Often, while searching for modern names, we end up sidelining many amazing vintage names. Vintage girl names are sophisticated and elegant. They have a feel of nostalgia and grandeur to them which is sometimes missing from trendy names. In a world clamoring for everything new, sometimes the vintage and antique can steal the spotlight. Like fashion, music, and past trends are making a comeback, so are vintage names. In this post, we have listed amazing vintage girl names and their meanings for you to choose from.
Key Pointers
- Vintage names for baby girls exude an air of elegance and nostalgia, invoking memories of a bygone era.
- Choosing a vintage name can challenge finding the right balance between uniqueness and familiarity.
- Ensure you choose a name that is easy to pronounce, has a positive meaning, and is culturally acceptable.
- Some of the unique vintage baby names for girls are Blanche, Elizabeth, Petra, and Violet.
Popular Vintage Girl Names, With Meanings
1. Abigail
It is derived from the Hebrew name Avigail, which means “my father’s joy” or “cause of joy.”
2. Ada
Ada is the short word for the Germanic name Adelaide or Adelina, which means “noble.” Ada Lovelace was a renowned mathematician and assisted Charles Babbage during his invention of the computer.
3. Adelaide
Are you looking for a variation of Adeline or Adele, the most famous names of this year? Then you can consider Adelaide, which means noble. Adelaide was the name of a British queen from the 19th-century.
4. Adele
It is a variation of Adela, which is derived from the Germanic adal referring to “noble.”
5. Adeline
Adeline and its variant Adelina are English and French names, meaning “noble one.” They are straightforward yet stylish girl names that offer a touch of tradition.
6. Agnes
Agnes, a once-popular saint’s name meaning pure, fell out of favor in 1970 but is now ready for a comeback. You can attribute its popularity to Agnes from the movie “Despicable Me.”
7. Alma
This beautiful Victorian name has several lovely meanings, such as ‘loving’ in Swedish, ‘apple’ in Persian, and ‘good’ in Celtic.
8. Alexandra
Alexandra is the feminine form of Alexander. It is also one of the names given to the Greek goddess Hera.
9. Alice
Alice is derived from the Old French Alis or Alais, which in turn is a short variant of Adalhaidia, meaning “of noble lineage.”
Did you know?10. Allegra
Allegra is of Italian origin and means “joyous.”
11. Amelia
Amelia is derived from the Latin Amal, meaning “work that means “fertility” or “industriousness.” Amelia Earhart is a notable personality bearing this name.
12. Anastasia
Anastasia is the feminine form of Anastasius. It is derived from Greek and means “resurrection.”
13. Anita
Anita is derived from Hebrew and means “grace” or “mercy.” It is a diminutive form of Ana or Anna.
14. Annabelle
This is one of the cute baby girl names that is seeing an upsurge along with the other ‘elle’ ending names. Even the spelling looks more appealing than the streamlined Annabel. Annabelle refers to someone who is stylish, saucy, lively, and a tad upscale.
15. Anne
This is the French form of Anna. It is the name of a 17th-century English queen and the wife of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn.
16. Annemarie
Annemarie is of Hebrew origin and means “He (God) has favored me”. Some variants also suggest “drop of the sea” or “beloved.”
17. Antonia
Image: IStock
Antonia is the feminine form of Anthony, which means “priceless” in Roman or “flower” in Greek.
Trivia18. Arabella
Arabella is possibly derived from Annabel, which means “beautiful.” It could also be derived from the Latin orabilis meaning “invokable.”
19. Athena
This is the name of a Greek goddess of wisdom, warfare, and practical skills.
20. Audrey
Audrey is of English origin and means “noble strength.” Audrey Hepburn is a famous Hollywood actor with this name.
21. Augusta
Augusta is the feminine form of the Latin Augustus and means “majestic” or “grand.”
22. Aurelia
Aurelia is the feminine form of the Latin family name Aurelius which means “golden.”
