Old Man Names – Today's Best Old-Fashioned Names for Retro Boys

You may be interested to know that old man names like Elijah, Sebastian, and Levi are back in style.

Never has “being retro” been more in vogue than now.

Maybe it’s the exponential rate at which technology is progressing, allowing us easier access to historical records, or maybe it’s society’s push toward the decay of traditional practices – whatever the reasons, traditional names are far from behind us!

In fact, over 35 of the top 200 most popular boy names from the last two years are old-fashioned names from this list, with 28 of them in the top 50.

Being old-fashioned has never been so fashionable!

We’re going to take you through the most badass, popular, and old-timey names, as well as give you some great naming inspiration to break the mold while keeping it vintage.

Contents

What Makes a Name Old-Timey?
Top 20
Our Favorites
Hollywood
Loads More
Old Man Names FAQ

What Makes a Name Old-Timey?

An old-fashioned name, or as we like to call it, an old man name, is one that was popular and used often back in the day.

Back in the day? That sounds a bit vague.

Yes, it is vague (not vogue!), and rightly so. Old-fashioned simply means not current or modern, so it could come from 20 years ago, 50 years ago, 100 years ago, or even more!

Old-timey names come from the past. It’s that simple.

From the badass old guys who made the country you’re living in the great place it is today.

Now, enough faffing around with the whys and wherefores, let’s get to the amazing names with amazing meanings!

The Top 20 Old Man Names

We’ve mentioned before that being old-fashioned has never been more fashionable. Is this a contradiction? Surely being popular now makes them current and modern – therefore not old-fashioned.

Well, it’s the fact that these names come from the past that makes them what they are. And they are adorable, strong, and virtuous names that any man would be proud to have.

Here are the Top 20 Old People Names for Men:

1. Noah

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “rest, wandering”

Noah was the number 1 name in the US a few years ago, and now sits at number 2. Is your baby boy going to join the Noahs of this world?

2. Solomon

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “peace”

Wisdom and sage advice are two of the attributes the name Solomon bring to mind. The perfect old-man name for your baby boy who will grow in wisdom every day.

3. Seth

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “appointed or placed”

The name Seth has come and gone, come and gone, and come again. It also stands out from the crowd enough to be noticed, but doesn’t shout “look at me!”

4. Oliver

Origin: Latin
Meaning: “olive tree”

Even though Oliver has its roots well-embedded in history, it is currently the UK’s favorite boy’s name. Plus, with a nickname like Ollie, who can blame them!

5. Forrest

Origin: English
Meaning: “dweller near the woods”

Nature-loving, contemporary and, dare we say it, even hippy! Forrest still remains popular enough to not be a shocking or too “far out” name.

6. Michael

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “gift from God”

Tried and tested, steadfast Michael will stand the test of time. It’s been here for millennia, derived from the Hebrew Mikha’el, and will continue to be as long as people have faith.

7. Hal

Origin: English
Meaning: “army ruler, rules his household”

Hal is either a dimunutive for Harry or it can be its own standalone name.

8. Jacob

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “to follow behind”

Not everyone is born to be a leader – too many leaders make for a very unproductive world! Every good leader needs a great follower, and who is better than Jacob (or Jake!).

9. Ronald

Origin: English, German
Meaning: “advisor to the ruler”

You may be thinking Ronald Weasley, and you would still be making a good choice! A long-standing and reliable name that also shortens nicely to Ron.

10. Benjamin

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “son of my right hand”

The name Benjamin conjures up the image of a lively and supportive man with kind eyes, a ready smile, and a warm heart. Also shortens nicely to Ben or Benji.

11. Cyrus

Origin: Persian
Meaning: “sun, one who bestows care”

Both a ray of sunlight in the lives of those around him, and a caring, supportive soul.

12. Roscoe

Origin: Norse
Meaning: “deer forest”

Having fallen out of popularity over the last century, Roscoe is making a comeback. Vive la révolution!

13. Benedict

Origin: Latin
Meaning: “blessed”

With the famous namesake Benedict Cumberbatch to look up to, your baby boy truly will be blessed with this name.

