If you’re looking for an old-fashioned name for your new addition, these colonial American baby names may be just what you’re looking for. Whether you’re hoping to find inspiration from the earliest Americans or just wanting to add a few quality classics to your baby name list, these names have been around forever — although some have definitely fallen by the wayside since.
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Many of the names listed here were some of the nation’s first colonists — those who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in the 1600s to find a new land. In fact, a baby born aboard the Mayflower was named Oceanus! So while some of these names are very steadfast, familiar and traditional, some are pretty darn unique.
Colonial names for baby girls
Female names from this time period have a traditional, classic sound to them today. Some have remained fairly popular in the centuries since, but others dropped off, only to enjoy a recent resurgence. You’ll also notice quite a few virtue names among these girl names.
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Some, like Grace, remain in common use, but some have definitely dropped off and might make a unique choice for a modern baby — we’re thinking names like Constance, Mercy, Remember and Piety. If these don’t sound like a first-name choice for your little girl, maybe they’ll find their way to her middle name.
- Abigail
- Alice
- Anne
- Charity
- Charlotte
- Constance
- Deliverance
- Dolly
- Elisabeth
- Eliza
- Esther
- Grace
- Hephzibah
- Kathrine
- Lucretia
- Lucy
- Lydia
- Martha
- Mary
- Mercy
- Molly
- Nabby
- Patience
- Phebe
- Piety
- Priscilla
- Prudence
- Rebeckah
- Remember
- Rhoda
- Sarah
- Suzannah
- Thankfull
Colonial names for baby boys
Colonial names for boys are less unusual than the ones for girls, with a few exceptions. You probably won’t see very many parents choosing Ebenezer for their little one — even though it was published in 1843, the character of Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens has soured the name for modern moms and dads. That being said, its rarity might make it an awesome choice that nobody will ever forget. Many of the other names listed here are strong, solid choices that may work for your family.
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