What is a traditional baby name? More than anything, it is one which has stood the test of time. That makes it quite different from a name that is simply an old-fashioned revival. It is a name that has enjoyed recurring popularity over the centuries – that’s what makes it traditional. The boys’ name Chester, or the girls’ name Bertha, for example, were both quite popular around 1900, but they don’t have the track record of usage that makes them “traditional.” Rather, they could be considered “old-fashioned revivals” if chosen today.

Compare Chester and Bertha to Henry and Elizabeth. These two names have been used by Kings and Queens of England and other countries, and they are still immensely popular today. That’s traditional! While our list of traditional baby names represents our own subjective choices, favoring names that we think will appeal to today’s parents, each boys’ and girls’ name on the list has been chosen, time and again, over countless years. They are classic and dignified, and have been trusted by parents over time. We know that you can trust them also.

Traditional Baby Names