20 Forgotten Victorian Names to Put on Your List

 While the Victorian era may evoke puffed sleeves and woolen waistcoats, modern parents in search of perfect names are clamoring for the sought-after “it” names from the mid-to-late 1800s. 

London, by John Atkinson Grimshaw

At the time, across-the-pond trends were common. England was peaceful during Queen Victoria’s reign … a name which spawned an entire era! Meanwhile, America was busy establishing its democracy during a bloody civil war. Americans borrowed elaborate fashions from England, as well as now-classic literature by Dickens, Thackeray and the Brontë sisters. Pioneers and prospectors were moving west in search of fortune, while average people were just trying to eat.

60 Colorful Baby Names for Every Style

Are color names truly a new trend? Not really. Parents have been inspired by the beautiful world around them for a long time. Between the floral names of the Victorian era and the beloved jewel names of the turn of the century, nature’s colors charmed parents quite some time ago.

20 Loveably Frumpy Names from the Good Old Days

Some of today’s most popular names are what we think of as old fashioned: Noah, Emma, Eva, and Henry were all favorites from the late 1800s. It’s in that spirit that some parents have branched out in search of something not just stylishly old, but rare and quirkily vintage. 

20 Masculine Names for Parents Who "Only Like Feminine Names"

I get it. The ultrasound revealed you're expecing a little bundle of boy, and you were thrilled. But underneath the excitement was a tiny voice whispering, "what on earth are we going to name a boy? All my favorites are better for a girl."

Why I Divide Name Lists by Boys and Girls

It's the sometimes-spoken question of the hour: Why all the naming division? After all, dividing names by sex can cause controversy, hurt feelings, and seem like it supports gender stereotyping. 

Those are things I'd rather not do. Yet, I persist. When I'm talking about a big group of names, I usually create two lists, one of boys' names, and one of girls' names. WHY, you ask? (Or, sometimes, it's more like, "WHyyyyyyyyyYYYYYYYyyyy??!")