Choosing classic baby boy names that have a vintage flair is definitely on trend for 2024. Finding the perfect name for your little man is a big task that will hopefully be made easer with this list of old-fashioned boy names.
Timeless baby names are some that never go out of style. They have stood the test of time, and many parents find themselves choosing vintage baby boy names over the more unique and new-sounding names.
This naming style is so much fun. You may find yourself drawn to more vintage and unique names like Bartholomew or Edmund, or to more common classic boy names like Adam and Matthew.
Old-fashioned boy names are totally adorable. Many have really charming nicknames! You may even wish to look down your family tree and choose a family name for your little one. There are so many cool name possibilities.
Some names, like Henry and David, have always been in style. Others, like Ellis and Winston, are just finding their way back to popularity. Whether you love unique boy names or gravitate towards the more traditional, you’ll be sure to find a cute boy name on this list. You’ll also find the meaning of the name and its origins, as this can also help the name feel more special and fitting to you.
Related: 100+ Forgotten Vintage Girl Names
Timeless and Classic Baby Boy Names
- Abraham – This handsome name means “father of nations” and is of Hebrew origin.
- Adam – A Hebrew name meaning “man” or “red earth”.
- Adrian – Meaning “from Hadria”; of Latin origin.
- Albert – A classic name meaning “noble” or “bright” of German origin. This name is often shortened to nicknames Al or Bert.
- Alexander – Typically shortened to Alex, this name means “defender of mankind” and is of Greek origin.
- Alfred – Meaning “wise counselor” or “elf counsel”; of English origin.
- Ambrose – A rare boy name meaning “immortal” or “divine” and has Greek roots.
- Andrew – A common name of Greek origin meaning “strong and manly”.
- Ansel – meaning “protector” and “with divine protection”, this name is of English and German origins.
- Anthony – Meaning “priceless one”, this name is of Latin origin.
- Archibald – Meaning “genuine and bold” and of Germanic origin, this name has the cute nickname Archie.
- Arthur – A Celtic name meaning “bear” or “stone”. This was one of the most popular boy names in the early 1900s.
- August – Meaning “great” or “venerable”, this up and coming name is of Latin origin.
- Augustus – Meaning “great” or “venerable”, this Latin name is growing in popularity.
- Bartholomew – Meaning “son of Talmai”, this unique name is of Aramaic origin.
- Basil – This Greek name means “royal” or “kinglike” and is a popular choice among parents that like nature names.
- Bellamy – a handsome French name that means “good friend”. This name is a great choice for parents that like gender neutral names.
- Benedict – A great name for your little man, this Latin name means “blessed”.
- Benjamin – This traditional name means “son of the right hand” and is of Hebrew origin.
- Bernard – Meaning “brave bear”, this name comes from German origins.
- Bradley – an English name meaning “broad wood”
- Bruce – a strong English name meaning “thick brush.” This strong classic boy name sounds handsome at any age.
- Bryce – this strong boy name is from Celtic origin and means “strength”
- Caleb – A strong boy name meaning “devotion to God”; of Hebrew origin.
- Carl – A short boy name that means “man” or “free man” and is of Germanic origin.
- Caspar – This unique boy name means “treasurer” and is of Persian origin.
- Cecil – a Welsh name meaning “blind”. Cecil is a great name for those that love old-fashioned names.
- Charles – A strong name that means “free man” and is of Germanic origin. Charles is often shortened to Charlie for a nickname.
- Chester – a Latin name that means “camp of soldiers”.
- Christopher – Meaning “bearer of Christ”, this name is of Greek origin.
- Clarence – Meaning “bright” or “clear”, this name has Latin roots. One of the more rare classic boy names on this list, Clarence has a very masculine sound.
- Clement – Of Latin origins, this uncommon boy name means “gentle”.
- Clifford – Meaning “ford near a cliff”; of English origin.
- Clyde – a Scottish boys’ name meaning “warm” or “friendly”
- Cornelius – This classic boy name has Latin roots and means “horn”.
- Damian – Meaning “to tame” or “subdue”, this traditional boy name is of Greek origin.
- Daniel – Meaning “God is my judge”, this common name is of Hebrew origin.
