Overview
Plenty of Old English names for men and young boys remain a popular choice in modern times, as shown in their regular appearance on the Top 10 baby names posted by the SSA (Social Security Administration) in the US. (1)
For example, William, Oliver, James, Theodore, and Henry were in the US’s top 10 baby boy names in 2021. (1)
English boy names can be a safe, traditional choice for your baby so that they don’t have to worry about spelling out their name or explaining the meaning behind it (as they might with exotic and international choices) when they’re older.
We’ve prepared this list of the 440+ most popular names for boys, with retro choices from Old English names plus some related names in other languages.
The Most Common & Popular OId English Names For Men
Some of the most common Old English names, including variants of names from other languages:
1. Albert
- Origin: Old English and German name
- Meaning: Bright and noble
- Description: Related to the Germanic name “Adalbert”
2. Alden
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Warrior name that means “wise protector”
3. Alfred
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Wise counselor” or “elf counsel”
- Description: Famous namesakes include Alfred the Great, the king of the Anglo-Saxons
4. Alvin
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Noble friend
5. Archie
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Bold,” “brave,” or “genuine”
6. Arthur
- Origin: Old English and Celtic
- Meaning: Powerful name that means “strong as a bear” (“artos” means “bear”)
- Description: It’s the name of the mythical King Arthur (of the Celtic legend “Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table”)
7. Ashley
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Nature name meaning “ash tree”
8. Aubrey
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Elf counsel
9. Baldwin
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Bold friend
10. Benedict
- Origin: Old English and Latin
- Meaning: “Brave friend” or “blessing”
11. Benjamin
- Origin: Old English and Hebrew
- Meaning: Biblical boy name that means “the son of my right hand”
- Description: Pet names include “Benny,” “Ben,” “Benj,” and “Benji”
12. Bernard
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: “Strong as a bear” (“bern” means bear)
- Description: Nicknames can include “Bernie” or “Bern”
13. Blake
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Nonbinary name that means “fair-haired”
14. Bob
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Bright and famous
- Description: Standalone first name or a nickname for longer names like “Robert”
15. Bradley
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Country boy name meaning “broad meadow”
16. Brian
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Someone who is from a high and noble birth
17. Cameron
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Gender-neutral name that means “bent nose”
- Description: Surprisingly, despite its meaning, this name is a favorite choice by many parents; famous namesakes include Cameron Diaz
18. Carter
- Origin: Old and Middle English
- Meaning: Occupational name meaning “cart driver”
19. Cecil
- Origin: Old English name of Latin and Old Welsh origin
- Meaning: “Sixth” or “blind”
- Description: Relates to the Roman name “Caecilius”
20. Chad
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Warlike
21. Chance
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Blessed by fortune
22. Channing
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Knowing
23. Charles
- Origin: German and Old English baby name
- Meaning: Free man
- Description: Derived from the German boy name “Karl”; popular namesakes include King Charles of England
24. Charlie
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Free man
- Description: Standalone old-fashioned boy name that can also be a nickname for “Charles”
25. Christopher
- Origin: Old English and Greek boy name
- Meaning: “One who is a Christ-bearer” or “one who holds Christ in his heart”
- Description: Comes from the Greek name “Christóforos”; nicknames include “Chris”
26. Clifford
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “The steep edge of a ford” or “ford by a cliff”
- Description: Nicknames include “Cliff”
27. Clinton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: A town near a hill
28. Cyril
- Origin: Old English and Greek name
- Meaning: “Masterful” and “lordly”
- Description: Popular saint name
29. Darwin
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Beloved friend
30. David
- Origin: Old English and Hebrew
- Meaning: “Beloved” or “dearly loved”
- Description: Biblical name after King David, Israel’s second king who killed the fearsome giant Goliath when he was younger
31. Douglas
- Origin: Old English, Gaelic, Scottish, and Irish name
- Meaning: “Dark river” or “dark glass”
32. Dwight
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Fair one
33. Earl
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Nobleman
- Description: Also a title for royalty
34. Edgar
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Prosperous spear” or “fortunate and powerful”
- Description: Another form of the Old English name “Eadgar”
35. Edmund
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Successful defender,” “wealthy protector,” or “protector of riches”
- Description: Nicknames can include “Eddie” and “Ed”
36. Edward
- Origin: Old English and Anglo-Saxon
- Meaning: “Guardian of prosperity” or “wealthy guardian”
- Description: Relates to the Anglo-Saxon name “Éadweard”
37. Edwin
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Prosperous friend,” “wealthy friend,” or “rich in friendship”
- Description: Several Anglo-Saxon kings had this name
38. Elmer
