210+ Vintage Boy Names (You Didn’t Know Were In)

If you’re searching for boy names that carry timeless charm yet feel fresh, vintage options might surprise you. Many classic names like Arthur, Jasper, and Theodore are quietly making a comeback, offering depth and character without sounding outdated.

You might already know some, but others could become unexpected favorites. Exploring these names can reveal rich histories and unique sounds that stand out in today’s naming landscape. Ready to find a name that truly fits?

Milo

Origin: German, Latin, Greek
Meaning:soldier, or merciful
Popularity:#127

Emery

Origin: Old English
Meaning:industrious
Popularity:#764 (#89 for girls)

Van

Origin: British
Meaning:marshland or marsh
Popularity:#873

Otto

Origin: German
Meaning:wealth, prosperity
Popularity:#336

Harold

Origin: Germanic
Meaning:army ruler
Popularity:#962

Louis

Origin: famous warrior
Meaning:French
Popularity:#251

EmmanuelArthur

Origin: Celtic
Meaning:as strong as a bear; a hero
Popularity:#155

FranciscoEllis

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: the Lord is my God
Popularity:#321

RomanSorenWilson

Origin: Scottish, English
Meaning:desire
Popularity:#714

CalOtis

Origin: Germanic
Meaning:wealth
Popularity:#647

HeathMack

Origin: Latin, Gaelic
Meaning:greatest (a derivative of Maximillian)
Popularity:#470

Lawrence

Origin: Latin
Meaning:bright one, shining one
Popularity:#578

WarrenAndyForrest

Origin: English
Meaning:of the woods
Popularity:#414

Emmanuel

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning:God with us
Popularity:#191

Harry

Origin: German
Meaning:home ruler
Popularity:#722

Rory

Vintage Boy Names with Nicknames

Love the idea of classic names that will work well into adulthood, but that come with a super cute nickname for their earlier years? Here are my top picks:George

Origin: Greek
Meaning:farmer
Nicknames: Georgie, G
Popularity:#134

Ellsworth

Origin: Old English
Meaning:Eli’s estate, or from the farm or homestead
Nicknames: Eli, Ellzy
Popularity:> 1000

Grady

Origin: Irish
Meaning:noble
Nicknames: Gray
Popularity:#428

Charles

Origin: English
Meaning:free man
Nicknames: Charlie, Chip
Popularity:#50

Roscoe

Origin: Germanic, Old Norse
Meaning:deer wood
Nicknames: Rocky, Rozzy, Roz, Ros, Rossy
Popularity:> 1000

Wilmer

Origin: German
Meaning:desire
Meaning: Will, Willy
Popularity:> 1000

Grover

Origin: English
Meaning:lives near a grove of trees
Nicknames: Groves, G , Rover
Popularity:> 100

RemingtonAlbert

Origin: Germanic
Meaning:noble
Popularity:#564
Nicknames: Albie

BroderickSamsonAlfred

Origin: English
Meaning:one who counsels the elves
Popularity:#900
Nicknames: Alfie, Freddie

Gordon

Origin: Scottish
Meaning:great hill
Popularity:#925
Nicknames: Gordie

Clifford

Origin: Old English
Meaning:fjord by the cliff
Popularity:> 1000
Nicknames: Cliff

Agustin – Auggie, GusFranklin

Origin: English
Meaning:a free man
Popularity:#395
Nicknames: Frankie, Frank

Woodrow

Origin: English
Meaning:row of houses by the woods
Popularity:> 1000
Nicknames: Woody

Samuel

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning:God has heard
Popularity:#23
Nicknames: Sammy, Sam, Samson

Fletcher

Origin: French, English, Scottish, Irish
Meaning:arrowsmith
Popularity:#655
Nicknames: Fletch

Walter

Origin: German
Meaning:ruler of the army
Popularity:#271
Nicknames: Walt, Mickey

Theodore

Origin: Greek
Meaning:a gift from God
Popularity:#10
Nicknames: Theo, Teddy

Graham

Origin: English
Meaning:gravel homestead of grey home
Popularity:#161
Nicknames: Graham cracker, cookie

Vance

Origin: British
Meaning:marshland
Popularity:#943
Nicknames: Van man

August

Origin: Latin
Meaning:to increase
Popularity:#121
Nicknames: Auggie, Gus

Frank

Origin: German
Meaning:Frenchman or free man
Popularity:#444
Nicknames: Frankie, Franklin

Leonard

Origin: Greek
Meaning:lion
Popularity:#649
Nicknames: Leo

SebastianFrancis

Origin: Germanic
Meaning:brave
Popularity:#466
Nicknames: Frankie, Franklin

Augustus – Gus, AuggieHarrison

Origin: English
Meaning:the son of Harry
Popularity:#120
Nicknames: Harry

Bernard

Origin: Germanic
Meaning:brave
Popularity:> 1000
Nicknames: Bernie, Bear

Benjamin – Ben, BennyOllieTeddy

Popular Vintage Boy Names

Next up, vintage baby boy names that have stood the test of time. These baby names have topped the charts for decades – they’re popular boy names that you are already familiar with, and that we simply love.BenjaminRussellElias

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning:the Lord is my God
Popularity:#48

GabrielBennettJack

Origin: English
Meaning:God is gracious
Popularity:#11

JulianLeo

Origin: Latin
Meaning:resembling a lion
Popularity:#31

Miles

Origin: Latin
Meaning:soldier
Popularity:#54

TheoRobert

Origin: Germanic
Meaning:bright fame
Popularity:#79

FordPeter

Origin: Greek
Meaning:stone
Popularity:#215

Everett

Origin: Germanic
Meaning:brave
Popularity:#82

OliverEzra

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning:helper
Popularity:#37

William

Origin: German
Meaning:with gilded helmet
Popularity:#6

Henry

Origin: German
Meaning:ruler of the home
Popularity:#9

James

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning:supplanter
Popularity:#5