- David – A timeless boy name that means “beloved”; of Hebrew origin.
- Dennis – Meaning “wild” or “frenzied”, this vintage name is of Greek origin.
- Desmond – an Irish name meaning “from South Munster”.
- Dominic – A Latin name meaning “of the Lord”.
- Earl – this British boy name means “noble warrior”
- Edgar – A timeless name meaning “wealthy spearman”; of English origin.
- Edmund – This royal-sounding name means “wealthy protector” and is of English origin.
- Edward – An English boy name meaning “wealthy guardian”.
- Edwin – An English name that means “wealthy friend”.
- Elias – Of Hebrew origin meaning “the Lord is my God”. This unique baby boy name can be shortened to Eli for a cool nick name.
- Elijah – This classic name means “Yahweh is God” and comes from Hebrew origins. This is a great choice for those that love biblical names.
- Ellis – Meaning “kind, benevolent”, this name has Welsh roots.
- Elmer – Meaning “noble” and “famous”, this is a great choice for parents that love vintage names. Elmer comes from British roots.
- Ernest – This vintage boy name means “serious” or “determined”. It is of German origins.
- Ethan – One of the more popular names on this list, the name Ethan means “strong” or “firm” and is of Hebrew origin.
- Eugene – This old-fashioned boy name means “well-born” or “noble” and is of Greek origin.
- Felix– Means “happy” and is of Latin origin.
- Ferdinand – Meaning “bold voyager” or “brave traveler”, this strong name is of Germanic origin.
- Finnegan – This name means “son of a fair-haired” and is an Irish surname
- Fletcher – Meaning “arrow maker”, this occupational name has British roots.
- Floyd – Of Welsh origin meaning “gray haired”.
- Francis – A classic name means “Frenchman” or “free” and is of Latin origin. Francis is commonly used as a middle name.
- Franklin – An Old English name that means “freeman”. This is a strong classic boy name that has cute nicknames like Frank and Frankie.
- Frederick – Meaning “peaceful ruler”, this timeless name is of Germanic origin.
- Fremont – This name is of French and Old German origins and means “protector of freedom”
- Gabriel – Often shortened to Gabe, this biblical name means “God is my strength” and is of Hebrew origin.
- George – Meaning “farmer” or “earth worker”, this classic name is of Greek origin.
- Gerald – A German name that means “spear warrior”
- Gideon – Of Hebrew origins, this biblical name means “great warrior”
- Gilbert – A German boy name meaning “bright pledge”.
- Gordon – a Scottish name meaning “spacious”
- Grady – means “descendent of the noble”
- Gregory – This name has stood the test of time! Gregory means “watchful” or “vigilant” and is of Greek origin.
- Harold – A strong name meaning “army ruler” of Scandinavian origin.
- Harrison – an English name meaning “son of Harry”. This name has grown in popularity over the recent years in the United States.
- Heath – this name means “a heathland dweller” and has Old English origins.
- Henrik – a German name meaning “ruler of the house”
- Henry – This traditional “old-man name” is rising in popularity in the United States according to the Social Security Administration. Henry means “ruler of the household” and is of Germanic origin.
- Herbert – Meaning “bright army” or “illustrious warrior”; of Germanic origin
- Howard – this vintage name means “guardian, brave heart” and comes from Germany
- Hugh – A short boy name that means “heart” or “mind” and is of Germanic origin.
- Hugo – Meaning “mind” or “intellect”, this name is of Germanic origin.
- Humphrey – of English origins meaning “peaceful warrior”
- Ignatius – This old timey name means “fiery” or “ardent” and is of Latin origin.
- Isaac – This classic baby boy name means “laughter”; of Hebrew origin.
- Isaiah – of Hebrew origin meaning “God is salvation”
- Isidore – A handsome name meaning “gift of Isis”; of Greek origin.
- Ivan – A strong name that means “God is gracious” and is of Slavic origin.
- Jack – One of the more popular names on this list, this English name means “God is gracious”.
- Jacob – Meaning “supplanter” or “holder of the heel”, this timeless biblical name is of Hebrew origin.
- James – Traditionally a male name, this name has started to be used for baby girls, too. This traditional name means “supplanter” and is of Hebrew origin.
