There are some names that are just so beautiful they never go out of style.
But the vintage girl name trend is about more than just timeless names, it’s also a place to find forgotten and rare names that are not overused today but still have a familiar feel to them.
I’ve got beautiful old-fashioned baby girl names that are seeing a resurgence in popularity and its easy to see why.
Vintage baby girl names are both feminine and unusual. While many have re-entered the top 100 popular baby name charts, some remain quite rare.
So if you’re looking for a recognised but little-used name then the vintage trend is a great place to take your inspiration.
You’ll notice that several of these also have famous name-sakes from popular culture. This makes them a great choice if you’re looking for a name that crosses over from the old-fashioned to pop culture baby name trends.
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75 first and middle names that sound great together
Unusual vintage girl names
Let’s get started with some old fashioned girl names that haven’t yet made a huge comeback. I think you will love these, as they are timeless and gorgeous but aren’t among the most popular names right now.
Betty
I think this playful girl’s name is set to make a comeback! It means oath of god.
Beuhla
I adore this gentle girl’s name and it is very rarely used. It means bride.
Doris
A name that has definitely fallen our of favour but I think it could be among those that would appeal to parents wanting a really unusual granny name. It means gift or bounty.
Dorothea
A sweet variation on the name Dorothy. It means gift of god.
Elva
I love this pretty Celtic name. It means white or bright.
Esther
I just love this sweet girl’s name! It means hide or star.
Greta
A super sweet name I think we will definitely see make a comeback. It means pearl.
Kitty
Kitty is an Irish name that derives from the name Katherine. It means “pure”.
Lottie
This popular nickname is rarely used as a girl’s first name but it works so well. It’s a shortened version of the name Charlotte, which means free man.
Minnie
A super sweet and quirky girl’s name that’s perfect for Disney fans, or people who just love cutesy baby names. It means protection or will.
Myrtle
A sweet nature name meaning evergreen shrub. I think this is a lovely choice if you like the name Mabel but would prefer something lesser used.
Petra
This rarely used old name means stone or rock.
Velma
A cool baby name meaning determined protector.
Winnie
This is another shortened version of a popular old fashioned name – Winifred. I think Winnie is such a sweet name, and very similar to the name Minnie which is also adorable. It means fair one and pure.
Sweet vintage baby girl names and meanings
To help you find inspiration for what to call your baby girl, here are gorgeous vintage baby girl name ideas that are old fashioned classics.
Abigail
Meaning father’s joy. Cute when shortened to Abbi too!
Ada
This name comes from the Germanic element “adel-“ meaning “nobility”. It’s a perfect choice if you love shorter, simple names. Goes great with another vintage name, Rose, as a middle name.
Adelaide
A name with similar origins to Ada and also meaning “noble” or “nobility”. It’s not a particularly common name but can be shortened to Ada or Adele.
Adele
Another name derived from the word meaning “nobility”. This one has gained popularity in recent years because of the singer Adele.
Adeline
The name means “noble” and is of English origin. You could use the nickname Ada or Dina.
Alice
Meaning “noble” or “exalted”, this is a popular baby name of German origin. Princess Alice was the daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Alma
Meaning “nourishing” and “kind”, this is a beautiful and unusual baby name that isn’t hugely popular so is a great choice if you’re looking for a rare moniker.
Agatha
A name of Greek origin meaning “good” or “honourable”. This name dropped out of all name charts but has seen a resurgence in recent years as the vintage name trend grew.
Agnes
This pretty old-fashioned name means “pure” or “holy”.
Allegra
An Italian name meaning “joyful” or “lively”, this is a perfect choice if you want something very feminine that stands out.
Annabelle
Meaning lovable.
Audrey
Meaning noble.
Beatrice
Famous Beatrice’s include the Queen’s granddaughter Princess Beatrice. The name means “she who brings happiness” or “blessed”. Can be shortened to Bea and you could also choose the spelling Beatrix which has grown in popularity recently due to a character in the Harry Potter books.
Belinda
Meaning pretty one.
Bonnie
A Scottish name meaning “fine” or “pretty”. This is a delicate and pretty girl name.
Bridget
Meaning noble.
Caroline
Meaning strong.
Cassandra
A name of Greek origin meaning “the one who shines”. Can be shortened to Cass or Cassie.
Catherine
Well-known Catherines include Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. The name is of Greek origin meaning “pure”.
Cecilia
The name means “blind” and sounds great when shortened to “Cici”. It has had popularity in recent years after it chosen as the baby name for Jim and Pam’s daughter on the hit show The Office US.
Celeste
Meaning heavenly.
Charlotte
A pretty and feminine choice meaning free man or petite.
Clara
The name Clara means “bright” or “clear” or “illustrious”.
Clarabelle
Meaning bright.
Clementine
Meaning merciful.
