235+ Vintage Boy Names (You Didn't Know Were In) (2024)

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Originally Published Aug 26, 2021 ・ Updated Sept 21, 2023

Searching for the best vintage boy names for your little babe? I’m a professional baby names writer and *these* are the best old fashioned boy names that you didn’t realize were cool again.

I’d say they are –

and it’s because of this growing trend that I’ve compiled my absolute favoritevintage boy names (old fashioned ones)that are just too sweet to miss!

A few years ago, when my husband and I began our hunt for the perfect baby name, I was naming off a number of baby boy names from our shortlist to my aunt.

She followed up with the polite appreciation and encouragement, and then suggested Henry.

Henry?

I didn’t think twice about it – it seemed so traditional and old-fashioned.

But then, a funny thing happened.

I kept thinking about the name Henry.

I loved how classic it was. It gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling.

It made me think of going for ice cream with my grandpa on a hot summer night.

It wasn’t fickle.

It was established. Ageless. It felt trustworthy and true.

Ilovedit.

And so began my interest in the new trend ofvintage boy names for babies…

The Best Vintage Boy Names with Meanings

From scouring thousands of the earliest baby name records from the early 1900s, to hand-picking our favorites from the most recent baby name trends and baby name data available from the Social Security Administration in the US – these are the very best picks for an old fashioned name in 2023.

Let’s dive in –

Modern Vintage Boy Names

Vintage Boy Names with Nicknames

Popular Vintage Boy Names

Unique Vintage Boy Names

Rare Vintage Baby Boy Names

Last Names as First Names

Vintage Virtue Names

Biblical Vintage Boy Names

Old Man Names

Modern Vintage Boy Names

These timeless baby boy names are names that have been well-loved for decades, and have most recently made a comeback.

Climbing the baby name charts in the most recent years, these cute vintage names are increasing in popularity quickly, and will likely become more popular in the next few years.

If you’re looking for modern names with an old-fashioned feel, this next set up baby names might just be the perfect choice.

Milo

Origin: German, Latin, Greek
Meaning: soldier, or merciful
Popularity: #127

Emery

Origin: Old English
Meaning: industrious
Popularity: #764 (#89 for girls)

Van

Origin: British
Meaning: marshland or marsh
Popularity: #873

Otto

Origin: German
Meaning: wealth, prosperity
Popularity: #336

Harold

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: army ruler
Popularity: #962

Louis

Origin: famous warrior
Meaning: French
Popularity: #251

Emmanuel

Arthur

Origin: Celtic
Meaning: as strong as a bear; a hero
Popularity: #155

Francisco

Ellis

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: the Lord is my God
Popularity: #321

Roman

Soren

Wilson

Origin: Scottish, English
Meaning: desire
Popularity: #714

Cal

Otis

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: wealth
Popularity: #647

Heath

Mack

Origin: Latin, Gaelic
Meaning: greatest (a derivative of Maximillian)
Popularity: #470

Lawrence

Origin: Latin
Meaning: bright one, shining one
Popularity: #578

Warren

Andy

Forrest

Origin: English
Meaning: of the woods
Popularity: #414

Emmanuel

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: God with us
Popularity: #191

Harry

Origin: German
Meaning: home ruler
Popularity: #722

Rory

Vintage Boy Names with Nicknames

Love the idea of classic names that will work well into adulthood, but that come with a super cute nickname for their earlier years? Here are my top picks:

George

Origin: Greek
Meaning: farmer
Nicknames: Georgie, G
Popularity: #134

Ellsworth

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Eli’s estate, or from the farm or homestead
Nicknames: Eli, Ellzy
Popularity: > 1000

Grady

Origin: Irish
Meaning: noble
Nicknames: Gray
Popularity: #428

Charles

Origin: English
Meaning: free man
Nicknames: Charlie, Chip
Popularity: #50

Roscoe

Origin: Germanic, Old Norse
Meaning: deer wood
Nicknames: Rocky, Rozzy, Roz, Ros, Rossy
Popularity: > 1000

