100 Old Fashioned Names for Baby Boys
In this Article
With decades of hip and fancy names hitting a stagnation point, more people lately are drifting toward old fashioned names for their babies. While many vintage names have biblical origins, there are hundreds more from other cultures with references that go beyond religion. A deeply meaningful old-fashioned name can significantly influence a boy’s personality. Plus, you don’t hear much of these vintage names every day. So, isn’t it a better excuse to pick these dusty, old-fashioned names up from the shelves and start up conversations around the table? While these names are considered retro and vintage, some names are still running well in their prime. We have done the homework for you, so go through this handpicked list of old-fashioned names and pick the best for your baby boy.
100 Unique Old-Fashioned Baby Boy Names With Meanings
Here is a list of old fashioned names for boys that you can choose from. The names have both a great ring to them and a depth of meaning.
| Name | Meaning |
| Arthur | Made popular by King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. This is one of the strong boy names probably derived from ‘artos’, which means ‘bear’. |
| Alfred | Alfred means ‘wise’. The name became popular throughout the Victorian Era due to Alfred Tennyson and the British Prince Alfred. |
| Archie | Archie is the short version of the name Archibald. It is not too old-fashioned and falls somewhere close to the times of the 1950s. Its popularity escalated with the comic Archie. |
| Albert | Albert means ‘bright, noble and famous. In the 1800’s it was commonly associated with Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert. |
| Aaron | Aaron is a Hebrew name which means ‘Mountain of Strength’. Aaron was Moses’s older brother and the first high priest of Israel. |
| Amos | Amos is a cute and stylish name of Hebrew origin which stands for ‘borne by God’. |
| Angelo | Angelo is a retro Italian name which means ‘messenger of God’. |
| Beau | Well, this French name is as classy as its meaning. Beau in French, means ‘handsome’. |
| Benedict | Benedict is a vintage Italian name meaning ‘blessed’. |
| Bruce | Derived from Latin, it means ‘man from brushwood’. The name became popular in Scotland because of Robert Bruce, who won its independence in the 14th century. |
| Byron | One of the country’s names derived from the Anglo-Saxon byre, meaning a hut. It means ‘man who lives in the hut’. |
| Bradley | Bradley is one of the popular English boy’s names that means a broad meadow. |
| Benjamin | One of the oldest and most popular names, Benjamin is Hebrew. It comes from Ben Yamin, which means a favourite son. |
| Bernard | Bernard is an old-fashioned name from Germanic origins which means ‘strong, brave bear’. |
| Cecil | Cecil was relatively popular in the early 90s but lost its charm in the 20s. It is a Welsh name meaning ‘blind’ or ‘sixth’. |
| Charles | Charles is a classy and sophisticated name of German origin which means ‘free man’. |
| Charlie | Charlie is a cuter and affectionate form of Charles. It is English in origin and means a free man. |
| Casper | Casper has Persian origins and means ‘treasurer’. It is also became one of the popular cute names after the movie Casper – the friendly ghost. |
| Cain | Cain is a common name derived from the Biblical book of Genesis as the Brother of Abel. In Hebrew it means ‘full of beauty’. |
| Claude | Having its roots in Emperor Claudius, Claude is making a comeback as one of the most popular French boy names. It is a short and sophisticated name. |
| Desmond | Desmond, which means ‘From South Munster’ is an Irish place name that has shot up in popularity over the last couple of decades. |
| Daniel | Daniel is a Hebrew name which means ‘God is my judge’. It has been a popular name throughout history as Daniel was a prophet in the biblical era. |
| Darrell | Darrel is a name that comes out of d’Airelle, which is a Norman French surname. In old English, it means ‘open’. |
| DeWitt | DeWitt is an English name standing for ‘blood’. |
| Duane | Duane is a voguish name with Scandinavian roots. It means ‘dak’ or ‘swarthy’. |
| Dudley | Dudley is an old English name which means ‘woods’. It is also one of the most popular cute names of all time. |
| Dedric | Dedric is an old English name popular in movies and fairy tales involving royalty. It means a ‘gifted ruler’. |
| Demetrius | This one is really old-fashioned and a bit in the unusual names category. Demetrius is a Greek name which means ‘harvest lover’. |
| Donovan | Donovan is an old Irish name which means ‘darkened’. Its popularity has grown over the last few decades. |
| Edwin | Edwin was a highly popular English name that gradually declined in popularity over the last century. It means ‘wealthy friend’. |
| Elijah | Elijah certainly oozes vintage, bad-boy vibes, but doesn’t mean it has to be reserved as a bad-boy name only, right? This classy name means ‘My God is Yahweh’ in Hebrew. |
| Elliot | Elliot is the anglicized version of the name Elijah. It means ‘My God is Yahweh’ in English. |
| Eliot | Eliot has a Hebrew origin and means ‘the lord is my god’. It is also an English variant Elias. |
| Edward | Edward is another old-fashioned name that has steadily declined in popularity over the decades. It is an English name which means ‘wealthy guard’. |
