1800s Names
The nineteenth century gave us the names now filling playgrounds again: Hazel, Theodore, Violet, Silas, Clara. It also gave us Lettie, Ozias and Philander, names that vanished so completely they sound brand new. This list pulls together more than 110 genuine names from the century, from the everyday favorites recorded in census rolls to the quirky ones found on old gravestones.
The earliest US Social Security baby-name data begins in 1880, so the “most common” sections lean on that decade; the rest draw on family records and literature of the period. For the British side of the story see Victorian names, and for the rougher edge of the century try Wild West names. It all sits within our historical names collection.
Most common girl names of the 1800s
These dominated birth registers in the 1880s US data and were already staples earlier in the century. Many are ripe for a comeback; see vintage girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Mary | Possibly “beloved” or “bitter” | Hebrew |
| Anna | “Grace” | Hebrew |
| Emma | “Whole, universal” | Germanic |
| Elizabeth | “My God is an oath” | Hebrew |
| Minnie | Pet form of Wilhelmina, “will-helmet” | Germanic |
| Margaret | “Pearl” | Greek |
| Ida | “Work, labor” | Germanic |
| Alice | “Noble” | Germanic, via French |
| Bertha | “Bright, famous” | Germanic |
| Sarah | “Princess” | Hebrew |
| Annie | Pet form of Anne, “grace” | Hebrew |
| Clara | “Clear, bright” | Latin |
| Ella | “All” or “light” | Germanic |
| Florence | “Flourishing” | Latin |
| Cora | “Maiden” | Greek |
| Martha | “Lady” | Aramaic |
| Laura | “Laurel” | Latin |
| Nellie | Pet form of Eleanor or Helen | English |
| Grace | Grace, favor | Latin |
| Carrie | Pet form of Caroline, “free” | Germanic |
Most common boy names of the 1800s
The boys’ list was steadier than the girls’: a small circle of biblical and English names covered a huge share of births.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| John | “God is gracious” | Hebrew |
| William | “Resolute protector” | Germanic |
| James | “Supplanter” | Hebrew |
| Charles | “Free man” | Germanic |
| George | “Farmer” | Greek |
| Frank | “Free” or “a Frank” | Germanic |
| Joseph | “God will add” | Hebrew |
| Thomas | “Twin” | Aramaic |
| Henry | “Ruler of the home” | Germanic |
| Robert | “Bright fame” | Germanic |
| Edward | “Wealthy guardian” | Old English |
| Harry | Medieval form of Henry | English |
| Walter | “Army ruler” | Germanic |
| Arthur | Possibly “bear” | Celtic |
| Fred | Short for Frederick, “peaceful ruler” | Germanic |
| Albert | “Noble and bright” | Germanic |
| Samuel | “God has heard” | Hebrew |
| Clarence | From a royal dukedom title | Latin |
| Louis | “Famous warrior” | Germanic, via French |
| Andrew | “Manly, strong” | Greek |
1800s girl names ready for a revival
Pretty, underused and unmistakably nineteenth century. For more, try old-fashioned girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | “Noble kind” | Germanic |
| Beatrice | “She who brings happiness” | Latin |
| Josephine | “God will add” | Hebrew, via French |
| Harriet | Feminine of Harry, “home ruler” | English |
| Louisa | “Renowned warrior” | Germanic |
| Lavinia | Mythical wife of Aeneas | Latin |
| Winifred | “Holy peace” | Welsh |
| Theodora | “Gift of God” | Greek |
| Philippa | “Lover of horses” | Greek |
| Cordelia | Possibly “heart” | Latin, via Shakespeare |
| Hattie | Pet form of Harriet | English |
| Pearl | The gem | English |
| Opal | The gem | Sanskrit, via Greek |
| Myrtle | The evergreen shrub | Greek |
| Estella | “Star” | Latin |
| Rosalind | “Gentle horse” or “pretty rose” | Germanic |
| Eudora | “Good gift” | Greek |
| Lettie | Pet form of Letitia, “joy” | Latin |
| Mae | Variant of May | English |
