If you're looking for something classic yet cool, old man names for babies will be the perfect fit. The only trouble is finding one that isn't already insanely popular.
According to Laura Wattenberg, creator of Namerology, boys names didn’t historically come in and out of fashion in the same way that girls names have.
“If you look back at any given period, it’s going to be John, William and James,” she tells TODAY.com of the most popular boy names.
The Social Security Administration list of top baby names confirms it.
The top names for boys in the early 20th century included John, William, James, George, Robert and Richard.
But parents set on reviving a so-called “old man name” should take heart — there are still plenty of interesting, old-fashioned choices that feel fresh and modern.
“Names today are all about sound,” Wattenberg explains. “It’s a very smooth, light and vowel-driven sound. That’s why you see so many Amelias and Olivias and so few Gertrudes and Mildreds.”
In 2021, the name Mac rose 260 spots in popularity and Harold, Carol and Arthur all secured top-100 ranking.
Wattenberg, author of the “Baby Name Wizard,” notes that while names with "smooth, light and vowel-driven sounds" are more popular these days, some parents aren't opposed to big groups of voiced consonants.
“Those heavier names stand out more today,” she says. “For instance, Conrad will stand out in a sea of names rhyming with Aiden.”
Wattenberg says one option for old man names is to choose one that's tied to a historical figure, such as Woodrow, after former President Woodrow Wilson, who served from 1913 to 1921. Or research your own family tree for unexpected gems.
Whether you are inspired by classic names for boys or simply want to revive a vintage name, here are 105 old man names to consider for your son:
- Albert
- Alfred
- Alvin
- Amos
- August
- Archibald
- Arthur
- Barney
- Beau
- Bartholomew
- Bernard
- Bertram
- Buck
- Calvin
- Cecil
- Chester
- Clifford
- Clyde
- Conrad
- Cyril
- Clarence
- Cyrus
- Desmond
- Duane
- Dwight
- Edmund
- Edwin
- Edward
- Edgar
- Ernest
- Earl
- Ferdinand
- Floyd
- Franklin
- Frederick
- Gerald
- Gideon
- Grover
- Graham
- Gilbert
- Gus
- George
- Grady
- Hardy
- Harlan
- Herman
- Harold
- Harris
- Horace
- Herschel
- Irving
- Ira
- Jules
- Lionel
- Lloyd
- Louis
- Luther
- Marshall
- Marvin
- Martin
- Morris
- Maurice
- Melvin
- Milton
- Ned
- Nelson
- Norman
- Orson
- Orville
- Otis
- Oscar
- Otto
- Palmer
- Percy
- Perry
- Prescott
- Quincy
- Ralph
- Rufus
- Roderick
- Roland
- Roy
- Rudy
- Rupert
- Rutherford
- Silas
- Stanley
- Stanton
- Seymour
- Saul
- Sylvester
- Theodore
- Thomas
- Vernon
- Victor
- Virgil
- Wallace
- Walton
- Wendell
- Ward
- Warren
- Wyatt
- Wilbur
- Winfield
- Woodrow
