Silent Movie Starlets

Hazel

English

"the hazelnut tree"

Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is…

Ivy

Botanical name

The quirky, offbeat and energetic botanical name Ivy is enjoying a deserved revival, propelled even higher by its choice by high-profile parents Beyonce and Jay-Z for daughter Blue Ivy. Ivy is also…

Clara

Latin

"bright, clear"

Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right at Number 78, making it a modern…

Ruby

Latin

"deep red precious stone"

Vibrant, sassy, and bubbly, Ruby is a vintage gem that hasn't lost any of its sparkle. Currently popular in a number of English-speaking countries, Ruby is proof of the 100 Year Rule, trending again…

Olive

English, from Latin, nature name

"olive tree"

Though greatly overshadowed by the trendy Olivia, Olive has a quiet, subtle appeal of its own -- and is now enjoying a remarkable comeback. Olive is one of only four girl names starting with O on the…

Alma

Latin, Hebrew, Kazakh

"nurturing, soul; young woman; apple"

Alma is a solemn, soulful, yet gentle sounding name that became fashionable in England following the Battle of Alma during the 19th century Crimean War. A name with multiple origins, Alma has subtle,…

Winnie

English diminutive of Winifred

"holy peacemaking, gentle friend"

This pet form of such names as Winifred and Edwina and Gwendolyn has loads of vintage charm, a la Millie and Maisie, with a decidedly winning vibe. And it just got celebrity cred as the baby daughter…

Mae

Diminutive of Mary or Margaret, Hebrew, Latin

"beloved, bitter, drop of the sea; pearl"

Mae, a sweet and springlike old-fashioned name, hadn't been on the national charts in forty years, but finally made it back in 2010. Mae is derived from May, the month name that was chosen for its…

Lottie

Diminutive of Charlotte, English

"free man"

Sweet Charlotte nickname Lottie might be considered a nostalgic great-grandma name that conjures up lockets and lace, and — like Nellie, Josie, Hattie, Tillie, and Milly — has considerable vintage…

Flora

Latin

"flower"

Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned girls' flower names that's making a big comeback. Short and sweet, it joins…

Billie

English, diminutive of Wilhelmina, Wilma

"resolute protection"

Billie is a tomboy nickname name, part of the growing trend for using boyish nicknames for girls and now destined for stardom along with its most famous contemporary bearer, music sensation Billie…

Karla

German variation of Carla

Both Karla and Carla are sliding down the ranks, though Karla remains far more popular in the USA than Carla.

Simone

French feminine variation of Simon, Hebrew

"listening, hearkening"

Simone, the elegant French feminization of Simon, strikes that all-important balance between unusual and familiar, and it's oozing with Gallic sophistication. A dated choice in its native France,…

Fern

English

"plant name"

Of all the botanicals, Fern has been one of the slowest to move back from the front parlor into the nursery, despite the appealing girl character in the children's classic Charlotte's Web . Fern was…

Elinor

Spelling variation of Eleanor, English, French

A sleek, literary alternative to Eleanor, this stripped back form of Eleanor is a well-established spelling. It notably appears in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility , borne by Elinor Dashwood,…

Iva

Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Slovak, Czech, English

"willow tree; God is gracious; yew tree; bow warrior"

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…

Adah

Hebrew

"ornament"

Adah is a biblical name twice over—one was the mother of Jabal and Jubal, the other was a wife of Esau. The latter Adah and Esau’s descendants settled in Edom and became the Edomites. Adah is…

Blythe

English

"happy, carefree"

Blythe is Nameberry gem — one of those names that visitors to the site are often searching for, despite the fact it's never ranked in the US charts as a given name. The name is derived the Old…

Effie

English diminutive of Euphemia, Greek

"pleasant speech"

Effie is the old-fashioned short form for Euphemia. It shares a vintage charm with Hattie and Letty although is much rarer than either. Effie is a character in The Hunger Games and Sisterhood of the…

Ollie

Short form of Olive or Olivia, Latin

"olive tree"

Less used than Liv or Livvy, Ollie is a boyish nickname for girls, sometimes used for Olivia and Olive. Currently out of the US charts, you might be surprised to learn that Ollie actually ranked more…