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Famous noble
39. Elton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Country boy name meaning “from the old town”
- Description: Famous namesakes include singer Elton John
40. Emerson
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Emery’s son
41. Eric
- Origin: Old English, German, and Old Norse
- Meaning: Eternal ruler
- Description: Famous namesakes include singer Eric Clapton
42. Ernest
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: “Determined” or “serious”
- Description: Comes from the Germanic word “ernst”
43. Francis
- Origin: Old English and Latin
- Meaning: “Free man” or “Frenchman”
- Description: Can be spelled as “Frances” if used as a girl name
44. Frank
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Free man
- Description: Famous namesakes include Frank Sinatra
45. Frederick
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: Peaceful ruler
- Description: Nicknames include “Freddie” and “Fred”
46. Garry
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Bold spear
47. George
- Origin: Old English and Greek
- Meaning: Farmer
- Description: Country boy name; famous namesakes include George Clooney, England’s Prince George, George Michael, and England’s patron saint
48. Gilbert
- Origin: Old English, Norman French, and German
- Meaning: Bright pledge
49. Hamilton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the flat-topped hill
50. Harley
- Origin: OId English
- Meaning: From the clearing of the army
51. Harold
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Ruler of an army” or “army commander”
- Description: Another form of the Old English name “Hereweald”
52. Harry
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Rules his household” or “army commander”
- Description: Standalone first name or a nickname for “Harold” and other longer names; famous namesakes include magician Harry Houdini and English singer-songwriter Harry Styles
53. Henry
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: House ruler
- Description: Relates to the German name “Haimirich”; famous namesakes include British actor Henry Cavill
54. Herbert
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: “Famous within the army” or “bright army”
55. Hugh
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: “Intelligent” or “bright in mind and spirit”
- Description: Famous namesakes include Hugh Grant and Hugh Jackman
56. Jack
- Origin: Old and Middle English
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Description: Relates to the biblical boy name “John”; popular even in the Middle Ages to modern times, including in baby books or stories like “Jack and the Beanstalk”
57. James
- Origin: Old English, Greek, Latin, and Hebrew name
- Meaning: James’ name meaning “supplanter” or “one who replaces”
- Description: Derived from “Jacob” (English form of the Hebrew name “Ya’aqov”) or “Jacomus” (Latin)
58. Jefferson
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Son of Jeffrey
- Description: A variant of “Geoffrey”
59. John
- Origin: Old English and Hebrew name
- Meaning: “Gift of God” or “God is gracious”
- Description: Biblical name
60. Johnson
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Son of John
- Description: Can also be used as a middle name for boys
61. Joseph
- Origin: Old English and Hebrew
- Meaning: God will multiply
- Description: Retro name from the Bible
62. Kent
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Bright white,” “border,” or “coast”
63. Leo
- Origin: Old English, German, and Latin
- Meaning: “Lion” or “brave people”
- Description: Nature name that can also be a powerful choice for your baby
64. Leonard
- Origin: Old English, Norman French, and German
- Meaning: Bold lion
65. Leslie
- Origin: Old English and Celtic unisex name
- Meaning: “Holly garden” or “from the gray fortress”
- Description: Can also be spelled as “Lesley”
66. Lincoln
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Home by the pond
67. Madison
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Good son
- Description: Country boy name
68. Morgan
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Sea-born
- Description: Gender-neutral name
69. Nelson
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Son of a champion
70. Norman
- Origin: Old English name
- Meaning: “Northerner” or “man from the north”
71. Oliver
- Origin: Medieval English, Latin, and Old French
- Meaning: Olive tree planter
- Description: Comes from the Latin name “Olivarius”; nicknames include “Ollie”
72. Oscar
- Origin: Old English and Gaelic
- Meaning: Spear of the gods
73. Parker
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Cultivated land” or an occupational name meaning “keeper of the park”
74. Percival
- Origin: Old English and French boy name
- Meaning: Warrior name meaning “pierces the valley”
- Description: Among the legendary King Arthur’s knights of the round table; nicknames include “Percy”
75. Perry
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the pear tree
76. Presley
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the clearing of the priest
77. Ralph
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Wise counsel” or “wolf”
78. Ramsey
- Origin: Old English origin
- Meaning: From the island of the rams
79. Randall
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: A person from the village edge or border area
80. Reginald
- Origin: Old English name
- Meaning: “Ruler,” “strong,” or “counselor”
- Description: Royal name
81. Richard
- Origin: Old English, Norman French, and Old German
- Meaning: Strong ruler
- Description: Famous namesakes include actors Richard Gere and Richard Lewis
82. Robert
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Famous” and “bright”
