Old Fashioned Baby Girl Names That Are Back in Style!

Still trying to figure out a name for that baby girl that is classic, soft yet also traditional.There are some very old names that fit our contemporary times and have very nice meanings as well. Here are some examples of lovely 'vintage' names for girl.

Adeline – This is an archaic English form of the name Adelaide that has the sweet nick name of Addy or Addie.

Alice – This is an old German name that means noble and it reminds us of Alice in Wonderland.

Amelia – This lovely old name is actually a variation of the name Emily but it is a bit cuter because it ends in that lilting a sound. Amelia Eerhart, the woman pilot, is a good role model for this moniker.

Clara – This old fashioned name lilts off the tongue because it ends in an A. It is soft and sweet and uncommon as well. The more serious form of the name is Claire. Clara is also the name of the little girl in the Nutcracker who helps battle the Mouse King.

Ella – This beautiful vintage name means 'fairy' and is Irish in origin. The name has a timeless elegant flair that kept on the top baby name lists all of 2011.

Hazel – This cute name is classic and means hazel nut tree. Julia Roberts named her daughter Hazel.

Genevieve – This very old fashioned German and French name which means 'white wave' was on the top 100 list of names for girls in 2011 and it is probably going to stay in the top 100 for 2012.

Naomi – This is a very ancient Hebrew name that means 'pleasant.' It is a strong sophisticated choice that has a modern feel and that is associated with talented and beautiful people of the twentieth century like Naomi Watts and Naomi Campbell.

Lillian – This name used to sound matronly and now it is becoming hipper. It means Lily flower.

Nora – This too is a name that used to be for old maids but in this century it is becoming more popular. It is the name of the main character in Dashiel Hammett's novel The Thin Man.

Olive – This Latin name means Olive tree and is a very classy name that has just landed in the 2011 Top 100 names for girls. It is the name of Isla Fisher's daughter.

Stella – This name has risen in popularity ever since it Paul McCartney named his daughter Stella. The name means 'Star in Latin. It is also the name of a character in Tennesee Williams 'Streetcar Named Desire.'

What NOT to Name That Baby Part III!

The problem with baby names is that people sometimes assign it to the child without really checking into the meaning of the name or bothering to see if it is the name of a popular and sometimes evil character from pop culture. Here is Part III of my look at baby names every parent should avoid.

Honey – The name is so sweet it may be hard for your child to be taken seriously when older.
Ichabod – Long ago this was a fine English name but it is the real name of the Headless Horseman of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Idi – A male name that is often associated with Ugandan tyrant Idi Amin.
Jesus – This is a name, although legitimate for anyone to use, that could get your child in trouble with religious types who consider it to be a sacred name in the future.
Johnson – Johnson used to be a nice name but you probably want to avoid it now as it is a nickname for the male penis.
Julia – Believe it or not the real meaning of the name Julia is 'a bearded youth.' Still the name sounds so lovely. How it got to be a girl's name is a bit of a mystery. I guess you are okay with this one as long as nobody looks it up.
Kevin – Have you ever wondered why you meet the occasional girl named Kevin? It is because the name actually means 'beautiful at birth.' Some parents may prefer a name with a more masculine meaning.
Leah – This is a beautiful Biblical name but it's true meaning is 'weary.
Lindsay – This name is now very much associated with Lindsay Lohan who is a troubled celebrity addict –the name is also very much overused as it was so popular ten years ago.
Merlin – This is a campy name that belongs to too many magicians including ones from Camelot and quite a few Las Vegas and Hollywood showmen types. It would be a difficult name for most people to take seriously.
Myra – People in Britain have been avoiding the name Myra ever since Myra Hindley murdered five children in the Manchester area of London in the mid-1960s.
Norbert – This name has always been associated with wallflowers and nerds. Choose something more dashing.
Lucifer – It sounds hip but it is another name for Satan, even though it means 'Morningstar.' You are best to avoid your child being profiled by Christians or being accused of being raised by Devil Worshippers in the schoolyard.
As you can see, naming your baby can be a bit of a headache. More about avoiding giving your baby a name in the fourth and final installment of momweblog's investigation into the subject!