Rare 1885 baby names mix place names, surnames, and what exactly explains this? names. It makes for a quirky list.
They’re the flipside of the Neglected Gems from the 1880s and 1890s. While the chart toppers of generations past may feel antique today, we remember and acknowledge them as given names. We all imagine that someone will bring back Ralph and Sallie – it’s just a question of when.
If you’re wondering what counted as a chart-topper in 1885? Scroll to the bottom of the post for the Top 20 for boys and girls from the year. A surprise or two mixes in with names we consider rock solid classics.
But how about the names that never caught on? Will they fade from our collective memory?
And is that a problem?
Maybe Capitola and Lugenia are best left to the past.
But other names could be exactly what twenty-first century parents are after – familiar, but seldom heard. Or just a little bit different than the names that everyone else is choosing today.
The names listed here all ranked #500 or higher as of 1885. Some climbed in use, but none of these ever cracked the US Top 100. And while we’ve forgotten them, they could feel fresh and new.
Read on for my favorite 1885 baby names.
1885 GIRL NAMES
ALBERTINE (ranked #696 in 1885)
We hear Madeline and Genevieve everywhere. Is Albertine so different? Rarer than Albert, it comes with great nickname potential and a sort of vintage-cool vibe.
CLOTILDE (ranked #613 in 1885)
Also spelled Clothilde, this Germanic name has been out of favor for years. But it’s a saint name, and a former Queen of the Franks. File it somewhere between Chloe and Matilda, and this name has potential.
DELPHIA (ranked #546 in 1885)
It sounds like Philadelphia, hold the Phil. But it refers to the city of Delphi, where Apollo’s oracle once stood. If we’re wild for Sophia, why not Delphia?
DULCIE (ranked #956 in 1885)
This name means sweet, from the Latin dulcis. It could be short for the equally rare Dulcinea, a literary invention from Cervantes. But I think Dulcie stands on its own, an alternative to Sadie or Maisie.
EXIE (ranked #638 in 1885)
We love the letter X, and names like Ellie, too. Exie sounds a little bit like a modern invention, but it’s waiting on this list of 1885 baby names for rediscovery.
LEDA (ranked #992 in 1885)
With Atlas, Orion, and Penelope so popular, you’d expect Leda to succeed. Not only does it come from Greek myth, but it shares sounds with Layla, Luna, and so many other popular L names for girls.
MAEBELLE (ranked #888 in 1885)
Equally vintage Mabel is catching on. Is Maebelle an elaborate spelling of the same? Or a Mae-Belle smoosh? Either way, it has potential.
NOVELLA (ranked #832 in 1885)
It sounds like a modern word name, a literally literary pick like Story or Fable. But it was probably borrowed from the Latin nova – new, possibly referring to spring.
ODESSA (ranked #535 in 1885)
The original sits in the Ukraine; a Texas city also bears the name. But both refer to that ancient wanderer Odysseus. If you love Tessa, but want something much less common, Odessa fits.
SOPHRONIA (ranked #556 in 1885)
Sophia tops the charts, but Sophronia is nearly forgotten. The name means sensible; the seventh century Saint Sophronius is remembered for his wisdom. It’s elaborate and wearable.
TRESSA (ranked #573 in 1885)
A modern Cornish girls’ name meaning third, Tressa could also be a spin on Theresa. Or maybe it’s just another -ess name from the late nineteenth century. We were wild for Bessie and Jessie, with names like Odessa on the fringes, too.
VICTORINE (ranked #838 in 1885)
There’s regal Victoria and word name Victory, but ‘how bout Victorine? A rare feminine form of Victor, it’s a tailored, elaborate choice for a daughter with a vintage vibe.
1885 BOY NAMES
BENTON (ranked #610 in 1885)
Ben names are enjoying the spotlight recently, from Top Ten Benjamin to Hollywood-boosted Benedict. Benton peaked in the nineteenth century, but has recently returned to the US Top 1000, though it feels modern, rather than vintage, today.
DEMPSEY (ranked #858 in 1885)
A swaggering name, Dempsey means proud. Years after he left the ring, heavyweight champ Jack Dempsey leaves his mark on the name, too.