23. Aurora
Aurora means “dawn” in Latin. It is also the name of the Roman goddess of the morning.
24. Ava
Ava is a variation of Eve, which means “to breathe” or “to live” in Hebrew. Ava Gardner was a popular actor with this name. This is perfect for those seeking baby girl names that symbolize vitality and life.
25. Avaline
Avaline or Aveline is derived from the Norman French form of the Germanic name Avelina. It possibly means “desired” and was quite a popular name until the Middle Ages.
26. Barbara
Barbara is derived from the Greek Barbaros meaning “foreign.” Saint Barbara is the patron saint of architects, geologists, stonemasons, and artillerymen.
27. Beatrice
This Latin name, loved by many famous authors such as Dante and Shakespeare, refers to ‘she who brings happiness.’
28. Belinda
Belinda is derived from the Latin word Bella, meaning “beautiful” and Indus, a river in India.
29. Belle
Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” is quite well-known. The name means a “beautiful woman or girl at an event.”
30. Bernadette
Bernadette is a French name that is a feminine form of Bernard, meaning “brave bear.”
31. Bess
Bess is a diminutive form of Elizabeth which means “to Lord, I consecrate thee.”
32. Beverly
Beverly is derived from an Old English word that means “dweller at beaver stream.”
33. Blanche
Blanche is a sophisticated French name with a Victorian flair.
34. Bonnie
Bonnie is derived from the Scottish word bonnie, meaning “pretty.” Bonnie Wright is the name of an actor who played Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter series.
35. Bridget
Bridget is a Gaelic or Irish name meaning “power, strength, vigor, and virtue.”
36. Camilla
Camilla is the feminine form of Camillus which means “young attendant of the temple.” In Roman mythology, Camilla was a huntress who could run pretty fast. Camilla Parker Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall, is a notable personality with this name.
37. Caroline
This elegant vintage name, meaning “free man,” has held the place in the Top 100 since 1994. The name came to England with King George II’s wife, Queen Caroline of Ansbach. Several notable people and literary figures have borne the name Caroline.
38. Cassandra
Cassandra is derived from the Greek word Kassandra meaning “to excel” and “to shine.” Cassandra was a Trojan princess who had the gift of prophecy.
39. Catherine
Catherine is derived from the ancient Greek word katharós, meaning “pure.” Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Catherine Zeta-Jones are popular personalities with this name.
40. Celeste
Celeste is the feminine form of Caelestis which means “heavenly” or “of the sky” in Latin.
41. Celia
Celia is the feminine form of the old Roman family name Caelius which means “heavenly.” William Shakespeare used this name in his play As You Like It in 1599.
42. Circe
Image: IStock
Circe (pronounced KIR-kee) is of Greek origin and means “a bird.” It was the name of the Sun God’s daughter, Helios, in Greek mythology.
43. Charlotte
Charlotte is the French feminine diminutive of Charles. Charlotte Brontë is a well-known author with this name.
44. Clara
Clara, meaning ‘clear and bright,’ is one of the enduring Victorian baby girl names that evokes the sweetness of the Victorian era.
45. Clementine
Clementine is the French feminine form of Clement which means “gentle” and “merciful.” It is also the name of a type of orange.
46. Constance
Constance is derived from Latin and means “constant.” Connie and Constancia are variants of this name.
47. Cora
Cora, the goddess of spring, is a name derived from the Greek mythology and refers to maiden or daughter.
48. Cordelia
Cordelia, is a name derived from the word cordial. It refers to “heartfelt” or “from the heart.”
49. Dahlia
Dahlia is the name of a flower and was named after the Swedish botanist Anders Dahl.
50. Daisy
Daisy is an English name for the white flower. Daisy Duck is a famous Disney character.
51. Daphne
Daphne means “laurel” in Greek. It was the name of a nymph who was turned into a laurel tree by her father to help her escape Apollo.
52. Della
Della is a diminutive form of Adela or Adelaide which means “noble.”