Wilmer

Origin: German
Meaning: desire
Meaning: Will, Willy
Popularity: > 1000

Grover

Origin: English
Meaning: lives near a grove of trees
Nicknames:Groves, G , Rover
Popularity: > 100

Remington

Albert

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: noble
Popularity: #564
Nicknames: Albie

Broderick

Samson

Alfred

Origin: English
Meaning: one who counsels the elves
Popularity: #900
Nicknames: Alfie, Freddie

Gordon

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: great hill
Popularity: #925
Nicknames: Gordie

Clifford

Popular Vintage Boy Names

Next up, vintage baby boy names that have stood the test of time.

These baby names have topped the charts for decades – they’re popular boy names that you are already familiar with, and that we simply love.

Benjamin

Russell

Elias

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: the Lord is my God
Popularity: #48

Gabriel

Bennett

Jack

Origin: English
Meaning: God is gracious
Popularity: #11

Julian

Leo

Origin: Latin
Meaning: resembling a lion
Popularity: #31

Miles

Origin: Latin
Meaning: soldier
Popularity: #54

Theo

Robert

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: bright fame
Popularity: #79

Ford

Peter

Origin: Greek
Meaning: stone
Popularity: #215

Everett

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: brave
Popularity: #82

Oliver

Ezra

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: helper
Popularity: #37

William

Origin: German
Meaning: with gilded helmet
Popularity: #6

Henry

Origin: German
Meaning: ruler of the home
Popularity: #9

James

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: supplanter
Popularity: #5

Joseph

Origin: Greek, Latin
Meaning: God will give
Popularity: #28

Thomas

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: twin
Popularity: #46

Alexander

Origin: Greek
Meaning: defender of men
Popularity: #13

Alfie

Origin: English
Meaning: short for Alfred; one who counsels the elves
Popularity: > 1000

Charlie

Origin: English/German
Meaning: short for Charles; one who is manly and strong, a free man
Popularity: #189 (#127 for girls)

Bentley

Edward

Origin: English
Meaning: wealth or fortune
Popularity: #217

Emmett

Origin: German
Meaning: desire
Popularity: #103

Ethan

Archie

Origin: brave, genuine
Meaning: Scottish, English
Popularity: > 1000

Fred

Origin: German
Meaning: peaceful ruler
Popularity: > 1000

Johnnie

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: God is gracious
Popularity: > 1000

Nolan

Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: noble, famous
Popularity: #60

Unique Vintage Boy Names

For mamas looking for a more unique name, these old fashioned baby names are a great choice. These names are filed in the uncommon name category – in terms of popularity, they all fall outside of the ranks of the top 100 most popular baby boy names, but they’re still within the top 1000.

Clancy

Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: red-haired warrior
Popularity: > 1000

Raleigh

Dale

Byron

Origin: English
Meaning: one who works with cattle
Popularity: #751

Coy

Origin: British
Meaning: quiet, calm or clever
Popularity: > 1000

Dean

Rex

Jasper

Julius

Origin: Roman, Greek
Meaning: youthful, or downy-bearded
Popularity: #319

Kenneth

Percy

Origin: origin
Meaning: short for Percival; meaning one who pierces the valley
Popularity: > 1000

Marshall

Origin: English
Meaning: one who loves horses
Popularity: #379

Wilford

Lewis

Roy

Origin: French
Meaning: king
Popularity: #551

Rudy

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: famous wolf
Popularity: #819

Thatcher

Origin: English
Meaning: roof maker
Popularity: #831

Wilford

Harvey

Rare Vintage Baby Boy Names

Next, vintage baby names that are totally rare – these baby names fall outside of the top 1000 baby name lists done by the Social Security Administration, but these old-timey names are still totally wearable.