- Description: Nicknames include “Bobby,” “Rob,” and “Bob”; famous namesakes include Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Pattinson
83. Samuel
- Origin: Old English and Hebrew name
- Meaning: “God has heard” or “asked of God”
- Description: Biblical boy name for the prophet and judge (leader) in the Old Testament; other famous namesakes include singer Sam Smith and actor Samuel L Jackson
84. Scott
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From Scotland
- Description: Namesakes include the fictional character Scott Lang (Ant-Man)
85. Shaw
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the wood
86. Sheldon
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the shelter of the hill
- Description: Country boy name
87. Spencer
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Keeper” or dispenser”
88. Stanley
- Origin: Old English name
- Meaning: “Lives by the stony grove” or “from the rocky meadow”
89. Theodore
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Description: Nicknames include “Teddy” and “Ted”
90. Thomas
- Origin: Old English, Aramaic, and Hebrew name
- Meaning: Twin
- Description: Twin name for boys
91. Todd
- Origin: Old and Middle English
- Meaning: Fox
- Description: Nature name
92. Townsend
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the end of town
93. Tucker
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: Occupational name meaning “cloth softener” or “cloth weaver”
- Description: Relates to the German name “Tucher”
94. Wade
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Crosser of the river
- Description: Also a surname (e.g., Dwyane Wade)
95. Waldo
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: “Powerful ruler” or “famous bearer”
96. Walter
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: Powerful ruler
- Description: Nicknames can include “Walt” (e.g., Walt Disney)
97. Wayne
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Occupational name meaning “wagon maker”
- Description: Also a last name (e.g., fictional character Bruce Wayne or Batman)
98. Wesley
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the clearing in the west
- Description: Famous namesakes include American actor Wesley Snipes
99. Wilfred
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: Desire peace
100. William
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Resolute protector
- Description: Nicknames include “Billy” and “Will”; famous namesakes include Prince William (the Duke of Cambridge and England’s crown prince)
101. Wright
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Occupational name meaning “carpenter” or “craftsman”
What Are Old-Fashioned & Victorian-Era English Names?
1. Abbott
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Father” or “priest”
2. Adney
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the island of the nobleman
3. Aldwin
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Old friend” or “wise counselor”
4. Almer
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Noble
5. Averill
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Boar warrior
- Description: Warrior name
6. Bentley
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the clearing overgrown with bent grass
7. Bertie
- Origin: Old English and Old German name
- Meaning: Bright
- Description: Comes from the Old German word “beraht,” which means “bright”
8. Bertram
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: Bright raven
9. Charlton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the farm of free peasants
10. Dayton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the sunny town
11. Egbert
- Origin: Old English and Anglo-Saxon
- Meaning: Bright edge
12. Everard
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: Hardy and brave
13. Everett
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Brave and strong bear
14. Geoffrey
- Origin: Old English and Norman French
- Meaning: God’s peace
- Description: Can also be spelled as “Jeffrey”
15. Harper
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Occupational name meaning “harpist” (one who plays the harp) or “minstrel”
16. Horace
- Origin: Old English and Latin
- Meaning: “Time keeper” or “man of time”
- Description: Relates to the Latin name “Horatius”
17. Hubert
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: “Intelligent” or “right”
18. Lawrence
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Bright and shining one” or “the man from Laurentium (an ancient city)”
- Description: Relates to the Latin name “Laurentius”
19. Maurice
- Origin: Old English, Latin, and French name
- Meaning: One from Mauritania (an African country)
- Description: Famous namesakes include Maurice, the father of Disney princess Belle in “Beauty and the Beast”
20. Newton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the new farm
21. Nyle
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Island
22. Peter
- Origin: Old English and Greek
- Meaning: Stone or rock
- Description: Derived from the Greek name “Petros”; also a biblical name for the apostle Simon, renamed Simon Peter, who became the rock of Christianity and the keeper of the keys of heaven’s gates, as appointed by Jesus
23. Philip
- Origin: Old English and Greek
- Meaning: “Fond of horses” or “friend of horses”
- Description: Royal name relating to the Greek name “Philippos”; famous namesakes include Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh
24. Radford
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the ford covered in reeds
25. Raleigh
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the clearing of the roe deer
26. Willard
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Strong desire
- Description: Nicknames can also include “Will”
What Are Classic British Names?
