225+ Vintage Boy Names (You Didn’t Know Were In)

Originally Published Aug 26, 2021 ・ Updated Sept 22, 2025

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 favorite vintage 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. I loved it. And so began my interest in the new trend of vintage boy names for babies…

The Best Vintage Boy Names with Meanings

Vintage boy names have a way of skipping a generation or two before circling right back into style. Chances are you already know a few classic names from your grandfather’s generation that sound just as fitting on a baby today. Below, you’ll find 225+ old-fashioned boy names – some familiar favorites, some you probably didn’t expect to see making a comeback. Let’s dive in.

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: uncertain (Latinate variant of Miles, possibly Germanic or Slavic)
• Pronunciation: MY-loh · ˈmaɪloʊ
• Meaning: soldier, or merciful
• Popularity: #120 and rising (#121 → #120, 2024)

Emery

• Origin: English (surname of Germanic origin)
• Pronunciation: EM-ur-ee · ˈɛməri
• Meaning: brave ruler (or, per an alternate theory, ‘ruler of the home, ‘ via Henry)
• Popularity: #823 and falling (#751 → #823, 2024)

Van

• Origin: English (nickname/short form)
• Pronunciation: VAN · ˈvæn
• Meaning: marshland or marsh
• Popularity: #907 and rising (#910 → #907, 2024)

Otto

• Origin: Germanic
• Pronunciation: AH-toh · ˈɑːtoʊ
• Meaning: wealth, fortune (short form of Old Germanic compound names built on the ‘wealth’ element)
• Popularity: #274 and rising (#282 → #274, 2024)

Harold

• Origin: Old English / Old Norse (Germanic)
• Pronunciation: HAIR-uld · ˈhɛrəld
• Meaning: army ruler, military power
• Popularity: #988 and falling (#921 → #988, 2024)

Louis

• Origin: French (from the Frankish/Germanic name Hlūdawīg)
• Pronunciation: LOO-ee · ˈluːi
• Meaning: famous warrior
• Popularity: #236 and rising (#238 → #236, 2024)

Emmanuel

Arthur

• Origin: Celtic (Welsh), disputed — possibly a Latinized Romano-British name
• Pronunciation: AR-thur · ˈɑːrθər
• Meaning: possibly ‘bear’ (etymology disputed)
• Popularity: #105 and rising (#130 → #105, 2024)

Francisco

Ellis

• Origin: Welsh and English (dual-origin surname)
• Pronunciation: EL-is · ˈɛlɪs
• Meaning: benevolent, kind (Welsh); alt. English form of Elias/Elijah
• Popularity: #273 and rising (#274 → #273, 2024)

Roman

Soren

Wilson

• Origin: English (patronymic surname)
• Pronunciation: WIL-sun · ˈwɪlsən
• Meaning: son of Will (William)
• Popularity: #644 and rising (#673 → #644, 2024)

Cal

Otis

• Origin: English (patronymic surname, from a Germanic given name)
• Pronunciation: OH-tis · ˈoʊtɪs
• Meaning: a patronymic meaning ‘son of Ote/Ode’, a name cognate with Otto
• Popularity: #730 and falling (#654 → #730, 2024)

Heath

Mack

• Origin: Scottish/Irish (nickname, from Gaelic ‘Mac-‘)
• Pronunciation: MAK · ˈmæk
• Meaning: nickname/short form of Gaelic ‘Mac-‘ names (e.g., Mackenzie, Malcolm), carrying that prefix’s ‘son of’ sense
• Popularity: #498 and rising (#545 → #498, 2024)

Lawrence

• Origin: Latin (via Old French Laurent)
• Pronunciation: LOR-ens · ˈlɔːrəns
• Meaning: from Laurentum
• Popularity: #509 and rising (#558 → #509, 2024)

Warren

Andy

Forrest

• Origin: English
• Pronunciation: FOR-ist · ˈfɔːrɪst
• Meaning: One who lived or worked near a forest, originally a wooded area reserved for hunting; from the English surname.
• Popularity: #407 and rising (#424 → #407, 2024)

Emmanuel

• Origin: Hebrew
• Pronunciation: ih-MAN-yoo-el · ɪˈmænjuəl
• Meaning: God is with us
• Popularity: #181 and falling (#173 → #181, 2024)

Harry

• Origin: English (medieval spoken form of Henry)
• Pronunciation: HAIR-ee · ˈhɛri
• Meaning: home ruler (form of Henry)
• Popularity: #777 and rising (#783 → #777, 2024)

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
• Pronunciation: JORJ · ˈdʒɔːrdʒ
• Meaning: farmer, earth-worker
• Popularity: #124 and rising (#136 → #124, 2024)
• Nicknames: Georgie, G

Ellsworth

• Origin: English (surname/place name, variant of Elsworth)
• Pronunciation: ELZ-wurth · ˈɛlzwərθ
• Meaning: Elli’s estate (an English place-name surname)
• Popularity: #7,155 as of 2020 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
• Nicknames: Eli, Ellzy