Harding

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: hard working person
Popularity: > 1000

Fritz

Origin: German
Meaning: peaceful ruler
Popularity: > 1000

Emerson

Esau

Alton

Origin: British
Meaning: old town
Popularity: > 1000

Lowell

Origin: Old French
Meaning: young wolf
Popularity: > 1000

Stanton

Burton

Hartley

Origin: British
Meaning: deer meadow
Popularity: > 1000

Kenneth

Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: handsome
Popularity: #258

Rudy

Cliff

Garland

Origin: English, French
Meaning: land of the spear
Popularity: > 1000

Odin

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: frenzied; a reference from Norse mythology
Popularity: #327

Ellsworth

Garnett

Quincy

Elmore

Origin: English
Meaning: moore with elm trees
Popularity: > 1000

Cover

Origin: English, French
Meaning: a resident of the Cove region in Suffolk (UK), or to cover
Popularity: > 1000

Hatfield

Origin: English
Meaning: from the town of Hertfordshire, Essex, Worcestershire or Yorkshire (UK)
Popularity: > 1000

Lewis

Origin: English
Meaning: renowned warrior
Popularity: #487

Arden

Origin: Latin
Meaning: great forest
Popularity: > 1000

Jasper

Origin: Persian
Meaning: bringer of treasure
Popularity: #128

Leland

Thatcher

Origin: English
Meaning: roof maker
Popularity: #831

Rex

Origin: Latin
Meaning: king
Popularity: #696

Luther

Origin: German
Meaning: soldier of the people
Popularity: > 1000

Coleman

Burton

Origin: Old English
Meaning: fort settlement, or a name referring to someone from northern England
Popularity: > 1000

Linwood

Dell

Warner

Linwood

Origin: British
Meaning: linden tree valley
Popularity: > 1000

Warner

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: army guard
Popularity: > 1000

Carson

Elwood

Sullivan

Wilford

Origin: Old English
Meaning: willow ford
Popularity: > 1000

Hartley

Arley

Barton

Hollis

Origin: English
Meaning: the holly tree
Popularity: > 1000

Woodson

Origin: English
Meaning: from Woodsome, a town in England
Popularity: > 1000

Elwood

Origin: British
Meaning: elder tree forest

Rupert

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: bright fame
Popularity: > 1000

Bryant

Casper

Coy

Oswald

Origin: English
Meaning: the power of God, also the name of a modern font
Popularity: > 1000

Orest

Origin: Greek
Meaning: of the mountains
Popularity: > 1000

Park

Elridge

Vintage Last Names as First Names

On to my very favorite style of vintage baby boy names – last names as first names. These old-fashioned boy names are names that we would commonly see as last names, but they’re used as first names.

Considering a last name as a first name is one of my favorite tricks for finding a really great, unique name for your baby boy.

Meyer

Hayes

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from the stockade
Popularity: #229

Young

Meyer

Sanford

Origin: English
Meaning: sandy ford
Popularity: > 1000

Jennings

Origin: English
Meaning: diminutive of John, meaning “little” John
Popularity: > 1000

Webster

Roderick

Doyle

Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: dark foreigner
Popularity: > 1000

Jones

Foster

Origin: English
Meaning: one who keeps the forest
Popularity: > 1000

Mckinley

Fitzgerald

Anderson

Origin: Greek
Meaning: son of Ander
Popularity: #328

Callahan

Smith

Henderson

Dempsey

Origin: Irish
Meaning: proud
Popularity: > 1000

If you like this style too, check out my full list of last names as first names.

Vintage Virtue Names & Word Names

This next group of vintage baby boy names is a super interesting one – I’ve combined both virtue names and word names. Virtue names are given names that are also a virtue – basically, a positive quality that someone could have. A word name is just as it sounds – they’re typically either verbs or nouns, used as a name.

Pleasant
Love
Bird
Worth
Loyal
King
Royal

Noble

Origin: Latin
Meaning: aristocratic
Popularity: > 1000

Earnest

Origin: German
Meaning: diligent, truthful
Popularity: > 1000

Biblical Vintage Boy Names

This next set of old fashioned baby names are from the Bible:

Levi

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: joined
Popularity: #12

Silas

Origin: Greek, Latin
Meaning: wood, forest
Popularity: #91

Amos

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: carried by God
Popularity: #603

Gideon

Ephraim

Esau

Moses

Old Man Names

Lastly, though these old fashioned boy names have a historical significance or famous namesakes, they’re a bit on the fringe in 2023.

