Name trends seem to be evolving faster than ever – one thing we see over and over again, though: what was once old often becomes new again. With that in mind, I always love to examine the vintage name lists to try to predict which names parents will gravitate towards, and which will be lost to time.
In an time where unique and meaningful names are highly sought after, it’s fascinating to witness the resurgence of names that once graced generations past. These names carry with them the weight of history, the resonance of a bygone era, and a sense of nostalgia. Yet, not all vintage names enjoy that same renaissance. Some remain confined to the pages of history books, their stories untold and their charm hidden from modern days.
If you’re looking for a one of a kind baby name – many of these have been lost to generations past. These all ranked in the top 1000 in 1880, but not a single one does today.
With over 650 names on this list, this was the most graceful way I could come up with to display them. They’re in order of their popularity in 1880 starting from the left moving down, then the middle, then the right.

Boys’ Names from 1880’s Top 1000
Fred |
Clarence |
Ernest |
Will |
Willie |
Herbert |
Tom |
Elmer |
Carl |
Howard |
Bert |
Herman |
Jim |
Earl |
Ralph |
Ed |
Claude |
Charley |
Luther |
Guy |
Floyd |
Homer |
Horace |
Marion |
Chester |
Willis |
Rufus |
Jessie |
Milton |
Sidney |
Bernard |
Dan |
Perry |
Dave |
Clifford |
Garfield |
Emil |
Lester |
Winfield |
Lloyd |
Fredrick |
Jess |
Norman |
Gilbert |
Gus |
Mike |
Percy |
Adolph |
Maurice |
Cornelius |
Claud |
Roscoe |
Sylvester |
Earnest |
Hiram |
Willard |
Irvin |
Wilbur |
Virgil |
Clinton |
Elbert |
Leslie |
Wiley |
Anton |
Morris |
Alva |
Newton |
Ross |
Edmund |
Jeff |
Columbus |
Lon |
Ora |
Ollie |
Pearl |
Arch |
Irving |
Hubert |
Lemuel |
Millard |
Vernon |
Rudolph |
Sherman |
Bill |
Chas |
Lonnie |
Monroe |
Edd |
Jerome |
Mose |
Steve |
Abe |
Pete |
Gustave |
Orville |
Bob |
Dock |
Cecil |
Barney |
Delbert |
Edmond |
Glenn |
Neal |
Burt |
Ike |
Myron |
Matt |
Nick |
Green |
Clifton |
Lucius |
Arnold |
Bud |
Burton |
Don |
Emmet |
Gustav |
Ned |
Chauncey |
Ferdinand |
General |
Allie |
Josh |
Lyman |
Napoleon |
Berry |
Dewitt |
Ervin |
Lynn |
Pink |
Sanford |
Ward |
Ole |
Omer |
Ulysses |
Wilbert |
Adelbert |
Benjiman |
Abner |
Archibald |
Clint |
Dudley |
Granville |
Mary |
Merton |
Bennie |
Carroll |
Freeman |
Dick |
Earle |
Elza |
Judge |
Laurence |
Glen |
Jimmie |
Johnnie |
Washington |
Elwood |
Gust |
Harmon |
Simeon |
Wilber |
Clem |
Frederic |
Irwin |
Junius |
Lafayette |
Loren |
Madison |
Orval |
Aubrey |
Hans |
Karl |
Minor |
Wash |
Wilfred |
Alphonse |
Dee |
Isiah |
Lew |
Micheal |
Orin |
Addison |
Erastus |
Hardy |
Lucien |
Randolph |
Stewart |
Vern |
Wilmer |
Zack |
Alvah |
Bertram |
Ephraim |
Fritz |
Giles |
Grover |
Harris |
Isom |
Johnie |
Merritt |
Otho |
Perley |
Rolla |
Sandy |
Wilford |
Adolphus |
Angus |
Arther |
Cary |
Hamilton |
Harve |
Leander |
Melville |
Merle |
Murray |
Pleasant |
Boyd |
Clement |
Erwin |
Foster |
Frances |
Geo |
Jules |
Larkin |
Mat |
Morton |
Rollie |
Rollin |
Sim |
Stuart |
Wilburn |
Casper |
Christ |
Dell |
Egbert |
Elmo |
Fay |
Horatio |
Lige |
Smith |
Squire |
Tobe |
Tommie |
Alford |
Alma |
Alton |
Burl |
Cicero |
Dorsey |
Enos |
Howell |
Lou |
Loyd |
Mahlon |
Nat |
Oran |
Raleigh |
Reginald |
Rubin |
Seymour |
Wm |
Young |
Benjamine |
Carey |
Carlton |
Eldridge |
Elzie |
Isham |
Johnson |
Merrill |
