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Are old-timey, vintage boy names making a comeback in the world of baby names?
I’d say they are –
and it’s because of this growing trend that I’ve compiled my absolute favorite vintage boy names (old fashioned ones) that are just too sweet to miss!
About a year ago, when my husband and I began our hunt for the perfect baby name, I was naming off a number of baby boys 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.
I loved it.
And so began my interest in the new trend of vintage boy names for babies.
Related: 65+ Precious Middle Names for Noah That’ll Melt Your Heart
The Best Vintage Boy Names with Meanings
After scouring 1,000+ baby names, here are the best old-fashioned boys names that I just can’t stop thinking about.
As always, my top picks are marked with a heart.
Here are my absolute favourite vintage boy names:
Jennings
- Origin: English
- Meaning: diminutive of John, meaning “little” John
- Popularity: > 1000
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
Roscoe
- Origin: Germanic, Old Norse
- Meaning: deer wood
- Nicknames: Rocky, Rozzy, Roz, Ros, Rossy
- Popularity: > 1000
Miles
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: soldier
- Popularity: #54
Emery
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: industrious
- Popularity: #764 (#89 for girls)
Elias
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: the Lord is my God
- Popularity: #48
Hollis
- Origin: English
- Meaning: the holly tree
- Popularity: > 1000
Rupert
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: bright fame
- Popularity: > 1000
Noble
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: aristocratic
- Popularity: > 1000
Dempsey
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: proud
- Popularity: > 1000
Graham
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: grey home or gravel homestead
- Popularity: #161
George
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: farmer
- Nicknames: Georgie, G
- Popularity: #134
Elmore
- Origin: English
- Meaning: moore with elm trees
- Popularity: > 1000
Wilmer
- Origin: German
- Meaning: desire
- Meaning: Will, Willy
- Popularity: > 1000
Oren
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: light and fair, or pine tree
- Popularity: > 1000
Fletcher
- Origin: French, English, Scottish, Irish
- Meaning: arrowsmith
- Popularity: #655
Charles ❤️
- Origin: English
- Meaning: free man
- Nicknames: Charlie, Chip
- Popularity: #50
Grover
- Origin: English
- Meaning: lives near a grove of trees
- Nicknames: Grovie, Groves, G , Rover
- Popularity: > 1000
Frank
- Origin: German
- Meaning: Frenchman or free man
- Popularity: #444
Woodrow
- Origin: English
- Meaning: row of houses by the woods
- Popularity: > 1000
Orest
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: of the mountains
- Popularity: > 1000
Henry ❤️
- Origin: German
- Meaning: ruler of the home
- Popularity: #9
Walter
- Origin: German
- Meaning: ruler of the army
- Popularity: #271
Clarence
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: one who lives near the River Clare or bright and clear
- Popularity: > 1000
Lewis
- Origin: English
- Meaning: renowned warrior
- Popularity: #487
Bruno
- Origin: German
- Meaning: brown
- Popularity: #664
Peter
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: stone
- Popularity: #215
Ernest
- Origin: German
- Meaning: serious
- Popularity: > 1000
Lloyd
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: grey
- Popularity: > 1000
Howard
- Origin: German
- Meaning: brave heart
- Popularity: #940
Stanley
- Origin: English
- Meaning: stony meadow
- Popularity: #791
Herman
- Origin: German
- Meaning: soldier
- Popularity: > 1000
Luther
- Origin: German
- Meaning: soldier of the people
- Popularity: > 1000
Ellis
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: the Lord is my God
- Popularity: #321
Joseph
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: he will add
- Popularity: #28
Ira
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: watchful one
- Popularity: #810
Odin
- Origin: Old Norse
- Meaning: frenzied; a reference from Norse mythology
- Popularity: #327
Clifford
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: fjord by the cliff
- Popularity: > 1000
Burton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: fort settlement, or a name referring to someone from northern England
- Popularity: > 1000
Bernard
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: brave, hardy
- Popularity: > 1000
Mack
- Origin: Latin, Gaelic
- Meaning: greatest (a derivative of Maximillian)
- Popularity: #470
Dale
- Origin: English
- Meaning: from the valley
- Popularity: > 1000
Franklin
- Origin: English
- Meaning: a free man
- Popularity: #395
Willie
- Origin: German
- Meaning: short for William; meaning the determined protector
- Popularity: > 1000
Alfred
- Origin: English
- Meaning: one who counsels the elves
- Popularity: #900
Woodson
- Origin: English
- Meaning: from Woodsome, a town in England
- Popularity: > 1000
Grover
- Origin: English
- Meaning: from the grove of trees
- Popularity: > 1000
Charlie
- Origin: English/German
- Meaning: short for Charles; one who is manly and strong, a free man
- Popularity: #189 (#127 for girls)
Harrison
- Origin: English
- Meaning: the son of Harry
- Popularity: #120
Weldon
- Origin: English
- Meaning: from the hill near a spring
- Popularity: > 1000
Ansel
- Origin: French
