It's funny that everything goes in and out of style. From hairstyles to fabrics and movie trends, and yes, even baby names. There are a handful of names that never seem to fall in and out of popularity, and we see them year after on the most popular lists. And then we see names that used to be fashionable and suddenly drop off the face of the Earth only to come back alive again years or decades later.
That's what is so fun about baby names, the ebb and flow of popularity keeps things interesting. It's also fascinating to hear from our parents what kid names were most popular when they were in school. Compare that to what we experience for our kids now, and the names will, most likely, be completely different.
We've sorted through the baby names from the past, used BabyNameWizard to plot the trends in popularity. We've come out with the vintage names that are finally now making a comeback in 2020.
ALICE
The name Alice was trendy back in the 1920s, sitting at spot 15 of the Social Security name database. The name, which means, noble one, is making a comeback, and we expect the name to continue to rise. Looking at the 2010 decade data, Alice is sitting at spot 99.
MARY
This is one of the most classic girls' names out there, and it's been classic for a long time. However, we've seen a dip in its popularity over the past decade as people favor more unusual names. There are several variations of Mary that have popped up as well (like Maryanne or Marielle).
ALEXANDER
Alexander, for a baby boy, can be the full name or shortened to just Alex, both of which means "defender of men." The name was popular back in the 1800s, went through a significant dip in popularity in the 1950s before soaring right back up. It's not as popular as it used to be, but it's going to rise again.
CALVIN
The baby boy name Calvin just has that vintage feel to it, and it's perfect. The name was more popular between the 1930s and 1950s before dipping down in popularity. It's going to be on the upswing to making a comeback for 2020 and has been slowly climbing back up.
THOMAS
The name Thomas has been around for so long, and it was super popular back in the 1880s. The name, which means "twin" has dipped and risen since then. It had a period of decline in the 1900s before climbing back up in the 1940s. Since then, the name has been on a slow decline, but it's coming back up for 2020.
MARGARET
Margaret is one of the most common names of past for little girls, and while we likely won't ever see it jump back up as popular as it was in the 1910s, it's going to come back. We see trends for these classic older names, and it's on a prolonged climb back up.
KENNETH
This name has a beautiful vintage, classic feel to it, but it's not so old it will make people question why a parent is trying to bring it back. It was most popular in the 1950s and was once also used for girls. It's going to make a comeback because it's one of those names that can stand the test of time.
JOE
A simple and short name is what makes it so favorable for parents. It's not a name that will get a child picked on by any means, and it's one of those strong stand-alone names. The popularity of Joe was at its highest in the 1880s and had another popularity surge in the 1930s, and we're guessing it's going to see another this year.
MAX
Max is the nickname for many other names, and that means it can be used for both boys, girls, or any gender, really. The popularity of just the name Max has been through some ebbs and waves since the 1910s, and it's been rising since. The vintage feel of the name is making its comeback this year.
WALTER
Surprisingly, the name Walter used to be more gender neutral in the 1800s, although there were far more boys given the name than girls. According to BabyNameWizard, there were 879 girls given this name per million, but we predict the rise in popularity will only be seen in boys.
CATHERINE
The name Catherine is intertwined with history, and it was super popular back in the 1900s. It's a French name that means "pure" or "clear," and while there's been a steady decline since it was most popular, as we see people move toward naming their baby with these vintage names, this one is a clear choice.
HAZEL
Hazel is a name for a little girl, and yes, the name comes from the hazelnut tree. The name was most popular back in the 1880s, but we're noticing a rise in the past few years after being nearly dropped off the baby name lists during the early 1990s.
THEODORE
Theodore has such a classic, vintage feel to it, and it comes with some authority, too. The name can be shortened to Theo while the baby is young, or parents can continue to use Theodore because that's the cutest ever. The name has seen a considerable resurgence in the past few years, and it has made a big comeback.
JULIA
Julia has been one of those baby names that is always around at a steady rate, so it's never really popular or uncommon. Its most popular period was in the 1880s, and we're predicting we are going to see another rise as people choose these more classic names.
PEARL
We love the sound of this name because it totally has that old-timey feel to it. It's likely something our great-grandma was named, and it's not been too popular since. However, these vintage names are making a comeback as we look to history to inspire our baby names.
VIOLET
Violet is another baby name that has had a fascinating dip/rise pattern. It was prevalent back in the 1910s and then had a massive drop by the 1930s. Around the 1990s, there was another trend upward, and we're predicting it's going to continue to rise.
HUGH
Looking at the popularity of the name Hugh, we can see it's been quite a ride. Its popularity was massive in the 1880s and had another peek in favor of the 1920s. However, since then, it's been more on the dip, but we see a good comeback trend. Nothing cuter than a little boy named Hugh.
OPAL
When we hear this name, we know that it's an older name with a lot of history. Back in the 1900s, this name would not be unusual at all, and chances are there were several babies nearby with the same name. However, since then, the name has been more rare than common, but it's totally coming back.
FORREST
Forrest is primarily a name for baby boys, but it has been used for girls in the past. The name was most popular in the 1910s and had a steep dip in popularity after that. The name has had a few spikes in popularity since, and it's currently back on the upswing.
SADIE
Sadie is one of those sweet, cute girl names that ran the baby name show back in the 1880s. There was a big dip down that impacted the baby name's popularity from the 1950s, but it's making a big comeback. The name is on the upswing, and it's just going to grow this year.
