Old Fashioned Girl Names
There’s a reason so many new babies share names with their great-great-grandmothers. Old-fashioned girl names carry softness and substance at once — they sound like handwritten letters, garden roses and family quilts. We’ve collected 100+ old-fashioned girl names with meanings and origins, sorted by era and style so you can find the right kind of vintage.
Some are already back in the top 100 (Hazel, Violet, Eleanor), while others are ripe for rediscovery (Winifred, Philippa, Marguerite). Also browse our vintage girl names, the old names hub and old lady names if you want names that still feel genuinely grandmotherly.
Sweet old-fashioned girl names back in style
These names ranked high around a century ago, disappeared for decades and are now climbing back up the SSA charts.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Hazel | The hazel tree | English |
| Eleanor | Possibly “the other Aenor” | Provençal |
| Violet | The purple flower | Latin |
| Josephine | “God will increase” | Hebrew via French |
| Evelyn | From a Norman surname | English |
| Alice | “Of noble kind” | Germanic |
| Clara | “Bright, clear” | Latin |
| Eloise | “Healthy, wide” | Germanic via French |
| Lillian | Associated with the lily; possibly from Elizabeth | English |
| Ruby | The red gemstone | Latin |
| Stella | “Star” | Latin |
| Lucy | “Light” | Latin |
| Iris | “Rainbow” | Greek |
| Cora | “Maiden” | Greek |
| Adeline | “Noble” | Germanic |
| Rosalie | From rosa, “rose” | Latin via French |
Victorian flower and gem names
Victorians adored the “language of flowers,” and gave daughters names from the garden and the jewelry box. For more, see flower names for girls and gemstone names.
| Name | Symbolism | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Daisy | Innocence | Also a nickname for Margaret |
| Lily | Purity | Never really went away |
| Myrtle | Love, marriage | Evergreen shrub |
| Pansy | Thoughts (French pensée) | Rare today |
| Posy | A small bouquet | Charming and light |
| Marigold | Warmth, the sun | Bright and whimsical |
| Primrose | Youth | Nickname Rosie |
| Opal | Hope, iridescence | October birthstone |
| Pearl | Purity, wisdom | June birthstone |
| Ivy | Fidelity | Now very popular |
| Jessamine | Old form of jasmine | Soft and rare |
| Garnet | Friendship | January birthstone |
| Fern | Sincerity | From Charlotte’s Web |
| Blanche | “White” | French |
Jazz Age and flapper-era names
Spunky names that were everywhere in the Roaring Twenties. Our 1920s names list has plenty more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Dorothy | “Gift of God” | Greek |
| Mildred | “Gentle strength” | Old English |
| Frances | “Frenchwoman” | Latin |
| Betty | Short for Elizabeth, “pledged to God” | Hebrew |
| Virginia | “Maiden” | Latin |
| Louise | “Famous warrior” | Germanic via French |
| Evelyn Mae | Classic 1920s double name | English |
| Pauline | “Small” | Latin |
| Lois | Possibly “better” | Greek |
| Juanita | “God is gracious” | Spanish |
| Bernadette | “Brave as a bear” | Germanic via French |
| Loretta | From Loreto, Italy | Italian |
| Zelda | Possibly “grey battle maiden” | Germanic |
| Dixie | The American South | American |
Vintage nickname names
Short, cheerful names that started as nicknames and stood on their own a century ago.
| Name | Short for | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Mabel | Amabel | “Lovable” |
| Millie | Mildred, Millicent, Camilla | “Gentle strength” / “brave” |
| Elsie | Elizabeth | “Pledged to God” |
| Hattie | Harriet | “Ruler of the home” |
| Goldie | Golda | “Gold” |
| Nell | Eleanor, Helen | “Light” |
| Sadie | Sarah | “Princess” |
| Tillie | Matilda | “Mighty in battle” |
| Winnie | Winifred | “Blessed reconciliation” |
| Bessie | Elizabeth | “Pledged to God” |
| Dottie | Dorothy | “Gift of God” |
| Lottie | Charlotte | “Free woman” |
| Minnie | Wilhelmina | “Will helmet,” protector |
| Effie | Euphemia | “Well spoken” |
| Etta | Henrietta | “Ruler of the home” |
Grand and literary old-fashioned names
Longer, formal names with a storybook heroine feel.