Constance
The name means “constant” and is a beautiful but strong name choice for a little girl.
Coraline
Meaning pearl.
Cordelia
An unusual and strong name meaning “heart” or “daughter of the sea”.
Darlene
An English name meaning “darling”. This name has not been popular in recent years and so could be a good choice if you want an unusual name.
Daphne
Meaning bay tree.
Dorothy
Can be shortened to Dot or Dotty. Means “gift of god”.
Daisy
Perfect if you’re a fan of the floral baby name trend. Daisy is a flower that is appreciated for its simple beauty. The word also comes from the Old English term meaning “day’s eye”.
Diana
The name means divine and is of Greek origin. It has not been a popular name in recent years, but with the superhero Wonder Woman movies doing great at the box office its seen a little upsurge. It’s a great choice if you want something vintage that isn’t being widely used right now.
Edie
A pet form of Edith, meaning “rich in war” and also derived from the word for “wealth” or “blessed”. This name has really surged in popularity in recent years.
Edith
The longer form for Edie, with the same meanings as above. Goes great with a middle name such as June, which is also a vintage baby name choice.
Eleanor
Meaning bright or shining one.
Elizabeth
Very versatile name choice when it comes to nicknames – Eliza, Liz, Lizzie, Beth, Betty. Meaning pledged to god.
Eloise
Meaning famous in war.
Elsie
This name has really grown is popularity in recent years. It means “god is perfection” or “god is my oath”.
Emmeline
This is such as beautiful baby name choice as you can shorten it to Emmy or Emme. The name means “work” but is also linked to the names Emma and Emily.
Esme
A major character in Twilight called Esme caused this name to surge again. It means “esteemed” or “emerald” but also derives from the old French verb ester meaning “to love”.
Etta
Fans of the famous soul singer Etta James will love this choice. It means “ruler of the home”.
Evelyn
This name means “beautiful bird” and is of English origin. It can be shortened to Eve or Evie.
Edna
If you love the grandma-chic name trend then you will love Edna! It means “gentleness” or “pleasure”.
Eloise
The name means famous warrior and is French. Could be shortened to Ellie.
Emily
Meaning rival.
Ethel
An Old English name meaning “noble maiden”.
Esther
The name Esther is Persian and means “star”. Its a beautiful choice if you love the grandma names for babies trend.
Faye
Meaning fairy.
Frances
The name Frances comes from the Latin word for “from France” or “free man”. The spelling Francis is the boy’s version. One of the most famous characters in movie history was called Frances, but the name was hardly used in the film! Dirty Dancing’s Baby was actually called Frances.
Florence
Florence has surged into the top 100 baby names for girls in recent years. It means “I flourish” or “flower”. Can be shortened to Flo.
Georgia
Meaning farmer.
Gertrude
The name means “spear of strength” and is a great choice if you want a rare baby name.
Grace
The name Grace has been a very popular middle name but also is a perfect first name. It’s stayed a popular choice with parents, but falls under the vintage trend. It means “grace of God”.
Harriet
Meaning home ruler.
Hazel
The name Hazel stems from the eye colour and tree of the same name. It’s become popular in recent years. John Krasinski and Emily Blunt called one of their daughters Hazel.
Helena
A strong name with very interesting origins. It is the Latin version of the name Helen and features heavily in Greek mythology. Helen was the daughter of Zeus and the most beautiful woman in the world. She was known as “the face that launched a thousand ships” due to the war that broke out when she ran away from her husband.
Hilda
Meaning battle woman.
Honor
A perfect vintage choice if you don’t want your baby name to be too close to the connotations of grandma. It means “honour”.
Ida
A simple but pretty name meaning “hard working”.
Imogen
The name means innocent and is of English origin.
Ines
This girl’s name means “pure” or “chaste”.
Irene
Meaning peace.
Ivy
This name is a great choice if you love nature inspired names. When ivy is given as flowers it signifies faithfulness.
Judith
The name means “from Judea” or “Jewish”. Can be shortened to Jude or Judy.
Josephine
Katie Holmes’ character in Dawson’s Creek was called Josephine, or Joey for short. The name means “god will increase”.
Juliet
meaning youthful.
June
The lead character in the Handmaid’s Tale series is called June. It comes from the name Juno, who was a Roman goddess.
Kate
An English name meaning “pure”.
Lena
A beautiful and strong choice for a girl. Lena means “torch” or “light”.
Lilian
The name means “god is abundance”.
Louise
A powerful name for a girl, it means “famous warrior” and has been a name used by the British royal family. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert called one of their daughters Louise.
Lucille
Meaning light.
Lucy
The name means “light”. It’s stayed a popular name choice throughout the years.
Lydia
Meaning kind.
Mae
This is a popular middle name but also works great as a first name. The name comes from the word May, which has connections to the Roman goddess of growth and motherhood called Maia.
