The 500 Best Old Fashioned Baby Girl Names

With the ever-growing popularity of baby name books and websites, it’s now harder than ever to choose a unique name for your child. Vintage names, in particular, have been making a comeback over the last few years. Names like Eleanor and Abigail are skyrocketing into the top 20 from near obscurity just a few years ago.

We’ve compiled a list of 500 baby girl names that are uncommon old fashioned baby girl names from the late 1800s that can withstand the test of time. If you are looking for something timeless and classic, then one of these names might be perfect for your little girl. These vintage girl names still contain a popular name or two, but they are in order of most popular to least popular from the year 1880 in the United States.

While names that hearken back to a bygone era have become trendy over the last few years, many popular vintage names such as Sophia, Isabelle, Amelia and Emma are now considered quite common. Let’s look at how you might find a more uncommon old-fashioned baby girl name from the past.

Without further ado, here are 500 beautiful old fashioned girl names.

500 Old Fashioned Baby Girl Names

Vintage Baby Girl Names

If you love the vintage baby name trend but want to avoid giving your baby an overused name, consider these tips: 

• Look beyond the top 100 names from previous generations. There are plenty of beautiful, unique names out there that haven’t been suffocated by popularity. 
• Get creative with spelling. A small change can make a big difference in how original your child’s name appears. 
• Think outside the traditional “boy” and “girl” categories. Gender-neutral names are becoming more and more popular, so don’t be afraid to choose something truly unique for your little one.

Why Choose Old Fashioned Baby Girl Names

There are many reasons why you might choose a vintage name for your baby girl. Perhaps you are looking for a name that is unique, but not too out there. Or maybe you want a name with a meaning that will stand the test of time.

Vintage names often have cute nicknames and can be shortened or lengthened to suit your preference. Beatrice can become Bea, Margaret can become Maggie, and Katherine can be Kate or Katie. It’s a nice way to mix old-fashioned names with a classic girl name that is sophisticated and not too trendy.

Top 32 Baby Girls Names from 1880 & their Meanings

Mary– Mary means “bitter” in Hebrew, but has come to be associated with the Virgin Mary. It was the most popular girl’s name in the English-speaking world for centuries, only recently losing its place to Emma.

Anna – Anna means “favor” or “grace.” It was derived from the Hebrew name Hannah. The name Anna has been associated with many saints and biblical figures over the years.

Emma – Emma means “universal.” It is derived from the Germanic name Ermengerte. Emma has been a popular name in many different cultures and countries over the years.

Elizabeth – Elizabeth means “God is my oath.” It is derived from the Hebrew name Elisheva.

Minnie – Minnie means “will helmet, protection.” It is a diminutive of the Germanic name Wilhelmina.

Margaret – Margaret means “pearl.” It comes from Greek origin from the word margaron and also means “the child of light”.

Harriet – Harriet means “home ruler.” It is derived from the Germanic name Hrodohaidis.

Ida – Ida means “industrious one.” It is derived from the Germanic name Ida. In Greek, Ida means “one who is diligent; hardworking” and in mythology , Ida was the nymph who raised Zeus.

Alice – Alice means “noble.” It is derived from the Old German name Adalheidis. In French, Alice means “Truth” and in Italian origin, Alice means “Of thenoble kind.”

Bertha – Bertha means “bright one” or “one who is famously bright and beautiful”. It is derived from the Germanic name Berta.

Sarah – Sarah means “princess.” It is of Hebrew origin from the name Sarai. In the Bible, Sarah was the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac.

Annie – Annie means “favor; grace.” It is a diminutive of the Hebrew name Hannah.

Clara – Clara means “clear; bright.” It is derived from the Latin word clarus. Clara has been a popular name in many different cultures and countries over the years.

Ella – The name Ella in German origin means “all; completely.” Ella is also a diminutive of the Germanic name Alia. In Scandinavian, the name Ella means “beautiful fairy woman.” It is also a popular French name.

Florence – Florence means “flowering, in bloom.” It is derived from the Latin word florens. This is great if you are looking for a floral name.

Cora – Cora means “maiden.” It is derived from the Greek word kore. In Greek mythology, Kore was the goddess of springtime, flowers, and young love.

Martha – Martha means “lady.” It is derived from the Aramaic word marta. In the Bible, Martha was the sister of Lazarus and Mary.

Laura – Laura means “crowned with laurel” or “from the laurel tree” and most popularized from the Little House series with Laura as the main character. Laura has always been a pretty girl name.

Evelyn – Evelyn means “hazelnut” or “wishing for a child.” It is derived from the Old French word Aveline. In German, Evelyn has the meaning “a birdlike woman”. You can use the sweet nickname “Evie” as a nickname for Evelyn.