- Jeremiah – Meaning “appointed by God”; of Hebrew origin.
- Jerome – A Greek name that means “sacred name” or “holy name”.
- John – This timeless name means “God is gracious” and is of Hebrew origin. It is often a nickname for Jonathan.
- Jonathan – Meaning “gift of God”; of Hebrew origin. Common nicknames include John, Johnny, and Jack.
- Joseph – This Hebrew name has definitely stood the test of time! It means “God will add” and is often shortened to Joe or Joey.
- Joshua – A biblical name that means “God is salvation” and is of Hebrew origin.
- Josiah – of Hebrew origin meaning “God will save”
- Jude – a Hebrew name that means “praise”. This is a great choice for those that love one-syllable names.
- Julian – Meaning “youthful” or “downy”; of Latin origin.
- Julius – Meaning “youthful” or “downy”, this strong name is of Roman origin.
- Kelly – a gender neutral Irish name that means “bright headed”
- Kenneth – Meaning “handsome” or “born of fire”; of Scottish origin.
- Kevin – Meaning “gentle” or “kind”; of Irish origin.
- Kirby – this unisex name means “settlement by a church” and has Norse roots. Kirby is one of the more unique, timeless boy names on this list.
- Kit – often short for Christopher, this name means “pure” and has Old English origins
- Lance – a vintage boy name that means “servant” and has English roots
- Lawrence – a timeless boy name meaning “from Laurentum”; of Latin origin.
- Lee – a British name that means “pasture”.
- Leslie – a great choice for parents that like gender-neutral names, the name Leslie means “holly garden” and is of Scottish origins.
- Leo – a Greek name meaning “lion”
- Leonard – Meaning “brave lion” or “lion-hearted”; of Germanic origin.
- Leroy – a French name meaning “the king”
- Levi – a strong boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “joined in harmony”
- Liam – Meaning “resolute protector”, this common boy name is of Irish origin.
- Lincoln – a name of Old English origin meaning “lake colony”
- Linus – While this may jog memories of Charlie Brown, this name means “flaxen-haired” or “song” and is of Greek origin.
- Louis – a French name that means “famous warrior” and “famous battle”
- Lucas – Meaning “light-giving” or “illumination”; of Latin origin.
- Luke – A variation of Lucas, this name means “light-giving” or “illumination”.
- Mackenzie – a gender neutral name that is of Irish and Scottish origins. It means “son of Kenneth”.
- Marcus – a masculine boy name of Latin origin meaning “hammer”
- Mark – A traditional boy name meaning “warlike” and is of Latin origin.
- Matthew – This classic boy name has biblical connotations and means “gift of Yahweh”. It is of Hebrew origin.
- Maurice – Meaning “dark-skinned” or “Moorish”, this timeless name is of Latin origin.
- Maximilian – Meaning “greatest” or “most excellent” and is of Latin origin.
- Maximus – A Latin name meaning “greatest”.
- Melvin – an Irish name that means “gentle lord”.
- Micah – a Hebrew name meaning “who is like God?” The name Micah is one of my favorite classic boy names.
- Michael – Meaning “who is like God?”; of Hebrew origin.
- Nathaniel – Meaning “gift of God”, this biblical name is of Hebrew origin.
- Nathan– a Hebrew name meaning “he gave”
- Neil – an Irish name meaning “victory”
- Noah – A traditional short name that means “rest” or “comfort” and is of Hebrew origin.
- Norman – This old man name means “man from the north” and comes from Germanic origin.
- Oliver – English, meaning “the olive tree”. This is an excellent choice for parents that love last names as a first name.
- Oscar – this is a great choice for parents that love old-fashioned boy names, Oscar means “God’s spear” and is of Old English origins.
- Otis – of German origin meaning “wealthy”. Otis is a great name for those that love old fashioned boy names.
- Otto – a German name that means “wealth”.
- Patrick – Meaning “noble” or “patrician”, this name is often shortened to Pat and is of Latin origin.
- Paul – Great for parents that love traditional names, the Latin name Paul means “humble”.
- Percival – Unique and vintage, this name means “pierced valley”; of French origin.
