Vintage Boy Names
554 namesBoy
Vintage boy names have a sturdy, gentlemanly feel. They sound at home on an old storefront sign or a family Bible, and today they appeal to parents who want a name with history and substance rather than a passing trend.
Many of these names share Germanic and Norman roots that arrived in England centuries ago. Edwin, Albert, Raymond, Roland and Leonard all come from old Germanic elements meaning things like wealth, nobility, counsel or bravery. Francis carries a religious association through the saint of Assisi, and Julius recalls the Roman statesman and the ancient Roman family name. Maurice comes from Latin and has long been used in France.
Other names have a friendly, approachable tone. Frank and Sam are short and warm, while Marvin, Melvin and Alvin share a similar vin ending that was widely used in earlier generations. Lewis and Wilson began as surnames and add a traditional British flavor. A vintage name can honor a great-grandfather or simply give your son a name that stands apart from current trends. Many of these names have classic nicknames, so think about whether you like those as well. Pairing a vintage first name with a modern middle name is a popular way to balance tradition with freshness.
Most popular right now
Top 300 of 554 names
Sorted by current popularity. US rank uses 2025 data for the name's most common sex; the trend compares births with five years earlier. Tap a column heading to re-sort.
| Name | Meaning | Origin | US rank 2025 | 5-yr trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edwin | rich friend | Old English | 398 | ↓ -14% |
| Raymond | counsel protector | Germanic | 395 | ↓ -24% |
| Julius | Roman family name; often said youthful | Latin | 424 | ↓ -22% |
| Frank | a Frank; free, candid | Germanic | 514 | ↓ -16% |
| Albert | noble and bright | Germanic | 614 | ↓ -16% |
| Francis | Frenchman | Latin | 420 | ↑ +25% |
| Marvin | uncertain; possibly famous friend | Welsh | 699 | ↓ -15% |
| Sam | God has heard; short for Samuel | Hebrew | 647 | ↑ +6% |
| Lewis | famous in battle | English | 433 | ↑ +25% |
| Maurice | Moorish, dark-skinned | Latin | 1,020 | ↓ -19% |
| Alvin | elf friend | Old English | 838 | ↓ -22% |
| Wilson | son of Will | English | 673 | → +1% |
| Roland | famous land | Germanic | 608 | → -5% |
| Melvin | — | Scottish | 959 | ↓ -25% |
| Leonard | brave lion | Germanic | 637 | → +4% |
| Harry | home ruler (form of Henry) | English | 775 | → -5% |
| Ben | son of the right hand | Hebrew | 843 | ↓ -7% |
| Amos | carried, borne by God | Hebrew | 730 | → -0% |
| Junior | younger | English | 752 | ↑ +6% |
| Will | will, desire and protection | English | 1,195 | ↓ -28% |
| Eugene | well born | Greek | 943 | ↓ -8% |
| Harlan | from an English place name | English | 617 | ↑ +23% |
| Harold | army ruler | Old English | 993 | → -3% |
| Otis | wealth | English | 652 | → +2% |
| Hugh | heart, mind, spirit | Germanic | 732 | ↑ +11% |
| Clyde | from the River Clyde | Scottish | 743 | → +1% |
| Alfred | elf counsel | Old English | 840 | ↑ +17% |
| Reuben | behold, a son | Hebrew | 889 | ↑ +9% |
| Salvatore | savior | Italian | 945 | ↑ +9% |
| Leroy | the king | French | 888 | ↑ +11% |
| Ernest | serious, resolute | Germanic | 1,040 | → +2% |
| Howard | — | English | 1,004 | ↑ +16% |
| Ralph | counsel wolf | Old Norse | 1,048 | ↑ +17% |
