Popular baby names from 100 years ago that are on the rise – with some curious entries

A number of popular names from 100 years ago are expected to resurface once more, with a number of lovely, lesser-used names set to make a long-awaited comeback

Many parents-to-be find inspiration from vintage baby name lists, with a number of popular baby names having also been favourites 100 years ago. It’s now expected that other names from this time period could also make a comeback, with some long-neglected classics set to be reintroduced.

The team at baby and nursery retailer Kiddies Kingdom analysed Office of National Statistics (ONS) data to uncover boys’ and girls’ names that ranked among the 100 most popular baby names in the time period between 1904 and 1924. They then looked at how many newborns had been given these names in 2021.

The company also examined last year’s crop of lesser-used ‘old-fashioned’ names, drawing comparisons with the 2020 data to identify any names on the rise that could well soar in popularity once more.

The identified names hadn’t broken the top 100 in 2021 but had seen a popularity hike compared with 2020, making excellent choices for parents looking to pick something a little more unusual.

The girls’ names expected to make a return were found to have all peaked between the years 1904 to 1924. The name Ethel, ranked the thirteenth most popular name back in 1904 is among those primed for a resurgence, despite ranking just 1195 ^th in 2021.

The name Marjorie, which was a widely loved number 13 back in 1924, saw a 133 per cent popularity hike last year, and it’s expected the surge will only continue.

The boys’ names anticipated to return include Herbert, the 21st most popular name back in 1904 which ranked at just 1218th last year. Leonard which took 20th place in 1914 but just 222nd in 2021 has also been tipped for a rise.

The old-fashioned girls’ names expected to make a comeback are:

• Annie
• Ethel
• Hazel
• Marjorie
• Martha
• Millicent
• Nora
• Nellie
• Sylvia
• Vera

The old fashioned boys’ names expected to make a comeback are:

• Basil
• Bernard
• Gilbert
• Herbert
• Leonard
• Percival
• Raymond
• Roland
• Sidney
• Victor

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