40 Vintage Names Back from the Brink of Extinction
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Celebrating the birth of a new baby comes with the expectation of revealing your little one's newly bestowed name. Naming conventions range from family names passed down through generations to searching the Internet for obscure words with unique meanings. Celebrity babies have also impacted how we determine our new baby's name. Gone are the days when an apple was just a piece of fruit.
With all the outlets available to find the perfect name for your baby, many parents might forget about the timeless options that stir a nostalgic feeling in us when hearing a vintage name called. According to baby naming experts at Nameberry, historically significant or vintage names are rising from the brink of extinction and making a comeback in today's popular culture. Inspired by classic literary works, memorable royal family members throughout history, the Bible, and even your family tree, these vintage names are some of the latest prevailing names for newborn babies.
Scroll for a list of the baby names back from the edge of extinction in America.
Vintage Names for Girls
Alice
Origin: German
Meaning: "noble"
Amelia
Origin: German
Meaning: "work"
Aurelia
Origin: Latin
Meaning: "the golden one"
Aurora
Origin: Latin
Meaning: "dawn"
Charlotte
Origin: French, feminine diminutive of Charles
Meaning: "free man"
Clara
Origin: Latin
Meaning: "bright, clear"
Daphne
Origin: Greek
Meaning: "laurel tree, bay tree"
Eleanor
Origin: English variation of French Provencal Alienor
Meaning: unknown
Eloise
Origin: French and English variation of Heloise
Meaning: "healthy; wide"
Esme
Origin: French
Meaning: "beloved"
Evelyn
Origin: English from French and German
Meaning: "desired; or water, island"
Freya
Origin: Norse
Meaning: "a noble woman"
Genevieve
Origin: English from French
Meaning: "tribe woman"
Hazel
Origin: English
Meaning: "the hazelnut tree"
Iris
Origin: Flower name; also Greek
Meaning: "rainbow"
Ivy
Origin: Botanical name
Nora
Origin: Irish, diminutive of Honora, or Greek
Meaning: "light"
Ophelia
Origin: Greek
Meaning: "help"
Penelope
Origin: Greek
Meaning: "weaver"
Violet
Origin: English from Latin
Meaning: "purple"
Vintage Names for Boys
Asher
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: "fortunate, blessed, happy one"
Atlas
Origin: Greek mythology
Meaning: "bearer of the heavens"
Atticus
Origin: Latin
Meaning: "from Attica"
August
Origin: German form of Latin Augustus
Meaning: "great, magnificent"
Caleb
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: "devotion to God"
Caspian
Origin: Place name
Meaning: "white"
Ezra
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: "help"
Felix
Origin: Latin
Meaning: "happy, fortunate"
Finn
Origin: Irish
Meaning: "fair or white"
Hugo
Origin: Latinized form of Hugh
Meaning: "mind, intellect"
Jasper
Origin: Persian
Meaning: "bringer of treasure"
Jude
Origin: Latin diminutive of Judah
Meaning: "praised"
Miles
Origin: English form of Milo
Meaning: "soldier or merciful"
Milo
Origin: Latin and Old German
Meaning: "soldier or merciful"
Oliver
Origin: Germanic
Meaning: "olive tree"
Oscar
Origin: English or Irish
Meaning: "God spear, or deer-lover or champion warrior"
Owen
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: "young warrior; well-born"
Silas
Origin: English from Latin
Meaning: "wood, forest"
Theo
Origin: Diminutive of Theodore
Meaning: "gift of God"
Theodore
Origin: Greek
Meaning: "gift of God"
