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Old People Names

Old people names are at the cutting edge of the vintage baby name spectrum. Still considered too fusty for mainstream use, unique old people names are being dug out and dusted down by adventurous baby namers looking for rare choices that are still rich in history.

Old people names that rank in the US Top 1000 include Alfred, Barbara, Roland, Eileen, Harold, Joyce, Maurice, and Patricia. Along with Alfred and Roland, other old people names starting to come back into style in the 2020s include Betty, Basil, Clarence, Loretta, Ned, Percy, Thora and Winifred.

Like a loud vintage sweater or a pair of granny-chic glasses, the coolest old people names make a strong retro style statement, but feel close enough to contemporary trends that they stand out for all the right reasons.

Some of these old people names seem like they’ll never feel youthful again, but who knows? Maybe your grandchildren will be called Nelda and Norman, Velma and Vernon.

Below, a selection of choices widely considered to be old people names – but possibly soon ripe for revival.

Claude

Meaning: lame; enclosure

Origin:French from Latin
508
Sol

Meaning: sun

Origin:Spanish
845
Guy

Meaning: guide, leader

Origin:French
248
Janet

Meaning: God's gracious gift

Origin:Diminutive of Jane
873
Percy A typically masculine name of French origin,...
Origin:French surname from place name Perci-en-Auge
296
Ned

Meaning: wealthy guardian

Origin:English, diminutive of Edward
585
Origin:Diminutive of Harold and Henry
603
Beulah

Meaning: married

Origin:Hebrew
1325
Lou

Meaning: renowned warrior

Origin:Diminutive of Louis or Lewis, French and German
2021
Hilda

Meaning: battle woman

Origin:German
1279
Betty

Meaning: pledged to God

Origin:Diminutive of Elizabeth
505
Dinah

Meaning: God will judge

Origin:Hebrew
861
Montgomery

Meaning: man power

Origin:Norman
750
Murray

Meaning: settlement by the sea

Origin:Scottish
994
Barbara

Meaning: foreign woman

Origin:Latin
693
Ursula

Meaning: little female bear

Origin:Latin
656
Bessie

Meaning: pledged to God

Origin:Diminutive of Elizabeth
1552
Thirza

Meaning: delightful; harvest

Origin:Hebrew; diminutive of Theresa, English
1815
Hester

Meaning: star

Origin:Medieval variation of Esther, Persian
866
Myrtle The meaning of Myrtle ‘of the myrtle plant’ ...
Origin:Greek botanical name
886