Grady

• Origin: Irish
• Pronunciation: GRAY-dee · ˈɡreɪdi
• Meaning: from Irish Ó Grádaigh, meaning ‘noble’ or ‘renowned’
• Popularity: #370 and rising (#395 → #370, 2024)
• Nicknames: Gray

Charles

• Origin: Germanic
• Pronunciation: CHARLZ · ˈtʃɑːrlz
• Meaning: free man
• Popularity: #51 and rising (#54 → #51, 2024)
• Nicknames: Charlie, Chip

Roscoe

• Origin: English (place name of Old Norse origin)
• Pronunciation: ROS-koh · ˈrɑːskoʊ
• Meaning: deer forest / roebuck wood
• Popularity: #2,180 and rising (#2,267 → #2,180, 2024)
• Nicknames: Rocky, Rozzy, Roz, Ros, Rossy

Wilmer

• Origin: Old English/Germanic
• Pronunciation: WIL-mer · ˈwɪlmər
• Meaning: will/desire + famous — roughly ‘famed for one’s determination’
• Popularity: #1,845 and falling (#1,533 → #1,845, 2024)

Grover

• Origin: English (surname)
• Pronunciation: GROH-ver · ˈɡroʊvər
• Meaning: one who dwelt near a grove of trees
• Popularity: #4,102 and falling (#3,923 → #4,102, 2024)
• Nicknames: Groves, G , Rover

Remington

Albert

• Origin: Germanic
• Pronunciation: AL-bert · ˈælbərt
• Meaning: noble and bright/famous
• Popularity: #606 and falling (#588 → #606, 2024)
• Nicknames: Albie

Broderick

Samson

Alfred

• Origin: Old English
• Pronunciation: AL-frid · ˈælfrɪd
• Meaning: elf counsel
• Popularity: #838 and rising (#928 → #838, 2024)
• Nicknames: Alfie, Freddie

Gordon

• Origin: Scottish (surname, disputed origin)
• Pronunciation: GOR-dun · ˈɡɔːrdən
• Meaning: disputed — either ‘muddy hill’ or ‘great fort’
• Popularity: #1,089 and falling (#993 → #1,089, 2024)
• Nicknames: Gordie

Clifford

• Origin: Old English (surname)
• Pronunciation: KLIF-erd · ˈklɪfərd
• Meaning: ford by the cliff
• Popularity: #1,340 and rising (#1,457 → #1,340, 2024)
• Nicknames: Cliff

Agustin – Auggie, Gus

Franklin

• Origin: English (from Anglo-Norman fraunclein)
• Pronunciation: FRANK-lin · ˈfræŋklɪn
• Meaning: a free landowner of non-noble rank (a “freeholder”)
• Popularity: #385 and rising (#410 → #385, 2024)
• Nicknames: Frankie, Frank

Woodrow

• Origin: Old English (surname)
• Pronunciation: WUD-roh · ˈwʊd.ɹoʊ
• Meaning: for one who lived by a row of houses near a wood
• Popularity: #1,694 and rising (#1,894 → #1,694, 2024)
• Nicknames: Woody

Samuel

• Origin: Hebrew
• Pronunciation: SAM-yoo-el · ˈsæmjuəl
• Meaning: traditionally glossed as ‘God has heard’, though the Bible’s own account (1 Samuel 1:20) frames the name through a wordplay meaning ‘asked of God’
• Popularity: #17 and rising (#19 → #17, 2024)
• Nicknames: Sammy, Sam, Samson

Fletcher

• Origin: English (occupational surname)
• Pronunciation: FLETCH-er · ˈflɛtʃər
• Meaning: arrow maker
• Popularity: #564 and rising (#631 → #564, 2024)
• Nicknames: Fletch

Walter

• Origin: Germanic (Frankish)
• Pronunciation: WAWL-ter · ˈwɔːltər
• Meaning: ruler of the army
• Popularity: #271 and falling (#267 → #271, 2024)
• Nicknames: Walt, Mickey

Theodore

• Origin: Ancient Greek
• Pronunciation: THEE-oh-dor · ˈθiːədɔːr
• Meaning: gift of God
• Popularity: #4 and rising (#7 → #4, 2024)
• Nicknames: Theo, Teddy

Graham

• Origin: English
• Pronunciation: GRAM · ˈɡræm
• Meaning: place-name surname meaning ‘gravel homestead’ (Old English grand + hām)
• Popularity: #129 and rising (#141 → #129, 2024)
• Nicknames: Graham cracker, cookie

Vance

• Origin: English (surname)
• Pronunciation: VANS · ˈvæns
• Meaning: from the marshland
• Popularity: #996 and falling (#955 → #996, 2024)
• Nicknames: Van man

August

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: AW-gust · ˈɔːɡəst
• Meaning: venerable, majestic
• Popularity: #88 and rising (#104 → #88, 2024)
• Nicknames: Auggie, Gus

