Are you looking for inspiration for Victorian baby names? Whether you’re looking for unique monikers or more popular choices from the 1800s, we have many options to suit your preferences.
Vintage Victorian baby names are currently experiencing a resurgence in popularity, and for good reason. From soft, feminine names for baby girls to traditional, sturdy, occupation-based names for baby boys, there is something for every taste.
These classic 1800s baby names have withstood the test of time and have proven their lasting appeal. Most of them reached the top baby names per the Social Security Administration.
In This Article
100 Victorian Girl Names and Meanings
Look no further than our collection of Victorian girl names and meanings if you’re seeking a name that exudes tradition, charm, and elegance.
Ada
Ada is a charming German name that has experienced a revival in recent years. Ada Lovelace, the daughter of the poet Lord Byron, was a pioneer in computer programming and is considered to be the first computer programmer in history.
Agatha
Agatha is a timeless Greek name that exudes sophistication and elegance. It has been associated with several prominent women throughout history, including the famous mystery author Agatha Christie.
Agnes
Agnes is a classic name with Greek origins that was popular during the Victorian era. It has been borne by many notable women throughout history, including the renowned American artist Agnes Martin.
Alice
Alice is a timeless Germanic name that has been a perennial favorite for centuries. It has been associated with many accomplished women, including the iconic fictional character Alice in Wonderland.
Amelia
Amelia is a beautiful name of Germanic origin that has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years. It has been associated with many accomplished women, including the trailblazing American aviator Amelia Earhart.
Annabelle
Annabelle is a charming, sophisticated name that has been used for centuries. The name's popularity soared in the late 1800s.
Augusta
Augusta is a majestic name with a regal air. It was a popular name during the Victorian era and is associated with strong, intelligent women.
Beatrice
Beatrice is a sweet, timeless name that has been a favorite of parents for centuries. It was particularly popular during the Victorian era and is associated with elegance, intelligence, and a sense of humor.
Bertha
Bertha is a strong, no-nonsense name that was popular in the Victorian era. It has fallen out of favor in recent years but is still a great choice for those seeking a name with a sense of history and tradition.
Bessie
Bessie is a sweet, old-fashioned name that was popular during the Victorian era. It is a diminutive of Elizabeth and shares the same meaning.
Blanche
Blanche was inspired by the French word for "white" and the ideal of purity and innocence. The name is now quite rare, but still carries a sense of vintage charm.
Camilla
Camilla is a classic name with Latin roots. The name is associated with grace, elegance, and refinement.
Caroline
Caroline is a timeless name with French origins, first introduced to England during the Tudor period. The name has remained popular throughout the Victorian era and beyond, with a meaning of "free woman".
Cassandra
Cassandra is a Greek name with a meaning of "shining upon man". In Greek mythology, Cassandra was a prophetess cursed with the gift of prophecy but the inability to be believed. The name Cassandra is now considered a classic name with a sense of mystique and wisdom.
Catherine
Catherine is a classic name with Greek origins, meaning "pure".
Cecilia
Cecilia is a classic name that means "blind". The name has been borne by several saints, including the patron saint of musicians, Saint Cecilia.
Charlotte
Charlotte is a feminine form of the name Charles and means "free man". It has been the name of many queens and princesses throughout history, including Queen Charlotte of Great Britain.
Clara
Clara is a Latin name that means "bright, clear". Clara Barton was a nurse who founded the American Red Cross.
Cleopatra
Cleopatra is a Greek name that means "father's glory". It is best known as the name of the famous Queen of Egypt who ruled during the time of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Cleopatra was a powerful and intelligent ruler who was known for her beauty and charisma.
Constance
Constance is a Latin name that means "steadfast". It has been the name of several queens and princesses throughout history, including Constance of Aragon, who was Queen of Sicily in the 13th century.
Cordelia
Cordelia is a Shakespearean name used in King Lear. It was rare in Victorian times, but gained popularity in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Daisy
Daisy is a simple, charming flower name that was popular during the Victorian era. It was often used as a nickname for Margaret, which means "pearl".
Diana
Diana is a name associated with the Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, and childbirth. It was popularized during the Victorian era as a nod to classical mythology.
Dinah
Dinah is a name from the Old Testament, and was used in literature by authors like Lewis Carroll and William Shakespeare.
Dorinda
Dorinda is a name that was popularized in the Victorian era as a variation of Doris or Dora. It has a whimsical, fairy-tale feel.
Dorothy
The name Dorothy gained popularity in the early 1900s, possibly due to the popularity of L. Frank Baum's novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which features the character Dorothy Gale. In the early 20th century, Dorothy was a common name in the United States, and it was often shortened to Dot or Dottie.
Edith
Edith is an Old English name that means "prosperous in war."
Edna
Edna is a Hebrew name that means "renewal." The name gained popularity in the early 1900s.
Effie
Effie is a Greek name that means "well-spoken." Effie was often used as a nickname for longer names such as Euphemia.
