Old fashioned names are certainly making a comeback, and it seems that the retro option is bang in fashion! If you need some inspiration, here are 100 old-fashioned English names to call your new baby girl.
A
Abigail – Can be shortened to ‘Abbey’ or ‘Abbie’ and means ‘father of exaltation’ A biblical name
Adele – Has links to France but means ‘feminine one’
Agatha – Means ‘good and honourable’
Agnes – Comes from the word ‘hagnos’ but means ‘good or honourable’
Alexandra – Can be shortened to ‘Alex’ and means ‘warrior’
Alice – Linked to the name ‘Adelaide’ and to the famous character Alice in Wonderland
Alison – Also linked to ‘Alice’ or ‘Adelaide’
Amber – Means the gemstone amber, a precious stone
Amelia – A mixture of ‘Emilia’ and ‘Amalia’ which are of original French origin, before being used in the English language
Anne – A derivative of the name Hanna, from the Hebrew language
Angela – Meaning ‘angelic’, or ‘angel’
Avril – Links to the name April, meaning the month
Ava – Meaning the Saint, St Ava
Audrey – Meaning ‘noble strength’
B
Barbara – Can be shortened to ‘Babs’ and means ‘foreign woman’
Beatrix – Meaning ‘blessed’, but can also mean ‘voyager’
Beryl – A precious stone, or gem
Bess – Comes from the name Elizabeth
Beth – Comes from the name Elizabeth
Bethany – ‘village outside Jerusalem’
Blanche – ‘white hair’ or ‘fair hair’
Bonnie – Meaning attractive or lovely
Bridget – Mainly known now for the Bridget Jones character but also comes from Bridhid
Brenda – ‘flaming sword’
C
Cara – Also linked to Ireland as well as England, but means ‘to be loved’
Carla – The feminine version of the classic male name, Charles
Carol – Comes from the latin ‘Carolus’
Carmel – ‘someone of Christian origins’
Christina – Can be shortened to ‘Chris’ but comes from the male name ‘Christopher’
Chelsea – Meaning ‘harbour’
Charlotte – Also comes from the male name ‘Charles’
D
Daisy – Meaning the flower
Darlene – A derivative of the word ‘darling’
Dawn – ‘daybreak’, or sunrise
Donna – A derivative of the biblical name ‘Madonna’
Dora – Meaning ‘a gift’
Doris – ‘of the sea’
E
Edith – Meaning ‘fortune’ or ‘riches’
Elizabeth – A classic name which can be shortened in many ways. Links to the Royal Family and the Queen
Elsa – A shortened version of ‘Elizabeth’
F
Faith – Meaning ‘belief in God’
Eve – A biblical name, from Adam and Eve
Flora – ‘goddess of flowers’
Fern – the ‘fern plant’
G
Gloria – Meaning ‘glorious’
Guinevere – Has links with King Arthur, and can be shortened to ‘Guin’ or ‘Guinnie’
H
Hilda – ‘to battle’
Heather – Meaning the plant, the ‘heather plant’
Hazel – Linked to the hazel nut
Hayley – Linked to geography and is also a place in Oxfordshire
Holly – A festive name and links to the holly bush
I
Imogen – A name with links to Shakespeare
Hope – Literally also means ‘hope’
Irene – Meaning ‘peace’
Iris – Meaning ‘rainbow’
Ivy – Linked to nature and the ivy plant
J
Jade – A precious stone, gemstone
Jasmine – Can be shortened to ‘Jazz’ in the modern day and is from the flower
Janet – Comes from the name ‘Jane’
Jane – Comes from the male name ‘John’, and is therefore biblical
Joy – Meaning ‘happiness’ or ‘delight’
K
Katherine – Links to the Saint Katherine and can be shortened to ‘Kath’, Kate’, or ‘Kathy’
Kayley – Meaning ‘slender’
L
Leona – Derives from the male name ‘Leon’
Lilly – Links to nature and the Lilly flower
Libby – A shortened version of Elizabeth
M
Mabel – Meaning ‘lovely’ or ‘pleasant’
Margaret – An English version of the French name ‘Marguerite’
Mavis – the thrush bird and has links to nature
Melissa – Meaning ‘bee’ and therefore nature
Melody – ‘musical’
Mirabelle – Meaning ‘beauty’ or ‘love’
Mercy – Meaning ‘forgiveness or compassion’
Mildred – Meaning ‘gentle and strong’
Myrtle – Links to nature and the myrtle plant
N
Nicola – Can be shortened to ‘Nic’ or any spelling of ‘Nicki’, and comes from the male name ‘Nicholas’
O
Olive – Links to nature and the olive plant
Opal – Precious stone, gem stone
P
Pandora – A name which stems from mythology
Patricia – The female version of the male name ‘Patrick’
Paula – The female version of the male name ‘Paul’
Phoebe – Meaning ‘moon goddess’
R
Rachel – A name from the Bible
Regina – Meaning ‘queen’
Rose – Links with nature and the flower
Rosemary – Meaning the rosemary herb and therefore nature
S
Scarlett – Links to the color red
Shirley – Links to geography and a town in England
Summer – Meaning the season and pleasant weather
T
Thelma – Meaning ‘wish’
Tiffany – Meaning ‘epiphany’ or ‘awakening’
Tara – Meaning ‘hill’
V
Valerie – Often shortened to ‘Val’ and means ‘healthy and strong’
Victoria – Meaning ‘victorious’ and can be shortened to ‘Vicky’
Verity – ‘truth’
Violet – Meaning the flower and therefore links to nature
Viola – Again linking to the violet flower
W
Winifred – Often shortened to ‘Winnie’ and means ‘joy and peace’
Willow – Linking to nature and the willow tree
Z
Zoe – Meaning ‘life’, and can be spelled several ways, including ‘Zoey’