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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.

Trudy

Meaning: spear of strength

Origin:German
1349
Norma

Meaning: from the north; or, the pattern

Origin:English or Latin
1945
Cornelia

Meaning: horn

Origin:Feminine variation of Cornelius, Latin
574
Bertha

Meaning: bright, glorious

Origin:German
1108
Rhoda

Meaning: rose

Origin:Greek
1805
Waldo

Meaning: to rule

Origin:German, pet form of names such as Waldemar
2649
Wilbur

Meaning: resolute, brilliant

Origin:German
209
Archibald

Meaning: truly brave

Origin:Scottish from German
317
Bernard

Meaning: strong, brave as a bear

Origin:German
642
Roland

Meaning: famous throughout the land

Origin:German
392
Vernon

Meaning: place of alders

Origin:English
2110
Abraham

Meaning: father of multitudes

Origin:Hebrew
621
Homer

Meaning: security, pledge

Origin:Greek
1479
Lloyd

Meaning: gray

Origin:Welsh
649
Herbert

Meaning: bright army

Origin:German
1020
Horace

Meaning: timekeeper

Origin:Latin clan name
1158
Albert

Meaning: noble, bright

Origin:German
218
Wallace

Meaning: foreigner, stranger

Origin:Scottish
751
Irving

Meaning: green river, sea friend

Origin:Scottish
774
Virgil

Meaning: staff bearer

Origin:Latin
780