Vintage Baby Names: 10 Girls' Names Ready For A Comeback

10 Vintage Girls' Names Ready For A Comeback
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Vintage baby names are all the rage at the moment, so we've delved into the history books to find popular baby names from 1914 and picked the ones we think are in need of a comeback.

Back in 1914, all of the names below were in the top 100 for baby girls in the UK.

Some will still be familiar as perennially popular choices - Elizabeth, Rose and Emily, for instance - while others, like Elsie and Florence, were once seen as outdated but have already begun their return to popularity.

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Some names may never emerge from the obscurity they've fallen into (sorry Winifred!), but others are just begging to be dusted off and brought back to prominence. Choose one of these for a baby girl, and we reckon you'll be ahead of the curve.

1. Beryl

Given to only three babies last year, Beryl is one of the jewel names which first became popular in the late 19th century. Varieties of the precious stone include emerald and aquamarine as well as the traditional red beryl. Novelist Beryl Bainbridge and iconic artist Beryl Cook are among famous bearers.

2. Josephine

Although 'Jo' can still be heard as a shortening of Joanna or Joanne, the name Josephine has largely fallen out of favour - only 187 girls were called it in 2013 - but we think it deserves to make a comeback. After all, Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women remains a popular classic, so why not the name of its spirited heroine?

3. Audrey

Banish all thoughts of Coronation Street's Audrey Roberts from your mind, and focus instead on the timeless elegance and sophistication of Audrey Hepburn. Still an icon to girls and women today, the actress' sense of style, charm and devotion to charity work make her a worthy namesake. In fact, the US is already taking notice - Audrey is now among the top 50 girls' names stateside.

4. Sylvia

From a Latin root meaning woods, Sylvia has a delicious snaking sound to it which indeed calls to mind a forest of whispering trees. Although only 42 girls were named Sylvia last year, it could easily sit alongside the likes of Amelia, Olivia and Sophia, all of which made the top 20 last year.

5. Martha

Long-ignored, Martha is now steadily marching its way back up the baby name list. In 1996, it was languishing at 214th, but last year it had risen to 73rd most popular name choice for girls in the UK. Biblical in origin, it means 'lady' and was famously borne by Martha Washington, the original First Lady of the USA.

6. Nora

For vintage glamour, one need look no further than Nora Charles, the cocktail-quaffing heiress who solved mysteries alongside her husband in Dashiell Hammett's 1934 novel The Thin Man and the subsequent film series (in which she was immortalised by Myrna Loy). A snappy, no-nonsense name which retains a feminine ring, this is the perfect candidate for a revival.

7. Clara

Clara Bow, nicknamed 'The It Girl' for her indefinable on-screen charisma, made a splash with 1920s audiences for her scandalous portrayals of feisty 'modern women' in films like The Wild Party and Ladies of the Mob. What better choice, then, for a 21st century baby name? Derived from the Latin word for 'clear' or 'bright', Clara comes from the same name family as Clare/Claire and the Italian name Chiara.

8. Lillian

Lily is riding high in the name popularity stakes at the moment, and this elongated French version of Lily makes for a nice twist on the current trend. Namesakes include fiery left-wing playwright Lillian Hellman and silent movie icon Lillian Gish.

9. Mabel

Mabel has an irresistible 'sassy telephone operator' ring to it, even if most of the Mabels around these days are more likely to be queuing for their giro than Charlestoning. Not for long, though - the name has enjoyed a sharp rise in popularity in recent years, so get in while you can. Shorten it to 'Mabes' or 'Mabey' for a more contemporary feel.

10. Esther

One of the Jewish heroines of the Old Testament, Esther - which comes from the Persian for star - was a popular name choice back in 1914, but was given to only 329 girls last year. Combining the regal dignity of its biblical namesake with a unique sound which eschews the usual feminine name endings like 'a' and 'ia', Esther is a great compromise between tradition and innovation.

