Old fashioned baby names: vintage baby names rising in popularity

Baby names trends roll in cycles, like many things. One of the most popular trends to have emerged in recent years is the recycling of old-fashioned names.

Recently, the Office for National Statistics released the most up-to-date data on baby names from all births that took place in the year 2018 – and it proves just how much the vintage baby naming trend has taken hold. Because two names have, for the first time in almost 100 years, re-entered the ‘most popular’ list.

The boys’ name Arthur was a firm fixture in the top 10 names for boys in the early 1900s, but after 1024 it dropped off. In 2018, however, 94 years since it was last listed – Arthur regained its spot in the top 10.

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Ranking at number 7, with 3,644 babies having been called Arthur, the name was the only new entry in the top 10 names for boys in 2018. It replaced Jacob, which dropped down to 11 in the most recent data set.

Likewise, a vintage girls’ name also soared in popularity in 2018, for the first time in almost a century. Ada was last included in the top 100 girls’ names in 1924, but hasn’t ranked since. In 2018, the name made a comeback, being the 65^th most used name for baby girls, with 811 babies given the name Ada.

It’s thought the newfound favour for the names Arthur and Ada may potentially have been inspired by the characters in Peaky Blinders, as the monikers Tommy and Esme have also risen in popularity since the BBC series debuted.

BBC

If you’re inspired a bit of the old-fashioned when it comes to naming your future child, baby naming website Nameberry drew up a list of names that all featured within the top 500 most popular back in 1918 - just over 100 years ago - but which haven't featured in any of the top 1,000 names in recent decades. These, Nameberry predicts, are likely to becoming increasingly selected by parents keen to call their children something unique.

You won't spot any Olivias or Olivers in this list...