| Lula | Pet form of Louise | English |
1800s boy names ready for a revival
Many of these, such as Silas, Ezra and Jasper, are already climbing again. See old-fashioned boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Silas | “Of the forest” | Latin |
| Theodore | “Gift of God” | Greek |
| Jasper | “Treasurer” | Persian |
| Ezra | “Help” | Hebrew |
| Amos | “Carried by God” | Hebrew |
| August | “Venerable” | Latin |
| Rufus | “Red-haired” | Latin |
| Cornelius | Roman family name, possibly “horn” | Latin |
| Emmett | “Universal” | Germanic |
| Calvin | “Little bald one” | Latin |
| Otis | “Wealth” | Germanic |
| Ambrose | “Immortal” | Greek |
| Felix | “Lucky” | Latin |
| Horace | Roman family name | Latin |
| Virgil | Roman family name | Latin |
| Julius | Roman family name | Latin |
| Asa | “Healer” | Hebrew |
| Wendell | “Wanderer” | Germanic |
Rare and unusual 1800s names
Real names from 19th-century records that almost nobody uses now. Charming for characters, bold for babies.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Philander | “Lover of men” (friend to all) | Boy |
| Ozias | “Strength of the Lord” | Boy |
| Zebedee | “Gift of God” | Boy |
| Lemuel | “Devoted to God” | Boy |
| Erastus | “Beloved” | Boy |
| Thaddeus | Possibly “heart” or “courageous” | Boy |
| Alonzo | “Noble and ready” | Boy |
| Lucius | “Light” | Boy |
| Orpha | From Orpah, Ruth 1 | Girl |
| Tabitha | “Gazelle” | Girl |
| Zilpha | From Zilpah, Genesis 29 | Girl |
| Mahala | “Tenderness” | Girl |
| Temperance | Moderation | Girl |
| Drusilla | Roman family name | Girl |
| Philomena | “Loved one” | Girl |
| Viola | “Violet” | Girl |
| Almira | “Princess” or “truthful” | Girl |
| Lucinda | “Light” | Girl |
Nicknames people really used in the 1800s
Many 1800s nicknames look odd today because they came from medieval rhyming habits (Margaret to Meg to Peggy).
| Nickname | Full name | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Polly | Mary | Girl |
| Patsy | Martha | Girl |
| Sukey | Susannah | Girl |
| Nabby | Abigail | Girl |
| Jennie | Jane | Girl |
| Peggy | Margaret | Girl |
| Dolly | Dorothy | Girl |
| Tilly | Matilda | Girl |
| Kit | Christopher or Katherine | Either |
| Ned | Edward | Boy |
| Hal | Henry | Boy |
| Jem | James | Boy |
| Dick | Richard | Boy |
| Bill | William | Boy |
| Zeke | Ezekiel | Boy |
How to choose an 1800s name
- Look for names with an easy modern nickname: Adelaide gives you Addie, Theodore gives you Teddy or Theo.
- The surest revival bets are names that peaked between 1880 and 1910 and nearly disappeared after 1950. That is the “great-grandparent” cycle.
- Mix eras in a sibling set carefully: Clara and Silas sound like siblings; Clara and Jayden less so.
- Rare names like Philander or Mahala have meanings or connotations that shifted; read up before you commit.
- Writers: check the region. A Boston merchant’s daughter and an Appalachian farmer’s daughter would carry very different names. Our Southern girl names and country boy names help with the rural side.
Frequently asked questions
What were the most popular names in the 1800s?
In the 1880 US data, Mary, Anna, Emma, Elizabeth and Minnie led for girls, and John, William, James, Charles and George led for boys.
What are some cute 1800s girl names?
Hattie, Mae, Lettie, Clara, Pearl, Cora and Josephine are sweet, short and period-authentic.
What are strong 1800s boy names?
Silas, Amos, August, Cornelius, Jasper and Theodore all feel sturdy and are rising again.
Why were virtue names like Temperance used?
They carried over from Puritan tradition, expressing a hoped-for Christian quality in the child.
Is Victorian the same as 1800s?
Nearly. Queen Victoria reigned 1837–1901, so Victorian names are the British slice of the same century.