10 Old Fashioned Boy Names that are Still in Favor

Boys

There is an old saying that everything goes into style and out of style only to come back into fashion again at some point; something about everything old will once again be new. That’s why so many of us have closets filled with fashions we know we will never wear again – and haven’t worn in decades – because we just know the moment we get rid of it, it’s coming back in fashion. The same is true about names for little boys. Little boys are so wonderful, and now that I finally have one of my own I can say that with absolutely certainty. Their names are so much fun to discuss when coming up with them.

Right now, some of the most popular little boy names are old names made new again. They’re what my grandmother calls old-fashioned and lovely names that should never have been placed on the backburner for more ‘trendy’ names that no one can pronounce (love her). As the mother of four, I can assure you my husband and I are very old-fashioned in the naming department, and our little boy and his twin sister are no exception; Carter and Charlotte are old-fashioned names much like the ones on this list for little boys that are back in favor, but Carter didn’t quite make the cut this time. Maybe next year.

Max

This is the name of my late grandfather, and it’s a wonderful name. More and more parents have been choosing this name for their children in the past few years than ever before. In fact, even Christina Aguilera, famed songstress and reality television star, have chosen this name for their little boys. Even more so, it’s also become a bit of a girl’s name. Watch the Real Housewives of Orange County and you will hear Heather DuBrow refer to one of her daughters as Max, and Jessica Simpson named her little girl Maxwell. It’s a lovely name for both genders.

Henry

Simple, sweet and very elegant. It’s such a boy’s name, isn’t it? This name is one that was in style for many years, dropped off the top 10 list for a while and recently began making its comeback. It’s a name that makes you think of someone sweet, someone successful and a boy who is going to grow up to be a man’s man, and that might be why it’s so popular for new parents to choose for their little boys these days.

Oliver

One of the names we feel is most old fashioned on this list, Oliver is coming back in style in a big way. Many people have taken to using this name when naming their boy/girl twins as it works so well with Olivia. As a boy/girl twin mom who belongs to a lot of twin groups on social media, I notice that the Oliver/Olivia combination is very common for many parents. And if they didn’t end up ultimately choosing it, it was on their list of prospects.

Jack

We love the name Jacks. It’s the perfect name for a little boy because it’s so sweet and so cute. And it’s the perfect name for a grown man because it’s simple, masculine and sweet. It’s the name that works throughout life, not making you think of anything or anyone in particular, such as a man like this or a little boy like that. It’s a very old-fashioned name that’s become much more popular in recent years, and we can see why; it’s such a lovely name.

Eli

Biblical in nature, the name Eli is one of the names growing fastest in terms of popularity. A decade ago you would not find anyone by the name, but today it seems every other little boy is an Eli. I can think of three off the top of my head all younger than 5. This sweet name is one that is easy to use, easy to spell and it’s going to make teachers and parent’s jobs that much simpler when it comes to teaching little boys how to write their names.

Charlie

Charlie is a name that kind of makes you think about the chocolate factory, does it not? It’s an old-fashioned name making a big comeback, but it’s not our favorite. It does make us think of the famous movie about a boy and his golden ticket. It’s also a name that many people use because it’s a family name, or short for Charles. It’s also a nickname for a little girl, Charlotte; though I readily admit we do not call our daughter Charlie or any other shortened version of her name.

Owen

Do we believe that maybe, just maybe, Grey’s Anatomy had a little something to do with this one? Owen Hunt is the lovable Chief of Staff at the hospital in the hit series, and the name  has seemingly caught on a bit more since his introduction to the cast not long after Yang was left at the altar by that even doctor who broke her heart and then eventually stole her away from the entire show. Not that anyone is bitter about that, of course. We are simply stating this name seems popular since Owen became a character on the show.

Noah

Noah is another very biblical name that has made a huge comeback. Even more so than Eli, this is a name that’s everywhere. Just in the matter of two seconds, I can think of at least 5 Noah’s that belong to children my kids’ know or that belong to my friends or acquaintances. The name is sweet and kind, it’s very adorable, and it’s one that makes you think of someone wonderful. We like to think this name came back into style after The Notebook was released a few years back.

Everett

If this name doesn’t sound absolutely manly, I don’t know what does. Everett sounds strong and masculine, but also intelligent. It sounds like the kind of name a wealthy family would provide to their son in hopes that one day he would grow up to become a Senator, the CEO of the family business or even the President. He also sounds like the kind of guy you will find in the great outdoors enjoying sports and being outside as often as possible.

Jacob

Did Jacob ever really go out of style? According to many factual articles, yes, according to where I live, no. Either way, this lovely name is perfect for a little boy. You can call him Jacob or Jake, and it’s the kind of name that fits well with a man of significant success or a little boy swinging a bat at a tee-ball game. There are few names this good for little boys, and it’s one reason so many new parents choose to use it.

Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

Comments

Leave a Reply

Loading…

0