Margaret
The name Margaret means “pearl”. Its a lovely feminine name that can be shortened to Maggie.
Mabel
The name means “lovable” and is a perfect vintage name choice, especially if you want something that is not too commonly used today.
Margot
A French name meaning “pearl”.
Marilyn
Meaning lake.
Matilda
The name means “might” or “strength”. Matilda was also the lead character in the famous Roald Dahl book about a little girl with super powers.
Millie
Some parents like to take the name Amelia or Emelia and then use the shorted Millie as a nickname. However Millie is also popular as a name in itself! The name means industrious.
Minnie
Meaning intellect.
Nanette
The name means grace and is a perfect choice if you want something unique.
Nell
A name of Latin, Greek and English origin. It means “shining light”.
Octavia
A beautiful and interesting name that means “eighth”.
Olive
The name Olive has become more popular in recent years. It refers to both the colour and the tree.
Olivia
A derivative of the name Olive that has been one of the top UK baby names in recent years.
Oriana
Meaning dawn.
Pearl
The name means “pearl” and is a great choice if your baby is born in June, as it is the birthstone for this month.
Penelope
The name means “weaver” and is famous for being in Homer’s Odyssey. Can be shortened to Penny.
Phoebe
The name means “radiant” or “shining one”. Famous Phoebes include the character in Friends, but Phoebe was also a big name in Greek mythology.
Polly
Meaning humble.
Posey
This is a very pretty and feminine choice for a baby girl name. It means “bunch of flowers”.
Prudence
This name has fallen out of all the popular name charts but is a strong girl’s name. It means “prudence” or “good judgement”.
Quinn
A name used for both boys and girls. It means “counsel”.
Ruby
A pretty name after the gemstone.
Ruth
The name means friendship and is a simple but pretty choice.
Rosalind
Meaning pretty rose.
Rose
This name has been extremely popular as a middle name in recent years but also works great was a first name. It’s short but sweet. It is a great choice if you love floral girl names.
Scarlett
Meaning red.
Serephina
The name means “fiery ones”. It’s a great feminine choice.
Sylvia
A very old-fashioned and pretty name. It originates from the Latin word for forest and means “spirit of the wood”.
Sophia
This has remained quite a popular name over the years. It is a variation on the name Sophie and means “wisdom”.
Stella
Meaning star.
Theresa
Can also be spent Teresa. It means “to reap”.
Tabitha
The name means “gazelle”. It’s a very pretty and delicate baby name choice.
Valentina
A feminine and interesting name meaning “healthy” or “strong”.
Vera
The most famous Vera is perhaps Dame Vera Lynn who raised the spirits of troops during WWII. The name means “faith”.
Veronica
Meaning true image.
Victoria
The name means “winner” and is a very little used name today so a good choice if you want your child to stand out.
Violet
The name violet means purple and is a great choice if you’re looking for floral baby name inspiration. It’s become more popular in recent years, helped by high-profile Violets such as Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck’s daughter.
Winifred
An unusual baby name meaning “holy” or “blessed”.
Willa
This is a gorgeous baby girl name and means “resolute protection”.
Zara
The name Zara has been very popular in recent years. It is derived from the name Sarah and means “princess” or “blossoming flower”.
How to pick a vintage baby name
Choosing a baby name is the first important decision you will make for your baby – after all of your decisions on how and where you will give birth.
It can feel like quite a daunting choice as it’s something your baby will have for the rest of their lives.
But it’s also quite a joyful process going through the potential names for your little one.
Here are some tips for choosing the perfect baby name:
Write down all of the names you love
Start off with a brain dump and have a list that you add to whenever you come across a name you love. It can help to have a notes document on your phone where you add these names to so you don’t forget them. Once you have a full list you can take a look at it in full and ditch the ones you’re not in love with.
Research their meanings
Check out the meanings behind the names. This isn’t necessarily a make-or-break moment, but sometimes learning the meaning behind a name can put you off it for whatever reason.
Think about nicknames
Consider how the name might be shortened. If you really hate the nicknames then you may want to avoid the name.
Make a shortlist of middle names
Some middle names go with pretty much everything, such as Rose or Mae. Others work only in specific combinations. Write down middle names you love, then add them to first names you love. You may end up with dozens of different combinations to think about.
Consider how the name works with your surname
Write out your favourite names in full with the surname just so you can see what it looks like, as well as saying it out loud.
Debate the names with your partner
You both need to love the name that you choose. This means that if either of you really hates a name, you need to be prepared to axe it from the list. You could try compromising by using a name one of you really loves as a middle name.
Wait a few days before definitely deciding on the name
Once your baby is born you will have quite a lot to think about. For this reason its totally fine to wait a few days to make a proper decision on whether you’re totally happy with your first choice name. You get a few weeks before you have to register the birth and formally pick the name, so you don’t need to rush it.