Mont |
Oren |
Pierre |
Ted |
Webster |
West |
Wheeler |
Willam |
Al |
Aloysius |
Alvie |
Anna |
Art |
Bailey |
Benjaman |
Beverly |
Bishop |
Clair |
Cloyd |
Coleman |
Dana |
Dwight |
Emile |
Evert |
Henderson |
Jean |
Lem |
Maynard |
Mortimer |
Nels |
Norris |
Pat |
Phil |
Rush |
Sol |
Sydney |
Thornton |
Tim |
Truman |
Webb |
Wellington |
Winfred |
Wylie |
Basil |
Baxter |
Bertrand |
Buford |
Burr |
Cleveland |
Colonel |
Dempsey |
Early |
Ellsworth |
Fate |
Gabe |
Garland |
Gerald |
Herschel |
Justus |
Lindsey |
Olaf |
Olin |
Rolland |
Turner |
Verne |
Volney |
Williams |
Almon |
Alois |
Alonza |
Anson |
Authur |
Benton |
Billie |
Cornelious |
Denis |
Dillard |
Doctor |
Elvin |
Emma |
Evans |
Haywood |
Hilliard |
Hosea |
Lonzo |
Lucious |
Lum |
Newt |
Orie |
Palmer |
Pinkney |
Shirley |
Sumner |
Urban |
Valentine |
Waldo |
Warner |
Wong |
Zeb |
Doc |
Eben |
Elige |
Elizabeth |
Elmore |
Ernst |
Finis |
Freddie |
Godfrey |
Guss |
Hamp |
Hermann |
Isadore |
Isreal |
June |
Lacy |
Lafe |
Llewellyn |
Ludwig |
Manford |
Minnie |
Obie |
Octave |
Orrin |
Ossie |
Oswald |
Park |
Parley |
Rice |
Stonewall |
Tillman |
Addie |
Ashley |
Bernhard |
Bertie |
Berton |
Buster |
Butler |
Carleton |
Carrie |
Clara |
Clarance |
Clare |
Crawford |
Danial |
Dayton |
Dolphus |
Elder |
Ephriam |
Fayette |
Flem |
Florence |
Henery |
Hoy |
Huston |
Ida |
Ivory |
Lenard |
Leopold |
Manley |
Marquis |
Marshal |
Mart |
Odie |
Olen |
Oral |
Orley |
Otha |
Press |
Price |
Randall |
Rich |
Richmond |
Russel |
Rutherford |
Shade |
Shelby |
Solon |
Thurman |
Tilden |
Woodson |
Worth |
Alcide |
Alf |
Algie |
Arlie |
Bart |
Bedford |
Benito |
Billy |
Bird |
Birt |
Burley |
Chancy |
Claus |
Cliff |
Clovis |
Connie |
Delos |
Eber |
Eligah |
Elton |
Gene |
Golden |
Hal |
Hardin |
Harman |
Hervey |
Hollis |
Ivey |
Jennie |
Len |
Lindsay |
Lonie |
Lyle |
Mal |
Math |
Orson |
Osborne |
Percival |
Pleas |
Ples |
Raoul |
Roderick |
Rose |
Shelton |
Sid |
Theron |
Toney |
Vivian |
Walton |
Watt |
Weaver |
Wilton |
Adolf |
Albin |
Albion |
Allison |
Alpha |
Alpheus |
Anastacio |
Annie |
Arlington |
Armand |
Asberry |
Asbury |
Augustin |
Auther |
Author |
Ballard |
Blas |
Caesar |
Candido |
Cato |
Clarke |
Clemente |
Commodore |
Cora |
Coy |
Curt |
Davie |
Delmar |
Dora |
Doss |
Edson |
Elam |
Elihu |
Eliza |
Elsie |
Erie |
Ernie |
Ethel |
Ferd |
Friend |
Garry |
Grace |
Gustaf |
Hallie |
Hampton |
Harrie |
Hattie |
Hence |
Hillard |
Hollie |
Holmes |
Hope |
Hyman |
Ishmael |
Jarrett |
Jessee |
Joeseph |
Junious |
Kirk |
Levy |
Mervin |
Michel |
Milford |
Mitchel |
Nellie |
Noble |
Obed |
Oda |
Orren |
Ottis |
Rafe |
Redden |
Rube |
Ruby |
Rupert |
Salomon |
Sammie |
Sanders |
Soloman |
Stacy |
Stanford |
Stanton |
Thad |
Tracy |
Vernie |
Wendell |
Wilhelm |
Willian |
Yee |
Ab |
Abbott |
Agustus |
Albertus |
Almer |
Alphonso |
Alvia |
Artie |
Arvid |
Ashby |
Augusta |
Aurthur |
Babe |
Baldwin |
Barnett |
Bartholomew |
Barton |
Bernie |
Blaine |
Brad |
Bradford |
Buck |
Budd |
Ceylon |
Chalmers |
Chesley |
Chin |
Cleo |
Crockett |
Cyril |
Daisy |
Dow |
Duff |
Edie |
Edith |
Elick |
Elie |
Eliga |
Elroy |
Ely |
Ennis |
Erasmus |
Esau |
Everette |
Firman |
Fleming |
Flora |
Gardner |
Gee |
Gorge |
Gottlieb |
Gregorio |
Gustavus |
Halsey |
Handy |
Hardie |
Harl |
Hays |
Hermon |
Hershel |
Holly |
Hosteen |
Hoyt |
Huey |
Humphrey |
Hunt |
Hyrum |
Irven |
Isam |
Ivy |
Jabez |
Jewel |
Jodie |
Judd |
Julious |
Katherine |
Kelly |
Kit |
Knute |
Lavern |
Lawyer |