Cottagecore Baby Names Turn Back the Clock

Updated Tue Sep 03 2024

Cottagecore Baby Names Turn Back the Clock

Cottagecore baby names are part of a recent aesthetic trend defined by an appreciation for romanticized rural life, according to The New York Times. Hobbies such as bread baking, embroidery, and mushroom foraging are among the wholesome, nostalgic elements of the cottagecore lifestyle.

Cottagecore names, too, evoke this bucolic way of life. These vintage names with soft sounds and calming auras easily fit in with the lace-trimmed aesthetics of cottagecore.

If it feels like a name out of Little Women or Pride & Prejudice, or that of a 19th-century child living in the countryside, there’s a good chance it’s a cottagecore baby name. Below, a selection of the most fashionable choices right now, as well as a quiz to discover your cottagecore name.

Cottagecore Names for Girls

Clover

The cottagecore lifestyle embraces simple, natural living. Clover speaks to the latter with its botanical connection.

Eliza

Spunky and smart, traditional and charming, Eliza embodies the cottagecore aesthetic to a tee. Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice, often called Eliza, is a cottagecore icon.

Faye

A twee, old-fashioned name meaning “fairy,” Faye is practically perfect for a cottagecore girl. Flower fairies are a common cottagecore interest.

Flora

The ethereal, vintage name Flora is making a comeback that mirrors the rise of the cottagecore trend. Panbotanical in nature, Flora suggests flower fields, gardens, and sunkissed meadows.

Harriet/Hattie

The combination of Harriet and Hattie is ideal for cottagecore name and nickname, capturing seriousness and sweetness in one. Hattie is most common as an independent name, but can also be used as a short form of Henrietta.

Jane

In its relative plainness, Jane resonates with the uncomplicated, fuss-free virtues of cottagecore. Jane feels fresh and ready for revival after years of being under the radar.

Maisie

Gentle and pure Maisie would feel right at home as the name of someone living a pastoral cottagecore life. Margaret, the traditional full form of Maisie, feels a bit more buttoned-up, but still appropriately cottagecore.

Matilda

The name of a cottagecore hero, Roald Dahl’s Matilda. Plus, Matilda comes with a variety of cottagecore-approved nicknames — Maude, Tilly, and Tilda.

Nellie

Cottagecore harks back to the turn of the century, during which Nellie was a Top 100 name. Parents have recently rediscovered Nellie for their daughters, and shorter form Nell is on the rise as well.

Opal

Opal is undergoing a revival along with many other gem-related names. If you’re worried that it’s too grandma-ish, well, that’s part of the cottagecore appeal.

Rosemary

Rosemary is the sort of plant a cottagecore-devotee grows in their backyard garden, and it’s also a perfect cottagecore baby name. Other herb names with a cottagecore vibe include Laurel and Rue.

Winifred

Slightly offbeat and very endearing, much like the archetypical cottagecore woman. Sweet nickname option Winnie is on the rise in the US.

Cottagecore Names for Boys

Ambrose

A grandpa name on the rise, Ambrose checks all the cottagecore baby name boxes: traditional, old-fashioned, mellow, and unworldly. In fact, it means "immortal."

Amias

The soft sounds of Amias — a recent vintage hit — are sure to appeal to the cottagecore parent. It entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2019.

Asher

Among biblical baby names, Asher is the best suited for cottagecore. As a bonus, Asher boasts the nature nickname Ash.

Edmund

The hero of any historical novel set in England or the ultimate cottagecore name for a boy? Spoiler alert: it’s both. Edmund is a Jane Austen character as well as one of the protagonists of The Chronicles of Narnia series.

Harvey

We thought Harvey might have been done in by the hurricane and scandals of 2017, yet it’s on the rebound. It must be that cottagecore charm.

Jack

Cottagecore is about going back to basics, and the recent rise of short and simple Jack reflects the sentiment. For the first time in 2019, Jack surpassed parent name John in popularity.

Jasper

Jasper is one of the few gemstone names used mostly for boys. It is masculine yet subdued — an ideal combination for the son of a cottagecore parent. The Dutch variation, Casper, has a similar aesthetic.

Linus

Linus’s wholesome image — much due to the blanket-toting Peanuts character — places it among our favorite cottagecore names for boys. It is Greek in origin but has pan-European style.

Lyle

Understated and bookish Lyle has a certain serenity so coveted by the cottagecore community. It is solid yet nonaggressive — qualities that speak to the essence of cottagecore.

Miles

Slightly sensitive and exceedingly handsome, it’s easy to picture a cottagecore Miles writing letters by candlelight and reading books of poetry beneath the shade of a tree. Its gentle spirit makes it the preferred cottagecore choice over quirkier brother Milo.

Silas

Silas means “forest,” which happens to be one of the idyllic backdrops cottagecore esteems. Other woodsy boy names to consider include Sylvan and Forest.

Theodore

Theodore is one of the gentlest traditional names for boys, helped along by nonaggressive nicknames Theo and Teddy. However, it’s the more classical full form that speaks most to the cottagecore aesthetic.

More Cottagecore Girl Names

More Cottagecore Boy Names

So which one of these is your cottagecore name? Take our quiz to find out!

About the Author

Sophie Kihm

Sophie Kihm's Personal Website

Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names, Gen Z names, and cottagecore baby names. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest.

Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People, Today, The Huffington Post, and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at sophie@nameberry.com. Sophie lives in Chicago.

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