Nickname help!
We want to name our baby Penelope but we can’t decide on a nickname? Help!
Is it possible to find old-fashioned baby boy names that still sound cool? Why yes, ma’am, it is. We’ve dusted ‘em off. Read on for a modern take on the classics.
In this article: 📝
- Most popular old-fashioned boy names
- What is a good old-fashioned name for a boy?
- What’s a rare name for a boy?
- What are some very old names?
- What’s a badass name for a boy?
Most popular old-fashioned boy names
The stats don’t lie. Old-fashioned baby boy names are coming back into style.
Take a look at nine of the top 10 boy names for 2021 below.
(We left out “Liam,” a top favorite, because it actually has pretty modern origins.)
These names are hot right now but also have strong historical roots, including kings, presidents, and the Bible.
- Noah: Hebrew. Meaning “rest.”
- Oliver: Old Norse, Latin, and French roots, meaning “ancestor’s descendants” and “olive or olive tree.”
- Elijah: Hebrew. This Biblical name means “Jehovah is my God.”
- James: Hebrew, meaning “supplanter.”
- William: From the Germanic Wilhem, this English version also means “protector” or “strong-willed warrior.”
- Benjamin: Hebrew. “Son of the right hand.”
- Lucas: Greek. “Bringer of light.”
- Henry: French. “House ruler.”
- Theodore: Greek. “Gift of God.”
But what are some old-fashioned boy names that didn’t make it into the top ten?
Read on for our big list of old-fashioned names that could make a very modern statement.
What is a good old-fashioned name for a boy?
These traditional names could use a dust-off and are ready for a renaissance.
- Albert: Hebrew. A name made famous by kings and great minds, meaning “noble, bright, famous.”
- Ansel: This name means “with divine protection” and has German roots.
- Charles: German. Meaning “free man,” shortens so nicely to Charlie.
- Christian: Greek. “Anointed.”
- Clement: Latin. “Merciful, gentle.” Shorten to Clem for an adorable nickname.
- Clyde: Scottish. Meaning “keeper of the keys” – to your heart, of course.
- Dennis: Greek. Follower of Dionysius – might grow up to be the life of the party!
- Franklin: Almost needs no introduction! English, meaning “freeman.”
- George: Greek. “Farmer.”
- Gregory: Greek. “Watchful.”
- Harland: English, meaning “army land,” but has a very contemporary feel.
- Inigo: A medieval Spanish version of Ignatius that means “fiery.”
- Laurence/Lawrence: Roman and French in origin and means “bright one, shining one.”
- Louis: German and French origins, meaning “renowned warrior.”
- Manu: Spanish. “God is with us.”
- Nestor: Greek mythological name meaning “homecomer.”
- Oscar: Gaelic, meaning “friend of deer.” Perfect for a family who spends a lot of time in nature.
- Peter: Greek, meaning “stone.” A solid guy you can trust.
- Sulivan: Irish. Meaning “[dark](https://www.peanut-app.io/blog/baby-names-that-mean-dark0-eyed.” Sully is a cute nickname.
- Wilbur: German. “Resolute, brilliant.”
What’s a rare name for a boy?
If you’re looking for something that’s really going to stand out, what about these rare old-fashioned names?
- Algernon: Norman French in origin. Meaning “has a mustache.” Just hopefully not at birth 😉.
- Archibald: This strong English name means “bold and genuine.” Archie is a cute nickname.
- Caius: A beautiful, hopeful Latin name meaning “rejoice.”
- Cosmo: Seinfeld fans may recognize this one. With both English and Italian roots, it means “order, decency, and beauty.”
- Cuthbert: An old English name meaning “famous and bright.”
- Edwin: A Dutch name that means “wealthy friend.”
- Elwood: Old English meaning “old, noble woods.”
- Fenton: Meaning “marsh town” with Old English origins.
- Hadrian: This ancient Roman name carries a lot of history.
- Heston: From the Old English meaning “brushwood” and “enclosure.”
- Merril: This gentle English name means “pleasant hill.”
- Milo: Latin and Old German, this name means “soldier or merciful,” and he sounds like the sweetest guy.
- Oren: Hebrew. Meaning “pine.” A tall, strong, and regal name.
- Rufus: This Latin name means “red-haired,” perfect if red hair runs in your family!