Nellie – Nellie means “hornblower.” It is a diminutive of the Latin name Cornelia. In English, as a form of Helen, it takes on the meaning “the shining light”.

Grace – Grace means “favor; blessing.” It is derived from the Latin word gratias. In Christian theology, grace is the free and unmerited favor of God.

Carrie – Carrie, a diminutive of Cara, comes from Italian meaning “one who is dearly loved” or “a good friend”.

Julia – Julia means “youthful; daughter of the sky.” It is derived from the Latin word iuvenis. In Roman mythology, Julia was the goddess of youth.

Maude – Maude means “powerful battle-maid.” It is derived from the Germanic name Mahthildis.

Mabel – Mabel means “lovable.” It is derived from the Latin word amabilis. This is such an underused & pretty vintage name.

Bessie – Bessie means “God is my oath.” It is a diminutive of the Hebrew name Elizabeth.

Jennie – Jennie comes from Jennifer, in Welsh, it takes on the meaning “One who is fair; a beautiful girl”.

Gertrude – Gertrude means “spear strength.” It is derived from the Germanic name Gerdrut.

Hattie – Hattie means “ruler of an estate.” It is a diminutive of the Germanic name Henrietta.

Edith – Edith means “prosperous in war.” It is derived from the Old English name Eadgyth.

Ada – Ada means “noble.” It is a diminutive of the Germanic name Adalheidis.

Mattie – Mattie is a diminutive of the Hebrew name Martha.

Old Fashioned Names that are Popular Today

The resurgence of vintage baby girl names has been on the upswing for the past decade with some of the most popular names being Emma, Olivia, Charlotte, and Ava. While these names are all lovely, they are now rather common. Walk into any elementary or preschool and you’ll see a lot of these names on coat hangers and cubbies. If you’re looking for something a little more unique, you may want to avoid the old-fashioned baby names on this list.

Elegant Vintage Girl Name Options

If you’re searching for an elegant vintage girl name, you can find a great choice from this list of baby names. You could combine these names together for her full name or use a vintage name as an elegant middle name or pair it with a more uncommon name towards the bottom of this article. Caroline Elizabeth, Violet Mae, Hannah Elizabeth, or Amelia Mae are all beautiful vintage baby names that have that classic name feel.

Rare Girl Names from 1880

In the year 1880, only 5 girls in the entire United States were given names from this list. Have you ever met anyone with these names? An old name can become new again with these good vintage names:

Top Baby Girl Names from 1900

In the early 1900s, you’ll notice some of the same vintage names hanging on in popularity. These top 25 names were the most popular choice of the era and you’ll likely spot a great-grandmother or two on this list of old timey names. If you put a couple of these names together then you’ll really have some vintage charm.

You could use this list of first names as inspiration for both a first name and middle name to create a beautiful vintage girl name like Gertrude Clara (my own great-grandmother’s name!), Gladys Rose, Bessie Pearl, Mildred Grace, Mabel Rose, Lillian Pearl, Mary Helen, or Elizabeth Clara.

Cute Name for Girls that are Old Fashioned

Of the 500 names on this list, here are some that would be considered a cut girl’s name like

Old Lady Names

If you want to use a very uncommon baby girl name, take a look at this list of what might be considered “old lady names”. These are the names of a bygone era that haven’t made a resurgence despite the popularity of vintage names.

