20 older baby names making a comeback – these vintage choices are popular again
Naming a child after a grandparent or older relative is a common practice in the United States. New parents look back to earlier generations for naming inspiration, causing long-dormant names to rebound into modern use. Now, as parents welcome the newborns of Generations Alpha and Beta, several once-popular names from the Silent and Baby Boom generations are resurfacing.
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Many of the older names making a comeback are no-frills boy names with hard consonants, like Van, Mack, Dean, and Rocky. Vintage girl names with softer endings like Rosalie, Lana, Sylvia, and Rosemary are also rising in popularity. A closer look at the data reveals the Silent Generation and Baby Boomer names that are making a comeback.
To determine the older names making a comeback, Nifty 50+ reviewed data on baby name counts from the U.S. Social Security Administration. Names that peaked in usage between 1928 and 1964 were ranked based on the increase in newborns receiving the name from their post-peak low to 2024.
20. Van
- Babies named Van last year: 267 babies (+177 more than in 1997)
- Peak year for the name Van: 1953 (591 babies)
- Post-peak low for Van: 1997 (90 babies)
19. Marshall
- Babies named Marshall last year: 835 babies (+198 more than in 1973)
- Peak year for the name Marshall: 1947 (1,283 babies)
- Post-peak low for Marshall: 1973 (637 babies)
18. Joan
- Babies named Joan last year: 408 babies (+207 more than in 1996)
- Peak year for the name Joan: 1932 (21,132 babies)
- Post-peak low for Joan: 1996 (201 babies)
17. Darwin
- Babies named Darwin last year: 293 babies (+209 more than in 1976)
- Peak year for the name Darwin: 1958 (424 babies)
- Post-peak low for Darwin: 1976 (84 babies)
16. Rosalyn
- Babies named Rosalyn last year: 303 babies (+229 more than in 1998)
- Peak year for the name Rosalyn: 1955 (422 babies)
- Post-peak low for Rosalyn: 1998 (74 babies)
15. Myra
- Babies named Myra last year: 453 babies (+252 more than in 1997)
- Peak year for the name Myra: 1958 (1,295 babies)
- Post-peak low for Myra: 1997 (201 babies)
14. Ira
- Babies named Ira last year: 384 babies (+286 more than in 2001)
- Peak year for the name Ira: 1947 (968 babies)
- Post-peak low for Ira: 2001 (98 babies)
13. Rocky
- Babies named Rocky last year: 457 babies (+326 more than in 1999)
- Peak year for the name Rocky: 1957 (920 babies)
- Post-peak low for Rocky: 1999 (131 babies)
12. Sylvia
- Babies named Sylvia last year: 863 babies (+359 more than in 2003)
- Peak year for the name Sylvia: 1937 (4,389 babies)
- Post-peak low for Sylvia: 2003 (504 babies)
11. Gwen
- Babies named Gwen last year: 403 babies (+366 more than in 1995)
- Peak year for the name Gwen: 1959 (951 babies)
- Post-peak low for Gwen: 1995 (37 babies)
10. Faye
- Babies named Faye last year: 559 babies (+514 more than in 1995)
- Peak year for the name Faye: 1943 (1,478 babies)
- Post-peak low for Faye: 1995 (45 babies)
9. Mack
- Babies named Mack last year: 612 babies (+528 more than in 1996)
- Peak year for the name Mack: 1942 (847 babies)
- Post-peak low for Mack: 1996 (84 babies)
8. Jane
- Babies named Jane last year: 1,180 babies (+562 more than in 1995)
- Peak year for the name Jane: 1947 (9,960 babies)
- Post-peak low for Jane: 1995 (618 babies)
7. Gwendolyn
- Babies named Gwendolyn last year: 802 babies (+574 more than in 1995)
- Peak year for the name Gwendolyn: 1953 (3,530 babies)
- Post-peak low for Gwendolyn: 1995 (228 babies)
6. Lana
- Babies named Lana last year: 829 babies (+650 more than in 1997)
- Peak year for the name Lana: 1948 (1,470 babies)
- Post-peak low for Lana: 1997 (179 babies)
5. Rosemary
- Babies named Rosemary last year: 1,037 babies (+698 more than in 1997)
- Peak year for the name Rosemary: 1947 (4,542 babies)
- Post-peak low for Rosemary: 1997 (339 babies)
4. Vincent
- Babies named Vincent last year: 3,169 babies (+768 more than in 1975)
- Peak year for the name Vincent: 1962 (6,188 babies)
- Post-peak low for Vincent: 1975 (2,401 babies)
3. Rosalie
- Babies named Rosalie last year: 1,699 babies (+1,580 more than in 1996)
- Peak year for the name Rosalie: 1938 (3,770 babies)
- Post-peak low for Rosalie: 1996 (119 babies)
2. Dean
- Babies named Dean last year: 2,550 babies (+1,865 more than in 2003)
- Peak year for the name Dean: 1961 (4,965 babies)
- Post-peak low for Dean: 2003 (685 babies)
1. Georgia
- Babies named Georgia last year: 2,458 babies (+2,212 more than in 1986)
- Peak year for the name Georgia: 1947 (2,481 babies)
- Post-peak low for Georgia: 1986 (246 babies)
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