In the fascinating realm of baby naming, parents often lean towards old-fashioned boy names with profound roots and rich meanings. From the biblical boy names that resonate deeply with ancient scriptures, to names that echo the grandeur of a Greek god or a Roman god, there’s a plethora of options to choose from. Diving into the heritage of a name can be a beautiful journey; perhaps you’re drawn to the sturdy resonance of “Henry” with its Henry origin, or maybe the exotic allure of Spanish boy names has caught your eye.
You’re not trying to pick out the name for the next president or get an idea for a new business or anything like that—you just want something that sounds good and feels right.
But what if you could have the best of both worlds? What if you could get the retro vibe you love, but with a modern twist?
What if you could be part of your baby’s heritage without feeling like they were named after your great-grandfather? And what if they didn’t have to be saddled with some ridiculous nickname like “Gramps”?
It’s no secret that hipsters love all things vintage. From clothes to furniture, they love the old-school look and feel. So it’s no surprise that some parents are choosing to give their children vintage-inspired names.
What’s an Old Fashioned Boy’s Name?
Old-fashioned boy names are the kind of names that are not often heard these days. They are classic, traditional, and nostalgic.
They are a throwback to a time when people were more formal and polite, yet still fun. Old-fashioned baby boy names are perfect for parents who want their sons to stand out from the crowd, yet still, be part of it.
Some parents even choose to give their child a name from their family tree, as it brings back memories of loved ones who have passed away.
50+ Vintage Baby Boy Names With Their Meanings
Here are vintage baby names to suit every kind of style.
As you explore, you might stumble upon the Irish meaning of a beloved name or even discover that a popular name has its roots in the scriptures, much like the name Isaac, which has a well-documented Isaac origin.
The following list of boy names includes some of the most popular vintage baby boy names of all time.
Aiden
Aiden is Irish in origin and means “fiery one.” It is a cool retro boy name that hipsters love.
Almanzo
Almanzo is Dutch in origin and means “from the valley” and was popular in the 1890s and is still going strong today.
Amadeus
Amadeus is a vintage German boy name meaning “lovely/cupid.” It’s also the name of a famous play by Peter Shaffer about Mozart, and one of his operas. As for girls, Amadeus is a gorgeous classic name that means “lover of God.”
Atlas
This is a vintage boy name of Greek origin and means “bearer of burdens.”
Arthur
This legendary boy’s name comes from the Celtic term “art-vrig” meaning “bear king” or the ancient British name Artur.
August
A popular vintage boy name for boys during the 1950’s from the Latin name Augustus meaning ‘great’ or ‘venerable’.
Barrett
It was a popular vintage boy name in the 1990s and is still going strong today. Barrett is Irish in origin and means “strong”, check out our list of strong boy names here.
Basil
A name from Greek meaning “king.”
Baxter
It was popular in the 1990s and is still going strong today. Baxter is English in origin and means “baker.”
Bensen
Bensen is Danish in origin and means “blessing.” It was an old-fashioned baby boy name popular in the 1950s and is still going strong today.
Benson
Benson is an old-fashioned boy name of English in origin and means “son of Benjamin.”
Caleb
Caleb is another old-fashioned boy name from a Hebrew name that means “dog.”
Camden
Camden is a cool vintage boy name that hipsters love. It was popular in the 1990s and is still going strong today. Camden is English in origin and means “town on the water.”
Cameron
Cameron is a vintage boy name of Scottish origin and means “crooked nose.”
Charles
It was popular in the 1920s and is still going strong today. Charles has English origin and means “man.”
Corbin
Corbin has English origin and means “crow.”
Cyrus
Cyrus is a vintage boy name of Persian origin and means “sun.”
Dante
Dante is a boy name of Italian origin and means “dark one.”
Dominic
Another cool retro name that was popular in the 1990s and is still going strong today. Dominic is of Latin meaning “lord.”
Ezra
A boy name that was popular in the 1990s. Ezra is the Latin name Esdras with Hebrew origin and means “help.”
Felix
Felix has a Latin origin popularized in the 1950s meaning “happy.”
Guy
A baby boy name variation of the name Gai in Hebrew meaning “valley.”
Harland
This was popular in the 1950s and is still going strong today. Harland is English in origin and means “hare land.”
Harold
Harold is English in origin and means “army ruler” and was popularized in the 1940’s.
Hercules
This is a vintage name that hipsters love. It was popular in the 1950s and is still going strong today. Hercules is Greek in origin and means “glory of Hera.”
Horatio
This vintage boy’s name comes from ancient Rome and means “glorious ruler.” It was popular in the early 1900s but has been making a comeback in recent years.
Hugo
Latinized form of Hugh meaning “mind, intellect”. It was popular in the 1920s and is still going strong today.
Ian
From the version of the name John, Scottish means “God is gracious.” It comes from the Hebrew name Yohanan.
Jack
It was one of the popular traditional boy names in the early 1900s and is still going strong today. Jack is English in origin and means “God is gracious.”