1. Addison
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Adam’s son
- Description: Also a baby girl name
2. Afton
- Origin: Old English, Swedish, and Scottish
- Meaning: “From the Afton river,” “evening,” or “afternoon”
3. Alan
- Origin: Old English, Celtic, and Welsh
- Meaning: Handsome
- Description: Relates to the Welsh name “Alun”; also spelled as “Allan”
4. Alcott
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “The old cottage” or “from the oak cottage”
5. Andrew
- Origin: Old English, Hebrew, and Greek
- Meaning: “Strong,” “brave,” and “manly”
- Description: Comes from the Greek name “Andreas”; also a biblical boy name after one of Jesus’ 12 disciples
6. Archibald
- Origin: Old English, Old German, and Scottish
- Meaning: “Strong” and “bold”
- Description: Nicknames can include “Archie”
7. Arnold
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: Eagle power
- Description: Powerful name
8. Audrey
- Origin: Old English and Anglo-Norman
- Meaning: Noble strength
9. Brandon
- Origin: Old English, Celtic, Scandinavian, Old Welsh, and Irish boy name
- Meaning: “Beacon hill” and “prince or king”
- Description: Relates to the Old Welsh name “Brân” or the Irish given name “Breandán”
10. Clarence
- Origin: Old English and Latin
- Meaning: Bright
11. Colin
- Origin: Old English and Gaelic
- Meaning: Young creature
- Description: Variants include “Collin”
12. Cuthbert
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Bright and famous
13. Daniel
- Origin: Old English and Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my judge
- Description: Biblical boy name for the prayerful man who survived being thrown into the lion’s den after God sent angels to protect him
14. Edric
- Origin: Old English and Anglo-Saxon
- Meaning: Rich and powerful
15. Ellery
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the alder tree
16. Gerald
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Rules with a spear
- Description: Nicknames can include “Gerry”
17. Godwin
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: God’s friend
18. Gordon
- Origin: Old English and Scottish
- Meaning: “Great hill” or “from the marshes”
- Description: Famous namesakes include chef Gordon Ramsay and Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot
19. Grayson
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Son of Gary
- Description: Can also be a middle name for boys
20. Howard
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Army guard
- Description: Variant of the Old English name “Hereward”
21. King
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Ruler
22. Lewis
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Renowned fighter
- Description: Famous namesakes include prolific author Lewis Carroll
23. Louis
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Renowned warrior
- Description: Warrior name; famous namesakes include Prince Louis, the youngest son of Prince William and Kate Middleton
24. Mark
- Origin: Old English and Latin
- Meaning: Of Mars (the Roman god of war)
- Description: Popular biblical name; other famous namesakes include actor Mark Wahlberg and author Mark Twain
25. Martin
- Origin: Old English and Latin
- Meaning: Warrior of Mars (the Roman god of war)
- Description: Alternative spellings include “Martyn”
26. Matthew
- Origin: Old English and Hebrew
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Description: Biblical name for one of Jesus’ 12 disciples and the author of the first gospel, The Book of Mark, in the New Testament
27. Michael
- Origin: Old English and Hebrew
- Meaning: “Gift of God” or “who is like God?”
- Description: Biblical and angel name
28. Morris
- Origin: Old English, French, and Latin
- Meaning: One from Mauritania
- Description: Also a last name
29. Owen
- Origin: Old English and Welsh
- Meaning: Young warrior
- Description: Alternative spellings include “Owain” and “Owyn”
30. Patrick
- Origin: Old English and Irish name
- Meaning: Nobleman
- Description: Latin name Patricius
31. Raymond
- Origin: English, Norman French, and German boy name
- Meaning: “Guards wisely” or “wise protector”
- Description: Nicknames include “Ray” (also a nonbinary name)
32. Roland
- Origin: Old English and Old German
- Meaning: “Famous or renowned throughout the land”
33. Ronald
- Origin: Old English and Norse
- Meaning: Powerful ruler
- Description: Nicknames can include “Ron” (also a standalone given name); famous namesakes include the fictional character Ronald Weasley in the “Harry Potter” series
34. Stephen
- Origin: Old English and Greek boy name
- Meaning: “Wreath” or “crown”
- Description: Comes from the Greek name “Stephanos”; can also be spelled as “Steven”
35. Tom
- Origin: English, Aramaic, and Hebrew
- Meaning: Twin
- Description: Derived from “Thomas”
36. Victor
- Origin: Old English, Greek, and Latin
- Meaning: “Conqueror” or “victor”
- Description: Also spelled “Vittorio” as an Italian boy name
What Are Medieval Names For Men?
