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
Ellsworth
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Eli’s estate, or from the farm or homestead
- Nicknames: Eli, Ellzy
Grady
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: noble
Roscoe
- Origin: Germanic, Old Norse
- Meaning: deer wood
Miles
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: soldier
Emery
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: industrious
Elias
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: the Lord is my God
Hollis
- Origin: English
- Meaning: the holly tree
Rupert
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: bright fame
Noble
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: aristocratic
Dempsey
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: proud
Graham
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: grey home or gravel homestead
George
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: farmer
- Nicknames: Georgie, G
Elmore
- Origin: English
- Meaning: moore with elm trees
Wilmer
- Origin: German
- Meaning: desire
- Meaning: Will, Willy
Oren
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: light and fair, or pine tree
Fletcher
- Origin: French, English, Scottish, Irish
- Meaning: arrowsmith
Charles ❤️
- Origin: English
- Meaning: free man
- Nicknames: Charlie, Chip
Grover
- Origin: English
- Meaning: lives near a grove of trees
- Nicknames: Grovie, Groves, G , Rover
Frank
- Origin: German
- Meaning: Frenchman or free man
Woodrow
- Origin: English
- Meaning: row of houses by the woods
Orest
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: of the mountains
Henry ❤️
- Origin: German
- Meaning:ruler of the home
Walter
- Origin: German
- Meaning: ruler of the army
Clarence
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: one who lives near the River Clare or bright and clear
Lewis
- Origin: English
- Meaning: renowned warrior
Bruno
- Origin: German
- Meaning: brown
Peter
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: stone
Ernest
- Origin: German
- Meaning: serious
Lloyd
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: grey
Howard
- Origin: German
- Meaning: brave heart
Stanley
- Origin: English
- Meaning: stony meadow
Herman
- Origin: German
- Meaning: soldier
Luther
- Origin: German
- Meaning: soldier of the people
Ellis
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: the Lord is my God
Joseph
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: he will add
Ira
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: watchful one
Odin
- Origin: Old Norse
- Meaning: frenzied; a reference from Norse mythology
Clifford
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: fjord by the cliff
Burton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: fort settlement, or a name referring to someone from northern England
Bernard
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: brave, hardy
Mack
- Origin: Latin, Gaelic
- Meaning: greatest (a derivative of Maximillian)
Dale
- Origin: English
- Meaning: from the valley
Franklin
- Origin: English
- Meaning: a free man
Willie
- Origin: German
- Meaning: short for William; meaning the determined protector
Alfred
- Origin: English
- Meaning: one who counsels the elves
Woodson
- Origin: English
- Meaning: from Woodsome, a town in England
Grover
- Origin: English
- Meaning: from the grove of trees
Charlie
- Origin: English/German
- Meaning: short for Charles; one who is manly and strong, a free man
Harrison
- Origin: English
- Meaning: the son of Harry
Weldon
- Origin: English
- Meaning: from the hill near a spring
Ansel
- Origin: French
- Meaning: one who follows nobility; protection from God
Hayes
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: from the stockade
Arden
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: great forest
Thatcher
- Origin: English
- Meaning: roof maker
Alfie
- Origin: English
- Meaning: short for Alfred; one who counsels the elves
Theodore
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: a gift from God
Leo
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: resembling a lion
Wilfred
- Origin: English
- Meaning: one who wishes for peace
Oswald
- Origin: English
- Meaning: the power of God
Arthur
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: as strong as a bear; a hero
Clancy
- Origin: Gaelic
- Meaning: red-haired warrior
James
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: supplanter
Otto
- Origin: German
- Meaning: wealth, prosperity
Emmett
- Origin: German
- Meaning: desire
Chester
- Origin: English
- Meaning: a fortress, camp
William
- Origin: German
- Meaning: with gilded helmet