53. Delphine
Image: IStock
Delphine, a sleek and sophisticated name meaning ‘dolphin’ evokes images of the sea. It was first discovered in the fiction of Madame de Stael and Balzac and was recently seen in both “American Horror Story” and “Orphan Black.”
54. Diana
Diana has Indo-European roots and means “heavenly” or “divine.”
55. Dorothy
Dorothy is a name derived from the Greek word Dorothea referring to “God’s gift.” Scarlett Johansson chose Dorothy as a middle name for her daughter. SJ Strum, a mother of three and youtuber, says Dorothy was a cute and endearing vintage baby girl name from 1921. She says, “I like the name Dorothy as it is really popular and my niece’s middle name. I am glad that we have a little Dorothy somewhere in our family (i).”
56. Edith
Edith was an incredibly popular name during the Victorian era. It was derived from an old English word ‘ead’ referring to “riches” or “blessed.”
57. Eleanor
Eleanor is a name belonging to the Greek and French origins and refer to “light” and “radiance.” This stately name has been in and out of fashion since Queen Eleanor brought it to England from France in the 12th century.
58. Elizabeth
Elizabeth is derived from the Greek form of the Hebrew name Elisheva meaning “my God is an oath.” Queen Elizabeth II is a famous bearer of this name.
59. Ella
Ella is the Norman form of the Germanic name Alia meaning “other.” Ella Fitzgerald was a famous American singer.
Did you know?60. Eloise
Eloise is the English and French variation of Heloise, meaning “healthy.”
61. Emma
Emma is of Germanic origin, meaning “whole” or “universal.” Jane Austen wrote a novel named Emma. Emma Stone, Emma Watson, and Emma Thompson are popular actors bearing this name.
62. Emmeline
Emmeline is an Old French form of the Germanic name Amelina, which means “work.”
63. Esme
Esme or Esmé is derived from the Old French esmer meaning “to esteem” or “to love.”
64. Esther
Esther is derived from Persian and means “a star.” It could also be a variant of the goddess Ishtar.
65. Etta
Etta is a name derived from the French, referring to the “keeper of the hearth.” It is also an abbreviation for Henriette, Henrietta, or Harriette.
66. Evangeline
Evangeline means “good news” in Greek. It is the name of a character in the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
67. Eve
Eve is derived from the Hebrew name Chawwah meaning “to breathe.” Eva is a variation of this name.
68. Faith
Faith is derived from the Latin fidere, meaning “to trust.”
69. Freya
Freya is derived from the Old Norse Freyja, meaning “lady.” This is the name of the Norse goddess of love, beauty, war, and death.
Trivia70. Genevieve
Genevieve is a French and English name from the medieval Genovefa. It means “woman of a home or race.”
71. Georgiana
Georgiana belongs to English, Catalan, Roman or Greek origins. This name refers to a “farmer.” It was also the name of Mr. Darcy’s sister in “Pride and Prejudice.”
72. Gladys
Gladys is from the old Welsh Gwladus, which means “country.” It is usually used as a Welsh form of Claudia.
73. Gloria
Gloria means “glory” in Portuguese and Spanish. Gloria Swanson was a notable American actor.
74. Grace
Grace is derived from the Latin gratia, meaning “the grace of God.” It is one of the most popular virtue names.
75. Hattie
Hattie is a diminutive of Harriet and a feminine form of Harry. Harry is an English origin’s name meaning “army ruler.”
76. Hazel
It is a name derived from name of the Hazel tree. This was also a habitational surname in for people who lived around the Hazel tree.
77. Helen
Helen was a mythological character whose face launched a thousand ships during the Trojan War. The name Helen, meaning shining and bright lights, seems like a pretty appropriate name for your daughter.
78. Hilda
Hilda is derived from the Germanic hild meaning “battle.”
79. Ida
Ida is derived from the Germanic element id meaning “work” or “labor.” It was the name of the heroine in Lord Tennyson’s poem The Princess (1847).
