As much as we like the popular names of today, we really feel that some of the best all-time names have faded into oblivion, with our great-great-grandparents – baby Ebeneezer is cuter than baby Mike 9 times out of 10.
- Millicent: From the German “work” and “strength” despite its Latin look, Millicent is a totally sexy name that really deserves more popularity these days
- Atticus: How did the name of one of the great dads in American literature fall by the wayside? It does mean “man of Attica”, and considering Attica is a maximum security prison in New York, this makes a bit more sense.
- Gertrude: Another name with German roots, almost everybody in the world has at least one Great Aunt Gertrude – it’s just a law of physics. Bring back Gertrude!
- Ulysses: A name that has been around for literally thousands of years, and ranks among the great works of modernist literature, Ulysses has really faded in the past hundred or so years. There have been more American presidents named Ulysses than Steve, so score one for the good guys!
- Evelyn: Evelyn is actually making a comeback, and rightfully so! Evelyn is a Hebrew name meaning “life” – so it has more meaning beyond just sounding beautiful.
- Edgar: Just picture a baby Edgar, dressed up in a suit and tie. Too much fun.
The bottom line
Giving Baby a no-longer-popular name is a great way to imbue them with a bit of individuality from the get-go, and will be an interesting point of conversation for the rest of their life!
And since you’re reading about names, we think you’ll love Ovia’s My baby names feature! We’ve collected thousands of names, along with their meanings, popularity, and associated nicknames, to help you choose the perfect one. You can sort by gender association and first letter, discover new options, and save all your favorites.
Click here to start swiping, and find My baby names any time in the “more” menu!