- Thane: Scottish in origin, meaning “landholder.”
- Tobias: From the Hebrew, this name is perfect for those with strong faith, meaning “God is good.”
- Wendel: A German name meaning “a member of the Vandal tribe.”
- Weston: This Old English name, which means “from the Western town,” has a very modern feel to it.
- Wilfred: This popular old-fashioned English name has never quite taken off in the States. It has such a gorgeous meaning though – “desires peace” – and lends itself to all sorts of cool nicknames, like Will or Fred.
- Zeph: This Hebrew name is literally ancient and means “hidden by God.”
What are some very old names?
There are a fascinating array of ancient names to choose from.
“Ancient” usually makes us think of Rome and Greece, but many regions and countries around the world have ancient histories.
Here are some ancient names from around the globe.
- Arram: Ancient Assyrian. “High.”
- Aurelius: Latin. “The golden one.”
- Bharat: Sanskrit. “Universal monarch.”
- Castor: From the Greek, meaning “beaver.”
- Caxton: “Lump settlement.” Pretty accurate for a baby 🤣.
- Cicero: Latin. For the little “chickpea” in your belly.
- Corbett: Old French. “Young crow.”
- Flavius: Latin. “Golden.”
- Hamza: Arabic. “Lion or strong.”
- Hiro: Japanese. “Large or widespread.”
- Kushim: Persian. Believed to be the oldest recorded name in history.
- Loki: Norse. The famous trickster god.
- Marcellus: Latin. “Young warrior.”
- Nero: Latin. “Stern.”
- Obi: Nigerian. “Heart.”
- Ravi: Hindi. “Conferring.”
- Sanjiro: Japanese. “Admired, praised.”
- Tarquin: Latin. A clan name.
- Theon: Greek. “Godly.”
- Yul: Mongolian. “Beyond the horizon, youthful.”
What’s a badass name for a boy?
If you’re looking for classic boy names that have an edge, what about these stunners?
- Ajax: Greek. This mythological name for “the birdman” is short and punchy!
- Axel: Said to have Norse, Old German, and Danish roots as a form of Absolom. This name is too rad to ignore.
- Aziz: Arabic. “All-powerful.”
- Azriel: Hebrew. This name means “God is my help” and is perfect for those looking for a religious name.
- Baron: Hebrew. “Young warrior.”
- Boone: French. Meaning “blessing or lucky.”
- Brock: English. This strong name means “badger-like.”
- Bronn: English. “Dark-skinned.”
- Callan: Scottish. “Rock or battle.”
- Falcon: English. Like the name Hawk, this name relates to the majestic bird of prey.
- Gage: English. “Pledge.”
- Gunner: Scandinavian roots, meaning “bold warrior.”
- Kane: Irish. “Battle.”
- Maddox: Welsh. “Son of Maddoc.”
- Magnus: Scandinavian. Meaning “the greatest.”
- Odin: The famous Scandinavian god.
- Rocco: Italian. Meaning “rest,” like perhaps sleeping through the night super early? We can hope.
- Titus: Latin. The original meaning is unknown but has come to be associated with power, honor, and strength.
- Viggo: Scandinavian. Meaning “war” and dating way back to the Vikings.
- Zayn: Arabic and Hebrew origins, meaning “God is gracious.”
So there we have it. 80+ old-fashioned boy names (some SO old-fashioned they’re ancient) to get you going.
Often strong, regal, full of blessings, and even a little hardcore. Just like your baby boy to be.
Happy choosing, mama!
👶 More baby name inspiration from The 411:
137 Cool Baby Boy Names and Their Meanings
The 1000 Most Popular Baby Boy Names
1000+ Top Baby Boy Names Around the World
90 Middle Names for Boys
40 Flower Baby Names for Boys With Meanings
200+ One Syllable Boy Names
100+ Uncommon Baby Names & Their Meanings
80 Strong Baby Boy Names (with Meanings)
A Long List of Short Baby Boy Names
Top 102 Disney Baby Boy Names
164 Extraordinary Exotic Baby Boy Names
185 Dark & Gothic Baby Boy Names
84 Anime Names for Boys
49 Four-Letter Baby Boy Names (and Their Meanings)
52 Three-Letter Baby Boy Names