Jasper
Jasper is a boy name of Dutch origin and means “bringer of treasure.”
Jethro
This is an old fashioned boy name of Hebrew origin that means “abundance”.
Joshua
Joshua is Hebrew in origin and means “Jehovah is salvation.”
Leland
Leland is a cool retro name that hipsters love. It was popular in the 1950s and is still going strong today. Leland is German in origin and means “meadow land.”
Leo
This is a strong name of Latin origin meaning ‘lion’.
Linus
This vintage name Linus comes from a Greek word meaning flax or linen. It’s a Greek name, meaning “humble,” that is now used as a surname and given name.
Malachi
Malachi is a vintage name for boys, and it means ‘messenger’ in Hebrew. It was popular in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Marius
It comes from the Latin word for ‘maroon’ or ‘purple.’ It’s also a unique-sounding boy’s name that would be perfect for parents who have a fondness for ancient Rome.
Milo
A name commonly considered to be Germanic name derived from the Latin word miles meaning ‘soldier’.
Mitchell
Mitchell is English in origin and means “who is like God?”
Nathaniel
Nathaniel is a vintage name for boys and girls, a slightly formal choice that’s still very much in style. It comes from the Old Testament story of King David’s father and means “God has given me life.”
Nero
The origin of the name Nero is Latin. The meaning of Nero is ‘black’ or ‘dark brown’.
Oliver
This vintage name is a French-boy name that means “olive tree”.
Otto
From the German name variation of Otis meaning ‘wealthy.’
Quentin
It’s a French name that means “fifth son” and it was popular in the 19th century. Quentin Tarantino is one of the most famous bearers of this name.
Roberto
Roberto is Italian in origin and means “bright fame.”
Roland
French origin and means “famous in the land.”
Sebastian
A vintage boy name from Latin name means ‘venerable.’
Silas
Silas is a name that means “from the forest” or “woodsman” in Greek. This is another one of those rare boy names that hasn’t been used much since the 19th century and would be perfect for parents looking for something unique.
Tobias
A name chosen by many parents in the 1970s and 1980s. It is a German name that means “tobacco” or “tobacconist.” In Greek mythology, Tobias was a boy who risked his life to save a fish from being eaten by a bird.
Titus
Titus is Latin in origin and means ‘son of Titus.’
Wells
Wells is a vintage boy name that has been around for a while but is still not too common. It’s an English surname that means “from the well” and was used to describe someone who lived near water.
Vintage Boy Names with Latin Origins and Their Meanings
These retro names were popular baby boys of Latin origin from the 1990s to the 1950s. They’re unique vintage boy names that are classic without being dated, and they’re elegant without being stuffy.
Amias – beloved
Atticus – belonging to Attica
Judah – thanksgiving or praise
Cassius – hollow
Leo – lion
Magnus – great
Lucian – light
Ambrose – immortal
Cassian – hollow
Lucas – bringer of light
Aurelius – the golden one
Lucius – light
Roman – strong, powerful
Rufus – red-headed
Julius – downy-bearded
Caius – rejoice
Calvin – little bald one
Amadeus – loved by God
Clementius – inclined to be merciful
Barnabas – son of consolation
Vintage Baby Boys Names You Don’t Hear Anymore
Baby names are a pretty big deal. Vintage baby names are a great choice if you want something classic but not too ordinary—and they’re perfect if you’re looking for a way to honor the past.
Marion
Grover
Effie
Aloysius
Abe
Zeke
Mason
Clayton
Dean
Joe
In conclusion, the exploration of vintage boy names with Latin origins and their meanings unveils a treasure trove of rich and diverse narratives. From the noble resonance found in the “Hugo” origin to the renowned “Benedict” origin, one can traverse through various cultures encapsulated in the Celtic and French meanings, as well as the Scottish nuances these names often hold.
There are plenty of reasons to choose vintage names for your baby boy—they’re often historical figures or literary characters that have been popular for decades; they were common during periods when people were having fewer children than now; they’re short and sweet (which is great if you want something shorter than most modern names), or they just sound cool!
Takeaway: Vintage Boy Names That’ll Last
We’ve assembled this list of retro-boy names that are old-fashioned in style but still modern enough to feel relevant right now.
Names like Michael and Benjamin hold a deep resonance and history, embodying qualities from the legends of yore to the great individuals of modern history. Whether you’re drawn to the valiant undertones of a name that means “god spear” or the poetic grace encapsulated in the Alexander origin, remember, each name carries with it a story, a heritage, and a unique personality, awaiting to be bestowed upon a new generation.
It’s an adventurous journey, spanning the gallant resonance of “Xavier” to the robustness of “Reginald”, portraying a beautiful tapestry of stories and cultures, preserved in the etymology of these cherished traditional boy names. Let the “Latin form” of these names guide you in bestowing a name replete with historical depth and timeless charm.
We hope these old-fashioned boy names will help serve as an aid while brainstorming new baby name ideas and give parents an idea of what they might want to call their sons in years to come.