- Meaning: one who follows nobility; protection from God
- Popularity: > 1000
Hayes
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: from the stockade
- Popularity: #229
Arden
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: great forest
- Popularity: > 1000
Thatcher
- Origin: English
- Meaning: roof maker
- Popularity: #831
Alfie
- Origin: English
- Meaning: short for Alfred; one who counsels the elves
- Popularity: > 1000
Theodore
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: a gift from God
- Popularity: #10
Leo
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: resembling a lion
- Popularity: #31
Wilfred
- Origin: English
- Meaning: one who wishes for peace
- Popularity: > 1000
Oswald
- Origin: English
- Meaning: the power of God, also the name of a modern font
- Popularity: > 1000
Arthur
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: as strong as a bear; a hero
- Popularity: #155
Clancy
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: red-haired warrior
- Popularity: > 1000
James
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: supplanter
- Popularity: #5
Otto
- Origin: German
- Meaning: wealth, prosperity
- Popularity: #336
Emmett
- Origin: German
- Meaning: desire
- Popularity: #103
Chester
- Origin: English
- Meaning: a fortress, camp
- Popularity: > 1000
William
- Origin: German
- Meaning: with gilded helmet
- Popularity: #6
Earnest
- Origin: English
- Meaning: diligent, truthful
- Popularity: > 1000
Percy
- Origin: origin
- Meaning: short for Percival; meaning one who pierces the valley
- Popularity: > 1000
Julius
- Origin: Roman, Greek
- Meaning: youthful, or downy-bearded
- Popularity: #319
Franklin
- Origin: English
- Meaning: free landholder
- Popularity: #395
Maynard
- Origin: German
- Meaning: brave, strong
- Popularity: > 1000
Gordon
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: great hill
- Popularity: #925
Orville
- Origin: Old French
- Meaning: gold town
- Popularity: > 1000
Terrence
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: smooth
- Popularity: > 1000
Melford
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: from the ford by the hill
- Popularity: > 1000
Roy
- Origin: French
- Meaning: king
- Popularity: #551
Earl
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: nobleman, warrior or prince
- Popularity: > 1000
Lester
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: someone from the English county town of Leicestershire
- Popularity: > 1000
Everett
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: brave
- Popularity: #82
Francis
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: brave
- Popularity: #466
Willis
- Origin: English
- Meaning: resolute protector
Bernard
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: brave
- Popularity: > 1000
Jasper
- Origin: Persian
- Meaning: bringer of treasure
- Popularity: #128
Wallace
- Origin: Scottish, French
- Meaning: Welshman
- Popularity: #897
Otis
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: wealth
- Popularity: #647
Jack
- Origin: English
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Popularity: #11
Samuel
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God has heard
- Popularity: #23
Hartley
- Origin: British
- Meaning: deer meadow
- Popularity: > 1000
Harvey
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: battle worthy
- Popularity: #420
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
Morris
- Origin: English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh
- Meaning: dark-skinned
- Popularity: #11
Cecil
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: sixth
- Popularity: > 1000
Harold
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: army ruler
- Popularity: #962
Herbert
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: illustrious warrior, or famous warrior
- Popularity: > 1000
Marshall
- Origin: English
- Meaning: one who loves horses
- Popularity: #379
Ezra
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: helper
- Popularity: #37
Clement
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: merciful
- Popularity: > 1000
Lowell
- Origin: Old French
- Meaning: young wolf
- Popularity: > 1000
Rex
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: king
- Popularity: #696
Rudy
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: famous wolf
- Popularity: #819
Clifton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: town by the cliff
- Popularity: > 1000
Ralph
- Origin: English
- Meaning: wolf counsel
- Popularity: > 1000
Thomas
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: twin
- Popularity: #46
Wilson
- Origin: Scottish, English
- Meaning: desire
- Popularity: #714
Clyde
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: warm, friendly
- Popularity: #733
Albert
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: noble
- Popularity: #564
Willard
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: strong desire
- Popularity: > 1000
Reuben
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: behold, a son
- Popularity: #883
Robert
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: bright fame
- Popularity: #79
Alexander
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: defender of men
- Popularity: #13
Fred
- Origin: German
- Meaning: peaceful ruler
- Popularity: > 100
Donald
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: world ruler
- Popularity: #592
Perkin
- Origin: English
- Meaning: rock
- Popularity: > 1000
Rolland
- Origin: French