14. Orson

Origin: English, Latin
Meaning: “bear cub”

A strong and stable name, and with the famous Orson Wells as a namesake to boot.

15. Sebastian

Origin: Greek
Meaning: “venerable, from the ancient city of Sebastia”

A traditional name, one that carries a note of authority and respect.

16. William

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: “desire, helmet”

A very traditional name with many appearances in royalty through the centuries.

17. James

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “he grasps the heel, substitute”

It may seem like a modern name, which can be attributed to so many famous people called James. Why not add another James to the list for your little star?

18. Alexander

Origin: Greek
Meaning: “defender of mankind”

I’m sorry, but how cool is that?! Defender of mankind. Who doesn’t want their son to be the protector of the world!

19. Henry

Origin: German
Meaning: “estate ruler”

Another name that has been popular amongst royalty, so what could be better for your little prince.

20. Elijah

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “God, the Lord”

A biblical name, perfect for your baby boy who one day as a man may stand on the side of good and overthrow the evil of the world.

Our Favorite Old Man Names

So those were the top 20, and we think they’re pretty great, but we’re going to have our say in this matter.

If it were up to us, these would be up there with the rest!

1. Walter

Origin: German
Meaning: “army ruler”

2. Windsor

Origin: Old English
Meaning: “riverbank with a winch”

3. Chester

Origin: English
Meaning: “fortress”

4. Bruce

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: “the willowlands”

5. Saul

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “asked for, prayed for”

6. Josiah

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “God supports, heals”

7. Clarence

Origin: Latin
Meaning: “bright, clear”

8. Murray

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: “settlement near the sea”

9. Hugh

Origin: English
Meaning: “mind, intellect”

10. Truman

Origin: English
Meaning: “faithful, loyal one”

Hey, why don’t you let us know your favorite in the comments at the end?

Old-Timey Names from Hollywood

How many people do you know that were named after a movie star? Probably many more than you’re aware of!

The big screen is a great place to draw naming inspiration from, whether it comes from the actors themselves, or the characters they portrayed.

Here are 20 oldies but goodies, from famous male actors through the years.

Actor’s Name	Meaning
Ralph (Fiennes)	“counsel, advice”
Buster (Keaton)	“tough guy”
Laurence (Olivier)	“man from Laurentum”
Sidney (Poitier)	“wide water meadow”
Gene (Kelly)	“well-born, noble”
Errol (Flynn)	“nobleman, warrior, or prince”
Clark (Gable)	“scribe, secretary, a scholar who is part of a religious order, one who has an education”
Gregory (Peck)	“to watch, watchful, alert”
Cary (Grant)	“pleasant stream”
Oliver (Hardy)	“olive tree planter”
Orson (Welles)	“bear”
Spencer (Tracy)	“steward, administrator”
Kirk (Douglas)	“church”
Fred (Astaire)	“peaceful ruler”
Lionel (Barrymore)	“lion”
Humphrey (Bogart)	“bear cub, peace”
Mickey (Rooney)	“who resembles God?”
Marlon (Brando)	“dedicated to mars, from the hill by the lake, remnants of a lake, hawk”
Harrison (Ford)	“house ruler”
Tony (Curtis)	“priceless one”

Many More Badass Old Man Names: The A-Z

Having a specialist selection is great, but if you don’t find what you’re looking for then it’s nice to have a wider selection to browse.

So here we are, with All the Vintage Names for Boys that we could find or think of!