| Anton | uncertain; form of Anthony | German | 1,389 | ↓ -12% |
| Elmer | noble and famous | Old English | 1,223 | ↑ +20% |
| Harris | son of Harry | English | 1,300 | ↓ -30% |
| Clarence | of Clare; ducal title | English | 1,500 | ↓ -13% |
| Lyle | the island | French | 1,047 | → +2% |
| Wallace | foreigner, Welshman | Scottish | 964 | → -1% |
| Milton | mill town | Old English | 1,440 | ↓ -13% |
| Norman | northman | Germanic | 1,200 | → -3% |
| Irvin | from a Scottish surname and river name | Scottish | 1,937 | → -2% |
| Bernard | brave as a bear | Germanic | 1,362 | ↓ -7% |
| Gus | short form of Augustus or Gustav | English | 1,331 | ↓ -12% |
| Edmund | wealthy protector | Old English | 1,082 | ↑ +63% |
| Wiley | from an English surname | English | 1,226 | → -1% |
| Clifford | ford by a cliff | English | 1,352 | → +4% |
| Noble | noble | English | 1,337 | → -3% |
| Emil | rival (from Aemilius) | German | 1,269 | → +2% |
| Coy | shy, quiet | English | 1,451 | → -3% |
| Elvin | elf friend | Old English | 1,647 | → -3% |
| Irving | green river | Scottish | 1,783 | → -2% |
| Lloyd | grey | Welsh | 1,549 | ↑ +23% |
| Vernon | alder grove; from a Norman place name | French | 1,387 | ↑ +66% |
| Earl | nobleman, warrior | English | 2,236 | ↓ -7% |
| Ervin | variant of Irvin or Erwin | Scottish | 1,656 | ↑ +9% |
| Lester | from the English city of Leicester | English | 1,641 | ↓ -6% |
| Arnold | eagle power | Germanic | 1,477 | ↑ +36% |
| Wilmer | desire, famous | Germanic | 1,742 | ↑ +24% |
| Fred | peace; short for Frederick | English | 1,936 | → -4% |
| Cecil | blind | Latin | 1,486 | ↑ +23% |
| Luther | famous army | German | 1,464 | ↑ +9% |
| Morris | form of Maurice, 'a Moor' | English | 1,762 | ↓ -7% |
| Hiram | exalted brother | Hebrew | 1,639 | ↓ -6% |
| Warner | army guard; from a Norman surname | English | 1,365 | ↑ +20% |
| Floyd | gray | Welsh | 2,237 | ↓ -10% |
| Chester | fortified camp; from an English place | English | 1,588 | ↑ +8% |
| Vito | life | Italian | 1,507 | ↑ +27% |
| Olin | from an English surname, meaning uncertain | English | 1,849 | → -3% |
| Virgil | from a Roman family name, meaning uncertain | Latin | 1,417 | ↑ +52% |
| Boyd | from a Scottish surname, meaning uncertain | Scottish | 1,959 | ↓ -28% |
| Booker | occupational surname, maker of books | English | 1,160 | ↑ +88% |
| Hoyt | long stick; English surname for a tall man | English | 2,854 | ↓ -40% |
| Herbert | bright army | Germanic | 2,656 | ↓ -17% |
| Meyer | shining, or steward | Yiddish | 1,693 | ↑ +21% |
| Percy | from a Norman place name | English | 1,279 | ↑ +123% |
| Orin | little pale green one | Irish | 1,859 | → +2% |
| Herman | army man | Germanic | 2,368 | → +4% |
| Edmond | French form of Edmund, wealthy protector | French | 2,011 | ↑ +21% |
| Omer | sheaf of grain | Hebrew | 2,103 | → -1% |
| Elton | surname, Ella's town | Old English | 2,313 | ↓ -33% |
| Sylvester | of the forest | Latin | 2,224 | ↑ +23% |
| Erwin | honored friend | German | 2,402 | ↑ +8% |
| Willis | son of Will; English surname | English | 2,567 | ↓ -16% |
| Woodrow | row of houses by a wood | Old English | 1,653 | ↑ +12% |
| Lemuel | devoted to God | Hebrew | 2,030 | ↑ +14% |
| Roscoe | roe deer wood | Old Norse | 2,248 | ↓ -21% |
| Orrin | uncertain; perhaps Irish pale green | Irish | 2,278 | → +3% |