Celebs' traditional name choices
Gloria Ray(01 of22)
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Parents: Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter SarsgaardWhy? Both Maggie and Peter are very classic names, and while the pair chose the slightly unusual Romona for their first daughter, it was traditional Gloria that made the cut for their second daughter. British singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor also chose Ray for her third baby...a boy! (credit:PA)
Faith Michelle(02 of22)
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Parents: Michelle Heaton and Hugh HanelyFormer Liberty-X singer Michelle gave birth to her first baby in January, and chose Faith Michelle for her new arrival. Faith means loyalty and Belief, and of course Michelle was after the little lady's very proud mum! (credit:PA)
Pearl (03 of22)
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Parents: Jack Osbourne and Lisa StellyJack and Lisa made Ozzy and Sharon first time grandparents when they welcomed baby Pearl in April. The beautiful name is a nice traditional moniker for the new arrival, much like her dad's and aunties, Kelly and Amy, Ozzy and Sharon's other children. (credit:Rex)
Mabel(04 of22)
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Parents: Bruce Willis and Emma Heming-WillisBruce and second wife Emma chose the very traditional Mabel for their first baby together. The little girl's full name is Mabel Ray Willis, which has a lovely ring to it, don't you think? Mabel is Bruce's fourth daughter - he has three other girls with ex, Demi Moore. (credit:PA)
Arthur(05 of22)
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Parents: Claudia Winkleman and Kris ThykierTV Presenter Claudia welcomed her third baby in July last year, choosing the very traditional name Arthur. He joined older siblings, Jake and Matilda. Announcing Arthur’s arrival, Claudia tweeted to say she was considering nicknames for her son. (credit:PA)
Tabitha(06 of22)
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Parents: Hugh Grant and Tinglan HongHugh had been keeping tight-lipped on his surprise daughter's name (and pretty much everything ahout her actually), but he let slip he and Tingland Hong have named her Tabitha in an interview with the Guardian. We like, do you? (credit:PA)
Harry and Belle(07 of22)
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Parents: Holly Willoughby and Dan BaldwinTV girl Holly chose Harry for her first baby back in 2009, but came under fire when she announced the name of her daughter, Belle in 2011. While a beautiful name, Twitter was awash of Babybel cheese jokes, and the presenter even rang into a TV show when Leigh Francis and Chris Moyles started making fun of her slightly cheesy name choice! (credit:PA)
Arthur(08 of22)
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Parents: Selma Blair and Jason Bleick.The second celebrity to choose Arthur this year, American actress Selma welcomed Arthur after going a ridiculous three weeks overdue. She then tweeted a very cute shot of the little man, snuggled up with his dad. (credit:PA)
Iris(09 of22)
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Parents: Jude Law and Sadie FrostJude and Sadie have three children together, Rafferty, Rudy, and the beautifully named Iris. In Greek mythology Iris was the goddess of the rainbow, so hopefully she provided a ray of hope through her dad’s messy relationship dramas… (credit:PA)
Hazel Patricia and Phinnaeus - Finn- Walter(10 of22)
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Parents: Julia Roberts and Danny ModerA-lister Julia chose two very striking names for her twins in 2004, and another traditional choice for her youngest son, Henry Daniel. Explaining the choice for the twins, Hazel and Finn, Julia said she liked the old-fashioned theme of both choices: "Hazel is an old-fashioned name, and she’s a strong, perfect Hazel. With Phinnaeus, my husband wanted to name him Finn, which I quite liked, but it seemed like a nickname…So I said we had to have a proper name, and then we can call him Finn." (credit:PA)
Ella Rose(11 of22)
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Parents: Jenni Falconer and James MidgleyTV presenter Jenni’s first pregnancy was played out in front of the cameras while she covered Holly Willoughby’s maternity leave on This Morning. When she gave birth in September 2011, she chose the very beautiful Ella Rose for her new arrival. (credit:PA)
Archie and Harry(12 of22)
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Parents: Danielle Lloyd and Jamie O'HaraWAG Danielle and footballer Jamie chose two very traditional names for their sons, Archie and Harry James. Proud dad Jamie has football boots with both names emblazoned in bright orange to remind him of his gorgeous boys (and their gorgeous names). (credit:PA)
Violet(13 of22)
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Parents: Jennifer Garner and Ben AffleckJen and Ben chose Violet Anne for their first baby. They had had enough of the traditional route by the time their second daughter was born in 2009 though, choosing the slightly more unusual Seraphina for her. Baby name experts say their choices have seen both names rocket in popularity in America. Do you like them? (credit:PA)
Marnie Rose(14 of22)
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Parents: Lily Allen and Sam CooperJust after Marnie's birth, friends were speculating she had been named after Hitchcock's 1964 thriller, Marnie. Rose is also Lily's middle name. (credit:PA)
Ethel Mary(15 of22)
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Parents: Lily Allen and Sam CooperAfter keeping mum on her baby name choice, Lily Allen’s moniker for her new little lady was finally revealed by her mum Alison on Facebook. Although very traditional, Ethel is such an unusual name, that there have only been three babies born in Britain in the last year with the name! (credit:pa)
Polly(16 of22)
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Parents: Kym Marsh and Jamie LomasCorrie’s Kym has chosen traditional names for all her children. She was a proud young mum to David and Emily and named her new daughter, Polly, when she was born five weeks early in March last year. (credit:PA)
Max(17 of22)
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Parents: James Corden and Julia CareyFunnyman James chose Max for his little boy, but funnily enough didn’t pass on the family tradition of giving boys the middle name, Kimberly, which James and all his male relatives have! "Literally every man in my family has it - it's a tradition,” explains James. "For ages I pretended it was Karl, but my sister was going out with one of my mates and told him, then he told the whole school. It wasn't great." (credit:PA)
Sophia Ruby(18 of22)
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Parents: Abbey Clancy and Peter CrouchFootballer Peter and model and WAG Abbey welcomed their first baby, Sophia in March last year. Announcing the news, the couple’s spokesperson said: "They chose Sophia Ruby because they just loved the names," which is good enough for us! (credit:PA)
Eric(19 of22)
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Parents: Simon Cowell and Lauren SilvermanLike many of the traditional names chosen by celebs, Eric is a tribute to a family member - in this case, Simon's late father, who died in 1999. Cowell has previously referred to his dad as a 'brilliant mentor'. (credit:Dave Lee via Getty Images)
Winston(20 of22)
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Parents: Idris Elba and Naiyana GarthThe Luther star chose the old-fashioned name Winston for his first son as a tribute to his late father, who moved to Britain from Sierra Leone in the 70s. (credit:Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Theodora Rose(21 of22)
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Parents: Robbie Williams and wife AydeRobbie was a few years ahead of the retro baby-naming trend when he called his first-born Theodora Rose. In fact, the crooner had to deny rumours that she was named after burly US president Theodore Roosevelt."She's called Theodora just because me and the wife loved the traditional name," he clarified. (credit:AP)
Wilbur(22 of22)
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Parents: Kate Silverton and Mike HeronBBC newsreader Kate and her husband Mike welcomed a second child, Wilbur, in July this year. It is believed to be a tribute to South African novelist Wilbur Smith. (credit:Dominic Lipinski/PA Archive)