| Name | Meaning / source | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Clementine | “Merciful” | Latin |
| Beatrix | “Voyager” or “she who brings joy” | Latin |
| Cordelia | King Lear’s loyal daughter | Latin |
| Henrietta | “Ruler of the home” | Germanic |
| Georgiana | “Farmer” | Greek |
| Philippa | “Lover of horses” | Greek |
| Rosamund | “Horse protection”; later “rose of the world” | Germanic |
| Marguerite | “Pearl”; the daisy in French | French |
| Evangeline | “Good news” | Greek; Longfellow’s poem |
| Guinevere | “White phantom” | Welsh |
| Imogen | Possibly “maiden” | Celtic; Shakespeare’s Cymbeline |
| Theodora | “Gift of God” | Greek |
| Wilhelmina | “Will helmet,” protector | Germanic |
| Winifred | “Blessed reconciliation” | Welsh |
| Adelaide | “Noble kind” | Germanic |
Virtue and biblical girl names
Beloved in colonial America and still gentle today. See biblical girl names and Puritan names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Grace | God’s favor | Virtue |
| Constance | Steadfastness | Virtue |
| Prudence | Wisdom | Virtue |
| Mercy | Compassion | Virtue |
| Patience | Endurance | Virtue |
| Charity | Love | Virtue |
| Abigail | “My father’s joy” | 1 Samuel 25 |
| Ruth | Possibly “companion” | Book of Ruth |
| Esther | Possibly “star” | Book of Esther |
| Martha | “Lady, mistress” | Luke 10 |
| Miriam | Possibly “beloved” or “bitter” | Exodus 15 |
| Susannah | “Lily” | Luke 8 |
| Lydia | “From Lydia” | Acts 16 |
| Dinah | “Judged” | Genesis 30 |
Rare old-fashioned girl names
Vintage names that haven’t made their comeback yet. For even more unusual choices, see rare girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Ada | “Noble” | Germanic |
| Agatha | “Good” | Greek |
| Augusta | “Venerable” | Latin |
| Edith | “Prosperous in war” | Old English |
| Florence | “Flourishing” | Latin |
| Harriet | “Ruler of the home” | Germanic |
| Lavinia | Wife of Aeneas in Roman legend | Latin |
| Maude | “Mighty in battle” | Germanic |
| Odette | “Wealth” | French |
| Ottilie | “Prosperous” | Germanic |
| Verna | “Spring” | Latin |
| Wilma | “Protector” | Germanic |
| Ida | “Work, labor” | Germanic |
| Greta | Short for Margaretha, “pearl” | German / Scandinavian |
How to choose an old-fashioned girl name
- Pick your era. Victorian names (Cordelia, Adelaide) feel romantic; 1920s names (Dorothy, Zelda) feel spunky; Puritan names (Mercy, Prudence) feel serene.
- Use the long-name, short-nickname trick. Wilhelmina can be Minnie, Theodora can be Teddie, Henrietta can be Etta — formal on paper, fun at home.
- Check current popularity. Hazel, Violet and Eleanor are now common again; if you want a name no one else in class will have, look at our rare list.
- Say it with your surname. Vintage names with many syllables often shine with a short last name, and vice versa.
- Browse family records. Census records and old family Bibles are treasure troves — and a great-grandmother’s name comes with a story.
Frequently asked questions
What are some cute old-fashioned girl names?
Mabel, Hazel, Millie, Daisy, Posy, Hattie, Lottie, Elsie and Clementine are especially sweet vintage choices.
What old-fashioned girl names are popular again?
Eleanor, Hazel, Violet, Evelyn, Josephine, Alice, Clara and Ruby have all climbed back up the US charts in recent years.
What were the most popular girl names 100 years ago?
In the 1920s, SSA data shows Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Betty, Margaret, Ruth, Virginia, Doris, Mildred and Frances at the top.
What’s a rare vintage girl name?
Ottilie, Lavinia, Augusta, Odette, Verna and Jessamine are old-fashioned names that remain uncommon today.