Frank

• Origin: Germanic (Frankish)
• Pronunciation: FRANK · ˈfræŋk
• Meaning: a Frank (member of the Frankish people)
• Popularity: #468 and rising (#469 → #468, 2024)
• Nicknames: Frankie, Franklin

Leonard

• Origin: Germanic (Old High German)
• Pronunciation: LEN-urd · ˈlɛnərd
• Meaning: brave/strong lion (or, by an alternate reading, ‘hardy people’)
• Popularity: #673 and rising (#692 → #673, 2024)
• Nicknames: Leo

Sebastian

Francis

• Origin: Latin (Medieval)
• Pronunciation: FRAN-sis · ˈfrænsɪs
• Meaning: a Frenchman/Frank; someone from France
• Popularity: #450 and rising (#456 → #450, 2024)
• Nicknames: Frankie, Franklin

Harrison

• Origin: English (patronymic surname)
• Pronunciation: HAIR-ih-sin · ˈhærɪsən
• Meaning: patronymic surname meaning ‘son of Harry’
• Popularity: #121 and falling (#119 → #121, 2024)
• Nicknames: Harry

Bernard

• Origin: Germanic (via Old French)
• Pronunciation: bur-NARD · bərˈnɑːrd
• Meaning: bear + brave/strong — ‘brave as a bear’
• Popularity: #1,318 and rising (#1,472 → #1,318, 2024)
• Nicknames: Bernie, Bear

Benjamin – Ben, Benny

Ollie

Teddy

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: Greek/Latin (New Testament form of Hebrew Elijah)
• Pronunciation: ih-LY-us · ɪˈlaɪəs
• Meaning: my God is Yahweh
• Popularity: #25 and rising (#36 → #25, 2024)

Gabriel

Bennett

Jack

• Origin: English
• Pronunciation: JAK · ˈdʒæk
• Meaning: God is gracious (inherited from John)
• Popularity: #15 and falling (#14 → #15, 2024)

Julian

Leo

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: LEE-oh · ˈliːoʊ
• Meaning: lion
• Popularity: #24 and falling (#18 → #24, 2024)

Miles

• Origin: uncertain (Old French Milo, possibly Germanic or Slavic)
• Pronunciation: MYLZ · ˈmaɪlz
• Meaning: soldier
• Popularity: #37 and rising (#43 → #37, 2024)

Theo

Robert

• Origin: Germanic (via Old French/Anglo-Norman)
• Pronunciation: RAH-burt · ˈrɑːbərt
• Meaning: renowned and bright, from Germanic elements meaning ‘fame’ and ‘bright’
• Popularity: #90 and falling (#89 → #90, 2024)

Ford

Peter

• Origin: Ancient Greek (via Latin)
• Pronunciation: PEE-tur · ˈpiːtər
• Meaning: rock or stone
• Popularity: #192 and rising (#210 → #192, 2024)

Everett

• Origin: Old English/Germanic (Eoforheard/Eberhard)
• Pronunciation: EV-er-et · ˈɛvərɪt
• Meaning: wild boar + hardy, brave (a Germanic compound name)
• Popularity: #85 and rising (#88 → #85, 2024)

Oliver

Ezra

• Origin: Hebrew
• Pronunciation: EZ-rah · ˈɛzrə
• Meaning: help
• Popularity: #13 and rising (#15 → #13, 2024)

William

• Origin: Germanic (Frankish, via Old French after the Norman Conquest)
• Pronunciation: WIL-yum · ˈwɪljəm
• Meaning: will joined with helmet, i.e. resolute protector
• Popularity: #10, holding steady (2024)

Henry

• Origin: Germanic (via Old French Henri, from Frankish *Haimrik)
• Pronunciation: HEN-ree · ˈhɛnri
• Meaning: home ruler
• Popularity: #6 and rising (#8 → #6, 2024)

James

• Origin: Hebrew
• Pronunciation: JAYMZ · ˈdʒeɪmz
• Meaning: heel-grabber, traditionally rendered ‘supplanter’ (same root as Jacob)
• Popularity: #5 and falling (#4 → #5, 2024)

Joseph

• Origin: Hebrew
• Pronunciation: JOH-zuhf · ˈdʒoʊzəf
• Meaning: may he (God) add
• Popularity: #32 and falling (#29 → #32, 2024)

Thomas

• Origin: Aramaic
• Pronunciation: TOM-us · ˈtɑːməs
• Meaning: twin
• Popularity: #39 and rising (#41 → #39, 2024)

Alexander

• Origin: Ancient Greek
• Pronunciation: al-ig-ZAN-der · ælɪɡˈzændər
• Meaning: one who defends or protects men
• Popularity: #27 and falling (#22 → #27, 2024)

Alfie

• Origin: English (pet form of Alfred)
• Pronunciation: AL-fee · ˈælfi
• Meaning: elf counsel
• Popularity: #2,038 and rising (#2,078 → #2,038, 2024)