80. Isadora
Isadora, Isidora, and Isidore come from the Greek name Isidoros meaning “gift of the Egyptian goddess, Isis.”
81. Ivy
Image: IStock
Ivy is a botanical name of the plant and comes from the Old English ifig, which means vine.
82. Jane
Jane is the medieval form of Jehanne, the Old French feminine form of Johannes or John. Lady Jane Grey, Jane Austen, Jane Goodall, and Jane Fonda are notable personalities with this name.
83. Josephine
Josephine is the feminine form of Joseph. Josephine de Beauharnais was the name of Napoleon Bonaparte’s first wife.
84. Joy
Joy is derived from the Norman French joie that literally means “joy” or “happiness.”
85. Julia
Julia is the feminine form of the Roman family name Julius. Julia Roberts is a popular American actor.
86. Lucy
Lucy is the English form of Lucia which is the feminine form of Lucius. It is derived from the Latin lux meaning “light.”
87. Lydia
Lydia is a name derived from the Greek word Ludia meaning “someone who is beautiful or noble.”
88. Mabel
Mabel is the medieval feminine form of Amabilis which means “lovable” in Late Latin. As one of the classic Old lady names, Mabel has a simple, lasting charm that many people love.
89. Mae
Mae is the diminutive form of Mary or Margaret. It is derived from May that is connected to Maia, the Roman goddess of motherhood and growth.
90. Maisie
Maisie is the diminutive form of Mairead or Margaret which means “pearl.”
91. Margaret
Margaret is derived from the Latin Margarita, which in turn is from the Greek margarites meaning “pearl.” Margaret Thatcher, Margaret Mead, Margaret Mitchell, and Margaret Atwood are notable personalities with this name.
92. Marjorie
Marjorie, meaning ‘pearl’ is a form of Margaret, and belongs to the Old French or Latin era.
93. Mary
Mary is the English form of the name Maria and means “beloved.” It is a commonly used biblical name, the most important being Mother Mary who was the mother of Jesus.
94. Millie
Millie has it’s roots in English and German origins. It refers to “gentle strength” or “someone who is strong in their work”.
95. Nora
Nora is the diminutive form of Honoria, which is the feminine form of Honorius. It means “honor” in Latin.
96. Olive
Olive is the English and French word for a type of tree and is derived from the Latin Oliva.
97. Patricia
Patricia is the feminine form of Patricius which means “nobleman.” Patti Smith is a popular singer bearing the name Patricia.
98. Paula
Paula is the feminine form of Paul which means “humble” in Latin. Paula Fox is an American author.
99. Penelope
This classic Greek name refers to ‘a weaver’. Also, in mythology this name associates with a duck. . Celebs like Anna Chlumsky, Tina Fey, and Kourtney Kardashian selected Penelope for their baby girls.
100. Phoebe
Phoebe (pronounced FEE-bee) is the Latinized form of the Greek name Phoibe. Phoebe is the name of a character in the popular TV series, F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
101. Petra
Petra, referring to “a stone” or “a rock” is the Greek feminine version of Peter.
102. Rae
Rae is the short form of Rachel and could be used as a feminine form of Ray. It means “ewe” in ancient Hebrew.
103. Rose
Rose is the English name for the flower and is derived from the Latin rosa. The female lead in the movie Titanic was named Rose.
104. Sadie
Sadie, derived from Sarah, is a name of the Hebrew origin and refers to “a princess.”
105. Sophie
Sophie is the French form of Sophia which means “wisdom” in Greek. Sophie Kinsella is a popular English author.
106. Stella
Image: IStock
Stella means “star” in Latin. It was created by the 16th-century poet Sir Philip Sidney for his sonnet collection Astrophel and Stella.
107. Tabitha
Tabitha means “gazelle” in Aramaic and was the name of a woman who was restored to life by Saint Peter in the New Testament. It became popular after the show Bewitched featured a character with this name. Author Tabitha King is the wife of popular author Stephen King.