Eleanor
Eleanor was borne by two queens of France and England, as well as by the wife of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth is a timeless classic name that has been popular for centuries. Queen Elizabeth II has been the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom for over 70 years, making the name Elizabeth even more iconic.
Elsie
Elsie is a diminutive form of the name Elizabeth. It was a popular name during the Victorian era and has remained in use since then.
Emily
Emily is a feminine name that has been used for centuries. Emily Dickinson was a 19th-century poet who is now recognized as one of the greatest American poets.
Emma
Emma is a name that has been used since medieval times. It became popular again in the 19th century and has remained in use since then. Emma Watson is a famous actress known for her role as Hermione in the Harry Potter films.
Esther
Esther is a Hebrew name that means "star."
Ethel
Ethel was a popular name in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It has fallen out of favor in recent times, but may still be considered a vintage name.
Eunice
Eunice was a popular name in ancient Greece. It gained popularity in the 19th century but has since declined in usage.
Eveline
Eveline is a variant of the name Evelyn, which was first used as a surname in England. It became popular as a girl's name in the late 19th century and remains a popular name to this day.
Fanny
Fanny was a popular name in the 19th century, but its use declined in the 20th century due to its association with a crude slang term in the US. It is still used as a nickname for Frances or Francine.
Florence
Florence was a popular name in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It has had a resurgence in popularity in recent years, possibly due to the association with the city of Florence, Italy.
Frances
Frances was a popular name during the Victorian era and is often associated with strength and independence.
Georgina
Georgina is a feminine form of the name George.
Gertrude
Gertrude is a Germanic name that means "spear of strength." It was a popular name for baby girls in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but has since declined in popularity.
Gwendoline
Gwendoline is a Welsh name that means "blessed ring." It is a variant of the name Gwendolyn, which was popularized by the Arthurian legend of Guinevere.
Harriet
Harriet is a Germanic name that means "ruler of the home."
Helen
In Greek mythology, Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, and her abduction by Paris is said to have sparked the Trojan War.
Henrietta
Henrietta is the feminine form of the name Henry, which means "ruler of the household." It has been used in English since the 17th century.
Hermione
In Greek mythology, Hermione was the daughter of Menelaus and Helen, and was married to Orestes. The name Hermione was used in English literature as early as the 16th century, but gained wider recognition in the 20th century thanks to the character of Hermione Granger in the "Harry Potter" series.
Hester
The name Hester is derived from the Old English word "hæster," which means "star." It has been used in England since the Middle Ages.
Hilda
Hilda is a Germanic name that means "battle woman." It was popular among English and Scandinavian nobility during the medieval period. In the Victorian era, Hilda was a popular name among the middle and upper classes, and it was often associated with strength and independence.
Honoria
Honoria is a Latin name that means "honor" or "dignity". It has been used in literature, including in works by Jane Austen and P.G. Wodehouse.
Ida
Ida is a Germanic name meaning "hardworking" or "laborious".
Imogen
Imogen is a Celtic name meaning "innocent" or "maiden". It was a popular name in medieval England and has been used in literature, including in plays by Shakespeare and T.S. Eliot.
Isabella
Isabella is a Hebrew name meaning "God is my oath".
Jane
Jane is a Hebrew name meaning "God is gracious". It has been used by notable figures in history and literature, including author Jane Austen and primatologist Jane Goodall.
Janie
Janie is a diminutive of the name Jane, which means "God is gracious". It became popular in the early 20th century, particularly in the United States.
Josephine
Josephine is a feminine form of the name Joseph, which means "God will add".
Judith
Judith is a name derived from the Hebrew word for "woman from Judea". The name is often associated with strength and courage, as the biblical Judith was a heroine who saved her people.
Julia
Julia is a feminine form of the name Julius, which means "youthful".
Juliet
Juliet is a name derived from the Latin name Julius, which means "youthful". The name is often associated with romance and love, thanks to the character of Juliet in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet".
Kate
Kate was a popular name in the Victorian era, and remains a timeless classic. One notable Kate is Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, who has brought attention to the name in recent years.
Katherine
Katherine is a classic name with a long history of use. Katherine Johnson was a NASA mathematician who made important contributions to the space program in the 1960s.
Kitty
Kitty was a popular nickname for Katherine in the Victorian era. One notable Kitty is Kitty Genovese, whose murder in 1964 led to the concept of the "bystander effect" in psychology.
Laodamia
Laodamia was a figure in Greek mythology. She was known for her devotion to her husband, Protesilaus, and was said to have died of grief after he was killed in the Trojan War.
Laura
Laura is a classic name with a long history of use. Laura Ingalls Wilder was a notable namesake, the author of the "Little House on the Prairie" books.
Lavinia
The name Lavinia was made famous by the character in Shakespeare's play "Titus Andronicus". It is also the name of the eldest daughter of Charles Dickens. Lavinia Warren was a circus performer who gained fame as a member of P.T. Barnum's circus.
Lettice
Lettice is a variant of the name Letitia, which means "joy" or "gladness". Lettice Curtis was a pioneering aviator who served in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force during World War II.
