Vintage is a hard term to pin down. The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives four definitions including: "used to describe something that is not new but that is valued because of its good condition, attractive design, etc." Vintage names, in this instance, are, for me, like a lovely object found in a charity shop. It looks just like all the items of its kind currently in fashion, but has the added bonus of being somewhat more unique, and has a story of ownership behind it. Therefore a 'vintage' name is an old-time moniker that looks and feels like those in fashion, but isn't nearly as popular. Back in the 70s Leah and Joshua were Vintage names of their day. Having fallen out of fashion by the turn of the century, they were decidely "old" sounding by the 1950s. A few decades later they started to look fresh again and hit the Top 100 by the 1980s, where they remain still.
Last week I described 'Funky-Clunky' names as being like the family silver -- rather heavy but dignified. Not the type of thing you get from your local supermarket. Vintage names are more akin to a second-hand 1960s shift dress that looks remarkably like ones your friends have bought on the highstreet, but this is one-of-a-kind!
My distinction between 'Funky-Clunky' and 'Vintage' is a little bit subjective, and indeed some of the names on the previous list had me deliberating at length. You may feel that some names on the Funky-Clunky list belong on here, and vice versa. What the 'Vintage' choices below do have, that the Funky-Clunkies do not, is either growing popularity (generally within the 150-500 range) giving them much more fashionable edge; a very similar sound to current top 30 favourites, and an overall more lighter feel.
Albert Alfred Alistair Angus Anton Arlo Asher Atticus Barnaby Barney Benedict Casper Conrad Douglas Eddie Edmund Elias Elijah Enzo Everett Ezra Fabian Felix Fletcher |
Francis Frank Fraser Hector Hugh Hugo Isaiah Ivan Jasper Jesse Jonah Jonas Jonty Josiah Julian Kit Laurence / Lawrence Leland Lenny Lincoln Lloyd Malachi Maxim Maximilian |
Maxwell Miles Milo Montgomery Monty Ned Niall Otto Ralph Reggie Rex Robin Ronnie Rudy Rufus Rupert Sidney Ted Theodore Victor Vincent Vinnie Wilbur Wilfred |
Ada Adele April Angelina Annie Arabella Beatrix Belle Betsy Bonnie Clara Claudia Clementine Constance Connie Cora Delilah Edie Edith Elsa Emmeline Esther Evangeline Felicity |
Fleur Flora Genevieve Georgina Hazel Hermione Honor Iris Ivy Jemima Josephine Kitty Lena Leona Lilia Lillian Lois Lottie Louisa Louise Mabel Maggie May Minnie |
Miriam Nancy Nell Ottilie Pearl Penelope Penny Philippa Pippa Polly Rosa Rosemary Roxanne Roxy Sadie Stella Sylvia Sylvie Tabitha Thea Vanessa Verity Vivienne Willa |