Pioneer Baby Names

If you didn’t already know it, we’re in the midst of a baby name pioneer revival. Many of the names we adore today, such as Ella, Chloe, Owen and Noah, can be found in the top names from the 1880s. These perfectly antique names were once adored in the Victorian era, but slipped out of nurseries in the 20th century. The result are lovely, darling names that are ripe for rediscovery, as they all sound like a breath of fresh air in modern times.

It's a fascinating period of our history, when America was expanding west and average people were faced with make-or-break-it survival. The western frontier has been much romanticized over the years, from the wild west movies made in the ‘50s, to the charming TV series of the ‘70s, Little House on the Prairie. The stories of the early settlers will always inspire us, and for now, so do these names.

Girls Abigail Ada Addie Adelaide Amelia Annie Augusta Ava Belle Callie Caroline Celia Charlotte Chloe Cora Dovie Eliza Ella Emma Eva Flora Georgia Grace Hannah Harriet Hattie Helena Ivy Julia Lillie Lottie Lucy Lula Lydia Mabel Maggie Mollie, Molly Nellie Nora Olivia Sadie Sophia Susie Viola Willa Winnie

Boys Abraham Amos August Bartholomew Caleb Charles Clarence Cyrus Eli, Elijah, Elisha Elias Emmett Everett Ezekiel Ezra Frederick Gideon Gus Guy Henry Hezekiah Hugh Ike Ira Isaiah Issac Jasper Jesse Jonas Julius Levi Lewis Lucian Mack Noah Oliver Oscar Otto Owen Roy Samuel Silas Theodore Turner Ulysses Walter Wiley

If you love these names, but are looking for something a little more jazzy, try my list of Vintage Baby Names full of spirited choices perfect for flappers and fellas!