Charlie

• Origin: Germanic (via Charles)
• Pronunciation: CHAR-lee · ˈtʃɑːrli
• Meaning: pet form of Charles, meaning ‘free man’
• Popularity: #176 and falling (#175 → #176, 2024)

Bentley

Edward

• Origin: Old English
• Pronunciation: ED-wurd · ˈɛdwərd
• Meaning: wealthy guardian
• Popularity: #228 and falling (#213 → #228, 2024)

Emmett

• Origin: English (surname, diminutive of Emma)
• Pronunciation: EM-it · ˈɛmɪt
• Meaning: whole, universal
• Popularity: #119 and falling (#118 → #119, 2024)

Ethan

Archie

• Origin: English (Germanic)
• Pronunciation: AR-chee · ˈɑːrtʃi
• Meaning: short form of Archibald, from Germanic roots roughly meaning ‘genuinely bold’
• Popularity: #333 and rising (#347 → #333, 2024)

Fred

• Origin: English (short form)
• Pronunciation: FRED · frɛd
• Meaning: short form of Frederick: peaceful ruler
• Popularity: #1,686 and rising (#1,709 → #1,686, 2024)

Johnnie

• Origin: English (diminutive of John)
• Pronunciation: JON-ee · ˈdʒɑːni
• Meaning: form of John: God is gracious
• Popularity: #2,319 and falling (#2,181 → #2,319, 2024)

Nolan

• Origin: Irish (surname)
• Pronunciation: NOH-lun · ˈnoʊlən
• Meaning: champion
• Popularity: #64 and falling (#57 → #64, 2024)

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: Irish (surname)
• Pronunciation: KLAN-see · ˈklænsi
• Meaning: descendant of the red-haired warrior
• Popularity: #3,220 and rising (#3,429 → #3,220, 2024)

Raleigh

Dale

Byron

• Origin: Old English (surname/place name)
• Pronunciation: BY-run · ˈbaɪrən
• Meaning: from a place name meaning ‘at the cattle sheds’ (byres)
• Popularity: #882 and falling (#835 → #882, 2024)

Coy

• Origin: uncertain (possibly the English word ‘coy, ‘ or a short form of the surname McCoy)
• Pronunciation: KOY · kɔɪ
• Meaning: quiet, calm or clever
• Popularity: #1,507 and rising (#1,650 → #1,507, 2024)

Dean

Rex

Jasper

Julius

• Origin: Latin (origin uncertain)
• Pronunciation: JOOL-yus · ˈdʒuːljəs
• Meaning: youthful, downy-bearded (traditional gloss); origin is actually uncertain, possibly ‘devoted to Jove’
• Popularity: #389 and rising (#400 → #389, 2024)

Kenneth

Percy

• Origin: Norman French (place name, ultimately Latin)
• Pronunciation: PUR-see · ˈpɜːrsi
• Meaning: short for Percival; meaning one who pierces the valley
• Popularity: #1,257 and rising (#1,562 → #1,257, 2024)

Marshall

• Origin: English (occupational surname)
• Pronunciation: MAR-shul · ˈmɑːrʃəl
• Meaning: keeper of horses/steward (occupational surname)
• Popularity: #391 and falling (#388 → #391, 2024)

Wilford

Lewis

Roy

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic
• Pronunciation: ROY · ˈrɔɪ
• Meaning: red, red-haired
• Popularity: #541 and rising (#556 → #541, 2024)

Rudy

• Origin: German (pet form of Rudolph)
• Pronunciation: ROO-dee · ˈruːdi
• Meaning: famous wolf (as a diminutive of Rudolph)
• Popularity: #822 and rising (#830 → #822, 2024)

Thatcher

• Origin: English (occupational surname)
• Pronunciation: THATCH-er · ˈθætʃər
• Meaning: a person who thatches roofs
• Popularity: #1,037 and falling (#1,001 → #1,037, 2024)

Harvey

• Origin: Breton (via Old French/English surname)
• Pronunciation: HAR-vee · ˈhɑːrvi
• Meaning: roughly ‘iron’ and ‘blazing’ or ‘vigorous’, from the name of a Breton saint
• Popularity: #244 and rising (#326 → #244, 2024)

Oscar

• Origin: Irish, Old English
• Pronunciation: AHS-kur · ˈɑːskər
• Meaning: a blend of two separate old names: Gaelic ‘deer-friend’ and Old English/Norse ‘god’s spear’
• Popularity: #217 and falling (#216 → #217, 2024)

Leland

• Origin: Irish Gaelic (surname)
• Pronunciation: LEE-land · ˈliːlənd
• Meaning: son of a servant of Saint Faolán (a name meaning ‘little wolf’)
• Popularity: #547 and falling (#520 → #547, 2024)

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: English (patronymic surname)
• Pronunciation: HAR-ding · ˈhɑːrdɪŋ
• Meaning: son of Hardy, or of a man whose name contained the Germanic element ‘hard’ (strong, brave)
• Popularity: #7,922 and rising (#10,095 → #7,922, 2024)