| Abe | short for Abraham: father of multitudes | Hebrew | 2,207 | ↑ +21% |
| Emile | French form of Aemilius, possibly rival | French | 2,098 | → -1% |
| Eldon | from an English place name, Ella's hill | English | 2,311 | → 0% |
| Mervin | variant of Mervyn, sea hill | Welsh | 2,377 | → 0% |
| Hosea | salvation | Hebrew | 2,154 | ↑ +10% |
| Crawford | crow ford, a Scottish place name | Scottish | 2,097 | ↑ +19% |
| Sylvan | of the woods | Latin | 1,674 | ↑ +120% |
| Claude | French form of Claudius, "lame" | French | 3,044 | ↓ -9% |
| Clement | merciful, gentle | Latin | 2,262 | ↑ +26% |
| Armand | French form of Herman, "army man" | French | 3,852 | ↓ -20% |
| Mahlon | possibly sickly | Hebrew | 2,867 | ↑ +19% |
| Willard | resolute and brave | English | 2,760 | ↑ +7% |
| Murray | from Moray, settlement by the sea | Scottish | 2,633 | ↑ +6% |
| Cyril | lordly | Greek | 3,143 | ↓ -7% |
| Wilber | variant of Wilbur | English | 4,039 | ↓ -32% |
| Hershel | deer | Yiddish | 2,692 | ↑ +26% |
| Jess | short for Jesse or Jessica | English | 5,299 | ↓ -18% |
| Hubert | bright mind | Germanic | 3,400 | ↓ -15% |
| Raymon | variant of Raymond, wise protector | Germanic | 4,825 | ↓ -9% |
| Buck | male deer | Old English | 1,993 | ↑ +69% |
| Rudolph | famous wolf | Germanic | 4,231 | ↓ -11% |
| Henderson | son of Henry | Scottish | 2,619 | ↓ -9% |
| Elwood | elder tree wood | Old English | 1,921 | ↑ +93% |
| Harland | English surname and place name | Old English | 2,045 | ↑ +115% |
| Earnest | serious, earnest; variant of Ernest | English | 4,164 | ↓ -11% |
| Wilbert | bright will, bright desire | Germanic | 5,031 | ↓ -26% |
| Oswald | god power | Old English | 2,161 | ↑ +72% |
| Hardy | bold, tough | English | 2,496 | ↑ +42% |
| Casimir | proclaimer of peace | Polish | 2,039 | ↑ +152% |
| Elden | English surname; possibly old valley | Old English | 3,264 | → -3% |
| Weldon | hill with a spring | Old English | 2,793 | ↑ +15% |
| Olen | uncertain; possibly variant of Olin | — | 3,489 | ↓ -11% |
| Alphonse | noble and ready | French | 2,516 | → -2% |
| Domenick | variant of Dominic; of the Lord | Latin | 5,258 | ↓ -14% |
| Judge | one who judges | English | 2,660 | ↑ +40% |
| Enos | man, mankind | Hebrew | 3,148 | ↑ +9% |
| Christ | anointed one | Greek | 3,392 | ↑ +89% |
| Gustav | possibly staff of the Geats | Swedish | 3,686 | ↓ -19% |
| Freeman | free man | English | 4,072 | ↑ +8% |
| Rufus | red-haired | Latin | 4,019 | → +4% |
| Tillman | from a German and English surname | German | 4,034 | ↓ -23% |
| Manning | from a surname, "son of Mann" | English | 5,329 | → 0% |
| Lucious | variant of Lucius, "light" | American (modern coinage) | 4,207 | ↓ -7% |
| Rueben | variant of Reuben, "behold, a son" | Hebrew | 3,929 | ↑ +100% |
| Wilfred | desiring peace | English | 3,844 | ↑ +7% |
| Walton | from an English surname and place name | English | 2,449 | ↑ +33% |
| Enrico | Italian form of Henry, "home ruler" | Italian | 4,290 | ↓ -20% |
| Burton | from an English place name, "fortified settlement" | English | 4,419 | ↑ +15% |
| Dewey | from Dewi, Welsh form of David | Welsh | 3,870 | ↓ -7% |
| Russel | variant of Russell, "little red one" | English | 4,020 | → -4% |
| Wilbur | from an English surname, meaning uncertain | English | 4,040 | ↑ +29% |
| Homer | from Homeros, possibly "hostage" | Greek | 4,769 | ↓ -30% |