Name	Meaning
Abraham	Hebrew – “father of many”
Adrian	Roman – “sea, water”
Aiken	Old English – “from the oak tree”
Albert	German – “noble and bright”
Alexander	Greek – “defender of mankind”
Alfred	English – “elf counsel or wise counsel”
Allen	Celtic – “stone, harmony”
Alvin	German – “noble friend”
Ambrose	Greek – “immortal”
Amos	Hebrew – “burdened or troubled”
Archibald, Archie	German – “bold, precious,genuine”
Arlo	English – “fortified hill”
Arthur	Irish, English – “noble or bear”
Augustus	Dutch, English, German, Latin – “magnificent, the increaser”
Barnabas, Barnabus (Barny)	Hebrew – “son of comfort, strong as a bear”
Barnaby (Barny)	English – “son of consolation”
Bartholomew	Hebrew – “rich in land”
Basil	Greek – “royal, kingly”
Beau	French – “handsome”
Benedict	Latin – “blessed”
Benjamin	Hebrew – “son of my right hand”
Bernard, Bernie	German – “brave as a bear”
Blake	English – “dark”
Bobby	Old English – “shining, bright fame”
Bruce	Scottish – “the willowlands”
Byron	English – “at the byres or the barn”
Calvin	Latin – “bald, hairless”
Casper	Persian – “treasurer”
Cecil	English – “blind”
Cedric	Celtic – “gift of splendour”
Charles	French, German – “free man”
Chester	English – “fortress”
Clarence	Latin – “bright, clear”
Clark	English – “scribe, scholar”
Clifford	English – “ford near a slope”
Clive	Old English – “cliff dweller”
Clyde	Scottish – “the River Clyde in Scotland”
Conrad	Germanic – “brave counsel”
Cornelius	Latin – “horn”
Cyrus	Persian – “sun”
Daniel	Hebrew – “God is my judge”
Darryl	Old English – “darling”
David	Hebrew – “beloved”
Dean	English – “valley”
Dennis	Greek – “follower of Dionysius”
Derek	Teutonic – “gifted ruler”
Desmond	Irish – “named for the middle ages Kingdom of Desmond in southeastern Ireland”
Don	Irish – “brown, chief, noble”
Douglas	Scottish – “black water, dark stream”
Duane	Scandinavian – “dark, swarthy”
Duncan	Gaelic – “dark-haired warrior”
Dwight	German – “white or blonde”
Earl	English – “warrior, nobleman”
Earnest, Ernest	English, German – “serious, resolute”
Edgar	English – “successful spearman”
Edison	Old English – “son of edward”
Edmund	English – “fortunate protector”
Edward	English – “wealthy guardian”
Edwin	English – “prosperous friend”
Elijah	Hebrew – “God, the Lord”
Elliot	Hebrew – “my God is Yahweh”
Elmer	English – “noble, renowned”
Elvis	Scandinavian – “all-wise”
Emmett, Emmitt	English, German – “universal, powerful”
Esteban	Spanish – “wreath, crown, honor, fame, derived from the Greek Stéphanos”
Eugene	Greek – “noble, well born”
Everett	English, German – “brave as a wild boar”
Ewan	Scottish – “born of the yew tree”
Ezekiel (Zeke)	Hebrew – “God strengthens”
Ezra	Hebrew – “help”
Felix	Latin – “fortunate, happy”
Finley	Celtic – “fair-haired hero”
Forrest	English – “dweller near the woods”
Francis (Frank)	French, Latin – “free, free man, Frenchman”
Franklin	English – “free landholder”
Frederick	German – “peaceful ruler”
Gabriel	Hebrew – “God is my strength”
Garfield	English – “triangular field”
Garret, Garrett	Germanic – “spear rule”
Gary	Germanic – “spear”
George	Greek – “farmer”
Gerald	English, German – “ruler with a spear”
Gideon	Hebrew – “hewer; or, having a stump for a hand”
Gilbert	Germanic – “bright promise, famous and noble youth”
Glenn	Gaelic – “valley”
Godfrey	French – “peace of God”
Gordon	Scottish – “great hill”
Grady	Irish – “a descendant of nobility”
Graham	English, Scottish – “grand homestead”
Grant	English, French, Scottish – “tall, large”
Gregory	Latin – “watchful”
Grover	English – “boy who lives near a grove”
Gus	Latin – “magnificent”
Hal	English – “army ruler, rules his household”
Hamilton	Northern Irish, Scottish – “treeless hill”
Harold, Harry	English, Scandinavian – “army ruler”
Harvey	German – “warrior, soldier”
Henry	German – “estate ruler”
Herbert	German – “glorious soldier”
Herman	German – “soldier, warrior”
Horace	Roman – “man of time”
Howard	English – “high guard”
Hugh	English – “mind, intellect”
Humphrey	French – “peaceful warrior”
Ichabod	Hebrew – “departed glory”
Ignatius	Latin – “fiery”
Ike	Hebrew – “he laughs, laughter”
Ira	Hebrew – “watchful one”
Irving	Scottish – “green river, sea friend”
Isaac	Hebrew – “laughter”
Issac	Hebrew – “laughter, he who laughs”
Ivan	Slavic – “God is gracious”
Ivor	Scottish – “archer”
Jack	English – “God is gracious”
Jacob	Hebrew – “to follow behind”
James	Hebrew – “he grasps the heel, substitute”
Jarvis	Old English – “spear man”
Jasper	Persian – “bringer of treasure”
Jefferson	Old English – “son of Jeffrey”
Jeffrey	English – “pledge of peace”
Jeremiah, Jeremy	Hebrew – “God will exalt/uplift”
Jerome	Greek – “sacred”
Jerry	Old English – “ruling spear”
John	Hebrew – “to be gracious”
Jonah	Hebrew – “dove, pigeon”
Joseph	Hebrew – “God will add or increase”
Josiah	Hebrew – “God supports, heals”
Jules	French, Latin – “youthful; soft, downy”