1. Aeldra
- Origin: Old English and Anglo-Saxon
- Meaning: “Noble” or “lives at the elder tree”
2. Aldred
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Wise counselor
3. Alexander
- Origin: Old English and Greek
- Meaning: Defender of men
- Description: Variants include the nonbinary name “Alex,” Alessandro (Italian name), Alejandro (Spanish and Hispanic name), and Aleksander (Czech or Polish)
4. Alger
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Elf spear
5. Alston
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Country boy name meaning “from the noble’s town”
6. Bronson
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Son of Brown
7. Claude
- Origin: French name
- Meaning: “Limping” or “lame”
- Description: Even with this meaning, it’s a popular name; some famous namesakes include Claude Monet and actor Jean Claude Van Damme
8. Dickinson
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Powerful, rich ruler
- Description: Can also work as a middle name for boys
9. Dunstan
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Dark stone
10. Eldred
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Old counsel
11. Elliot
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Noble battle
12. Hadley
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Country name meaning “heath covered meadow”
Rare & Unique Old English Names For Boys
1. Alford
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the old ford
2. Bond
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Tiller of the soil
3. Booth
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: “Hut” or “cottage”
4. Carling
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the hill where the old women gather
5. Eardley
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the clearing by the home
6. Gladstone
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Kite-shaped stone
7. Manton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the hero’s village
8. Ogden
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the valley of oak trees
9. Orton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the town by the sea
Country-Themed Old English Names For Boys
1. Ackerley
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the clearing of oak trees
2. Acton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Town in the oak trees
3. Aldis
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the old house
4. Bancroft
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Bean field
5. Barclay
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Birth meadow
6. Barden
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the valley of barley
7. Calvert
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Country boy name meaning “one who is a shepherd or cowboy”
8. Devon
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Deep valley dwellers
9. Garrett
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Warrior name meaning “brave spearman”
10. Garson
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Son of the spear
11. Marlow
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the hillside lake
12. Milton
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the mill by the farm
13. Morten
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the farm by the moor
14. Remington
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From a town near the border
Nature-Inspired Old English Names For Boys
1. Aiken
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Made of oak
2. Ainsley
- Origin: Old English and Scottish
- Meaning: Unisex place name meaning “hermitage and clearing”
3. Alder
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the alder tree
4. Farley
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the clearing of the bull
5. Lionel
- Origin: Old English and Latin
- Meaning: Young lion
6. Morley
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the clearing by the moor
7. Wallabee
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: A twist to the nature name “Wallaby” (an Australian animal)
Old-Timey Names For Your Little Man
What Are Vintage Names?
1. Adamson
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Son of Adam
2. Dane
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From Denmark
3. Everild
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Slayer
4. Fairfax
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Blond-haired
5. Flint
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Name of the stone
- Description: Name that relates to fire
6. Ford
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: River crossing
7. Jesse
- Origin: Old English and Hebrew
- Meaning: Gift
- Description: Biblical boy name for King David’s father
8. Rockley
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the rocky clearing
9. Romney
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the broad river
10. Rudyard
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: From the red enclosure
11. Rylan
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Dweller in the rye field
What Are Fancy Male Names?
1. Ainsworth
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Ann’s estate
2. Alec
- Origin: Old English, Greek, and Scottish
- Meaning: Defender of mankind
- Description: A standalone given name or nickname for longer names like “Alexander”
3. Baxter
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Occupational name meaning “baker”
4. Blade
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Glory
5. Dennis
- Origin: Old English and Greek
- Meaning: Follower of Dionysus (Greek god of wine)
6. Erling
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: The firstborn son of the earl
- Description: A royal name
7. Evan
- Origin: Old English and Welsh
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Description: Gender-neutral name
8. Hector
- Origin: Old English and Greek
- Meaning: Holding fast
- Description: Also spelled as “Hektor”
9. Joss
- Origin: Old English and German
- Meaning: “The merry one” or “little Goth”
What Are Good Names For An Old Man?
