An ideal name for a boy destined for literary greatness, it does not just nod to Ernest Hemingway, but is also associated with a character from Oscar Wilde’s play. If you’re looking for a rugged, yet vintage, boy name, this is it! Cecil is an English baby name that means ‘blind’. In 1850, 226,944 girls and 260,775 boys were given a name in the top 20. Births were originally recorded by a registrar (in their own handwriting) which were later written up into the register. It can also be a surname. Everett was a surname, coming from the given name Everard. Harry is a shortened form of Harold, but can also stand as a name in its own right and was quite popular in the 19th century. Joseph is a Biblical name which means ‘he will add’. Adorably Old Fashioned Boy Names from the 1800s. Anglicized version of Scottish name meaning ‘red’ or anglicized version of the French word for king. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Prepare for Breastfeeding While Pregnant: 9 Must-Read Tips, 9 Genius Sleep Hacks for When You’re Pregnant and Can’t Sleep At Night, Don’t Waste Your Money on These Unnecessary Baby Items. It can also be an English surname meaning ‘lute player’. Eugene means ‘well born’. Some names are invariably recorded incorrectly and it is impossible to know where the mistake was made. In the Bible, Adam was the first man God created. It’s an Italian and Spanish variant of the Germanic name, Alfonso. As a name, it mans ‘venerable’ or ‘esteemed’ and was given to emperors. Wilbur was originally a surname which means ‘wild boar’. A Germanic name meaning ‘home ruler’. Philip is a classic vintage boy name that still holds up today. English form of the Latin name, Iacomus and the name of two apostles from the New Testament. Ellis is the English version of Elias/Elijah. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Many parents love the idea of a ‘grandfather name’ which simple means an old fashioned name, like one your grandfather would have had. | Name of the Week: Mason ». It would mean ‘supplanter’ or may God protect’. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. It is the English version of an old Greek name. This list of old fashioned boy names from the 1800s will help you find the perfect name for your new son! Shortened form of Maxwell (a Scottish surname meaning Mac’s stream) or Maximillian (from the Roman emperor, Maximus). The most popular boy’s names according to the 1885 Social Security Administration data were John, William, James, George, Charles, Frank, Joseph, Henry, Robert and Thomas. Clayton was originally a surname meaning ‘clay settlement’ in Old English. This Hebrew name means ‘father of many’. She has completed a B.A., B.Ed in Elementary Education and M.Ed in Curriculum Studies. The name James has been a popular Victorian male names in the 1800s. Everett: This upbeat name was a rage in England in 1800s. Leo is a two syllable baby name meaning ‘lion’ in Latin. Meaning ‘noble’ and ‘bright’, Albert is a Germanic name that became especially popular in the Victorian era, as Queen Victoria’s husband was named Albert. Originally coming from the Latin name, Marcus, it was originally derived from the Roman god, Mars, who was the god of war. So without further ado, here is the list of most common boy names from the 1800s. Originally a Scottish surname from the Gaelic word for ‘valley’. Clause is a French baby name that originates from the Latin name, Claudius. Main This is one of my favorite old fashioned boy names! Calvin comes from the French surname Cauvin. Herbert was originally a German baby name, which means ‘illustrious army’. Marshall is an Old French baby name meaning ‘a person who tends to horses’. Harold is an English name coming from Germanic elements meaning ‘power’ or ‘ruler’. These cookies do not store any personal information. Cornelius originally means ‘horn’. Samuel was a biblical figure from the Old Testament. Cindy is a Kindergarten teacher and a District Literacy Lead, as well as a mom to two little girls. Benjamin comes from a Hebrew name meaning ‘son of the south’. What is different is the declining number of children given these names over that time period: William 1880 - 50,525 births 1890 - 45,925 births 1900 - 44,912 births. Matthew was a Hebrew name meaning ‘gift of Yahweh’. The meaning of the name Arthur is unknown, but is perhaps from the Celtic meaning ‘bear’ and ‘man’ or ‘king’. Vitnage Boy Names with Nicknames You’ll Love. It is a Latin baby name. I researched the 200 most popular names from the 1880’s, the first decade Social Security kept stats on baby names. Elbert means ‘noble’ and ‘bright’. Julius is a Roman name meaning either ‘downy-bearded’ or related to the Roman God, Jupiter. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Chester originally was a last name which referred to a Roman town in Britain, and means ‘camp, fortress’. Paul was an important early Christian leader. In Latin, Felix means ‘lucky’ or ‘successful’. However, what is most notable is how much higher Old Testament names -- Moses, Jabez, Emanuel, Jonas, Solomon, Elisha, Thirza, Deborah, Dinah, Judith -- ranked in 1850 compared with later decades, while the likes of Percy, Harold, Herbert, Ada, Beatrice and Maud, were yet to catch on as they did by the end of the century. Shortened form of Albert, meaning ‘noble’ and ‘bright’. It’s a super unique boy name from the 1800s. This, however, should not affect the rankings very much overall.. Statistics compiled by Eleanor Nickerson at britishbabynames.com No unauthorised copying without credit or permission. Melvin is a Gaelic name that was originally a surname. Jerry is a shortened form of Gerald. Compare that to the mere 6941 boys named Oliver and 5158 girls named Amelia in 2015 and we can see that the difference is massive -- especially when we take into account the smaller population size back in 1850. var query = window.location.search.substring(1); Both mean ‘famous warrior’. I hope this helps you find the perfect old fashioned name for your son! The name Clyde is Gaelic in origin and comes from the Clyde river, in Scotland. Famous name bearers: many King Louis of France, Sandra Bullock's son and actor Louis Partridge. Clarence was derived from a Latin title for members of the British family. Some of the hottest names in Scotland, England, and Wales, are still underused in the United States. Noah is originally a Hebrew name meaning ‘rest’. boy names with a rustic feel, click here! Theodore is a Greek baby name meaning ‘God-given’. There were over 50,000 boys named William or girls named Mary in 1850. Everett Milton is an English name that means ‘settlement by a mill’. Denis is the medieval French form of Dionysius, a common name for early saints in the Bible. Clifford was originally a surname and means ‘a ford near a slope’. Although it seems like a very modern trend for Jack to be a given name rather than a nickname, Jack was very popular as a name in its own right in the 1800’s. Lester is an English baby name meaning ‘fortified place’. Fletcher: Wiley is an English name meaning ‘crafty’. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Elmer is an Old English name that means ‘noble, famous’. Please enable JavaScript if you would like to comment on this blog. Originally Ralph was a Scandinavian name, which was brough to England by the Normans. Otto is a German baby name meaning ‘wealthy’ or ‘prosperous’. Are you looking for a vintage name for your baby boy? Eugene means ‘well born’. However, there are tons of other great old fashioned names that have yet to become insanely popular again. It means ‘deer forest.’ Roscoe is a very underused boy names from the 1800s that could be perfect if you’re looking for an uncommon vintage boy name. Edgar is an English baby name which means ‘fortunate and powerful’. This two syllable name comes ‘from Laurentum’ (a city in the Roman Empire) in Latin. While boys names tended to be traditional, some mothers liked to experiment with more exotic names for their baby daughters, such as Marina (1854). It comes from Old English and means ‘prosperous’. It’s an old English name. Originally it meant ‘consel’ and ‘wolf’ in Old Norse. Sidney was originally an English surname.