108. Tatiana
Tatiana is derived from Greek and means “fairy princess.” It is the feminine form of Tatianus, which is a derivative of the Roman family name Tatius.
109. Violet
Violet is named after the purple flower and is derived from the Latin viola.
110. Winifred
Winifred, is a name of the English origin and refers to “reconciliation, peace or joy.” It was the moniker of Winnie Mandela, the South-African anti-apartheid activist.
Discover More Names
When you have to choose a name for your baby, a few hundreds of names may not be just enough. Keep digging our mine of baby names until you find that one precious gem.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are there any drawbacks to choosing a vintage name for a girl?
Vintage baby names have fluctuated in popularity over time. This could lead your child to either have the same name as another person or have the most unique name amongst their peers making it difficult for others to spell or understand their name. In addition, some of these unique names could have varying social associations, meanings, and cultural connotations across regions making them susceptible to questioning at school or the workplace.
2. How do vintage girl names compare to modern names?
Vintage baby names have existed for a long time, and form the foundation for most of the modern names heard to this day. Vintage names have a more regal appeal in terms of their spelling and pronunciation and reflect cultural values, morals, historic values, and lineage. While modern names are unique in their spellings and pronunciations, and relevant to the current trends in popular culture and social media.
3. How do vintage girl names reflect different eras in history?
Vintage girl names capture the popular naming trends and cultural influences of each period. From traditional and classic names of the early 20th century to unique and nostalgic choices from the mid-century, they offer glimpses into past times.
4. How do vintage girl names evoke a sense of femininity?
Vintage girl names reflect traditional and elegant qualities associated with past eras. These names often possess a timeless charm, invoking images of grace, sophistication, and a connection to a bygone era, creating a nostalgic and feminine appeal.
5. Are there any unique challenges or considerations when choosing a vintage girl’s name?
Choosing a vintage girl name may present challenges in finding a balance between uniqueness and familiarity. It’s important to consider cultural associations and potential mispronunciations and ensure the name aligns with personal preferences while also standing the test of time.
6. Do vintage girl names have any impact on a person’s professional or academic success?
No, vintage girl names do not have a direct impact on a person’s professional or academic success. Success is influenced by various factors, such as education, skills, work ethic, and opportunities, rather than the name itself.
7. Do vintage girl names have any impact on a person’s self-confidence or self-image?
Vintage girl names can bring back memories and feel special, but their influence on self-confidence and self-image differs for each person. Factors like upbringing and personal experiences have a bigger impact on shaping how someone feels about themselves.
8. What are some popular vintage girl names from different cultures?
Popular vintage girl names from different cultures often carry a charm from bygone eras. In English-speaking cultures, names like Evelyn and Rose hold timeless appeal. Emerging from France, names such as Claudette and Genevieve are elegant and classic. In Italy, Bianca and Antonia evoke a romantic, old-world feel, while in Spain, Isabel and Ramona are widely cherished. Each of these names reflects cultural richness and nostalgia, bringing the grace and beauty of their origins into the present.
Vintage names are special and always a classic since they have stood the test of time. They can add a rustic and classy touch to your child’s identity. This comprehensive list of vintage names for girls will help you add some uniqueness to your child’s personality. You can pick a vintage name that would suit your child’s personality and preference. Alternatively, you could choose names that have the letters of the names of both parents. In addition, you could pick the names of some famous personalities to boost your child’s confidence.
Infographic: Popular Vintage Girl Names, With Meanings
In this age where everything is modern and fancy, are you the kind who still falls for the old-world and vintage charm? If yes, the baby girl names in the infographic below are for you. So go ahead and choose your favorite one for your little princess. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Illustration: Fantastic And Unique Vintage Girl Names With Meanings
Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team
Check out this captivating video highlighting 10 charming vintage baby girl names. Dive into a collection of timeless and elegant monikers that exude charm and elegance for your precious one.
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. 100 vintage baby girl names from 1921- wow I’m in love with sooo many of these! Sj strum;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qUNo3tgI4I
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