Fritz

• Origin: German
• Pronunciation: FRITS · ˈfrɪts
• Meaning: peaceful ruler
• Popularity: #2,530 and falling (#2,325 → #2,530, 2024)

Emerson

Esau

Alton

• Origin: English (place name/surname)
• Pronunciation: AWL-tun · ˈɔːltən
• Meaning: settlement at the source of a river (Old English ‘river source’ + ‘settlement, town’)
• Popularity: #1,566 and rising (#1,679 → #1,566, 2024)

Lowell

• Origin: English (surname, from Old French via Middle English)
• Pronunciation: LOH-əl · ˈloʊəl
• Meaning: little wolf
• Popularity: #3,735 and falling (#3,677 → #3,735, 2024)

Stanton

Burton

Hartley

• Origin: Old English
• Pronunciation: HART-lee · ˈhɑːrtli
• Meaning: stag/deer meadow or clearing
• Popularity: #3,906 and falling (#3,826 → #3,906, 2024)

Kenneth

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic
• Pronunciation: KEN-uth · ˈkɛnəθ
• Meaning: a blend of two old Gaelic names, one roughly ‘fire-born’, the other ‘the fair one’
• Popularity: #284 and falling (#262 → #284, 2024)

Rudy

Cliff

Garland

• Origin: English (surname)
• Pronunciation: GAR-lund · ˈɡɑːrlənd
• Meaning: a garland-maker/seller, or from a place name roughly meaning ‘triangular plot of land’
• Popularity: #5,722 and falling (#4,503 → #5,722, 2024)

Odin

• Origin: Old Norse (from Proto-Germanic)
• Pronunciation: OH-din · ˈoʊdɪn
• Meaning: rooted in a Germanic word for ‘fury/rage’ or frenzied, poetic inspiration
• Popularity: #479 and falling (#361 → #479, 2024)

Ellsworth

Garnett

Quincy

Elmore

• Origin: English (surname, from Old English Æþelmær)
• Pronunciation: EL-mor · ˈɛlmɔːr
• Meaning: As a surname, traced to Æþelmær (‘noble’ + ‘famous’); some sources instead explain it as a place name meaning ‘elm-tree moor.’
• Popularity: #12,685 as of 2021 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Cover

• Origin: English (place/river name, not attested as a personal given name)
• Pronunciation: KUH-ver · ˈkʌvər
• Meaning: a resident of the Cove region in Suffolk (UK), or to cover
• Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Hatfield

• Origin: English (place name/surname)
• Pronunciation: HAT-feeld · ˈhæffiːld
• Meaning: heath, open land (a standard English place-name compound)
• Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Lewis

• Origin: English, from Old French Louis (Frankish); also historically an anglicization of Welsh Llywelyn
• Pronunciation: LOO-iss · ˈluːɪs
• Meaning: renowned warrior / famous in war (primary, via Louis); when used to anglicize Llywelyn, the meaning is disputed
• Popularity: #433 and rising (#470 → #433, 2024)

Arden

• Origin: Celtic (Brythonic place name)
• Pronunciation: AR-dun · ˈɑːrdən
• Meaning: high
• Popularity: #943 and rising (#1,019 → #943, 2024)

Jasper

• Origin: Old Persian
• Pronunciation: JAS-per · ˈdʒæspər
• Meaning: treasurer
• Popularity: #133 and falling (#122 → #133, 2024)

Leland

Rex

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: REKS · ˈrɛks
• Meaning: king
• Popularity: #794 and falling (#723 → #794, 2024)

Luther

• Origin: German (surname)
• Pronunciation: LOO-ther · ˈluːθər
• Meaning: from a German surname built on ‘people’ plus ‘army,’ popularly rendered as ‘army of the people’
• Popularity: #1,499 and rising (#1,504 → #1,499, 2024)

Coleman

Burton

• Origin: Old English (place name/surname)
• Pronunciation: BUR-tuhn · ˈbɜːrtən
• Meaning: fortified farmstead
• Popularity: #5,076 and falling (#3,633 → #5,076, 2024)

Dell

Warner

Linwood

• Origin: English (place name/surname)
• Pronunciation: LIN-wuud · ˈlɪnwʊd
• Meaning: linden-tree wood/forest
• Popularity: #7,064 and rising (#11,684 → #7,064, 2024)

Warner

• Origin: English/Germanic (variant of Werner)
• Pronunciation: WOR-ner · ˈwɔːrnər
• Meaning: defending warrior, army defender
• Popularity: #1,502 and falling (#1,428 → #1,502, 2024)

Carson

Elwood

Sullivan

Wilford

• Origin: Old English (place name)
• Pronunciation: WIL-ferd · ˈwɪlfərd
• Meaning: willow ford — a river crossing lined with willow trees
• Popularity: #14,116 and falling (#8,219 → #14,116, 2024)

