There's a fine line between choosing a unique name for your baby, and picking one so unusual,
no one actually gets it.
"No Ja-kwellin here?"
"Uh, do you mean Jacqueline?"
"Okay…"
But going vintage could be a great compromise.
These names are tried and true, and since they've become more exclusive lately, your
kid won't have the same name as half their class.
These gorgeous names are just too good not to make a comeback.
Aurelia
Originally from the Latin family name of Aurelius, this name comes from the Latin word "aureus,"
meaning "golden."
Aurelia was the name of Julius Caesar's mother, who was born more than 2,000 years ago.
It has also belonged to the Portuguese painter Aurélia de Sousa, civil rights activist Aurelia
Browder, and poet Sylvia Plath's mother, Aurelia Plath.
Lemuel
The name of a biblical king in the book of Proverbs, this Hebrew name translates to "belonging
to God."
The name Lemuel has not been in common usage since 1976, but was popular through much of
the 20th century.
In fiction, the name is famously used for the hero of Jonathan Swift's novel, Gulliver's
Travels.
Several politicians have also rocked the name, including Lemuel Whitman, Lemuel Todd, and
Lemuel Stetson.
Cordelia
Timeless and elegant, Cordelia has strong literary roots: it is the name of the heroine
of Shakespeare's tragic play, King Lear.
Popular theories point to it being derived from the Welsh name Creiddylad or from the
Latin word "cors" meaning "heart."
Well-known non-fictional Cordelias include writer and psychologist Cordelia Fine and
philanthropist Cordelia Scaife May.
Lowell
This name was particularly popular in the early 20th century as a masculine name, although
some people are choosing to use it for girls these days.
Canadian singer-songwriter Elizabeth Lowell Boland uses her middle name, Lowell, as her
artist name.
"Ride, ride, ride!
Shout it out tonight!"
Other famous people who have had this name include investigative reporter Lowell Bergman,
actor Lowell Sherman, and blues guitarist Lowell Fulson.
"We been together so long, baby, to have to separate this way."
Augusta
The feminine form of Augustus, Augusta comes from the Latin word "august" which means "great"
or "venerable."
The name was also used as a title for the female rulers of the Roman and Byzantine Empires,
and has long been a popular given name of royal babies.
"Augustus, sweetheart, save some room for later."
Unlike the more popular calendar-related names of June and Summer, babies named Augusta are
quite rare.
Popularity of the name Augusta peaked in the late 19th century, and all but faded away
by the end of WWII.
Famous people named Augusta include composers Augusta Read Thomas and Augusta Holmes.
Clement
While this name is quite popular in France and Belgium, it's fallen out of use in the
rest of the world.
Clement is a Latin name, meaning "mild or merciful."
It was the name of choice for 14 popes, and was quite popular in Europe.
Clement Clarke Moore is the writer of the popular Christmas poem A Visit from St. Nicholas.
And there's judge Clement Haynsworth and art critic Clement Greenberg.
Minerva
Minerva gained popularity as the name of the ancient Roman goddess of war and wisdom, but
the name began to be used as an English name after the Renaissance.
There are several places bearing the name of the Roman goddess, including Minerva, Ohio,
and the Minerva Reefs.
But Minerva became recognizable as a name in modern times as the first name of Professor
McGonagall in J.K.
Rowling's Harry Potter series.
Clarence
This name was used for centuries by the British royal family as a title of nobility, the Duke
of Clarence.
Beginning in the 19th century, Clarence gained popularity as a given name, though it has
been used far less frequently in modern times.
People with this name include Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court of the United States
and lawyer Clarence Darrow, known for his role in the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" trial.
Arnold
The Germanic name Arnold means "eagle power."
It's gone in and out of fashion through the centuries, fading into obscurity after the
Middle Ages before being revived in the 19th century and losing popularity again in the
late 20th century.
People named Arnold are in good company, though, as it belongs to legendary golfer Arnold Palmer
and actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"I'll be back."
Vintage names could be the new trend
With so many other vintage trends making a comeback in 2017, why not add vintage names
to the list?
Celebrities are already joining the vintage name revival and turning to popular names
of the past when choosing names for their babies.
Maybe you'll be the next to help breathe new life into a name deserving of a comeback!
"We have clearance, Clarence."
"Roger, Roger.
What's our vector, Victor?"
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