Julian	Latin – “youthful”
Julius	Greek – “youthful, downy-bearded”
Keith	Celtic – “wood, forest, from the battleground”
Kelvin	Old English – “ship, friend”
Kenneth	Irish – “handsome”
Kevin	Irish – “dear, noble”
Kirk	Scottish – “church”
Lamar	German – “dweller by a pool”
Laurence	Roman – “bright one, one from Laurentum”
Laurie	Latin – “laurel or sweet bay tree; symbol of victory”
Lawrence	Latin – “from the Roman city of Laurentum”
Leland	English – “meadow land”
Leo	Latin – “brave lion”
Leonard	German – “lion-hearted”
Levi	Hebrew – “united, joined, joined in harmony”
Linus	Greek – “flax-haired”
Lionel	French – “young lion”
Lloyd	Welsh – “grey”
Louis	French, German – “renowned warrior”
Luther	German – “army people”
Malcolm	Scottish – “disciple of columba”
Marshall	English – “caretaker of horses”
Martin	Latin – “warlike”
Max	Latin – “greatest”
Melvin	English – “gentle lord”
Micah	Hebrew – “one who is like God”
Michael	Hebrew – “gift from God”
Mickey	Hebrew – “who is like God”
Miles	Latin – “soldier”
Milton	English – “from a mill town”
Mitchell	English – “who is like God”
Monty	English, Irish, Scottish. Diminutive of Montgomery – “from the hill of the powerful man”
Morris	English, Scottish – “dark-skinned”
Mortimer	English – “still sea”
Morton	English, Scottish – “town near the moor”
Moses	Hebrew – “delivered from the water“
Murray	Scottish – “settlement near the sea”
Ned	Old English. Also a diminutive of Edward. – “wealthy guardian”
Nelson	Irish – “son of Nell”
Neville, Newton	English, French – “new town”
Niles	Scandinavian – “son of Neil”
Noah	Hebrew – “rest, wandering”
Norman	English – “northerner, Norse-man”
Norris	English, French – “foster parent, nurse, northerner”
Oliver	Latin – “olive tree”
Orson	English, Latin – “bear cub”
Oscar	English, Irish – “divine spear”
Oswald	English – “divine power”
Oswin	English – “God’s friend”
Otis, Otto	German – “wealthy”
Owen	Welsh – “fighter, noble”
Patrick	Latin – “nobleman”
Percival (Percy)	French – “one who pierces the valley”
Peter	Greek – “stone, rock”
Phileas	Greek – “affectionate”
Philip (Phil)	Greek – “lover of horses”
Phineas	Hebrew – “Nubian, a region of present day Egypt”
Pierce	English – “rock”
Preston	Old English – “priest’s estate”
Quentin	French – “fifth”
Quincy	Latin – “born fifth”
Rainer	German form of Scandinavian ‘Ragnar’ – “wise army “
Ralph	English – “wolf counsel”
Randall	Old English – “shield”
Raymond	German – “wise protector”
Reginald	Latin – “ruler’s adviser”
Reuben, Rueben	Hebrew – “behold, a son”
Rex	Latin – “king”
Rhett	Dutch – “advice”
Robert, Rupert	German – “bright fame”
Rodney	Old English, Old German – “island near the clearing”
Roger	German – “famous warrior”
Roland	English, German – “famous throughout the land”
Ronald	English, German – “advisor to the ruler”
Rory	Irish – “red-haired king”
Roscoe	Norse – “deer forest”
Roy	Irish – “red”
Royce	English – “son”
Rudolph (Rudy)	English, German – “famous wolf”
Rufus	Latin – “red-head”
Russell	English, French – “redheaded”
Samson	Hebrew – “sun”
Samuel	Hebrew – “name of God”
Saul	Hebrew – “asked for, prayed for”
Sebastian	Greek – “venerable, from the ancient city of Sebastia”
Seth	Hebrew – “appointed or placed”
Seymour	English, French – “of the marshy land near the sea”
Sherman	English, French – “shearer of woolen cloth”
Sidney	English – “wide meadow”
Sigmund	German – “victorious protection”
Silas	English, Latin – “wood, forest”
Simon	Hebrew – “he had heard”
Solomon	Hebrew – “peace”
Spencer	English – “house steward, dispenser of provisions”
Stanley	English – “from the stony field”
Sterling	English – “of the highest quality”
Sullivan	Irish – “dark eyed”
Terrence	Irish – “tender”
Thane	Scottish – “clan chieftain”
Theodore	Greek – “divine gift”
Thomas	Aramaic – “twin”
Timothy	Greek – “honoring God”
Tobias	Greek – “God is good”
Tony	Latin – “priceless one”
Truman	English – “faithful, loyal one”
Vaughn	Welsh – “little”
Vernon	English – “alder tree”
Victor	Latin – “conqueror”
Vincent	Latin – “winner”
Waldo	German – “to rule”
Wallace	Scottish – “stranger”
Walter	German – “army ruler”
Warren	Germanic – “protector, loyal”
Wayne	English – “wagon maker”
Wendell	German – “to wander”
Werther	German – “worthy warrior”
Wesley	English, French – “field to the west”
Wilbur	German – “resolute, brilliant”
Wiley	English – “Willow woods”
Wilfred	English – “desires peace”
Wilkes	German. A contraction of Wilkins – “will, desire”
William	Germanic – “desire, helmet”
Willis	English, Norman French, Scottish – “resolute protector, will”
Wilson	English, Scottish – “son of Will”
Wilton	English – “place by a stream”
Windsor	Old English – “riverbank with a winch”
Winslow	English – “friend’s hill or burial mound”
Winston	English – “wine’s town”
Woodrow	English – “row of houses by a wood”
Wyatt	English – “brave in battle”
Zachariah, Zacharias	Hebrew – “God remembers”