Louisa
Louisa is a German name that means "renowned warrior". Louisa Adams was the wife of John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States.
Lucia
Lucia is a Latin name meaning "Light". The name is popular in Italy and Spain and is often associated with the Christian saint St. Lucia.
Lucrezia
Lucrezia is an Italian name meaning "Profit". The name is associated with the noble Borgia family of Italy, who were known for their political intrigue and corruption. Lucrezia Borgia was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI and was a controversial figure in Renaissance Italy.
Lucy
Lucy Stone was an American suffragist and abolitionist who was a prominent speaker and organizer for women's rights. She was the first woman in Massachusetts to earn a college degree and kept her maiden name after marriage, which was a radical act for her time.
Lydia
Lydia Maria Child was an American abolitionist, women's rights activist, and author who wrote extensively on social justice issues. She is best known for her book An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans, which was one of the first books in the US to advocate for the immediate emancipation of slaves.
Mabel
Mabel Dodge Luhan was an American patron of the arts and salon hostess who played a significant role in the modernist movement. She is credited with introducing many artists, writers, and thinkers to each other and helping to foster the development of modernist art and literature.
Madeleine
Madeleine L'Engle was an American author best known for her children's book A Wrinkle in Time, which won the Newbery Medal in 1963.
Margaret
Margaret Mead was an American cultural anthropologist who was a pioneer in the field of ethnography. She conducted groundbreaking research on gender roles, child-rearing practices, and adolescent culture, and her work had a significant influence on the field of anthropology and popular culture.
Marian
Marian has literary references in George Eliot's Middlemarch and Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure. Marian Anderson, an African American contralto, was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement for her historic performance at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939.
Martha
Mary
Mary is one of the most popular names in history. Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, was a pioneering figure in science fiction and is considered one of the greatest Gothic writers of the era.
Matilda
Matilda was a popular name in the Victorian era, with literary references in Charles Dickens' David Copperfield and Roald Dahl's Matilda.
Millicent
Millicent was a popular name in the Victorian era, and has been used in literature, with references in Sir Walter Scott's The Talisman and Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit.
Miriam
Miriam is a biblical name from the Old Testament. It was the name of Moses' sister and is associated with strength and leadership.
Monica
Monica is a Latin name that has been popularized by several notable women throughout history. One of the most famous bearers of the name is Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine, who is revered for her piety and devotion.
Nancy
Nancy is a diminutive of the name Ann or Anna, which means "grace".
Nellie
Nellie is a diminutive of the name Helen or Eleanor, which means "bright, shining one". Nellie Bly was a pioneering female journalist who is best known for her record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days.
Nora
Nora is an Irish name that has been popularized by several notable women throughout history. It has been used in various cultures and is associated with honor and light.
Olivia
Olivia was first used as a name in Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night. It became popular in the 18th century and has remained a classic ever since.
Priscilla
Priscilla is an ancient name that has been used by saints, royals, and notable women throughout history. It is mentioned in the New Testament as the name of a Christian woman who helped the apostle Paul.
Prudence
Prudence is a Puritan virtue name that was popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. It was also the name of one of the Beatles' muse, Prudence Farrow, who inspired the song "Dear Prudence."
Rachel
Rachel is a biblical name borne by one of Jacob's wives in the Old Testament.
Rebecca
Rebecca is a biblical name borne by the wife of Isaac in the Old Testament.
Ruth
Ruth was a popular girl's name in the Victorian era and has Hebrew origins. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, known as the "Notorious RBG," was a prominent lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was a trailblazer for women's rights and equality, and her contributions have left a lasting impact on American society.
Selina
Selina is a Greek name meaning "moon goddess." Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, was a prominent 18th-century philanthropist who was known for her religious activism and support of evangelical movements in England.
Sophia
Sophia is a Greek name meaning "wisdom." Sophia Jex-Blake was a pioneering physician and feminist who played a significant role in the campaign for women's education and professional opportunities in Britain. She was the first woman to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh and later founded the London School of Medicine for Women, which was the first medical school in Britain to train women to become doctors.
Susan
Susan is a Hebrew name meaning "lily." Susan B. Anthony was a prominent women's rights activist who co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association and was instrumental in securing the passage of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.
Thomasina
Thomasina is a feminine form of the name Thomas, which means "twin" in Greek. It was a popular name in the Victorian era but is not as commonly used today.
Trinity
The name Trinity has religious connotations as it refers to the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity. It was also a popular name for girls in the late 1990s and early 2000s, likely influenced by the success of the movie "The Matrix."
Tryphena
Tryphena is a Greek name that means "delicate" and was a popular name during the Victorian era. It was a name favored by Quakers in England.
Vesperina
Vesperina is a Latin name that means "evening star."
Victoria
Victoria is a Latin name that means "victory." Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom is one of the most famous bearers of the name.
Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina is a German name that means "resolute protector." It was a popular name for girls during the Victorian era, and several notable women have borne the name, including Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.