Earnest
- Origin: English
- Meaning: diligent, truthful
Percy
- Origin: origin
- Meaning: short for Percival; meaning one who pierces the valley
Julius
- Origin: Roman, Greek
- Meaning: youthful, or downy-bearded
Franklin
- Origin: English
- Meaning: free landholder
Maynard
- Origin: German
- Meaning: brave, strong
Gordon
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: great hill
Orville
- Origin: Old French
- Meaning: gold town
Terrence
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: smooth
Melford
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: from the ford by the hill
Roy
- Origin: French
- Meaning: king
Earl
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: nobleman, warrior or prince
Lester
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: someone from the English county town of Leicestershire
Everett
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: brave
- Most popular in: 1906
Francis
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: brave
Willis
- Origin: English
- Meaning: resolute protector
Bernard
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: brave
Jasper
- Origin: Persian
- Meaning: bringer of treasure
Wallace
- Origin: Scottish, French
- Meaning: Welshman
Otis
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: wealth
Jack
- Origin: English
- Meaning: God is gracious
Samuel
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God has heard
Hartley
- Origin: British
- Meaning: deer meadow
Harvey
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: battle worthy
Cover
- Origin: English, French
- Meaning: a resident of the Cove region in Suffolk (UK), or to cover
Hatfield
- Origin: English
- Meaning: from the town of Hertfordshire, Essex, Worcestershire or Yorkshire (UK)
Morris
- Origin: English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh
- Meaning: dark-skinned
Cecil
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: sixth
Harold
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: army ruler
Herbert
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: illustrious warrior, or famous warrior
Marshall
- Origin: English
- Meaning: one who loves horses
Ezra
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: helper
Clement
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: merciful
Lowell
- Origin: Old French
- Meaning: young wolf
Rex
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: king
Rudy
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: famous wolf
Clifton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: town by the cliff
Ralph
- Origin: English
- Meaning: wolf counsel
Thomas
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: twin
Wilson
- Origin: Scottish, English
- Meaning: desire
Clyde
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: warm, friendly
Albert
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: noble
Willard
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: strong desire
Reuben
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: behold, a son
Robert
- Origin: Germanic
- Meaning: bright fame
Alexander
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: defender of men
Fred
- Origin: German
- Meaning: peaceful ruler
Donald
- Origin: Celtic
- Meaning: world ruler
Perkin
- Origin: English
- Meaning: rock
Rolland
- Origin: French
- Meaning: renowned in the land
Harry
- Origin: German
- Meaning: home ruler
Floyd
- Origin: Welsh
- Meaning: grey or grey-haired
Leroy
- Origin: French
- Meaning: the king
Hugh
- Origin: British
- Meaning: intellect
Leonard
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: lion
Johnnie
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is gracious
More Vintage Boy Names
- Edgar
- Melvin
- Irving
- Kenneth
- Herbert
- Eugene
- Normand
- Elwood
- Byron
- Arnold
- Buster
- Wilbur
- Archie
- Godfrey
- Lyle
- Milton
- Leon
- Gus
- Gilbert
- Sanford
- Foster
- Eldon
- Levi
- Elmer
- Leland
- Vance
- Louis
- Teddy
- Silas
- Cornelius
- Marvin
- Alton
- Milo
- Wiley ❤️
- Hubert
- Ronald
- Lawrence
- Edwin
- Van
- Wilmer
- Archibald
- Carmine
- Lionel
- Joseph
- Edward
- Anderson
- Elmer
- Oscar
- Russell
- Clyde
- Milton
- Melvin
- Sidney
- Ira
- Willard
- Wallace
- Rufus
- Mckinley
- Morton
- Daniel
- Boyd
- Sylvester
- Amos
- Emil
- Gus
- Douglas
- Cornelius
- Ollie
- Coy
- Claud
- Myron
- Doyle
- Emannuel
- Basil
- Monroe
- Garland
- Linwood
- Wilford
- Warner
- Nolan
- Randall
- Dudley
- Jefferson
- Elmore
- Sol
- Major
- Cleo
- Wendell
- Fritz
- Harding
- Oren
- Forrest
- Odin
- Dean
- August
- Milford
- Graham
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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