| Armond | variant of Armand, "army man" | French | 5,224 | → 0% |
| Leeroy | variant of Leroy, 'the king' | French | 3,562 | ↑ +68% |
| Donato | given (by God) | Italian | 6,553 | ↓ -52% |
| Wellington | from an English place name and surname | English | 4,382 | ↓ -44% |
| Urban | of the city | Latin | 5,374 | ↓ -25% |
| Lavern | possibly from French 'alder tree' | French | 4,097 | → 0% |
| Silvio | of the forest | Italian | 2,830 | ↑ +221% |
| Hilton | from an English place name, "hill settlement" | English | 6,591 | ↓ -55% |
| Johny | variant of Johnny, "God is gracious" | English | 12,894 | ↓ -72% |
| Odell | from an English place name, 'woad hill' | Old English | 4,495 | ↓ -26% |
| Horace | from the Roman family name Horatius | Latin | 6,245 | ↓ -22% |
| Newton | new town | Old English | 6,059 | ↓ -44% |
| Harmon | variant of Herman, 'army man' | Germanic | 5,955 | ↓ -12% |
| Ferdinand | uncertain; possibly 'bold journey' | Germanic | 4,294 | ↑ +71% |
| Norris | northerner; or 'nurse' | English | 6,063 | ↓ -21% |
| Gaston | uncertain; possibly 'from Gascony' | French | 3,396 | ↑ +79% |
| Willian | Portuguese form of William, 'resolute protector' | Portuguese | 5,033 | ↑ +54% |
| Herschel | deer | Yiddish | 3,399 | ↓ -10% |
| Myer | variant of Meir, 'giver of light' | Hebrew | 4,107 | ↑ +13% |
| Merle | blackbird | French | 3,485 | → 0% |
| Garland | wreath of flowers; English surname | English | 6,928 | ↓ -25% |
| Gaetano | from Caieta, the Italian town Gaeta | Italian | 3,979 | ↑ +8% |
| Florian | flowering | Latin | 2,495 | ↑ +170% |
| Santo | saint, holy | Italian | 3,643 | ↑ +35% |
| Carlyle | from the English city Carlisle | English | 4,888 | ↓ -13% |
| Richmond | from Richmond, French 'rich hill' | English | 5,563 | ↓ -10% |
| Rubin | variant of Reuben, 'behold, a son' | Hebrew | 5,571 | → 0% |
| Fenton | settlement by a fen | Old English | 6,923 | ↓ -29% |
| Irwin | boar friend | Old English | 6,600 | ↓ -32% |
| Oran | little pale green one | Irish | 5,153 | ↑ +27% |
| Gerrit | Dutch form of Gerard, spear brave | Dutch | 5,689 | ↑ +14% |
| Hurley | uncertain; Irish surname | Irish | — | ↓ -100% |
| Grover | dweller by a grove | English | 4,298 | ↑ +26% |
| Gennaro | from Latin Januarius, of January | Italian | 4,915 | ↑ +5% |
| Benjiman | variant of Benjamin | Hebrew | 7,258 | ↓ -39% |
| Lovell | little wolf | French | 6,316 | ↓ -44% |
| Talmage | English surname, possibly bag or knapsack maker | English | — | ↓ -100% |
| Napoleon | uncertain; often linked to Naples | Italian | 4,651 | ↑ +83% |
| Olan | uncertain; possibly Irish or Norse | Irish | 6,345 | ↓ -33% |
| Margarito | masculine form of Margarita, pearl | Spanish | 5,139 | ↑ +138% |
| Giles | from Latin Aegidius, often linked to goatskin | Greek | 6,932 | ↓ -33% |
| Elgin | from the name of a Scottish town | Scottish | 9,982 | ↓ -56% |
| Eston | east settlement | Old English | 6,916 | ↓ -8% |
| Rolland | variant of Roland, famous land | Germanic | 5,796 | ↓ -36% |
| Wilton | willow farm | Old English | 6,118 | ↑ +25% |
| Gaines | English surname of uncertain origin | English | 5,093 | ↓ -39% |
| Aleck | variant of Alec, defender of men | Greek | — | ↓ -100% |
| Mose | short form of Moses | Hebrew | 4,213 | ↑ +56% |
| Rupert | bright fame | German | 3,831 | ↑ +21% |
| Pasquale | of Easter | Italian | 5,781 | ↓ -16% |
