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Vintage names: old-fashioned names coming back
Grandparent names are back. Mabel, Edith, Ottilie, Arthur and Otis were common a century ago and are loved again today. A curated list that grows as more names get their stories. 88 names so far, each with its own page, story and name art.
Ada
“noble”
Germanic
Agnes
“pure, holy”
Greek
Albert
“noble and bright”
Germanic
Alfred
“elf counsel”
Old English
Alice
“noble kind”
Germanic, via French
Archibald
“truly bold”
Germanic
Arthur
may mean “bear”
Celtic
August
“great, venerable”
Latin
Beatrice
“she who brings happiness”
Latin, via Italian
Bernard
“brave as a bear”
Germanic
Bertha
“bright, famous”
Germanic
Blanche
“white”
French
Cecil
“blind”
Latin, via Welsh and English
Clara
“bright, clear”
Latin
Clement
“merciful, gentle”
Latin
Cora
may mean “maiden”
Greek
Dorothy
“gift of God”
Greek
Dottie
“gift of God”
Greek, via English
Edith
“rich in battle”
Old English
Edmund
“rich protector”
Old English
Edna
“delight”
Hebrew
Eleanor
may mean “meaning uncertain; possibly the other Aenor”
Old Occitan
Elfrida
“elf strength”
Old English
Elsie
“God is my oath”
Hebrew, via Scottish
Ernest
“serious, earnest”
Germanic
Ethel
“noble”
Old English
Evelyn
may mean “wished-for child”
Norman French, from Germanic
Ezra
“help”
Hebrew
Felix
“happy, lucky”
Latin
Florence
“flourishing, blooming”
Latin, via French
Frances
“free; French woman”
Latin, via French
Frederick
“peaceful ruler”
Germanic
George
“farmer, earth worker”
Greek
Gertrude
“spear strength”
Germanic
Greta
“pearl”
Greek, via German and Scandinavian
Harold
“army ruler”
Old English and Old Norse
Harriet
“home ruler”
Germanic, via French
Hattie
“home ruler”
Germanic, via English
Hazel
“hazel tree”
English
Henrietta
“home ruler”
Germanic, via French
Henry
“ruler of the home”
Germanic
Herbert
“bright army”
Germanic
Hettie
“home ruler”
Germanic, via English
Hetty
“home ruler”
Germanic, via English
Hilda
“battle”
Germanic
Hugo
“heart, mind”
Germanic
Ida
may mean “work, labour”
Germanic
Irene
“peace”
Greek
Jasper
may mean “treasurer”
Persian, via Latin
Leonard
“brave as a lion”
Germanic
Lottie
“free woman”
Germanic, via French and English
Louis
“famous warrior”
Germanic, via French
Louisa
“famous warrior”
Germanic, via English
Mabel
“lovable”
Latin, via English
Mae
“the month of May; or pearl”
English
Margaret
“pearl”
Greek, via Latin
Martha
“lady, mistress”
Aramaic
Matilda
“strength in battle”
Germanic
Mildred
“gentle strength”
Old English
Minnie
“bitter; or beloved”
Hebrew and Germanic, via English
Nell
may mean “light”
English
Olive
“olive tree”
Latin, via English
Opal
“precious stone”
Sanskrit, via Greek and Latin
Oscar
may mean “deer friend; or spear of the gods”
Irish, also Old Norse
Otis
“wealth”
Germanic, via English
Ottilie
“wealth, prosperity”
Germanic, via German and English
Pearl
“pearl”
English
Percy
“from Percy-en-Auge”
French, via English
Ralph
“wolf counsel”
Old English and Old Norse
Rolf
“famous wolf”
Germanic
Rose
“rose flower”
Latin, via French
Roy
may mean “red, or king”
Scottish Gaelic and French
Ruby
“ruby, red gem”
English, from Latin
Rudolf
“famous wolf”
Germanic
Rufus
“red-haired”
Latin
Sadie
“princess”
Hebrew, via English
Silas
may mean “asked for”
Aramaic, via Greek
Stanley
“stone meadow”
Old English
Thelma
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
English
Theodore
“gift of God”
Greek
Tilly
“mighty in battle”
Germanic, via English
Velma
may mean “of uncertain meaning”
English
Vera
“faith”
Slavic, Latin
Violet
“violet flower”
English, from Latin
Walter
“ruler of the army”
Germanic
Wilfred
“desiring peace”
Old English
Wilhelm
“will and helmet”
Germanic
Winifred
“blessed and reconciled”
Welsh