These Names Might Be Older Than Your Grandparents
Some names appear frequently in history books or old movies, but let’s be honest, these names wouldn't exactly be our first pick for babies today. Whether they make you think of your grandparents or historical figures like Edgar Allan Poe, some are just incredibly outdated! Here are 20 names that will instantly bring you back in time.
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1. Agatha
This Greek name, which means “good” or “honorable, " was most popular in the 1930s. If we’re being honest, it also conjures images of Agatha Trunchbull from Roald Dahl’s Matilda, written in the 1980s. It’s definitely an outdated name.
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2. Albert
Not bad on the surface, but this name was most popular in the 1880s. To emphasize age, you can find it in characters like Albert Ingalls from the 1970s show Little House on the Prairie—which is set in the late 1800s. There’s no denying this name has gotten dusty with time.
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3. Agnes
This Greek name meaning “pure” and “holy” was at the height of its popularity in the 1920s. It maintains old connotations with books like Anne Brontë’s Agnes Grey, which was published in 1847. However, newer references like Agnes Gru in the Despicable Me series brought the name back from history.
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4. Clifford
Though most people have seen references to Clifford the Big Red Dog, this lovable series started in 1963. Unsurprisingly, the name was most popular in the 1950s before the show’s release. While the cartoon is lovable, the name Clifford is still often associated with older generations.
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5. Barbara
We’ve all heard of Barbara Streisand or Barbara-Ann, but this name is more outdated than you think. Meaning “stranger” or “foreigner,” it was most popular in the 1960s. No wonder this name feels so old.
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6. Edgar
This Anglo-Saxon name reached popularity in the 1920s, likely due to the famous American author, Edgar Allan Poe. The name itself means “rich spear,” and though Poe’s writing was certainly as sharp as one, the name feels plucked from another time.
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7. Bertha
Meaning “bright one” or “famous”, Bertha is a German name that gained popularity in the 1880s. This was likely on the tail of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre which was first published in 1847. Even in Brontë’s work, Bertha is the old wife left on the sidelines.
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8. Edmund
Found in Shakespeare’s King Lear, Edmund means “fortunate protector.” Despite its long history, the name only gained popularity over a hundred years ago in the 1910s. Just like that spike in popularity, there’s no doubt that this name belongs to older generations.
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9. Dorothy
Though The Wizard of Oz is still a well-known and frequently adapted book today, it was initially written in 1900. This explains why the name Dorothy first gained traction in the 1900s and continued to grow steadily into the 1940s. Still, this “gift of god” name makes modern society think of stories as old as time.
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10. Ernest
Even if you don’t read classic literature, doesn’t the name Ernest Hemingway sound straight out of a history book? Peaking in the early 1900s, this German name brings to mind old men with walkers. Just as the meaning of the name implies, these men are likely very “serious.”
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11. Ethel
Ethel is an Old English name that will certainly bring you back in time. Despite more modern references in shows like I Love Lucy in the 1950s, this name was most popular in the 1890s. However, with even the age of its popular media reference, there’s no denying Ethel belongs in a long-term care facility.
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12. Eugene
Peaking in popularity back in the 1920s, Eugene translates to “well-born.” The name is so old that even Disney made fun of it in Tangled! We have to agree that Flynn is definitely a more modern, attractive choice.
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13. Eudora
Though the classic show Peanuts has seen a recent revival, a name starring in a 1950s series must be old. Eudora is a Greek name that means “generous gift” and was most popular in the 1890s. Of course, associating the name with Charlie Brown ages it instantly.
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14. Gilbert
This English Saxon name was popular in the 1930s and means “bright pledge.” Even though Leave it to Beaver’s Gilbert Bates was a popular character in the late 1950s, he’s considered ancient history by today’s standards.
15. Florence
Florence Johnston, the maid from The Jeffersons, graced screens in the 1970s, but her name was already past its prime. This Latin name means “flourishing” and “prosperous” and was popular in the 1940s. Now, more than fifty years since the start of The Jeffersons, we think it’s safe to say this name is old.
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16. Herbert
Popular back in the 1920s, Herbert is a German name meaning “warrior” or “shining.” The only time you might hear it now is on Family Guy, where it’s used to portray a dirty old man—we don’t see Herbert making a comeback anytime soon.
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17. Gertrude
Gertrude seems outdated today, but it was once a popular 1900s name! We can technically date this back to Shakespeare’s usage, this time as Hamlet’s mother. Though it means “spear” or “strength”, this spear, unfortunately, couldn’t survive the poison meant for her son, or the poison of time.
18. Reginald
This 1960s English name screams older generation, aligning with its meaning—“counsel power.” Characters like Red Forman, also known as Reginald Albert Forman from That 70s Show (and later That 90s Show) only prove its age. We’d never say that outright because we fear Red’s infamous foot, but you know.
19. Shirley
Your mind may wander to the mocktail but Shirley Temple was once a famous child actor in the mid-1930s. It was actually her groundbreaking career that launched the name to the top of baby name charts. However, it isn’t the ‘30s anymore, and this name is most common now among seniors.
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20. Theodore
Famously associated with President Theodore Roosevelt, this name brings up a sense of age. He served from 1901 to 1909, the time the name first gained popularity. By the 1930s, this ancient Greek name meaning “gift of God” was one of the most sought-after choices.