| Elroy | variant of Leroy, the king | French | 4,585 | ↑ +29% |
| Aldon | old hill | English | 6,160 | ↑ +17% |
| Antone | variant of Anthony | Portuguese | 7,712 | ↓ -17% |
| Rowland | famous land | English | 5,798 | ↓ -11% |
| Farris | knight, or a Scottish surname | Arabic | 7,334 | → 0% |
| Celestino | heavenly | Italian | 3,860 | ↑ +65% |
| Webb | weaver | English | 5,839 | ↓ -30% |
| Aloysius | famous warrior | Latin | 4,864 | ↑ +11% |
| Sumner | summoner, a court officer | English | 5,580 | ↑ +6% |
| Griffith | Welsh Gruffudd, often said strong lord | Welsh | 4,596 | ↑ +57% |
| Elihu | he is my God | Hebrew | 6,216 | ↓ -22% |
| Rollin | variant of Roland, famous land | English | 6,732 | ↓ -28% |
| Maynard | strong and hardy | English | 10,325 | ↓ -59% |
| Huston | variant of Houston, Hugh's town | Scottish | 7,873 | → 0% |
| Hale | from a nook or hollow | English | 6,584 | ↓ -7% |
| Isidore | gift of Isis | Greek | 3,607 | ↑ +182% |
| Laurent | French form of Laurence | French | 6,024 | ↑ +7% |
| Wright | craftsman, maker | Old English | 4,383 | → +4% |
| Thurston | Thor's stone | English | 13,695 | ↓ -54% |
| Ole | ancestor's heir | Norwegian | 4,820 | ↓ -9% |
| Rexford | from an English surname | English | 4,673 | ↓ -12% |
| Constantino | steadfast, constant | Italian | 4,737 | ↑ +31% |
| Einar | lone warrior | Old Norse | 2,724 | ↑ +147% |
| Nels | victory of the people | Swedish | 4,656 | ↑ +38% |
| Elson | from an English surname | English | 4,906 | ↑ +25% |
| Porfirio | purple | Spanish | 10,424 | ↓ -22% |
| Avon | river | Welsh | 5,232 | ↑ +38% |
| Lorenz | from Laurentum | German | 9,387 | ↓ -43% |
| Elbert | variant of Albert, noble and bright | English | 8,442 | ↑ +29% |
| Berl | bear | Yiddish | 5,644 | ↓ -6% |
| Florencio | flourishing | Spanish | 4,913 | ↑ +33% |
| Obie | short form of Obadiah or Obed | English | 8,065 | ↓ -17% |
| Taft | homestead | English | 8,171 | ↓ -33% |
| Isadore | variant of Isidore, gift of Isis | Greek | 5,963 | ↓ -21% |
| Gardner | gardener | English | 5,094 | ↑ +73% |
| Lonzo | short form of Alonzo, noble and ready | Spanish | 4,206 | ↑ +19% |
| Modesto | modest | Spanish | 9,432 | ↓ -43% |
| Albin | white | Latin | 6,159 | → 0% |
| Hiroshi | several meanings, including generous | Japanese | 10,063 | ↓ -46% |
| Orville | gold town | French | 6,347 | ↑ +17% |
| Lafayette | from a French surname | French | 10,262 | ↓ -36% |
| Sanford | sandy ford | English | 7,113 | ↓ -29% |
| Lenard | variant of Leonard, brave lion | Germanic | 13,132 | ↓ -50% |
| Arno | short form of Arnold, eagle power | German | 3,956 | ↑ +59% |
| Oneil | from the surname O'Neill | Irish | 10,405 | ↓ -12% |
| Rufino | red-haired | Spanish | — | ↓ -100% |
| Buster | one who breaks | English | 6,871 | ↑ +9% |
| Elwin | elf friend | Old English | 4,907 | ↑ +43% |
| Olaf | ancestor's heir | Old Norse | 13,369 | ↓ -29% |
| Grafton | grove farm | Old English | 8,480 | → 0% |
| Alvis | all-wise | Old Norse | 6,466 | ↑ +62% |
| Saverio | Italian form of Xavier | Italian | 8,132 | ↓ -9% |
| Bert | short form of names with bright | English | 10,866 | ↓ -33% |
| Johnie | variant of Johnny, from John | English | 7,927 | → 0% |
| Regis | of the king | Latin | 9,509 | ↓ -43% |
| Osborne | god bear | English | 4,663 | → 0% |
| Frazier | variant of Fraser, Scottish surname | Scottish | 5,460 | ↑ +6% |
