A List of Trendy Old Fashioned Names

  1. Darling
    • Eadie
      • Ebba
        • Origin:

          English or German
        • Meaning:

          "fortress of riches, or strength of a boar"
        • Description:

          Ebba, the feminine version of Eberhard and also a form of an old English name, is in the Swedish Top 10 but virtually unknown in the US. However, with the rise of Emma, Ella, Ada, and similar simple-yet-traditional names, Ebba may enjoy more widespread popularity.
      • Echo
        • Origin:

          Greek mythology name
        • Meaning:

          "echo or sound"
        • Description:

          Echo, the pretty, resonant name of a legendary nymph, was the heroine of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series Dollhouse. Nick Hexum, of the band 311, named his daughter Echo Love.
      • Eda
        • Origin:

          English, Turkish
        • Meaning:

          "wealthy, well-mannered"
        • Description:

          An medieval English diminutive of Edith, which could make an unusual addition to simple vintage revivals like Eva, Ada and Ida. In Turkish, it means "well mannered".
      • Eden
        • Origin:

          Hebrew
        • Meaning:

          "place of pleasure, delight"
        • Description:

          This Biblical name was rising dramatically for boys, but has plateaued in recent years. Although it's more popular for girls, it's a delightful unisex choice. Eden is one of the Top 100 Boy Names in France.
      • Eden
        • Origin:

          Hebrew
        • Meaning:

          "place of pleasure, delight"
        • Description:

          Eden is an attractive, serene name with obvious intimations of Paradise, one of several place names drawn from the Bible by the Puritans in the seventeenth century.
      • Edie
        • Origin:

          English, diminutive of Edith
        • Meaning:

          "prosperous in war"
        • Description:

          Edie is part of the Evie-Ellie et al family of cute and friendly short forms that sometimes stand on its own. Briefly popular in the 1960s, it could well be due for rediscovery. It's already a fashionable choice in the UK, where it has ranked just outside the Top 100 for several years.
      • Edith
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "prosperous in war"
        • Description:

          Edith was a hugely popular name a hundred years ago that's being revived among stylish parents in Stockholm and London. It's currently beginning to gain traction in the US among those with a taste for old-fashioned names with a soft but strong image.
      • Edmund
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "fortunate protector"
        • Description:

          The sophisticated Edmund and its nearly-identical French twin Edmond are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name.
      • Edna
        • Origin:

          Hebrew
        • Meaning:

          "rejuvenation, delight"
        • Description:

          Edna is one of those names that, until what it seemed like a few minutes ago, felt so terminally frumpy that no one could imagine a parent choosing it for an innocent modern baby girl. But with the great upswing in names honoring ancestral family members, several of them being other four-letter, e-ending names, we wouldn't be so sure.
      • Edric
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "wealthy ruler"
        • Description:

          Formerly in style limbo, Edric has recently started to see more use by parents. It could be because it sounds medieval yet accessible - which George R. R. Martin took advantage of for several characters - or because it's an offbeat alternative to the more popular Ed-names.
      • Edwin
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "wealthy friend"
        • Description:

          Some might be surprised to learn that Edwin has been a consistent presence on the popular names list since statistics have become available.
      • Effete
        • Effie
          • Origin:

            English diminutive of Euphemia, Greek
          • Meaning:

            "pleasant speech"
          • Description:

            Effie is the old-fashioned short form for Euphemia. It shares a vintage charm with Hattie and Letty although is much rarer than either. Effie is a character in The Hunger Games and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
        • Elaine
          • Origin:

            French and Scottish
          • Meaning:

            "bright, shining light"
          • Description:

            This old Scottish form of Helen has had quite a history, going from appearing as one of the shining heroines of the Arthurian legends, the princess who fell in love with Sir Lancelot and became the mother of Sir Galahad, referred to as 'Elaine the fair' and 'Elaine the lovable', to being the name of the most famous of New York's celebrity restaurants, to being the archetypal New York neurotic on Seinfeld.
        • Elba
          • Origin:

            Place-name
          • Description:

            The site of Napoleon's exile became the great-great-aunt in the purple hat.
        • Elfie
          • Eliette
            • Eliza
              • Origin:

                Hebrew
              • Meaning:

                "pledged to God"
              • Description:

                Eliza is a name with a wonderful combination of streamlined zest and Eliza Doolittle charm and spunk. It's a classic that's popular right now -- but not too popular.