105 Old Fashioned Boy Names You’ll Love (2024)

Starting with a certified entry into a list of 'old baby names', Alfred is an English name meaning 'wise counselor' or 'elf counsel'. It was hugely popular during the late 1800s and early 1900s, but experienced a steep decline over the course of the 20th Century.

A German name meaning 'with divine protection', Ansel has always been a fairly unique name - but its popularity peaked in the late 1800s.

Aurelius is a name of Latin origin, meaning 'the golden one'. The name is best known for Marcus Aurelius, the last of the 'Five Good Emperors'.

Barnaby is the English variation of Barnabas, which is itself a Greek name. This one definitely ranks among the old fashioned baby names.

Bartholomew is a biblical name of Hebrew origin meaning 'son of the furrow'. It's another of those old fashioned names that wasn't hugely popular, even in its heyday. But it's certainly not popular in the present day. It's best known for its shortened version from The Simpsons character, Bart.

The French word for 'handsome', Beau's popularity in the US has grown stronger and stronger over the past 20 years, entering the top 100 in 2021.

Caleb is another name that has seen its popularity peak in recent years, having seen a massive increase during the 1970s. However, you can't help but picture Caleb to be a lovely and sweet Grandfather.

Chester was regularly a top 100 name in the late 1800s and early 1900s but dropped off over the course of the 20th century. It's a name of Latin origin meaning 'fortress' or 'walled town' and is also a place name as the cathedral city on the border of England and Wales.

Edgar is an old English name meaning 'wealthy spearman'. It is known in history through Edgar the King of England, who was known as a peaceful ruler.

Elias is an ancient Greek name meaning 'Yahweh is God'. It was particularly popular among English Puritans during the 18th century, but has seen a steady rise in popularity in the US over the past 30 years as more and more parents seek out more old fashioned baby names.

You may think Eli is just a shortened version of Elias, but they're actually separate names. It's a Hebrew name meaning 'uplifted' or 'high. It was certainly popular during biblical times, but is another old fashioned name to have experience a surge in popularity in the last decade.

Evan is a Welsh name meaning 'God is gracious'. It became popular in Wales in the 19th century and has remained so ever so, making it own of those old fashioned baby names that has stood the test of time (in Wales, at least!).

Ezra is an old name that was popular in the last 19th and early 20th centuries, fell off in the middle of the 20th century, and has experienced a steep increase in popularity in recent years. It's a Hebrew name simply meaning 'help'.

Finn is a fairly popular name around the world, reaching as high as No. 8 in Germany in 2023. However, its origins make it old fashioned. Finn MacCool is the greatest hero in Irish mythology, known for supernatural powers, wisdom and generosity.

Gabriel is a Hebrew name meaning 'God is my strength' and is quite popular today, sitting inside the top 40 names in plenty of countries around the world. Like Finn, however, it's considered to be old fashioned because of its origins. Gabriel is, of course, best known as the archangel who delivered the news of Jesus Christ's birth.

Guy is a French name meaning 'wood'. Its popularity peaked in the US in the 1950s. Although that's fairly recent, it still means that most of the Guys you might know are likely to be in their 70s. And that definitely makes it old fashioned!

Originally German, Hugh is now considered to be an English name meaning 'mind' or 'intellect'. It's certainly a classic name with plenty of style but hasn't featured in the top 100 in the US since 1903.

Jonah is a Hebrew name meaning 'dove'. It broke through the top 200 barrier for the first time in 1996, but its biblical roots that makes Jonah feel old fashioned.

The name Jude absolutely rocketed up the rankings around the year 2000, right around the time the acting career of Jude Law really took off. Just a coincidence, I'm sure. Even so, Jude still has the classic aura of style and sophistication you'd expect with an older gentleman.

Keith is a Scottish name meaning 'wood' or 'forestland'. It's one of those names that the zeitgeist has grasped hold of, leaving people questioning 'how a baby could ever be called Keith', because Keith could only ever be an old man.