Joseph

Origin: Greek, Latin
Meaning:God will give
Popularity:#28

Thomas

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning:twin
Popularity:#46

Alexander

Origin: Greek
Meaning:defender of men
Popularity:#13

Alfie

Origin: English
Meaning:short for Alfred; one who counsels the elves
Popularity:> 1000

Charlie

Origin: English/German
Meaning:short for Charles; one who is manly and strong, a free man
Popularity:#189 (#127 for girls)

BentleyEdward

Origin: English
Meaning:wealth or fortune
Popularity:#217

Emmett

Origin: German
Meaning:desire
Popularity:#103

EthanArchie

Origin: brave, genuine
Meaning:Scottish, English
Popularity:> 1000

Fred

Origin: German
Meaning:peaceful ruler
Popularity:> 1000

Johnnie

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning:God is gracious
Popularity:> 1000

Nolan

Origin: Gaelic
Meaning:noble, famous
Popularity:#60

Unique Vintage Boy Names

For mamas looking for a more unique name, these old fashioned baby names are a great choice. These names are filed in the uncommon name category – in terms of popularity, they all fall outside of the ranks of the top 100 most popular baby boy names, but they’re still within the top 1000.Clancy

Origin: Gaelic
Meaning:red-haired warrior
Popularity:> 1000

RaleighDaleByron

Origin: English
Meaning:one who works with cattle
Popularity:#751

Coy

Origin: British
Meaning:quiet, calm or clever
Popularity:> 1000

DeanRexJasperJulius

Origin: Roman, Greek
Meaning:youthful, or downy-bearded
Popularity:#319

KennethPercy

Origin: origin
Meaning:short for Percival; meaning one who pierces the valley
Popularity:> 1000

Marshall

Origin: English
Meaning:one who loves horses
Popularity:#379

WilfordLewisRoy

Origin: French
Meaning:king
Popularity:#551

Rudy

Origin: Germanic
Meaning:famous wolf
Popularity:#819

Thatcher

Origin: English
Meaning:roof maker
Popularity:#831

WilfordHarvey

Origin: Celtic
Meaning:battle worthy
Popularity:#420

Oscar

Origin: Scandinavian
Meaning:spear of the gods
Popularity:#226

Leland

Origin: English
Meaning:meadow land
Popularity:> 1000

Rare Vintage Baby Boy Names

Next, vintage baby names that are totally rare – these baby names fall outside of the top 1000 baby name lists done by the Social Security Administration, but these old-timey names are still totally wearable.Harding

Origin: Scottish
Meaning:hard working person
Popularity:> 1000

Fritz

Origin: German
Meaning:peaceful ruler
Popularity:> 1000

EmersonEsauAlton

Origin: British
Meaning:old town
Popularity:> 1000

Lowell

Origin: Old French
Meaning:young wolf
Popularity:> 1000

StantonBurtonHartley

Origin: British
Meaning:deer meadow
Popularity:> 1000

Kenneth

Origin: Gaelic
Meaning:handsome
Popularity:#258

RudyCliffGarland

Origin: English, French
Meaning:land of the spear
Popularity:> 1000

Odin

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: frenzied; a reference from Norse mythology
Popularity:#327

EllsworthGarnettQuincyElmore

Origin: English
Meaning:moore with elm trees
Popularity:> 1000

Cover

Origin: English, French
Meaning:a resident of the Cove region in Suffolk (UK), or to cover
Popularity:> 1000

Hatfield

Origin: English
Meaning:from the town of Hertfordshire, Essex, Worcestershire or Yorkshire (UK)
Popularity:> 1000

Lewis

Origin: English
Meaning:renowned warrior
Popularity:#487

Arden

Origin: Latin
Meaning:great forest
Popularity:> 1000

Jasper

Origin: Persian
Meaning:bringer of treasure
Popularity:#128

LelandThatcher

Origin: English
Meaning:roof maker
Popularity:#831

Rex

Origin: Latin
Meaning:king
Popularity:#696

Luther

Origin: German
Meaning: soldier of the people
Popularity:> 1000

ColemanBurton

Origin: Old English
Meaning:fort settlement, or a name referring to someone from northern England
Popularity:> 1000

LinwoodDellWarnerLinwood

Origin: British
Meaning:linden tree valley
Popularity:> 1000

Warner

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning:army guard
Popularity:> 1000

CarsonElwoodSullivanWilford

Origin: Old English
Meaning:willow ford
Popularity:> 1000

HartleyArleyBartonHollis

Origin: English
Meaning:the holly tree
Popularity:> 1000

Woodson

Origin: English
Meaning:from Woodsome, a town in England
Popularity:> 1000

Elwood

Origin: British
Meaning:elder tree forest

Rupert

Origin: Germanic
Meaning:bright fame
Popularity:> 1000

BryantCasperCoyOswald

Origin: English
Meaning:the power of God, also the name of a modern font
Popularity:> 1000

Orest

Origin: Greek
Meaning:of the mountains
Popularity:> 1000

ParkElridge

Vintage Last Names as First Names

On to my very favorite style of vintage baby boy names – last names as first names. These old-fashioned boy names are names that we would commonly see as last names, but they’re used as first names. Considering a last name as a first name is one of my favorite tricks for finding a really great, unique name for your baby boy.MeyerHayes