Not yet back in style, these old man names are total classics – but who’s to say they won’t have their time to shine again?

Floyd

Origin: Welsh
Meaning:grey or grey-haired
Popularity: > 1000

Herbert

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: illustrious warrior, or famous warrior
Popularity: > 1000

Lionel

Hugh

Origin: British
Meaning: intellect
Popularity: #746

Weldon

Origin: English
Meaning: from the hill near a spring
Popularity: > 1000

Howard

Origin: German
Meaning: brave heart
Popularity: #940

Clement

Origin: Latin
Meaning: merciful
Popularity: > 1000

Wallace

Origin: Scottish, French
Meaning: Welshman
Popularity: #897

Willis

Origin: English
Meaning: resolute protector

Randall

Origin: Germanic, Old Norse
Meaning: wolf shield
Popularity: > 1000

Lloyd

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: grey
Popularity: > 1000

Clyde

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: warm, friendly
Popularity: #733

Earl

Origin: Old English
Meaning: nobleman, warrior or prince
Popularity: > 1000

Herman

Origin: German
Meaning: soldier
Popularity: > 1000

Clarence

Origin: Latin
Meaning: one who lives near the River Clare or bright and clear
Popularity: > 1000

Douglas

Willie

Origin: German
Meaning: short for William; meaning the determined protector
Popularity: > 1000

Ira

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: watchful one
Popularity: #810

Stanley

Origin: English
Meaning: stony meadow
Popularity: #791

Eldon

Wilfred

Origin: English
Meaning: one who wishes for peace
Popularity: > 1000

Maynard

Origin: German
Meaning: brave, strong
Popularity: > 1000

Leroy

Origin: French
Meaning: the king
Popularity: #905

Clifton

Origin: Old English
Meaning: town by the cliff
Popularity: > 1000

Donald

Origin: Celtic
Meaning: world ruler
Popularity: #592

Melford

Origin: Old English
Meaning: from the ford by the hill
Popularity: > 1000

Rolland

Origin: French
Meaning: renowned in the land
Popularity: > 1000

Perkin

Origin: English
Meaning: rock
Popularity: > 1000

Ronald

Cleo

Terrence

Origin: Latin
Meaning: smooth
Popularity: > 1000

Ralph

Origin: English
Meaning: wolf counsel
Popularity: > 1000

Orville

Origin: Old French
Meaning: gold town
Popularity: > 1000

Reuben

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: behold, a son
Popularity: #883

Wendell

Origin: German
Meaning: wanderer, traveler
Popularity: > 1000

Morris

Origin: English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh
Meaning: dark-skinned
Popularity: #11

Emil

Lester

Origin: Old English
Meaning: someone from the English county town of Leicestershire
Popularity: > 1000

Oren

Origin: Irish
Meaning: light and fair, or pine tree
Popularity: > 1000

Cecil

Willard

Origin: Old English
Meaning: strong desire
Popularity: > 1000

Milton

Origin: British
Meaning: mill town
Popularity: > 1000

Leon

Origin: Greek
Meaning: lion
Popularity: > 1000

Ansel

Origin: French
Meaning: one who follows nobility; protection from God
Popularity: > 1000

Grover

Origin: English
Meaning: from the grove of trees
Popularity: > 1000

Bruno

Origin: German
Meaning: brown
Popularity: #664

Wilmer

Origin: German origin
Meaning: desire
Popularity: > 1000

Gus

Chester

Origin: English
Meaning: a fortress, camp
Popularity: > 1000

Boyd

Vintage Boy Names – TL;DR

And there we have it. A collection of the most sweet, trulyvintage boy names.

Did any of these names stir up a warm, fuzzy memory for you?

Are you any closer to finding the name that makes your heart go pitter patter?

🧸 25+ Forgotten Baby Boy Names (Why Isn’t Anyone Using These?!)