Kirk is an Old Norse name meaning 'church'. Any name coming from a language that died out in around the 14th century is definitely getting listed as old fashioned!

Leopold is particularly popular in Germany, where it means 'brave people'. It's never been very popular elsewhere, but it's another one of those names you just can't imagine as a baby.

Lou could also be classed under 'old fashioned girl names', as well given its popularity as a middle name (ie. Mary Lou). It's the shorter version of Louise for baby girls and Louis for baby boys, both meaning 'renowned warrior'.

Linus is a Greek name meaning 'flax'. Its not a hugely popular name, but has historical roots as the musician who taught music to Hercules, and was the second Pope of the Catholic church.

Marshall is more commonly seen as a surname meaning 'one who looks after horses'. Its popularity was at its highest in the last 19th century, and has steadily declined ever since.

Miles is one of those names that has never really gone away, but never been too popular, either. It's been around a long time, though, giving it a vintage feel. The jazz icon Miles Davies also gives it plenty of style, too!

Otto has German origins, carrying the meaning 'wealthy' or 'well born'. It is perhaps the most perfect example of an old fashioned name coming back with a new generation. It saw was very popular in the late 1800s but steadily declined and declined before making a comeback over the last decade.

Another entry that could be featured on a list of old fashioned girl names, it's a name of Latin origin as the Latin for the number five. It's certainly a quintessentially classic name.

Quincy is French name derived from Quentin, meaning 'estate of the fifth son'. It's hard not to imagine Quincy as a classic man of high society, dressed in a bow tie and tails as he escorts his Lady to the ball.

Reggie, which is derived from Reginald, is having a bit of a comeback, particularly in the UK. Its part of a group of names considered to be 'old but sweet' that are rising in popularity again.

An English boys name meaning 'bright fame', it has grown in popularity for a baby girl over time. As a boy name, however, it rose up the rankings in the 1930s until the late 1950s, and it generally fell away until recent years.

Rufus is a name of Latin origin meaning 'red head'. It hovered around the top 100 in the late 1800s but has been on a downward spiral ever since - so chances are, if you know a Rufus, they're probably someone a bit older!

Saul is a Hebrew name meaning 'prayed for'. There have been a few famous Sauls in recent history - Saul Goodman from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Saul Berenson from Homeland, and the real name of Guns'N'Roses guitarists Slash.

Steeped in biblical connections, Solomon is a Hebrew name meaning 'peace'. It was also a firm favourite of the author Charles Dickens, who used it in no less than three separate novels.

Trevor is friends with Alf and Reg. They meet most days at the local pub, reminiscing about the good times they had when they were young over a pint of beer. Anyway, it's a Welsh name meaning 'from the large village'.

Alexander means 'defender of men' and is on this list because it originated in ancient Greece.

Before its recent resurgence, almost everyone would've looked at this name and thought 'old'. It's a name with German origins, meaning 'truly brave'.

A classic Celtic name meaning 'bear', this was also considered very old fashioned in the early 2000s before its comeback was launched.

When Fred started to feel dated around the 1980s, Freddie gave it a more playful alternative and held on to popularity for a while longer. But it still sounds old fashioned.

Despite its long-term popularity in English speaking countries, George comes from Greece and means 'farmer'. It's definitely one of the most traditional names around.

Noah is another typical old-fashioned name that lost popularity in the middle of the 20th century and rose again in the 2000s. It has even hit the top spot in the US in recent years.

Consistently at or near the top of the rankings in both the UK and US, Oliver simply means 'olive tree'.

Theodore first experienced a jump in popularity when Theodore Roosevlet took office in 1901. More recently, the shorter versions Theo, Ted and Teddy may have taken over.

Abraham is a Hebrew name meaning 'father of multitudes', and has strong biblical connections. It was most popular in the early 1900s and has never hit those heights again.

Albert is certainly an old man's name, and it's reflected in the figures. It held onto a spot in the top 50 until the mid 1940s, but has fallen away ever since.

