The ‘100 Year Rule’ for Baby Names: Which Names Are Due for a Comeback?

As someone who named both of her kids after grandmothers, I have an affinity for what some might consider “old person names.” And I’m not alone. Vintage and old-fashioned baby names are one of the biggest naming trends for 2025, and some expectant parents even wander cemeteries looking for baby name inspiration on the headstones. Without judging anyone’s methods for choosing a name for their baby, there’s another way to explore names that were popular in the past. Using the ‘100-Year Rule’ for baby names, parents today can look back at the most popular names in the 1920s.

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The ‘100-Year Rule’ for baby names theorizes that popular names have a three-generation cycle, meaning those that were popular 100 years ago, in the 1920s, come back to the mainstream. Of course, there are some timeless baby names that appear on the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) list year after year, including William, James, and Elizabeth. But other names have followed the rule. For example, today the names Jack and Henry are about as popular as they were for boys in the 1920s. For girls, Eleanor and Emma were also popular 1920s girl names and have returned to the top of the SSA list.

Keep scrolling to see the most popular names from 100 years ago that are popular again, 1920s baby names poised for a comeback, and some names that may be going extinct.

Most Popular 1920s Names Following the ‘100 Year Rule’

For Girls

Evelyn
Alice
Eleanor
Josephine
Hazel
Emma
Eva
Vivian
Charlotte
Violet
Ella
Lucy

For Boys

Jack
Arthur
Henry
Leo
Theodore
Benjamin

1920s Girl Names Ready for a Comeback

After looking at the ‘100-Year Rule’ for baby names and the latest baby naming trends, these popular 1920s girl names are ones to watch in the years ahead. 

Dorothy

Wicked-mania and the growing trend of vintage names may have this popular 1920s name, meaning “gift of god,” coming back into vogue.

Ruth/Ruthie

The adorable name Ruthie jumped on the SSA’s list of the most popular girls names list in 2023 for the first time since 1967. So, while the shorter Ruth isn’t gaining popularity quite yet, the cute nickname Ruthie could be one to watch, especially with the sweet meaning of “friend.”

Billy/Billie

Billy was a popular boy’s name in the 1920s, and Billie cracked the top 100 most popular baby names for girls in 1928. Today, “Billy,” meaning “protector,” is nearly extinct as a boy name, but it is rising in popularity for girls, with the trend toward more gender-neutral names. I’m sure cool girl Billie Eilish doesn’t hurt either.

Vera

It’d be rare to find a millennial named Vera, as this name fell off the SSA list in 1983, but this pretty name meaning “true” and “faith” came back to the list in 2009 and has been steadily climbing in popularity ever since.

Betty

Betty feels poised for a comeback as other old-fashioned girl names like Alice and Sylvia gain popularity. Not to mention Taylor Swift brought the name back to the zeitgeist thanks to the song on her Folklore album.

More 1920s Baby Girl Names Following 2025 Trends

Alma
Beatrice
Clara
Elaine
Elsie
Esther
Florence
Genevieve
June
Lena
Lillie
Louise
Lucille
Mabel
Mae
Margie
Mattie
Maxine
Nellie
Pearl
Rose
Ruby
Stella
Sylvia

1920s Boy Names Ready for a Comeback

Factoring in the latest baby naming trends and the ‘100-Year Rule,’ these popular 1920s baby boy names could be climbing up the SSA list in the coming years:

Louis

Meaning “famous warrior,” it’s no surprise this royal baby name was popular in the past. But with the adorable and feisty Prince Louis, who was born in 2018, giving the name a more modern connection, it might push this name up the list of the most popular boy names.

Roy

While the name “Roy,” meaning “red” or “king,” might not be climbing the charts, its closely connected names Rory and Royce are gaining popularity. And whether you were a fan of the dysfunctional Roy clan on Succession, this name also follows the surname baby name trend.

Leon

The name Leon hit its lowest point in popularity in 2005 but might be returning as a unique alternative to Leo and Leonardo, both on the list of the 100 most popular boy names last year. Leon, not surprisingly, means “lion.”

Oscar

With Oliver as a current top baby name mainstay, Oscar is a cute “O” name alternative rooted in Irish culture and folklore and means “champion warrior.” 

Howard

This surname baby name fell off the list of the most popular boy names in 2021, but with a meaning like “heart-brave” and cute nickname options like Howie or Ward, I could see this name gaining popularity in the coming years.  

More 1920s Baby Boy Names Following 2025 Trends

Calvin
Frederick
George
Gordon
Everett
Lawrence
Roger
Roland
Russell
Warren

1920s Baby Names Going Extinct

These names were popular in the 1920s but are not among today’s 1000 most popular baby names. Interestingly, the gender-neutral name Willie is on both lists below. So, while Willie and others do not follow the 100-year rule for baby names, parents looking for rare baby names might be interested in the 1920s names below:

1920s Girl Baby Names Not Popular Today

While the following could be considered a list of extinct baby names, don’t count all these names out just yet. Gertrude has one of the sweetest nicknames, Gertie, and Marjorie or Marion could be a unique girl name that starts with ‘M’ versus the more popular Madison or Madeline. On the other hand, some names may have a hard time coming back. For example, a popular Seinfeld episode might have sealed Dolores’ fate, as the name left the top 1000 most popular baby names in 1989.

Agnes
Arlene
Bernice
Bertha
Bessie
Beverly
Carol
Carolyn
Christine
Dolores
Donna
Doris
Edna
Ethel
Geneva
Geraldine
Gertrude
Gladys
Ida
Janet
Jean
Jeanne
Jennie
Joan
Joyce
Juanita
Kathleen
Lorraine
Marion
Marjorie
Mildred
Minnie
Myrtle
Norma
Peggy
Pauline
Phyllis
Rita
Theresa
Thelma
Velma
Wanda
Wilma
Willie
Viola

1920s Boy Baby Names Not Popular Today

None of the 1920s names on the list below are on today’s SSA list of the 1000 most popular boys’ names. Still, they could be unique picks for a little guy in 2025 (Milt or Gordie are pretty cute nicknames for baby boys, IMO). Although I don’t anticipate some names making a big comeback any time soon, primarily due to modern associations. For instance, Clifford may forever be associated with the “big red dog,” and Elmer is notably on the glue in every elementary school classroom.

Arnold
Bernard
Cecil
Clarence
Clifford
Dale
Don
Earl
Elmer
Ernest
Floyd
Fred
Gene
Gerald
Herman
Herbert
Hubert
Jessie
Jimmie
Johnnie
Lester
Milton
Norman
Ralph
Sidney
Vernon
Virgil
Wallace
Wilbur
Willard
Willie

Full List of the Most Popular Baby Names in the 1920s

Still looking for some vintage baby name inspiration? Check out the most popular names parents chose back in the 1920s, according to the U.S. Social Security Administration’s list.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathy Sisson, Senior Editor

Kathy Sisson has been a key contributor in the editorial parenting space for eight years, not only as a full-time editor at The Everymom but previously as a freelance writer for top parenting sites, including Scary Mommy, Motherly, Parent Co., and more. As an editor at The Everymom, she has produced hundreds of articles on a range of parenting topics, reviewed dozens of family-focused products, interviewed leading experts in the children and parenting world, and created viral parenting social media content. A mom of two, she is committed to sharing the honest, helpful, and often humorous stories of motherhood.

READ KATHY’S FULL BIO