- Percy – this old-fashioned boy’s name means “one who pierces the valley” and is of French origin.
- Peter – Peter means “rock” or “stone” and is of Greek origin.
- Philip – This name is popular within royal families! Philip means “lover of horses” and is of Greek origin.
- Quentin – a French name meaning “the fifth”
- Randall – an Old Norse name that means “wolf shield”
- Ralph – a name meaning “courageous counselor” and is of Old Norse origins.
- Raymond – this name means “protecting hands” and is of German origins.
- Reginald – Meaning “counsel power” or “ruler’s advisor” and of Germanic origin, this name is often shortened to Reggie.
- Reiner – an Old Norse name meaning “deciding warrior”
- Remington – Meaning “raven town”; of English origin.
- Richard – a German name that means “strong leader” and “brave ruler”.
- Rocco – an Italian boy name meaning “rest”.
- Roland – Meaning “famous land” or “renowned in the land”; of Germanic origin.
- Rory – this Irish boy name means “red king”
- Roy – a Scottish name meaning “red”
- Rudy – a nickname for Rudolph, this name means “famous wolf” and has German roots
- Rudolph – a German boy name meaning “famous wolf”
- Rupert – Perfect for parents that love classic names, Rupert means “bright fame” and originates from Germany.
- Samuel – Meaning “heard by God”, a common name of Hebrew origin.
- Sebastian – Meaning “venerable” or “revered”; of Greek origin.
- Seth – Hebrew origins meaning “appointed”
- Silas – a Greek and Latin name meaning “forest”
- Solomon – Meaning “peaceful” or “peace”, this old-fashioned name is of Hebrew origin.
- Stanley – An English name meaning “stone clearing” or “stony meadow”.
- Stefan – a German name meaning “crown”.
- Stephen – Meaning “crown” or “garland”, this strong name is of Greek origin.
- Terrence – Often shortened to Terry, this Latin name means “soft” or “tender”.
- Thaddeus – A vintage boy name with a ton of personality, Thaddeus means “heart” or “courageous” and is of Aramaic origin. This unique classic boy name is often shorted to Thad or Tad.
- Thatcher – an occupation name meaning “roof thatcher” and comes from Middle English origins
- Theodore – a powerful Greek boy name meaning “God-given”
- Timothy – A timeless classic, Timothy means “honoring God” and comes from Greek origins.
- Tobias – Meaning “God is good”, this classic name is of Hebrew origin. This is one of those cool boy names making a comeback!
- Victor – Meaning “conqueror” or “victorious”, this name is of Latin origin.
- Vincent – A handsome name that means “conquering” and is of Latin origin.
- Wallace – this name has French roots and means “Welshman”
- Walter – this old fashioned name means “army commander” and is of German descent
- Warren – Meaning “park” or “enclosure”; of English origin.
- Wendell – Meaning “wanderer” or “to go” in Germanic languages; of Germanic origin.
- Wesley – An English name meaning “western meadow”.
- Wilbur – The perfect name for parents that love old man names, Wilbur means “wild boar” and is of Germanic origin.
- Wilfred – Meaning “desires peace”, Wilfred comes from Germanic origin.
- Willard – A strong name that means “strong desire”. Willard is an uncommon Old English boy name.
- William – this classic boy name means “protector” and is of German origins. Short forms of this name include Will, Bill, and Liam.
- Winston – A British boy name that means “joyful stone”.
- Xavier – a Latin name meaning “the new house”
- Zachariah – a Hebrew name meaning “God remembers”
- Zachary– a Hebrew name meaning “God remembers”
- Zeke – of Hebrew origins meaning “God will strengthen”. Zeke is a given name popular among parents that like a more manly name.
Related: 220+ Strong Baby Boy Names For Your Little Dude
Most Rare Classic Boy Names
- Zeke
- Thaddeus
- Willard
- Percy
- Kirby
- Clarence
- Percival
- Cornelius
- Linus
- Fremont
- Archibald
- Ambrose
- Basil
Popular Old-Fashioned Boy Names
- Johnathan
- Benjamin
- Henry
- August
- William
- Walter
- Oliver
- Patrick
- Jacob
- Elijah
- Alexander
- Daniel
- David
- Charles
- Caleb