User-created list
Classic Girl Vintage Old Lady Names
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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…
Stacy
Diminutive of Anastasia
A key cheerleader in the nickname game of the 1970s, Stacy is now the mom. Consider Stacia, or the original Anastasia.
Sue
Diminutive of Susan
Much-used midcentury diminutive, now fallen far from favor even as a middle name.
Susan
English diminutive of Susannah, Hebrew
"lily"
Although Susan had her heyday from the thirties to the sixties, and is now common among moms and new grandmas, and though most modern parents would prefer Susanna/Susannah, we have spotted some…
Susannah
Hebrew
"lily"
Susannah is by far the most stylish form of the classic name now that Susan and Suzanne have retired. Susannah has biblical and musical pedigrees, is impervious to trends, and has an irresistible,…
Susie
Diminutive of Susan, Hebrew
"lily"
In the 1950s and 60s, Susie was the name every little girl wanted for her very own. Susie, which might be short for Susan or Susannah, might be off its fashion peak but it's still cute and perky.
Suzanne
French variation of Susan
"lily"
Suzanne became popular along with Susan but has just dropped out of the Top 1,000. Wait a generation (or two) in the US, though in France Suzanne is once again tres chic.
Tabitha
Aramaic
"gazelle"
Though never as popular as the name of her Bewitched mother, Samantha, Tabitha has its own quirky, magical charm. The name of a charitable woman who was restored to life by Saint Peter in the Bible,…
Talitha
Aramaic
"little girl"
Talitha appears in the Bible as words Jesus says to awaken a young girl whose parents feared she was dead. It has been used in the US since colonial times. Talitha is also the name of two stars in…
Thelma
English, Literary, meaning unknown
Though modern parents seeking to honor an ancestor named Thelma might opt for the airier Thea instead, Thelma is starting to make its way back onto adventurous vintage name lovers' radars. It is…
Theresa
English form of the Spanish Teresa
"to harvest"
The popular appeal of the strong, intelligent Saint Teresa of Avila, combined with the selfless compassion of the more recent Mother Teresa, have fused to give this second-tier classic a somewhat…
Trudy
German
"spear of strength"
Innocent, sincere, and bright-eyed, and as outdated as its mother name, Gertrude.
Verna
Latin
"springtime"
Verna may mean "springtime," but May or Spring is fresher.
Viola
Latin
"violet"
Viola has plenty of positive elements going for it: the rhythm of the musical instrument, the association with the flower, the trending 'Vi' beginning and its leading role in Shakespeare's Twelfth…
Wanda
Slavic or German
"shepherdess; wanderer"
Rarely heard, and when it is, usually attached to a witch. Historically, though, Wanda was a legendary eighth century queen of Poland, and in literature it is the central character of Ouida's…
Wilhelmina
German and Dutch, feminine variation of Wilhelm
"resolute protection"
Wilhelmina might once have been condemned as a clunky relic best left in the past, but a steadily increasing number of parents are dusting it off for their 21st century babies. A reasonably popular…
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…
Winnifred
Welsh
"blessed peacemaker"
The double 'n's in this spelling variation of vintage Winifred aesthetically looks closer to the loveable nickname Winnie which is likely the appeal for many parents. Winnifred, along with several…
Ann
English variation of Hebrew Hannah
"grace"
Ann, the name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary, was among the top girls’ names for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970…
Letha
Greek
"forgetfulness"
Letha is taken from Lethe, the mythological River of Oblivion. Letha now sounds as if it's missing a first syllable.