The boy-name version of the vintage revival is the dominant story of the last twenty years in American baby naming. Names that peaked in the 1920s–1940s, fell through the mid-century, and hit their lowest point around 1990–2005 are now back — and some of them are climbing faster than they ever rose the first time.
Here's the data.
Theodore — from #312 to #4
Theodore is the flagship of the vintage boy revival. In 1940, Theodore was #90 — a respectable mid-century name. By 2000, it had fallen to #312. By 2024, it's #4 with 12,011 babies.
That's 12x growth in 24 years, and it's still at an all-time high.
Theodore has several things working for it: the three-syllable cadence that also drives Penelope, Evangeline, and Genevieve for girls; the short forms Theo and Ted; the presidential association (two Presidents Roosevelt were named Theodore); and the literary/intellectual aura (Theodore Dreiser, Theodore Roosevelt's writing). It now sounds distinguished where it once sounded dusty.
Oliver — from #305 to #3
Oliver was at #215 in 1940, fell to #305 by 2000, and has now risen to #3 — the highest any vintage revival name has placed in modern US naming history.
Oliver had 15,343 babies in 2024 — nearly 16x the 978 babies in 2000. The name has been #1 in the UK and Australia for several years running; the US followed the Anglosphere's lead.
Oliver's success isn't just vintage revival — it's a genuinely cross-national naming phenomenon. The Oliver Twist and Oliver! associations have been replaced by a contemporary Oliver who feels both classic and friendly. The short form Ollie is natural and warm.
Ezra — from #431 to #13
Ezra has the most striking trajectory of any name on this list. In 1940, it was #807 — a rare, distinctly Old Testament name. In 1980: #670. In 2000: #431. In 2024: #13 with 8,774 babies.
Ezra is almost exclusively an Old Testament story: the prophet Ezra led the return of Israelites from Babylon. The name has no mid-century cultural moment, no celebrity push, no pop culture character driving it. It climbed because it fits the Hebrew/Old Testament naming wave (Noah, Levi, Elijah, Asher, Silas) and because it sounds distinctively different from the -n and -r ending names that dominated the 2000s (Aiden, Mason, Logan).
At #13, Ezra is now arguably the emblematic boy name of the 2020s in the way Aiden was the 2010s and Jason was the 1970s.
Leo — from #388 to #24
Leo peaked early — it was a solid #112 in 1940 — then fell through the mid-century to a 2000 low of #388. In 2024 it's #24 with 7,793 babies.
Leo is unusual because it's one syllable (almost all other top-25 names are two or three syllables) and has no obvious sound pathway to a nickname. It's Leo — complete, short, done. The name communicates exactly what it is: ancient, strong, compact. Pope Leo XIII gave it a religious dimension; Leonardo DiCaprio (called Leo throughout Titanic) may have helped the revival.
Silas — from #602 to #81
Silas — New Testament apostle, also a Dickensian protagonist (Silas Marner, 1861). In 2000 it was at #602. In 2024 it's #81 with 4,108 babies.
Silas has the sharp, two-syllable profile that many climbing vintage names share. It feels country and literary simultaneously — American folk and 19th century English novel at once. The Weeds and Parenthood characters named Silas (both 2005–2015) may have helped it cross over.
Arthur — from #316 back toward its peak
Arthur peaked in 1921 at #33 (10,527 babies). It fell steadily through the mid-century, hitting #316 by 2000. Now it's back to #105 with 3,318 babies.
Arthur has the most complex cultural history of any name on this list: the Arthurian legend, the Conan Doyle pen name, the PBS children's show Arthur (1996–2022), the British monarchy's affection for the name (Prince Harry's formal name is Henry Charles Albert David — Arthur is a middle name of Prince George). It's been reviving in the UK even faster than the US.
Arthur is the classic vintage boy name that hasn't fully arrived yet — at #105, it's more popular than it's been in sixty years, but still below its Arthurian peak.
August — from #615 to #88
August — the month name, the Roman Emperor's title, the August Wilson of American drama. In 1980 only 108 boys were named August; in 2024, 3,876 were. That's 35x growth.
August has two distinct advantages over many vintage names: the month association provides natural meaning ("born in August" or simply "august," meaning impressive), and the short form Gus is among the most appealing two-letter short forms in the English language. August/Gus may be the contemporary version of Theodore/Teddy or Arthur/Art.
See month and season names for its full trajectory.
Emmett — from #740 to #119
Emmett — Irish surname (from Gaelic Eiméad), also a given name honored in American history (Emmett Till, whose murder in 1955 helped spark the civil rights movement). In 2000 it was at #740; in 2024 it's #119 with 3,001 babies.
Emmett also has the Twilight connection — Emmett Cullen is one of the vampire protagonists (2005–2008). The Twilight names tended to climb fast and then plateau; Emmett has climbed more slowly and sustained better, suggesting the vintage wave is the primary driver.
Arlo — from #2,572 to #146
Arlo has the most dramatic absolute rise of any name here. It was essentially unused in modern American naming — #2,572 in 2000, 37 babies — and is now #146 with 2,481 babies. That's a 67x increase.
Arlo was never a mainstream mid-century name (it appears in the 1940s at #918 but as a genuine rarity). It's associated with Arlo Guthrie (folk singer, Alice's Restaurant, 1967) — the name carried on through a single cultural figure for 40 years before the vintage wave brought it back. Arlo is a data example of how a name can be kept alive by a single well-known bearer and then revive when the cultural conditions are right.
Jasper — from #592 to #133
Jasper — the gemstone; also a biblical Magi name; also Twilight's Jasper Hale. In 2000 it was at #592; in 2024 it's #133 with 2,750 babies. See gemstone names for more on the gemstone name trend.
What these names have in common
They peaked before 1950. Every name on this list was in use before World War II and fell out of fashion during the postwar era of Larry, Gary, Terry, and Barry — the -ry ending names that defined the 1950s–1970s.
They skipped a generation. The names that revive fastest are ones that feel completely unfamiliar to current parents (born in the 1980s–1990s) but familiar to grandparents and great-grandparents. Theodore feels like a grandfather's name, not an uncle's name — which means it doesn't trigger the "too old" response. When it sounds like a great-grandfather, it becomes available again.
They have distinguished short forms. Theo, Ollie, Leo, Art/Artie, Gus, Syl, Ez — the vintage names succeeding now almost all come with natural nicknames that feel warm and contemporary.
They are clearly different from the 2000s-2010s peak names. Aiden, Mason, Logan, Liam, Noah, Ethan — these dominated American boys' naming from roughly 2005–2020. Parents choosing a name now are often choosing against these names, either because they're associated with specific children already in their lives, or because they feel dated. Theodore, Ezra, and August feel different in every possible way.
Names that aren't reviving yet
Some vintage boy names are still waiting:
- Clarence (#1,565): still declining
- Herbert (#2,483): still declining
- Bernard (#1,319): still declining
- Homer (#4,133): essentially gone
- Clyde (#728): slight uptick but not reviving
- Leroy (#864): flat
These names peaked later (1930s–1950s) and feel more specifically "mid-century" than pre-war. They need another 15–20 years in the cultural cycle before the nostalgia clock clicks. The rule of thumb is roughly 60–80 years: Theodore peaked in the 1920s and is reviving in the 2020s. Clarence peaked in the 1940s — its moment may come in the 2040s.
See also: Vintage girl names comeback · Timeless names · Biblical names
Data: SSA 1880–2024 US release. All ranks are within the male ranking for each year.