue turned engaging name, fresher than Hope, Faith, or even Charity. Its resemblance to the trendy Payton may be one reason that it returned to the US charts back in the 90's…

Charity

English word name

"charity"

Charity is one of the Big Three abstract virtue names, along with Hope and Faith, though far less widely used than the others. But as Faith, Grace and Hope grow more common, some parents are…

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,…

Bess

English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Although she declared her independence as far back as the reign of Elizabeth I — Good Queen Bess, Bess now sounds less passé than Beth or Betsy.

Kitty

English, diminutive of Katherine

"pure"

This endearing nickname name is one Katherine pet form that predates all the Kathys and Katies, having been fairly common in the eighteenth century. With the current mini-craze for animal-related…

Easter

English, from German

Easter has been used as a name for several hundred years, as part of the day-naming tradition; now, this rarely heard holiday celebration name would make a novel choice for a springtime baby.…

Anneth

Cornish

"home"

Anneth was derived from the Cornish word annedh , meaning "home," but it may also be viewed as a variation of the French name Annette.

Primrose

English flower name

"first rose"

A quaint and quirky flower name, until recently considered a bit too prim for most American classrooms but brought back to life in recent years by the attractive character of Primrose "Prim" Everdeen…

Harriet

English variation of French Henriette

"estate ruler"

Harriet has long been considered a stylish, upscale name in England, but it's still waiting to be revived in the US—though some parents seeking a solid, serious semi-classic are beginning to consider…

Eulalie

French form of Eulalia, Greek

"sweetly speaking"

Eulalie hasn't ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1899, but its French roots might make it more appealing to modern ears than its sister Eulalia. "Eulalie" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, and the name…