1. Aldrich
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Old
2. Alfie
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Wise counsel
3. Algernon
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Wearing a mustache
4. Anthony
- Origin: Old English and Latin
- Meaning: “Highly praiseworthy” and “priceless one”
- Description: Variants include “Antoni,” “Antoin,” “Anton,” and “Antonio” (Italian or Spanish)
5. Bud
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Herald
- Description: Can also be a pet name or a shortened form of the endearment “buddy”
6. Rudd
- Origin: Old English
- Meaning: Red-faced
Old English Names For Boys From A To Z
Old English Names For Boys Starting With A
- Aegen
- Aegenbald
- Almer
- Alton
- Alwyn
Old English Names For Boys Starting With B
- Beowulf
- Buford
- Byron
Old English Names For Boys Starting With C
- Chesney
- Clayborne
- Cobham
- Craven
- Creighton
Old English Names For Boys Starting With D
- Dalton
- Darell
- Darnell
- Dee
- Delvin
- Derwin
- Doane
- Donald
- Draper
Old English Names For Boys Starting With E
- Eaton
- Eberhard
- Eldridge
- Elford
- Elgar
- Emmet
- Erland
- Errett
- Ethelbert
- Etheldred
Old English Names For Boys Starting With F
- Farren
- Faxon
- Floyd
- Fred
- Fridolf
Old English Names For Boys Starting With G
- Garfield
- Garrard
- Garrick
- Garton
- Ghislain
- Goddard
- Goodwin
- Graydon
- Greeley
- Grimshaw
- Grimsley
- Guildford
Old English Names For Boys Starting With H
- Hadden
- Hadwin
- Halford
- Hardred
- Harford
- Hartman
- Harvey
- Hereward
- Hernley
- Hilton
- Holt
- Hooper
- Horatius
Old English Names For Boys Starting With I
- Inglebert
- Ingram
- Irwin
Old English Names For Boys Starting With J
- Jagger
- Jarvis
Old English Names For Boys Starting With K
- Kenneth
- Keyon
- Kinsey
- Kirkwell
- Knightley
- Knox
Old English Names For Boys Starting With L
- Landon
- Lawson
- Leighton
- Linden
- Lockhart
- Lynwood
Old English Names For Boys Starting With M
- Maitland
- Malden
- Marden
- Marvell
- Melbourne
- Meldon
- Melrose
- Melvin
- Merritt
Old English Names For Boys Starting With N
- Naylor
- Nesbit
- Norton
- Norvin
- Norward
- Norwood
Old English Names For Boys Starting With O
- Oakley
- Osbert
- Osmond
- Oswald
- Oxford
Old English Names For Boys Starting With P
- Palmer
- Parry
- Patterson
- Patton
- Pelham
- Pendleton
- Penley
- Peyton
- Powell
- Prescott
Old English Names For Boys Starting With Q
- Quiller
- Quinton
Old English Names For Boys Starting With R
- Radney
- Radnor
- Ranald
- Rand
- Ransford
- Ransley
- Raoul
- Raven
- Ravenel
- Redman
- Ripley
Old English Names For Boys Starting With S
- Sandon
- Saxon
- Seabert
- Seaton
- Seger
- Selwyn
- Seton
- Sheridan
- Sherman
- Sidney
- Sinjon
- Somerset
- Stafford
- Stanford
- Sunna
Old English Names For Boys Starting With T
- Tate
- Taylor
- Teon
- Thane
- Thorndike
- Tilford
- Tillman
- Trevin
- Truman
Old English Names For Boys Starting With U
- Udell
- Udolf
- Ulric
- Upshaw
Old English Names For Boys Starting With V
- Vance
- Varden
- Vernon
- Viggo
- Vinton
Old English Names For Boys Starting With W
- Wainwright
- Wakefield
- Wallis
- Walton
- Waverly
- Weldon
- Weston
- Winfred
- Winston
- Woodrow
- Wyman
- Wymer
- Wystan
Old English Names For Boys Starting With X
- Xadrian
- Xander
- Xavier
- Xhaiden
Old English Names For Boys Starting With Y
- Yardley
- Yorick
Old English Names For Boys Starting With Z
- Zachary
- Zane
- Zechariah
Bonus List 1: Old English Names For Girls
- Cordelia
- Edythe
- Ermengarde
- Etheldreda
- Harriet
Bonus List 2: Some Vintage Boy Names From Around The World
Some old man names to consider from languages across the globe:
- Abraham (Hebrew)
- Adonis (Greek)
- Augustus (Latin)
- Bruno (Old German)
- Cyrus (Persian)
- Ermias (Ethiopian)
- Fletcher (English, Scottish, and Irish boy name)
You can also find ideas from the top 15 baby name generators or from the list of baby names 2023.
A History: How Old English Names Came To Be
Scandinavian and German languages influenced many Old English names because of the invaders that conquered England. These names later evolved to include Norman-French.
REFERENCES
(1) https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
