75 "Old Man Names" That Are Popular Again

Trends come and go, especially in the world of parenting. Those parenting trends are always prevalent in the naming game. After all, you are selecting the name for a person to have for the rest of their life! While there is no guarantee your boy's name will stay in vogue, some old-fashioned boy baby names are coming back in style.

Consider Albert, for example, which has a princely ring to it, or maybe you’re more into a quirky name like Otis made famous in recent years by several athletes. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you may fancy something like Percy, George, or Ronald, three of the six Weasley boy names, all old-fashioned and in this case, all very British!

You may not hear some of these old-fashioned baby names much anymore, so why not be a trendsetter? Many of these are English names and given the popularity of shows like Downton Abbey and now Bridgerton, we will likely see a resurgence of old-fashioned British names.

“Old man” names that we once associated with our grandpas are a hit again! Maybe you’re considering one of these for a middle name to honor a family namesake, or perhaps you’re just down with these posh-sounding male names; either way, we have a list of 75 “old man” names you may want to consider for your boy to be.

Related: 75 Badass Names for Boys for Your Little Rebel

Even if your baby boy’s name is not a popular name, choosing one from this list of retro names is sure to give him a one-of-a-kind start in life.

There were so many great names out there it was hard to par down our list to only 75 old-fashioned boy names, but we feel this list is full of classic names sure to inspire anyone looking for a solid vintage name.

“Old Man” Names for Baby Boys

1. Albert - German, "noble and bright." The name of Queen Victoria’s famous love match husband.
2. Alexander - Greek, "defender of mankind." A political name for Alexander the Great and Alexander Hamilton.
3. Alfred - English, "elf of wise counsel", a common nickname is Alfie.
4. Ambrose - Greek, "immortal."
5. Amos - Hebrew, "burdened or troubled", "to carry", "born of God."
6. Archie - German, "bold", "commonly short for Archibald but can be a stand-alone name."
7. Arthur - Celtic, "noble", "bear." Famous for being the great king in the legend of King Arthur.
8. Basil - Greek, "royal", "king."
9. Beau - French, "handsome."
10. Byron - English, "at the byres or the barn."
11. Calvin - Latin, "bald", "hairless", associated with lucky number 7.
12. Cecil - English, "blind."
13. Charles - English, "free man."
14. Chester - English, "fortress."
15. Clifford - English, "lives by the ford in the cliff."
16. Clyde - Scottish, "the river of Clyde in Scotland.
17. Conrad - German, "brave", "bold ruler or counsel."
18. Cornelius - Latin, "horn."
19. Cyrus - Persian, "sun", name of the founder of the Persian empire.
20. David - Hebrew, "beloved", may become popular again due to the popularity of the show Schitt’s Creek.
21. Desmond - Irish, a middle easter kingdom in Ireland, "one from south Munster."
22. Duane - Scandanavian, "dark", "swarthy."
23. Dwight - German, "white", or "blonde." Presidential for U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower.
24. Edgar - English, "successful spearman."
25. Edmund - Old English, "protector", "prosperity", "riches."
26. Edwin - English, "prosperous friend."
27. Elmer - English, "noble", "renowned."
28. Emmet - English - universal", also spelled Emmit.
29. Ernest - English/German", "earnest", "resolute", "serious", "a battle to the death."
30. Esteban - Spanish, "a form of Stephen", "wreath", "crown", "honor", "fame."
31. Ewan - Scottish, "born of the yew tree", "Star Wars fans may like this one because of Ewan McGregor.
32. Francis - French, "free", religious association with Pope Francis.
33. Franklin - English, "free landholder."
34. Frederick - German, "peaceful ruler."
35. George - Greek, "farmer." Same name as Kate and William’s firstborn Prince George and the first American President George Washington.
36. Gideon - Hebrew, "having a stump for a hand." Old Testament name.
37. Gordon - Scottish, "great hill."
38. Grady - Irish, "a descendant of nobility."
39. Graham - English/Scottish, "grand homestead."
40. Harold - Scandanavian, "army ruler", Harry is a common nickname.
41. Harvey - German, "warrior", "soldier", "battle-worthy."
42. Horace - Latin, "man of time."
43. Hugh - English, "mind", "instinct", "intellect."
44. Issac - Hebrew, "laughter", "he who laughs", religious Old Testament name.
45. Lawrence - Latin, "from the Roman city Laurentum."
46. Leonard - German, "lion-hearted."
47. Llyod - Welsh, "gray."
48. Louis - French/German, "a renowned warrior."
49. Marshall - English, "caretaker of horses."
50. Max - Latin, "greatest."
51. Milton - English, "from a mill town."
52. Mortimer - English, "still sea."
53. Murray - Gaelic, "from the region of Moray in Scotland."
54. Norman - English, "northerner", "Norseman."
55. Oliver - Latin, "olive tree."
56. Orson - Latin, "bear cub."
57. Oscar - Irish, "divine speaker."
58. Otis - German, "wealthy", "son of Otto."
59. Percy - French, "piercing the valley."
60. Philip - Greek, "lover of horses."
61. Phineas - Hebrew, "Nubian", a part of Egypt. Nickname Phinn.
62. Quentin - Latin, "fifth."
63. Ralph - English, "wolf counsel."
64. Raymond - German, "wise protector."
65. Rueben - Hebrew, "behold a son."
66. Roland - English/German, advisor to the ruler."
67. Rudy - German, "famous wolf", short for the name Rudolph.
68. Sebastian - Greek, "venerable", "from the ancient city of Sebastia."
69. Sidney - English, "from the stony field", variations also used as a girl’s name.
70. Silas - Latin, "forest", "woods."
71. Stanley - Old English, "stony meadow."
72. Theodore - Greek, "divine gift."
73. Vernon - English, "alder tree."
74. Wallace - Old French, "means Welshman."
75. Wilbur - Old German, "wild boar", "resolute", "brilliant."

What Are Old-Fashioned Man’s Names?

Old-fashioned man's names often evoke a sense of strength, tradition, and timelessness. Such names, commonly associated with generations past, include Alfred, Walter, Clarence, and Arthur. These names carry with them the legacy and the stories of those who bore them in earlier centuries, presenting a vintage charm that is being rediscovered by many parents today.

What Are the Most Popular Old Man Names?

The most popular old man names have seen a resurgence in recent years, as contemporary parents are drawn to names with deep roots and classic appeal. Names like George, Henry, Edward, and Frederick are not only timeless but also carry an air of nobility and strength. These names, once common among older generations, are now being given to boys to carry forward a sense of heritage and continuity.

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