More Uncommon Old Fashioned Baby Girl Names

Rose	Ada	Lillie
Helen	Jessie	Louise
Ethel	Lula	Myrtle
Eva	Frances	Lena
Lucy	Edna	Maggie
Pearl	Daisy	Fannie
Josephine	Dora	Rosa
Katherine	Agnes	Marie
Nora	May	Mamie
Blanche	Stella	Ellen
Nancy	Effie	Sallie
Nettie	Della	Lizzie
Flora	Susie	Maud
Etta	Harriet	Sadie
Katie	Lydia	Elsie
Kate	Susan	Mollie
Alma	Addie	Georgia
Eliza	Lulu	Nannie
Lottie	Amanda	Belle
Rebecca	Ruth	Viola
Olive	Jane	Virginia
Emily	Matilda	Irene
Kathryn	Esther	Willie
Henrietta	Ollie	Amy
Rachel	Sara	Estella
Theresa	Augusta	Ora
Pauline	Josie	Lola
Sophia	Leona	Anne
Mildred	Ann	Beulah
Callie	Lou	Delia
Eleanor	Barbara	Iva
Louisa	Maria	Mayme
Evelyn	Estelle	Nina
Betty	Marion	Bettie
Dorothy	Luella	Inez
Lela	Rosie	Allie
Millie	Janie	Cornelia
Victoria	Ruby	Winifred
Alta	Celia	Christine
Beatrice	Birdie	Harriett
Mable	Myra	Sophie
Tillie	Isabel	Sylvia
Carolyn	Isabelle	Leila
Sally	Ina	Essie
Bertie	Nell	Alberta
Katharine	Lora	Rena
Mina	Rhoda	Mathilda
Abbie	Eula	Dollie
Hettie	Eunice	Fanny
Ola	Lenora	Adelaide
Christina	Lelia	Nelle
Sue	Johanna	Lilly
Lucinda	Minerva	Lettie
Roxie	Cynthia	Helena
Hilda	Hulda	Bernice
Genevieve	Jean	Cordelia
Marian	Francis	Jeanette
Adeline	Gussie	Leah
Lois	Lura	Mittie
Hallie	Isabella	Olga
Phoebe	Teresa	Hester
Lida	Lina	Winnie
Claudia	Marguerite	Vera
Cecelia	Bess	Emilie
John	Rosetta	Verna
Myrtie	Cecilia	Elva
Olivia	Georgie	Elnora
Adele	Lily	Linnie
Loretta	Madge	Polly
Virgie	Eugenia	Lucile
Lucille	Mabelle	Rosalie
Kittie	Meta	Angie
Dessie	Georgiana	Lila
Regina	Selma	Wilhelmina
Bridget	Lilla	Malinda
Vina	Freda	Gertie
Jeannette	Louella	Mandy
Roberta	Cassie	Corinne
Ivy	Melissa	Lyda
Naomi	Norma	Bell
Margie	Nona	Zella
Dovie	Elvira	Erma
Irma	Leota	William
Artie	Blanch	Charity
Lorena	Lucretia	Orpha
Alvina	Annette	Catharine
Elma	Geneva	Janet
Lee	Leora	Lona
Miriam	Zora	Linda
Octavia	Sudie	Zula
Adella	Alpha	Frieda
George	Joanna	Leonora
Priscilla	Tennie	Angeline
Docia	Ettie	Flossie
Hanna	Letha	Minta
Retta	Rosella	Adah
Berta	Elisabeth	Elise
Goldie	Leola	Margret
Adaline	Floy	Idella
Juanita	Lenna	Lucie
Nola	Zoe	Eda
Isabell	Julie	Letitia
Madeline	Malissa	Mariah
Pattie	Vivian	Almeda
Aurelia	Claire	Dolly
Hazel	Jannie	Kathleen
Kathrine	Lavinia	Marietta
Melvina	Ona	Pinkie
Samantha	Susanna	Chloe
Donnie	Elsa	Gladys
Matie	Pearle	Vesta
Vinnie	Antoinette	Clementine
Edythe	Harriette	Libbie
Lilian	Lue	Lutie
Magdalena	Meda	Rita
Tena	Zelma	Adelia
Annetta	Antonia	Dona
Elizebeth	Georgianna	Gracie
Iona	Lessie	Leta
Liza	Mertie	Molly
Neva	Oma	Alida
Alva	Cecile	Cleo
Donna	Ellie	Ernestine
Evie	Frankie	Helene
Minna	Myrta	Prudence
Queen	Rilla	Savannah
Tessie	Tina	Agatha
America	Anita	Arminta
Dorothea	Ira	Luvenia
Marjorie	Maybelle	Mellie
Nan	Pearlie	Sidney
Velma	Clare	Constance
Dixie	Ila	Iola
Jimmie	Louvenia	Lucia
Ludie	Luna	Metta
Patsy	Phebe	Sophronia
Adda	Avis	Betsy
Bonnie	Cecil	Cordie
Emmaline	Ethelyn	Hortense
June	Louie	Lovie
Marcella	Melinda	Mona
Odessa	Veronica	Aimee
Annabel	Ava	Bella
Carolina	Cathrine	Christena
Clyde	Dena	Dolores
Eleanore	Elmira	Fay
Jenny	Magdalene	Mettie
Mintie	Peggy	Reba
Serena	Vida	Zada
Abigail	Celestine	Celina
Claudie	Clemmie	Connie
Daisie	Deborah

Top Baby Names from the Last Century

Have you ever wondered what are the most popular names from the past 100 years? The Social Security Administration has compiled a list of the top 100 names from the last century and I think you’ll be surprised by the top ten! Taking the top 10 spots are Mary, Patricia, Jennifer, Linda, Elizabeth, Barbara, Susan, Jessica, Sarah, & Karen.

All Names are Beautiful

No matter what old fashioned name you choose for your little bundle of joy, it will be a beautiful name and just the perfect name for your sweet girl. If you need more name ideas. be sure to use our baby name generator where you can choose names based on their length, initial, and popularity.