FIELDING (ranked #726 in 1885)
Henry Fielding makes it literary. But Fielding also fits with Parker, Wilder, and other outdoorsy surname names so popular right now.
HAMILTON (ranked #731 in 1885)
The Broadway blockbuster might inspire a few parents. And while Ham is a non-starter of a nickname, Milo might work.
HOLLIS (ranked #671 in 1885)
It refers to a grove of holly trees, and feels appropriate for a Christmas baby. It also fits right in with so many stylish boy names ending with s, from Miles to Brooks.
HOUSTON (ranked #533 in 1885)
Named for its founder, Sam Houston, the Texas city fits right in with so many place names we’ve used for children’s name in recent years. In fact, at #734 as of 2020, Houston might be on the verge of a comeback.
LAFE (ranked #623 in 1885)
A phonetic spelling of Scandi name Leif, Lafe rhymes with Rafe – though neither is particularly common in the US these days.
LEOPOLD (ranked #676 in 1885)
If Leo names rule, why not Leopold? It sounds like the name of a minor German prince, or, of course, one of The Producers. It’s unexpected and fun.
ORSON (ranked #910 in 1885)
More subtle than Fox or Bear, Orson is borrowed from the Latin ursus – bear. Orson Welles makes it familiar, but it’s quite rare for a child.
RANSOM (ranked #572 in 1885)
It rhymes with handsome, and it shares a deep, spiritual meaning. (Christ died as a ransom for the sins of the world.) If you love two-syllable, ends-with-n boy names, this is among the rarest.
ROME (ranked #687 in 1885)
The eternal city is as good a place name candidate as Camden or Boston, and far less expected. As brief as Kai and Jude, Rome remains much rarer than Roman – but it could work. And, like fellow place name Houston, Rome ranks in the US Top 1000, at #970 as of 2020.
SUMNER (ranked #758 in 1885)
Yes, it would almost certainly be mistaken for Summer. Maybe constantly. But that’s a plus, too, a summery surname name that feels familiar, but is quite rare.
Would you consider any of these 1885 baby names for a child today?
First published on March 18, 2016, this post was revised and re-published on April 1, 2020 and updated again on November 8, 2021.
I love the name Jincy for a girl. It is an old family name.
My grandmother had best friends who were sisters named Leda and Viva. I always loved their names so much!
Just FYI, but Ransom is also the name of the hero of CS Lewis’ Space Trilogy. He’s a philologist and actually has some reflections on his own name in the story.
We live in Italy and Clotilde is a “not-too-common but not-too-uncommon” name. Pronounced Cloh-till-day, the girl is often called Tilde for short.
We named my almost 10 year old daughter, Exie, after my grandmother, Exie. My daughter was due on my grandmother’s birthday… so it was fitting to name her after her….. a woman who I greatly adored. A beautiful, kind, smart, Christian woman born in 1918. She never knew my daughter, as she died 7 years prior to her birth. They would’ve loved each other. Her name was not short for anything and her paternal family was Irish.
We are from TN. 🙂
Interesting! I rarely ever see my sons name Ransom on any names list! His name has a special family meaning as it is my mothers maiden name. We always get compliments on his strong and unique name- though I’m sure people wouldn’t say anything negative to our faces!!! He is only 3.5 but he loves his name and thinks it’s so cool he shares a name with all of his great grand parents (his middle name is after my grandpa on my dads side)
I would love to use Dulcie, it’s femine without being cloying and is quite sentimental here in Australia as many families have or had a Dulcie somewhere up the line.
Albertine is actually the religious name of a young nun I know. Sr. Albertine is a Dominican Sister and not yet 30.
My great-aunt’s name is Novella! I’m not sure of the source and she was born well after 1885. I’m into Sophronia and Clotilde on the girls’ side and many of the boys’ names esp Hollis and Dempsey.
Re: Lafe-
This was my grandfather’s name, not a respelling of Leif, but short for Lafayette. He was born in rural Oregon in 1914. (We’re not Scandinavian at all.)
Oh, Fiona – you might be right! That makes nearly as much sense as Leif spelled phonetically. And Lafayette ranked in the 300s then … so another reason to think that might be the more logical explanation.