| Earl | Earl has been a name or title of nobility in English, which means ‘nobleman, warrior, and prince’. It has been in use since Anglo-Saxon times. |
| Edric | Edric is a name that borders on royalty in old English. It means ‘rich and powerful’. |
| Ethan | Ethan is a popular name in the movies. Its origins are Hebrew and mean ‘long lived’. |
| Evan | Even is Welsh for John. It also means ‘God is merciful’ in Hebrew. Evan has been a fairly popular name throughout history. |
| Ernest | Ernest is the English variant of ‘Ernst’ the German name. It means ‘seriousness, vigour and firmness’. The name became popular after Ernest Hemingway, the American author. |
| Elmer | Elmer is a name with Teutonic origins. It has a delicate and sophisticated feel to it. It means ‘awe-inspiring’. |
| Felix | Felix is an old name meaning ‘happy’ from Latin/Italian origins. It also grew in popularity after Felix the cat- a cartoon character. |
| Francis | Francis is a habitational name of French origin, referring to ‘Frenchman’ or ‘free man’. |
| Frank | Frank is called for a Frenchman in English. |
| Friedrich | Friedrich, which means ‘peaceful ruler’ has old German origins. The name is popular throughout Europe, with a variant of it in every language. |
| Forrest | The name has Latin origins and means ‘he who works or lives in the forest’. The Name shot up in popularity after the movie Forrest Gump. |
| Fergus | Fergus is a baby name loosely bordering royalty and means ‘supreme man’. It has Gaelic origins and is popular in Northern Europe. |
| Fabian | Fabian has Latin origins and means ‘he who grows beans’. It gained popularity after the 1950’s teen pop star Fabian. |
| Floyd | Floyd has Welsh origins and means ‘ grey-haired’. It is also a popular name in the entertainment industry. |
| Franklin | Franklin is derived from the Latin word Francus which means a free man. Franklin particularly means ‘a landowner of free birth’. |
| George | George is an old Latin name which means ’farmer’. The name is been popular throughout many cultures. |
| Grady | Grady is one of the old-fashioned cool names with Irish ancestry. It means ‘descendent of nobility’. |
| Gabriel | Gabriel is a Hebrew name which means ‘hero of god’. In the biblical context, Gabriel is also an archangel. It has been a popular religious name throughout the centuries. |
| Gavin | Gavin is of Welsh origin and means ‘little falcon’. It is one of the cool boy names that is slowly gaining popularity in recent times. |
| Gerald | Gerald is an old German name of royal descent. It means ‘spear ruler’. Gerald is also one of the vintage names associated with politicians such as Gerald Ford, the former United States President. |
| Garrett | Garrett is the English version of Gerald, which also means ‘spear ruler’. |
| Gilbert | Also, used as a surname, this French name means ‘bright promise’. |
| Gordon | Gordon is a classy name with Gaelic origins. It means ‘large fortification’. The name is common with many celebrities. |
| Gregory | Gregory is a humble-sounding boy’s name of Greek origin. It means ‘watchful’. |
| Hank | If you are looking for a quirkier old-fashioned boy name, Hank could be an ideal choice. This German-origin name means ‘home ruler’. |
| Harry | Harry has been a popular royal name throughout history. It has German origins and means ‘home ruler’. It is also popularized by the famous fantasy book series. |
| Harley | Harley is an old English word which means ‘the hare meadow’. It has Anglo-Saxon origins from the words ‘ahare’ and ‘leah’. |
| Harland | Harland is an old English name with Germanic origins. It comes from the words ‘har’ (army) and ‘land’. It means ‘Land of warriors’. |
| Henry | Henry is another name associated with royalty. It is the English version of Heimirich, a German word that means ‘home ruler’. |
| Haden | Haden is an English name common in the countryside. It is a type of popular mango and also means ‘hedged valley’. |
| Hamilton | Hamilton is one of the old-fashioned male names associated with wealthy and famous men. It is an English name which means ‘crooked + dun’ hill. |
| Hansel | The name Hansel originates from German, where it means ‘the lord is gracious’. It was also popularized by the story of Hansel and Gretel. |
| Hudson | Hudson is an English name meaning ‘son of Hudd’. |
| Hugo | Hugo is a fancy name for boys, which is derived from the Germanic name ‘Hugu’. The meaning of the name is ‘the mind’ or ‘intellectual’. |
| Ignacio | Ignacio is a name more popular in Latin American countries. It means ‘burning’ and ‘ardent’. |
| Ira | Ira is an Instagrammish name perfect for parents looking for a vintage name. Ira in Hebrew means ‘watchful’ or ‘full-grown’. |
| Irvin | Irvin has Gaelic origins and means ‘green and fresh water’. It is a cool name for boys. |
| Isaac | Most popular worldwide as the name of Isaac Newton, it has a Hebrew origin. The name means ‘he will laugh’. |
| Jasper | Jasper fits well with both the sexes, but sounds masculine to the ears. This jaunty and friendly name of English origin means ‘treasurer’. |
| Jeremiah | Jeremiah is a traditional name with a punk-ish vibe. This Hebrew name means ‘God will exalt’. |
