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24 Vintage Boy Names Making a Real Comeback

Peaked a century ago, now surging again with real data. Arthur, Silas, Theodore, Felix, Jude, Arlo, Otto and more old-fashioned boy names on the rise.

A century ago, the playground sounded remarkably like a bustling Edwardian parlour. Boys were called Arthur, Walter, Harvey, and Theodore. Then came the mid-century tide of Johns, Davids, and Michaels, and those old-fashioned gentlemen names all but vanished from the national birth registry.

Now, the 100-year cycle has arrived for boys.

American families are looking back past their fathers’ and grandfathers’ generations directly to their great-grandfathers. What they are finding isn’t fusty or forgotten—it’s grounded, lyrical, and full of vintage character.

Below are 24 vintage boy names with deep historical roots that are quietly climbing the national birth charts again.

The 100-Year Comeback Heavyweights

1. Theodore (#4 in America)

Peaked originally in the 1900s, but Theodore has reached unprecedented heights today. In 2015, it sat at rank #99. Last year, 13,355 American boys were named Theodore, catapulting it to an all-time high of #4 nationwide.

2. Silas (#71 in America)

A quiet biblical classic that sat at #128 a decade ago. In 2025, 4,639 baby boys received the name Silas—the highest single-year count in 145 years of national records.

3. August (#81 in America)

August was a top-100 fixture in the late 19th century before spending decades in obscurity. In 2015, it sat at #195. Last year, 3,958 boys were named August, breaking into the top 100 at #81.

4. Arthur (#87 in America)

Arthur was the #19 name in America in 1921, then spent fifty years drifting toward the bottom of the charts. In 2015, it was down at #292. In 2025, 3,847 boys were named Arthur—a leap of over 200 rank spots in a decade.

5. Bennett (#40 in America)

A medieval diminutive of Benedict with deep vintage heritage. Bennett was at #154 in 2015; last year, it welcomed 6,268 baby boys (#40 nationwide).

Mid-Century Revivals & Victorian Darlings

6. Jasper (#129 in America)

Warm, earthy, and distinctly vintage. Peaked in the 1880s, then spent decades outside the top 300. In 2025, 2,804 baby boys were named Jasper (#129).

7. Calvin (#132 in America)

Calvin was a top-50 name in 1924 (#44). After bottoming out near #250 in the early 2000s, it has steadily marched back up, registering 2,710 boys last year.

8. Arlo (#148 in America)

A rare folk-infused classic that sat way down at #501 in 2015. Last year, 2,443 boys were named Arlo, climbing over 350 spots in ten years.

9. Jude (#155 in America)

Short, punchy, and historic. Jude sat at #156 a decade ago and remains a steady favourite with 2,384 boys named Jude last year.

10. Felix (#175 in America)

Latin for “happy and fortunate.” Felix was a turn-of-the-century staple that sat at #264 in 2015. Last year, it reached 2,064 baby boys (#175).

11. Louis (#249 in America)

Peaked at #29 in 1921. Louis had fallen into the 300s, but royal and vintage revivals have lifted it back to 1,391 boys (#249).

12. Walter (#251 in America)

Walter was the #11 name in America in 1918. After falling off the radar for two generations, it has climbed from #309 in 2015 to 1,381 boys in 2025.

13. Harvey (#252 in America)

Peaked at #87 in 1921. Harvey fell all the way to #439 in 2015 before staging a strong comeback, now at 1,381 boys (#252).

14. Otto (#277 in America)

A turn-of-the-century powerhouse (#56 in 1890s) that nearly fell off the charts by 2000 (#748). Otto has surged from #544 in 2015 to 1,241 boys (#277) today.

15. Tobias (#283 in America)

Gentle and storied, Tobias reached 1,201 baby boys last year, maintaining steady top-300 status.

16. Archie (#301 in America)

Archie was languishing at #1,245 in 2015 with fewer than 150 boys. In 2025, 1,129 American boys were named Archie—a massive leap of over 900 spots.

17. Hugo (#378 in America)

With European charm and literary weight, Hugo has moved up from #432 in 2015 to 837 boys (#378) in 2025.

18. Otis (#652 in America)

Peaked at #146 in 1920. Otis bottomed out in the 1990s and sat at #844 in 2015. In 2025, 422 boys were named Otis, climbing nearly 200 spots.

19. Ambrose (#735 in America)

An ancient, storied name that was down at #1,588 in 2015. In 2025, 358 boys were named Ambrose, marking one of the fastest percentage climbs among rare antique names.

Modern Powerhouse Classics

These four names never completely disappeared, but they have taken on new life as the backbone of the modern vintage boy movement:

20. Leo (#19 in America)

A top-40 name in the 1900s, Leo has surged from #91 in 2015 to 8,173 boys (#19) last year.

21. Ezra (#20 in America)

Ezra was #93 in 2015. Last year, 8,126 boys were named Ezra (#20), hitting an all-time record.

22. Julian (#25 in America)

Classic, dignified, and enduring. Julian sat at #45 in 2015 and welcomed 7,603 boys (#25) in 2025.

23. Miles (#44 in America)

Miles sat at #107 in 2015. In 2025, 6,072 boys were named Miles (#44), securing a solid spot in the national top 50.

24. Rupert (#3,759 in America)

Peaked at #487 in 1920. For parents seeking a true hidden gem that has barely begun its revival, Rupert saw 29 baby boys in 2025, up from its lowest point in the 2000s.

Every count on this page is a number of real American babies, taken directly from the official national birth record that runs back to 1880.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2025.