Old Man Names FAQ

What is a grumpy old man name?

What a brilliant question! The answer depends on the sound of the name, and what you associate it with. For me, the name Stanley makes me think of a grumpy old man because of a man who lived on my childhood street.

Disclaimer: I’m sure there are many lovely Stanleys out there.

What are your best grumpy old man names? Let us know in the comments, just keep any stories free of personal detail, whether yours or theirs!

What are some really old names?

Some examples of great names that are really old, i.e. found in ancient history, are:

Nero
Felix
Rufus
Julius
Marcus
Severus
Septus
Lazarus
Nicolaus
Balthazar
Titus
Romulus
Lucius
Amadeus
Atticus
Cato
etc.

Another web search for “ancient names” will give you many more.

What are some old-fashioned male names?

Well, we have just been through the biggest and best list of old-fashioned names for men, so scroll back up and look through them, or you can hop back to the beginning with this link!

What is the most old person name?

Well, well, it looks like we have a competition here!

Add your vote by putting the old man names you think are most fitting in the comments at the end, and we’ll see which one comes up trumps.

What is an old British name?

Names like Winston, Addison, Remington, Tanner, Reginald, Darrel, and Grayson are perfect examples of old British names.

Old Man Names – Today’s Best Old-Fashioned Names for Retro Boys