A name with Latin origins meaning 'immortal', Ambrose is certainly unique. But it hasn't been very popular since the late 1800s.

Despite a recent resurgence, Amos is nowhere near as popular as it was in the 19th century.

Benedict is a Latin name meaning 'blessed'. Actor Benedict Cumberbatch put it on the map for a lot of people who'd never heard of it, and it could make an quirky way of changing up the hugely popular Benjamin.

Bernard is one of those old fashioned baby names that definitely hasn't had any type of comeback. It started to lose favour in the 1940s and really fell off a cliff in the 90s.

Although Bradley has experienced its best period in the last 40-50 years, it's a name that just sounds old fashioned doesn't it?

Cecil just isn't a young boy, is he? Cecil could only be an older gentleman. A very polite and well mannered one.

Charles, or Charlie, is another boy name with plenty of longevity. It's still very popular but that long-term popularity gives it an air of being old fashioned. Although it's the of the reigning British King, it's actually a French-German name meaning 'free man' or 'free person'.

Christian has been more popular in the last few decades than ever before, but it still experienced a massive slump in middle of the 20th century. As a result, people often consider it to be old fashioned but classic.

Clarence is a Latin name meaning 'bright'. And it falls under the 'nose dive' category of names. It was certainly popular in the early 1900s and its steady decline began in the 1920s, but it got a lot quicker from the 1960s onwards.

Clement is another Latin name, and carries the name 'mild' or 'merciful'. It was never a particularly popular name but what popularity it had has really dropped off over the last century.

Consistently popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s with a steady decline towards the 1960s where it falls very quickly - it's a common theme for these old fashioned baby names.

Colin is another one of those names that is well known, and has really earned it's 'old fashioned' label in recent years.

British football fans will picture only one thing, the iconic white hair and moustached face of Des(mond) Lynam.

Dexter is a name that really fluctuates in popularity. And as we already know from other names on this list, trends = quick transitions from old fashioned to fashionable.

Dudley's never been in danger of becoming the most popular boy name. Even so, it was a lot more popular over a century ago than it is now.

Ernest comes from Germany, meaning 'serious' or 'resolute'. And that's interesting because when I hear Ernest, I picture an 80-year old man who has always played by the rules and done things the right way. Anyway, popularity plummeted around the 1990s.

Emmett has been quite popular over the last decade, but it nearly died out in the mid-late 20th century.

Felix is a Latin name meaning 'happy' or 'fortunate', which is a great reason to give it to your son. It's really popular in Europe and has always stayed in the middle ground in the US, hovering between the top 200 and 400. It was at its most popular in the US in the late 1800s, however.

Most popular in Scotland, Fergus means 'man of force'. Elsewhere, however, it has fluctuated in popularity quite a lot. And you know what that means...

More commonly seen as a surname, Fitzgerald is a Irish name meaning 'son of Gerald'. It started to be used more often as a first name thanks to the author F. Scott Fitzgerald who wrote The Great Gatsby.

Floyd is another name that follows the all important 'old fashioned' defining curve - consistently popular until the mid 1900s, a steady decline, followed by much faster fall towards the end of the century.

Francis has typically been seen as the full, or more sophisticated version, of Frank and was particularly popular in the first half of the 20th century.

Despite their similarities, Francis and Franklin are individual names in their own right. Given its links to American political history and drop in popularity, it certainly has an older feel to it.

Gregory, or Greg, had a strong run of nearly 50 years in the top 30 names in the US, but its earned the title of an old fashioned baby name thanks to its fairly steep decline since the late 90s.

Hank is actually enjoying its best ever run in the US, having risen from 970 in 1988 to 433 in 2021. Despite that fact, I can't shake the idea that Hank is a blue collar worker in his 60s who loves an ice cold beer after work.

For Harry, it depends on where you look. In the UK, it's still one of the most popular boy names, perhaps influenced by Prince Harry. However, across the pond it's a very different story - it held a position in the top 20 from 1880 to 1919 and remained in the top 100 until 1958. After that, it fell and fell and fell, all the way to its low point of 781 in 2015.

