By old-timey names, I mean ones that you don’t typically associate with anyone alive or younger than like 70.
Examples being:
- Burl
- Mildred
- Herbert
- Agnes
- Evelyn (not as rare at the others, but getting there)
I’ve always liked the name “Opal” but I’ve only ever known two in my life. I was like 10-12 at the time, and they were both pushing 90.
I find Mildred an ugly name, sounds like it means Mildew but worse. Like the most dreadful mildew.
Opal I think is pretty, that’s a good name. As you say you like minerals, Ruby not bad either, my mom had an aunt Ruby Jack, born around 1920.
I did know a baby Eugenia, her parents were Costa Rican and pronounced it closer to Elu-henia than Eyu-henia or you-geenya. I think that one is prettier in Spanish but not bad in English.
Gertrude…who goes by Gertie
Ira
Ebenezer, or Eben for short
Neez
Archimedes
A lot of people these days seem to think that “Adolf” should come back.
I am not one of those people.
Agnes, Agatha, Germaine and Jack.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_(given_name)
I know a few Jacks (and a Jaques and 2 Jacobs) and, according to that wiki page, my experience is typical.
I saw Jack, and I thought that’s pretty common, then realized I’ve never met a single Jack.
I also hope somewhere in the world there’s a gay couple named Jack and Dick.
Ruth. You rarely meet Ruths these days.
My cousin named her daughter Ruth (or maybe it’s her middle name?) but either way they call her Ruthie lol
Everett
True…
Agamemnon
Clytemnestra
Doesn’t get more classic than that
Eustace
I think Millicent and Winnifred would be cute because you can shorten them to Millie and Winnie
I’m fond of “Gwendolyn” but I’ve never met or even known of one, to my knowledge.
Oh! I thought of one, Gwendolyn Christie.
I’ve seen it once, although more recently met a Genevieve which feels even rarer and just as pretty.
I knew a Genevieve in college, and then my son’s best friend in preschool was a Genevieve who went by Jenny (or Geny?) and now my daughter has one in her class, so they’re making a comeback maybe?
I knew a Gwen in college, but it wasn’t short for Gwendolyn. Just “Gwen”.
My best friends kid is named Guinevere, is that archaic enough to fit?
Dutch names.
Truitje Fiep Toos Wies (my grandma) Pleun Fons (my uncle) pronounced Funs in South Limburg
My son is 5 and has all but Fiep and Fons in his class, but there is a Fien. Old fashioned names (or variations) are very popular these days… or five years ago.
A very old-fashioned Flemish name: Veerle. One of the few bad-ass girl names in the Dutch language. It is derived from medieval times, when ‘Veerlen’ were travelling warrior women. I do happen to know several men named Fons, some even younger than me. I even know a man named Wies (his full name is Aloysius).
Veerle is a beautiful name, rolls of the tongue. if I had a daughter I would liked to have her called Veerle. My Grandma is from a respected French family, I am not sure how she got named Wies, she is a descendant from the well known French Moreau family, married a mine worker, so rejected.
Perhaps not as old as requested but
Ronald, Marianne, Cynthia, Evangeline, Melinda, Caesar, Magdalena, Betty, Rosetta, Balthazar, Thadeus, Lazarus, Otto, Bartholomew, Miranda
I went to school with most of the names on that list. Not picking on you, just feeling old. 😆