Hartley

Arley

Barton

Hollis

• Origin: English (topographic surname)
• Pronunciation: HOL-is · ˈhɑːlɪs
• Meaning: one who lived near holly trees
• Popularity: #1,053 and falling (#1,000 → #1,053, 2024)

Woodson

• Origin: English (surname, patronymic)
• Pronunciation: WUD-sun · ˈwʊd.sən
• Meaning: son of a man surnamed Wood, itself an English topographic surname for a forest-dweller
• Popularity: #2,737 and rising (#3,465 → #2,737, 2024)

Elwood

• Origin: English (from the Middle English personal name Elwald, Old English ælf ‘elf’ + weald ‘rule, power’)
• Pronunciation: EL-wood · ˈɛlwʊd
• Meaning: elf power / ruled by elves
• Popularity: #2,134 and rising (#3,016 → #2,134, 2024)

Rupert

• Origin: German/Germanic (English form of Ruprecht, related to Robert)
• Pronunciation: ROO-pert · ˈruːpərt
• Meaning: shining renown
• Popularity: #3,863 and rising (#4,192 → #3,863, 2024)

Bryant

Casper

Coy

Oswald

• Origin: Old English
• Pronunciation: AHZ-wald · ˈɑːzwəld
• Meaning: god + rule/power (“god’s rule”)
• Popularity: #2,121 and rising (#2,211 → #2,121, 2024)

Orest

• Origin: Greek (Slavic form of Orestes)
• Pronunciation: or-EST · ɔːˈrɛst
• Meaning: of the mountains
• Popularity: #9,606 and falling (#7,176 → #9,606, 2024)

Parker

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: English or Irish (surname)
• Pronunciation: HAYZ · ˈheɪz
• Meaning: enclosure or brushwood (English); alternatively ‘descendant of Aodh’ via the Irish surname Ó hAodha
• Popularity: #160 and rising (#209 → #160, 2024)

Young

Meyer

Sanford

• Origin: Old English (surname)
• Pronunciation: SAN-ferd · ˈsænfərd
• Meaning: a sandy river crossing (place name: ‘sand’ + ‘ford’)
• Popularity: #7,159 and rising (#9,586 → #7,159, 2024)

Jennings

• Origin: English (patronymic surname)
• Pronunciation: JEN-ingz · ˈdʒɛnɪŋz
• Meaning: son of Jenning (‘little John’)
• Popularity: #1,957 and rising (#1,976 → #1,957, 2024)

Webster

Roderick

Doyle

• Origin: Irish
• Pronunciation: DOYL · ˈdɔɪl
• Meaning: descendant of the dark-haired foreigner
• Popularity: #7,345 and rising (#8,420 → #7,345, 2024)

Jones

Foster

• Origin: English
• Pronunciation: FOS-ter · ˈfɔːstər
• Meaning: Forester — one who worked in or managed woodland; the surname is a reduced form of Forster. An alternate theory derives it from Old French forcetier, “scissor-maker.”
• Popularity: #1,075 and falling (#966 → #1,075, 2024)

Mckinley

Fitzgerald

Anderson

• Origin: English/Scottish (patronymic and place-name surname)
• Pronunciation: AN-der-sun · ˈændərsən
• Meaning: son of Andrew (patronymic), or alternatively from the place-name Anderston (‘Andrew’s town’)
• Popularity: #356 and falling (#332 → #356, 2024)

Callahan

Smith

Henderson

Dempsey

• Origin: Irish (surname)
• Pronunciation: DEMP-see · ˈdɛmpsi
• Meaning: proud or arrogant (via an Irish surname/byname)
• Popularity: #2,833 and falling (#2,347 → #2,833, 2024)

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: English (word name, from Latin nobilis)
• Pronunciation: NOH-bul · ˈnoʊbəl
• Meaning: noble, distinguished
• Popularity: #1,233 and rising (#1,262 → #1,233, 2024)

Earnest

• Origin: English (variant spelling of Ernest, from Germanic)
• Pronunciation: UR-nist · ˈɜːrnɪst
• Meaning: serious, resolute (variant of Ernest)
• Popularity: #5,489 and falling (#4,374 → #5,489, 2024)

Biblical Vintage Boy Names

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

Levi

• Origin: Hebrew
• Pronunciation: LEE-vy · ˈliːvaɪ
• Meaning: traditionally ‘joined, attached’ per the Genesis naming story; true root uncertain
• Popularity: #12, holding steady (2024)

Silas

• Origin: Aramaic (biblical, Hellenized as Greek Σίλας, Latinized as Sīlās)
• Pronunciation: SY-lus · ˈsaɪləs
• Meaning: wood, forest
• Popularity: #81, holding steady (2024)

Amos

• Origin: Hebrew
• Pronunciation: AY-mus · ˈeɪməs
• Meaning: carried, a burden
• Popularity: #697 and falling (#647 → #697, 2024)

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 (Anglicized)
• Pronunciation: FLOYD · flɔɪd
• Meaning: gray, gray-haired
• Popularity: #2,169 and rising (#2,515 → #2,169, 2024)