Jeremy is an English name meaning 'appointed by God'. It was at its most popular during the 1970s but now feels old and dated.

Laurence, or Lawrence as its spelled in the US, is one of those classic names that is well known despite never being hugely popular. It was quite consistent around the 200 mark in the first half of the 20th century but has fallen away ever since.

Lloyd is a Welsh name meaning 'gray'. It was originally a surname in Wales, but became more common as a first name when the English started using it to describe someone to had grey hair. Even in Wales, it's a name that is certainly starting to feel its age.

Another name for girls and boys, Lyle is a Scottish and English name with French origins, meaning 'someone who lives on an island'. Lyle rose to fame around the 1920s but soon fell out of fashion.

A Scottish name meaning 'devotee to St. Colombia', Malcolm is a bit of a rollercoaster name, falling out of fashion as quickly as it comes into fashion. And when names go through quick trends, they definitely get labelled as 'old fashioned' very quickly.

Martin certainly qualifies as a strong name, with its Latin origins meaning 'warlike'. But it also qualifies as an old fashion name, conjuring up images of a balding middle aged man.

It's an English name meaning 'northerner' or 'Norseman'.

Best known for the actor and director Orson Welles, it's a Latin name meaning 'bear cub'. It's never been a very popular name, but if you want an explanation as to why it's old fashioned, its popularity peaked at 549 in 1883.

A Greek name meaning 'lover of horses', Philip was consistently in the 100 most popular names in the US until the late 1980s, and it has felt old and dated ever since.

Ralph is a sweet old man, isn't he? Its stayed fairly popular in the UK, but it's a very different story in the US. It actually held a spot in the top 30 for the first three decades of the 1900s, and didn't drop out of the top 100 until 1964. Ever since then it's only been heading in one direction.

Reuben is a Hebrew name meaning 'behold, a son' with strong biblical ties. It definitely feels worthy of 'old fashioned boy names' and even at its peak in 1880, it wasn't very popular (142). Perhaps it'll experience a rise in popularity soon...

Robert is still a very popular boys name in many places around the world. But when you consider that it was in the top 10 in the US from when social security records began in 1880, all the way up to 1989 (many of those years it spent at top spot), it's easy to understand why it's entered the category of old fashioned boy names.

Originating in France with the meaning 'redhead' or 'fox-coloured', Russell enjoyed fairly good popularity during the early and mid 20th century. That popularity has waned ever since though, and it's feeling quite old fashioned.

Simon is a Hebrew name meaning 'he has heard' or 'flat nosed'. Although it's still a common name we hear a lot today (though not for babies), it's never been more popular than in the last 19th century.

I hear the name 'Sonny', and I pictured an Italian-American WWII solider calling his friend. 'Hey, Sonny!'. For that reason alone, it's on our list of old fashioned boy names.

Although the actor Timothée Chalamet is probably sparking a resurgence right now, it's hard to imagine a baby called 'Timothy' or 'Tim' in 2024.

Tristan is a Celtic name originating from medieval times. It's been somewhat popular since the early 2000s, but its medieval roots at least make it sound old.

Millions of people around the world will picture one man and one man only when they hear the name Vernon. Vernon Dursley from the Harry Potter books/films. A middle-aged, plump man with receding hair and a moustache.

Vincent is a Latin name meaning 'conquering', and it's remained quite popular over the last century. But that means it's definitely start to conjure an image...

Walter is up there with the very best old fashioned names. Walter could only be a noble gentleman, who dresses very sharply. Given it was one of the most popular boy names at the end of the 19th century and start of the 20th century, it's no surprise that we think of it as old fashioned.

Some names may be considered old, but may never have really gone out of fashion. The likes of Oliver, Noah, William, George, Edward, Charles/Charlie, Samuel and Alexander have been around a long time but are still as popular as they wear 50 or even 100 years ago.