| Gustave | French form of Gustav | French | 7,858 | ↓ -23% |
| Fidencio | confident | Spanish | 11,104 | ↓ -40% |
| Webster | weaver | English | 7,165 | → 0% |
| Washington | estate of Wassa's people | English | — | ↓ -100% |
| Anastacio | resurrection | Spanish | 9,774 | ↓ -12% |
| Kiyoshi | pure | Japanese | 8,618 | ↑ +29% |
| Ennis | from an Irish place name, island | Irish | 9,157 | ↓ -11% |
| Cosimo | order, beauty | Italian | 5,654 | ↑ +60% |
| Norbert | northern bright | Germanic | — | ↓ -100% |
| Refugio | refuge | Spanish | 8,769 | ↑ +29% |
| Clovis | famous battle | Germanic | 4,735 | ↑ +162% |
| Odis | variant of Otis, wealth | English | 6,065 | ↓ -29% |
| Thurman | from a surname, Thor's protection | English | — | ↓ -100% |
| General | the military rank | English | — | ↓ -100% |
| Godfrey | God's peace | Germanic | 7,850 | ↓ -17% |
| Park | from the English word park | English | 8,741 | ↓ -18% |
| Powell | son of Hywel | Welsh | 8,751 | ↑ +29% |
| Thadeus | variant of Thaddeus | Aramaic | 11,845 | new |
| Victoriano | belonging to Victor, victory | Spanish | 11,902 | ↓ -50% |
| Reynold | counsel ruler | Germanic | 10,447 | ↓ -42% |
| Haywood | enclosed wood | Old English | 6,944 | ↑ +33% |
| Candelario | from Candelaria, Candlemas | Spanish | 7,277 | ↑ +83% |
| Solon | uncertain; name of an Athenian lawgiver | Greek | 13,627 | ↓ -17% |
| Worth | enclosure, homestead | Old English | 6,784 | ↑ +160% |
| Garvin | uncertain; possibly rough or spear friend | Irish | — | new |
| Edsel | — | German | 12,552 | ↓ -44% |
| Lambert | bright land | Germanic | 7,033 | ↑ +33% |
| Ludwig | famous in battle | German | 7,044 | ↑ +50% |
| Vergil | variant of Virgil | Latin | 5,191 | ↑ +6% |
| Evert | brave as a boar | Dutch | 6,918 | ↑ +100% |
| Arch | short for Archibald or Archer | English | 2,767 | ↑ +475% |
| Bud | brother, buddy, or a flower bud | English | 6,870 | ↑ +50% |
| Lyman | uncertain; English surname | English | 11,484 | ↓ -33% |
| Malvin | variant of Melvin | Scottish | — | ↓ -100% |
| Eldridge | uncertain; old or noble ruler | Old English | 11,041 | → 0% |
| Americo | form of Amerigo | Portuguese | 8,955 | ↑ +14% |
| Junius | from a Roman family name | Latin | 7,408 | ↑ +57% |
| Thornton | thorn-bush settlement | Old English | 8,190 | ↑ +25% |
| Bertram | bright raven | Germanic | 8,353 | → 0% |
| Ruel | variant of Reuel, friend of God | Hebrew | 6,377 | ↑ +180% |
| Wilford | willow ford, from an English place | English | 8,872 | ↑ +29% |
| Dewitt | the white, from a Dutch surname | Dutch | 12,510 | → 0% |
| Wyman | from an Old English name with battle | Old English | — | ↓ -100% |
| Lavaughn | La- added to Vaughn, small | American (modern coinage) | — | ↓ -100% |
| Raoul | French form of Ralph, counsel wolf | French | — | ↓ -100% |
| Winfield | from an English place name | Old English | 9,659 | ↓ -11% |
| Rosco | variant of Roscoe, roe deer wood | Old Norse | 10,469 | ↓ -12% |
| Waldo | rule | Germanic | 11,906 | → 0% |
| Nunzio | messenger | Italian | 11,624 | ↓ -25% |
| Ottis | variant of Otis, wealth | Germanic | 6,070 | ↑ +67% |
| Sigmund | victory and protection | Germanic | 10,524 | ↑ +17% |
| Winton | from an English place name | Old English | 10,625 | new |
| Eulalio | sweetly speaking | Greek | 8,456 | ↑ +50% |
This page shows the most popular names in this list.