This 'Old Lady' Baby Name Looks Set To Make A Comeback In 2024

We would never have predicted this.
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A whole host of vintage names are making a comeback as parents look for unique monikers for their little ones. 

But one baby name in particular that experts think is set for a resurgence in 2024 is admittedly not something we had on our radar...

According to a report from Good To Know, which looked at data from BabyCenter, the name Nellie (sometimes spelled Nelly) has been steadily creeping up the popularity ranks since 2022, moving up 117 places. 

It has ties to other names like Ellen, Eleanor and Helen, according to the site, and can also be shortened to Nell. 

Nelly stems from the Latin name Cornelia and means “horn” or “sun ray”, according to The Bump.

It was most popular in the late 1800s but is being picked up again by parents seeking a more vintage vibe when naming their newborns. 

While it’s admittedly not flying in popularity – for example, it doesn’t rank in the top 100 names in the US or UK – BabyCenter predicts it’s due a revival, alongside other retro-chic classics like Annabel, Bonnie and Elsie.

The name is steadily rising in popularity in the US. According to Social Security data, it ranked at #742 in 2021 and rose to #663 in 2022.

Nellie is also one of the top girl names in Sweden, according to Nameberry. 

If the name doesn’t float your boat, similar monikers include Millie, Winnie, Lottie, Minnie, Nancy and Polly.

Earlier this year, BabyNames.com founder Jennifer Moss said the trend for old-school names isn’t going anywhere, as people are researching their ancestry online and “finding these cool names that sound fresh because they haven’t been heard for so long”.

What’s more, the baby names expert told Today.com that period dramas such as Bridgerton and Downton Abbey are likely behind the rise in parents choosing olden day names for their little ones.

Thinking of opting for a classic name for your new arrival? Here are 38 vintage girls’ names to try:

  1. Ada
  2. Adelaide
  3. Agatha
  4. Beatrice
  5. Betty
  6. Celia
  7. Cordelia
  8. Dorothy
  9. Edna
  10. Edith
  11. Eleanor
  12. Elsie
  13. Evelyn
  14. Estelle
  15. Etta
  16. Flora
  17. Florence
  18. Frances
  19. Henrietta
  20. Irene
  21. Ivy
  22. Lois
  23. Mabel
  24. Margaret
  25. Martha
  26. Matilda
  27. Maude
  28. Minnie
  29. Nellie
  30. Olive
  31. Ophelia
  32. Pearl
  33. Penny
  34. Ruby
  35. Sadie
  36. Sylvia
  37. Vera
  38. Winnie
  1. August
  2. Arthur
  3. Archie
  4. Benjamin
  5. Bertie
  6. Bernard
  7. Charles
  8. Earl
  9. Edward
  10. Edwin
  11. Eric
  12. Ezra
  13. Felix
  14. Francis
  15. Frederick
  16. Grant
  17. Hank
  18. Harris
  19. Henry
  20. Hugo
  21. Isaac
  22. Jack
  23. Jasper
  24. James
  25. Leo
  26. Louis
  27. Lucian
  28. Oliver
  29. Otis
  30. Percy
  31. Ralph
  32. Ronald
  33. Roy
  34. Rudolph
  35. Theodore
  36. Vincent
  37. Victor
  38. Walter