- Meaning: renowned in the land
- Popularity: > 1000
Harry
- Origin: German
- Meaning: home ruler
- Popularity: #722
Floyd
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: grey or grey-haired
- Popularity: > 1000
Leroy
- Origin: French
- Meaning: the king
- Popularity: #905
Hugh
- Origin: British
- Meaning: intellect
- Popularity: #746
Leonard
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: lion
- Popularity: #649
Johnnie
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Popularity: > 1000
Kenneth
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: handsome
- Popularity: #258
Byron
- Origin: English
- Meaning: one who works with cattle
- Popularity: #751
Archie
- Origin: brave, genuine
- Meaning: Scottish, English
- Popularity: > 1000
Leon
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: lion
- Popularity: > 1000
Levi
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: joined
- Popularity: #12
Leland
- Origin: English
- Meaning: meadow land
- Popularity: > 1000
Vance
- Origin: British
- Meaning: marshland
- Popularity: #943
Louis
- Origin: famous warrior
- Meaning: French
- Popularity: #251
Silas
- Origin: Greek, Latin
- Meaning: wood, forest
- Popularity: #91
Milo
- Origin: German, Latin, Greek
- Meaning: soldier, or merciful
- Popularity: #127
Ronald
- Origin: Scandinavian
- Meaning: mighty counselor
- Popularity: #563
Lawrence
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: bright one, shining one
- Popularity: #578
Van
- Origin: British
- Meaning: marshland or marsh
- Popularity: #873
Joseph
- Origin: Greek, Latin
- Meaning: God will give
- Popularity: #28
Edward
- Origin: English
- Meaning: wealth or fortune
- Popularity: #217
Anderson
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: son of Ander
- Popularity: #328
Oscar
- Origin: Scandinavian
- Meaning: spear of the gods
- Popularity: #226
Russell
- Origin: Old Norse, French
- Meaning: red-haired
- Popularity: #352
Clyde
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: warm, friendly
- Popularity: #733
- Popularity: > 1000
Wallace
- Origin: Scottish, English
- Meaning: Welshman or foreigner
- Popularity: #897
Amos
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: carried by God
- Popularity: #603
Douglas
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: dark stream
- Popularity: #739
Emmanuel
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God with us
- Popularity: #191
Nolan
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: noble, famous
- Popularity: #60
Jefferson
- Origin: English
- Meaning: son of Jeffrey
- Popularity: #723
Forrest
- Origin: English
- Meaning: of the woods
- Popularity: #414
Odin
- Origin: Old Norse
- Meaning: raging, poetic fury
- Popularity: #327
Dean
- Origin: English
- Meaning: valley
- Popularity: #165
August
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: to increase
- Popularity: #121
Graham
- Origin: English
- Meaning: gravel homestead of grey home
- Popularity: #161
Harding
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: hard working person
- Popularity: > 1000
Elmer
- Origin: British
- Meaning: noble, famous
- Popularity: > 1000
Milton
- Origin: British
- Meaning: mill town
- Popularity: > 1000
Willard
- Origin: English
- Meaning: strong desire
- Popularity: > 1000
Rufus
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: red-haired
- Popularity: > 1000
Boyd
- Origin: Scottish, Gaelic
- Meaning: blonde
- Popularity: > 1000
Emil
- Origin: Latin, French
- Meaning: to excel, or eager
- Popularity: > 1000
Gus
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: majestic, exalted
- Popularity: > 1000
Ollie
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: olive tree
- Popularity: > 1000
Coy
- Origin: British
- Meaning: quiet, calm or clever
- Popularity: > 1000
Doyle
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: dark foreigner
- Popularity: > 1000
Garland
- Origin: English, French
- Meaning: land of the spear
- Popularity: > 1000
Linwood
- Origin: British
- Meaning: linden tree valley
- Popularity: > 1000
Warner
- Origin: Old Norse
- Meaning: army guard
- Popularity: > 1000
Wilford
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: willow ford
- Popularity: > 1000
Randall
- Origin: Germanic, Old Norse
- Meaning: wolf shield
- Popularity: > 1000
Elmore
- Origin: English
- Meaning: lives at the elm tree moor
- Popularity: > 1000
Cleo
- Origin: English
- Meaning: glory
- Popularity: > 1000 (#804 for girls)
Wendell
- Origin: German
- Meaning: wanderer, traveler
- Popularity: > 1000
Fritz
- Origin: German
- Meaning: peaceful ruler
- Popularity: > 1000
Oren
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: pine
Sanford
- Origin: English
- Meaning: sandy ford
- Popularity: > 1000
Foster
- Origin: Engilsh
- Meaning: one who keeps the forest
- Popularity: > 1000
Herbert
- Origin: German
- Meaning: shining warrior
- Popularity: > 1000
Elwood
- Origin: British
- Meaning: elder tree forest
Eldon
- Origin: English
- Meaning: sacred hill
- Popularity: > 1000
Elmer
- Origin: British
- Meaning: noble, famous
- Popularity: > 1000
Teddy
- Origin: French
- Meaning: wealthy protector
- Popularity: > 1000
Alton
- Origin: British
- Meaning: old town
- Popularity: > 1000
Vintage Boy Names – TL;DR
And there we have it. A collection of the most sweet, truly vintage names for boys that you can actually use.
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?
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