Herbert

• Origin: Germanic (via Old French, from Frankish *Hariberht)
• Pronunciation: HER-bert · ˈhɜːrbərt
• Meaning: bright army
• Popularity: #2,482 and falling (#2,156 → #2,482, 2024)

Lionel

Hugh

• Origin: Germanic (via Old French)
• Pronunciation: HYOO · ˈhjuː
• Meaning: heart, mind
• Popularity: #763 and rising (#784 → #763, 2024)

Weldon

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

Howard

• Origin: Old Norse (via English surname)
• Pronunciation: HOW-erd · ˈhaʊərd
• Meaning: high guardian
• Popularity: #1,056 and falling (#1,004 → #1,056, 2024)

Clement

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: KLEM-ent · ˈklɛmənt
• Meaning: merciful
• Popularity: #2,260 and rising (#2,394 → #2,260, 2024)

Wallace

• Origin: Scottish/English (surname, from Anglo-Norman/Old English)
• Pronunciation: WAH-liss · ˈwɑːlɪs
• Meaning: foreigner, Welshman
• Popularity: #981 and rising (#1,016 → #981, 2024)

Willis

• Origin: English (patronymic surname)
• Pronunciation: WIL-is · ˈwɪlɪs
• Meaning: ‘son of Will’ — a patronymic surname built on Will, the short form of William
• Popularity: #2,701 and falling (#2,341 → #2,701, 2024)

Randall

• Origin: English (from Germanic, via Randolph)
• Pronunciation: RAN-duhl · ˈrændəl
• Meaning: shield wolf
• Popularity: #1,612 and falling (#1,267 → #1,612, 2024)

• Popularity: > 1000

Lloyd

• Origin: Welsh (surname)
• Pronunciation: LOYD · lɔɪd
• Meaning: grey, or grey-haired
• Popularity: #1,766 and rising (#1,793 → #1,766, 2024)

Clyde

• Origin: Scottish (from the River Clyde)
• Pronunciation: KLYDE · ˈklaɪd
• Meaning: named for the River Clyde in Scotland
• Popularity: #728 and falling (#721 → #728, 2024)

Earl

• Origin: English (from the noble title ‘earl’)
• Pronunciation: URL · ɜːrl
• Meaning: nobleman (from the title ‘earl’, originally also ‘warrior’)
• Popularity: #2,152 and rising (#2,250 → #2,152, 2024)

Herman

• Origin: Old English/Germanic (compare German Hermann)
• Pronunciation: HUR-mun · ˈhɝːmən
• Meaning: army man
• Popularity: #2,641 and falling (#2,327 → #2,641, 2024)

Clarence

• Origin: English (place name/title, from Clare, Suffolk)
• Pronunciation: KLAIR-uns · ˈklærəns
• Meaning: one who lives near the River Clare or bright and clear
• Popularity: #1,558, holding steady (2024)

Douglas

Willie

• Origin: English (diminutive of William)
• Pronunciation: WIL-ee · ˈwɪli
• Meaning: pet form of William (or, less often, of Wilhelmina) — carries no independent meaning of its own
• Popularity: #1,375 and falling (#1,326 → #1,375, 2024)

Ira

• Origin: Hebrew (male) / Russian-Slavic (female, from Irina)
• Pronunciation: EYE-ruh · ˈaɪrə
• Meaning: a homograph of two distinct traditions: Hebrew Ira (male), meaning ‘watchful, alert’; and Russian/Slavic Ira (female), a diminutive of Irina/Irene, meaning ‘peace’
• Popularity: #975 and falling (#878 → #975, 2024)

Stanley

• Origin: English (Old English place name/surname)
• Pronunciation: STAN-lee · ˈstænli
• Meaning: stony meadow
• Popularity: #875 and falling (#808 → #875, 2024)

Eldon

Wilfred

• Origin: Old English/Germanic
• Pronunciation: WIL-frid · ˈwɪlfrɪd
• Meaning: will + peace — roughly ‘one who desires peace’
• Popularity: #5,038 and falling (#3,869 → #5,038, 2024)

Maynard

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

Leroy

• Origin: Old French (surname)
• Pronunciation: LEE-roy · ˈliːrɔɪ
• Meaning: the king
• Popularity: #862 and rising (#872 → #862, 2024)

Clifton

• Origin: Old English (place name/surname)
• Pronunciation: KLIF-tun · ˈklɪftən
• Meaning: settlement by a cliff
• Popularity: #1,746 and falling (#1,640 → #1,746, 2024)

Donald

• Origin: Scottish
• Pronunciation: DON-uld · ˈdɑːnəld
• Meaning: ruler of the world
• Popularity: #672 and falling (#658 → #672, 2024)

Melford

• Origin: English (place name/surname)
• Pronunciation: MEL-ferd · ˈmɛlfərd
• Meaning: from the ford by the hill
• Popularity: #5,406 as of 1982 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Rolland

