So you’re looking for vintage girl names. The perfect name has to have style. It has to have charm! It shouldn’t be common — after all, Hazel and Evelyn are starting to sound more like baby names these days than inspired vintage choices.
We get it. Yes, these seemingly elusive qualities are hard to capture all in one name, but hey, that’s why we’re here. We’ve identified over 100 vintage girl names — all outside the current US Top 1000 — with potential for a 2023 (or beyond) baby.
One of our top tips is to go through decades-old popularity charts, where there are always interesting names that have since left the public conscious. We’ve chosen 1923, because according to the 100-Year Rule — the idea that names become fashionable every four generations or so — these are the names that should be coming back into style right around now.
Many have the potential to be rising stars of the next decade, so buyer beware. We’ve recently noticed children of stylish parents answer to Dorothea, Lula, and Sybil, and names such as Edna, Lois, and Henrietta are already making their ascent in the UK.
HeartAgnesChevron - RightHeartAvisChevron - RightHeartBettyChevron - RightHeartConstanceChevron - RightHeartCordeliaChevron - RightHeartDeloresChevron - RightHeartDorotheaChevron - RightHeartEdnaChevron - RightHeartEffieChevron - RightHeartEnidChevron - RightHeartEthelChevron - RightHeartFernChevron - RightHeartGenevaChevron - RightHeartHenriettaChevron - RightHeartHildaChevron - RightHeartIdaChevron - RightHeartLeonaChevron - RightHeartLoisChevron - RightHeartLulaChevron - RightHeartJeanetteChevron - RightHeartMarjorieChevron - RightHeartMaxineChevron - RightHeartMildredChevron - RightHeartNadineChevron - RightHeartRitaChevron - RightHeartSybilChevron - RightHeartTheresaChevron - RightHeartViolaChevron - RightHeartWinifredChevron - RightHeartZellaChevron - Right
Of course, those four might not be the best candidates for revival — we highly advise against calling your daughter Virgie — but these old-fashioned nicknames for girls deserve a second look:
HeartBessChevron - RightHeartBessieChevron - RightHeartDottieChevron - RightHeartDovieChevron - RightHeartEssieChevron - RightHeartFlossieChevron - RightHeartGertieChevron - RightHeartJettieChevron - RightHeartKittyChevron - RightHeartLelaChevron - RightHeartLettieChevron - RightHeartLibbyChevron - RightHeartLottieChevron - RightHeartLuluChevron - RightHeartMadgeChevron - RightHeartMamieChevron - RightHeartMargieChevron - RightHeartMaudChevron - RightHeartMaudieChevron - RightHeartMinnieChevron - RightHeartMonaChevron - RightHeartNettieChevron - RightHeartOlaChevron - RightHeartOraChevron - RightHeartOuidaChevron - RightHeartPatsyChevron - RightHeartPeggyChevron - RightHeartPollyChevron - RightHeartRenaChevron - RightHeartRoxieChevron - RightHeartRuthieChevron - RightHeartSusieChevron - RightHeartTillieChevron - RightHeartTressieChevron - Right
We excluded many of the classic boys’ names that made the list for girls, including Charles, William, and Joseph — some of which make the charts due to clerical errors. But boy names for girls, particularly nickname-style names, were huge in the 1920s and are coming back around.
Who knows, maybe in another hundred years we’ll see bunches of little girls named Thomas and Clifford and Edward. For now, stick with Theo, Clyde, and Eddie.
HeartBennieChevron - RightHeartBertieChevron - RightHeartBobbieChevron - RightHeartCecilChevron - RightHeartClydeChevron - RightHeartDonnieChevron - RightHeartEddieChevron - RightHeartFreddieChevron - RightHeartGeneChevron - RightHeartGeorgeChevron - RightHeartIraChevron - RightHeartJackChevron - RightHeartJimmieChevron - RightHeartJohnnieChevron - RightHeartJonnieChevron - RightHeartLeoChevron - RightHeartLennieChevron - RightHeartMattieChevron - RightHeartMauriceChevron - RightHeartOllieChevron - RightHeartOssieChevron - RightHeartRayChevron - RightHeartRobbieChevron - RightHeartSammieChevron - RightHeartTheoChevron - RightHeartWillieChevron - Right
The ‘20s have a leg up on the modern day when it comes to Japanese names though. 1920 was the end of a Japanese population boom in the US, and as such, a significant number of traditional Japanese names made the Top 1000.
HeartAntoinetteChevron - RightHeartCarmelaChevron - RightHeartCecileChevron - RightHeartCelestineChevron - RightHeartCletaChevron - RightHeartDelfinaChevron - RightHeartElvaChevron - RightHeartFumikoChevron - RightHeartInezChevron - RightHeartIonaChevron - RightHeartJosefinaChevron - RightHeartKiyokoChevron - RightHeartLillaChevron - RightHeartMarcellaChevron - RightHeartMargueriteChevron - RightHeartNevaChevron - RightHeartRevaChevron - RightHeartRomaChevron - RightHeartSantinaChevron - RightHeartSocorroChevron - RightHeartTrinidadChevron - RightHeartUnaChevron - RightHeartVivaChevron - RightHeartYoshikoChevron - Right
This is great news if you’re searching for a name that won’t be catapulted into the Top 1000, to eventually be sucked up by yupsters and suburbanites. These names are unique and they’re likely to stay that way — for now.
HeartAgathaChevron - RightHeartAltheaChevron - RightHeartAvisChevron - RightHeartBlossomChevron - RightHeartCorneliaChevron - RightHeartDelphineChevron - RightHeartEulaliaChevron - RightHeartLeatriceChevron - RightHeartLeliaChevron - RightHeartLenoraChevron - RightHeartMadgeChevron - RightHeartMarvelChevron - RightHeartMinervaChevron - RightHeartOdessaChevron - RightHeartPetraChevron - RightHeartRhodaChevron - RightHeartRosamondChevron - RightHeartRosellaChevron - RightHeartSabinaChevron - RightHeartThedaChevron - RightHeartThoraChevron - RightHeartTwilaChevron - RightHeartVeronaChevron - RightHeartZelmaChevron - Right
Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names, Gen Z names, and cottagecore baby names. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest.
Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People, Today, The Huffington Post, and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at [email protected]. Sophie lives in Chicago.
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