| Jonah | Jonah is one of the most popular vintage names throughout history. It has a biblical origin and means ‘dove’ in Hebrew. |
| Johnny | Johnny is a popular English name throughout the world. It is derived from the name John which has Hebrew origins. Johnny or John means ‘God is gracious’. |
| Jacob | Jacob is also a popular name with Hebrew origins. It means ‘a supplanter’. The name has humbleness and religious undertones to it. |
| Jaden | Jaden has been a common name for boys for centuries. Like many others, it shares a Hebrew origin and is a religious name. Jaden means ‘Jehovah has heard’. |
| Keith | Keith is a trendy name with Gaelic origins. It means ‘refreshing as the wind’. The name has been around for centuries but grew to peak popularity in the 1960s. |
| Kirk | Kirk is a Scandinavian name meaning ‘church’. |
| Leo | Leo belongs to ancient Latin means ‘lion’. It also represents the zodiac sign, featuring a lion as a symbol. |
| Leon | The name Leon was one of the most popular baby names a hundred years ago. It has Greek origins and means lion. The name saw a steady decline in the 1960s and now seeing an increasing trend. |
| Leonardo | Leonardo is a popular and well-loved name of Italian origin which originated from the Latin name ‘Leo’. It means ‘brave lion’. Some of the notable mentions bearing this name include Leonardo Da Vinci, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Leonardo Messi. |
| Louis | The name Louis has a French origin. It means famous warrior. It was also made famous by the French biologist Louis Pasteur. |
| Lucas | Lucas is a Latin derivative of the Greek word Loukas. It means ‘from Lucania’. Lucas shot up in popularity after Star Wars. |
| Leonard |
Leonard is an old name with German origins which means ‘lion strength’. Variants of the name include Leonardo, Lenny and more. The name is popularly associated with famous actors and Leonardo da Vinci. |
| Lewis | Lewis is the English derivative of the French name Louis. It also means ‘famous warrior’. Although the name is quite old-fashioned, it does have a modern ring to it. The name is popularized by notable celebrities such as Lewis Carroll and Lewis Hamilton. |
| Malcom | Malcom is an old name with Scottish origins. It means ‘Columba’s servant’. It can also mean a devotee of saint Columba. |
| Marco | Instantly reminded of Marco Polo? Well, that’s how old this name probably is. Marco is an Italian name meaning ‘warlike’. |
| Marshall | Marshall is an English name referring to ‘caretaker of horses’. |
| Martin | The name Martin is a derivative of Martinus. In Latin, the name is associated with the planet Mars. It can also mean ‘dedicated to Mars’. |
| Newton | Newton is a well-known name, thanks to Sir Issac Newton. It is an English name meaning ‘new town’. |
| Norman | Norman is an old German name based out of the words ‘norde’ (north) and ‘rnann’ (man). It means ‘the men from the north’. |
| Oliver | Oliver is another old-fashioned name of Latin origin. It is a derivative of the word Oliva which means Olive tree. It is both a male name and an English surname. |
| Oscar | This vintage name is derived from Old English, which means ‘God’s spear’. It also means ‘friend of deer’ in Gaelic. |
| Otis | Otis is a German name meaning ‘wealth’ or ‘son of Otto’. |
| Peter | Peter is a Greek name which means ‘rock’. Peter is also popular from the Biblical character who was one of the disciples of Jesus. |
| Phillip | Phillip is quite a popular name originally from Greek. The name has several variants in several languages and means ‘horse lover’. |
| Preston | Preston means ‘priests town’ in English. |
| Quentin | Quentin is a Latin origin name meaning ‘fifth’. |
| Randall | Randall is quite a choice for parents who are looking for a fierce or bold name. This German name means ‘wolf shield’. |
| Sheldon | Sheldon is an English name which stands for ‘steep valley’. |
| Silas | Silas is a very stylish vintage name of Latin origin. It means ‘man of the forest’. |
| Timothy | Timothy means ‘honouring God’ in Greek. The name is quite common among English-speaking people. |
| Thomas | Thomas is also an old name with Greek origins, which means ‘twin’. It is also the name of several saints and an apostle in the Bible. |
| Tobias | Tobias is a unique-sounding name of Hebrew origin. It stands for ‘God is good’. |
| Vernon | Vernon has French roots and means ‘alder grove’. |
| Winston | Winston is a common boy’s name among English speakers. It stands for ‘joyful stone’. |
| Wyatt | Wyatt is an English name quietly climbing up the charts. The meaning of this name is ‘brave in battle’. |
| Zachariah | Zachariah is a retro name with a royal feel to it that is quietly gaining popularity. This Hebrew name means ‘the Lord recalled’. |
These are some of the top old fashioned names that have been around for centuries. They often have religious/ Biblical roots and even have names of heroes, nicknames or surnames associated with them. Many of the retro names that went out of trend a long time ago are now seeing a resurgence as people are looking back to the past for names that were once unique. Apart from their depth of history, these names have a great sound to them, along with the appeal of a classical character. So, go ahead, and choose one of these old-fashioned and interesting names for your baby boy!