• Origin: Germanic (spelling variant of Roland)
• Pronunciation: ROH-luhnd · ˈroʊlənd
• Meaning: famous land
• Popularity: #4,831 and falling (#4,312 → #4,831, 2024)

Perkin

• Origin: English (medieval diminutive)
• Pronunciation: PER-kin · ˈpɜːrkɪn
• Meaning: diminutive of Peter/Piers (‘little Peter’)
• Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Ronald

Cleo

Terrence

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: smooth
• Popularity: > 1000

Ralph

• Origin: Old English / Germanic
• Pronunciation: RALF · rælf
• Meaning: wolf counsel
• Popularity: #1,152 and rising (#1,196 → #1,152, 2024)

Orville

• Origin: Literary coinage (English, possibly Welsh-influenced)
• Pronunciation: OR-vil · ˈɔːrvɪl
• Meaning: A name invented by novelist Frances Burney for a character in her 1778 novel ‘Evelina’; often read as ‘golden town,’ though it may instead draw on the Welsh name Eurfyl (‘gold’).
• Popularity: #7,117 and rising (#7,177 → #7,117, 2024)

Reuben

• Origin: Hebrew
• Pronunciation: ROO-bin · ˈruːbɪn
• Meaning: behold, a son! (reu + ben)
• Popularity: #874 and falling (#811 → #874, 2024)

Wendell

• Origin: Germanic (Old German)
• Pronunciation: WEN-duhl · ˈwɛndəl
• Meaning: a Wend (member of a Slavic people)
• Popularity: #2,068 and falling (#1,692 → #2,068, 2024)

Morris

• Origin: Old French (form of Maurice)
• Pronunciation: MOR-iss · ˈmɒrɪs
• Meaning: dark-skinned / Moorish (via Maurice, from Latin Maurus)
• Popularity: #1,868 and falling (#1,643 → #1,868, 2024)

Emil

Lester

• Origin: English (surname/place name, from Leicester)
• Pronunciation: LES-ter · ˈlɛstər
• Meaning: Roman fort
• Popularity: #1,580 and rising (#1,921 → #1,580, 2024)

Oren

• Origin: Hebrew
• Pronunciation: OR-en · ˈɔːrən
• Meaning: pine tree
• Popularity: #1,380 and falling (#1,297 → #1,380, 2024)

Cecil

Willard

• Origin: Old English
• Pronunciation: WIL-erd · ˈwɪlərd
• Meaning: will/desire + brave, strong — roughly ‘bold in will’
• Popularity: #3,034 and falling (#2,942 → #3,034, 2024)

Milton

• Origin: English (surname/place name)
• Pronunciation: MIL-tun · ˈmɪltən
• Meaning: mill settlement or middle settlement (Old English mylen/middel + tun)
• Popularity: #1,428 and rising (#1,436 → #1,428, 2024)

Leon

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: LEE-ahn · ˈliːɑːn
• Meaning: lion
• Popularity: #141 and rising (#148 → #141, 2024)

Ansel

• Origin: French
• Pronunciation: AN-sel · ˈænsəl
• Meaning: one who follows nobility; protection from God
• Popularity: #1,285 and falling (#1,201 → #1,285, 2024)

Bruno

• Origin: Germanic
• Pronunciation: BROO-noh · ˈbruːnoʊ
• Meaning: brown
• Popularity: #701 and rising (#711 → #701, 2024)

Gus

Chester

• Origin: English (from Latin, via Old English)
• Pronunciation: CHES-ter · ˈʧɛstər
• Meaning: from Latin castrum (‘fort/camp’), via Old English, referring to a fortified Roman town
• Popularity: #1,650 and rising (#1,729 → #1,650, 2024)

How These Names Are Trending

74 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 64 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.

How These Names Are Trending

74 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 64 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.

How These Names Are Trending

74 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 64 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.

How These Names Are Trending

74 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 64 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.

How These Names Are Trending

74 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 67 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.

Boyd

Vintage Boy Names – TL;DR

And there we have it. A collection of the most sweet, truly vintage 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?!)

Frequently Asked Questions

What vintage boy names are coming back?

Names like Theodore, Arthur, Jasper, Felix, and Silas have all made strong comebacks. Edwardian-era names and turn-of-the-century picks are especially popular with modern parents.

Are old-fashioned names trendy in 2026?

Absolutely — vintage names are one of the biggest trends in 2026. Parents love the timeless quality of names like Ezra, Henry, Oscar, and Atticus.

What’s the difference between vintage and classic names?

Classic names (James, William, Thomas) have never gone out of style. Vintage names (Otis, Percy, Ambrose) fell out of use for decades and are now being rediscovered. Both are strong choices.

Read next;

🌷 Forgotten names due for a comeback

🌷 Rustic country names with old-soul charm

🌷 What’s topping the 2026 list

📊 Curious how popular a name actually is? Look it up in our Baby Name Popularity Checker — pulls live SSA data to show ranking trends.

✨ Love these names? Create free printable nursery art for any name →