Choosing a baby name is an important task. The name you choose today will be used by your child for the remainder of his days. Most parents choose the baby’s name before the baby is born. Whether you have an interest in all things old-fashioned or you just want to show your family tree’s roots, a name from the 1700s could be a perfect fit for your child. Many of the names popular in the 1700s are still popular today.
Aaron
Many boys were called Aaron in the 1700s and the name held its strength for centuries. In 2010, Aaron was listed among the top 100 names chosen for baby boys.
The name Aaron comes from a Hebrew history and loosely translates to mean “mountain of strength.” In the Bible, the brother of Moses is named Aaron, and he was the first high priest of Israel.
Melatiah
The name Melatiah was not gender specific during the 1700s, according to Nickelodeon. Both little boys and little girls carried the name throughout their lives. The name is rooted in the Bible and means “deliverance of the Lord.” Historically, the name has not maintained its popularity, and in recent years was declared number 4,033 on the list of all-time popular baby names on the Australian website, MyBaby.
Lydia
Little girls named Lydia in the 1700s were named after an area of Asia named Lydia. The name loosely translates to a “woman of purple,” which in ancient times meant the woman was wealthy.
Elizabeth
The name Elizabeth made its way into households throughout the 1700s and continues to be popular in modern culture. The name has a Hebrew foundation and means “God’s promise.”
Jonas
Jonas was another name that was popular in the 1700s. Derived from the biblical name Jonah, it means “dove.” The name managed to maintain its popularity through the 1990 U.S. Census and placed 816th out of 1,220 names.
Oliver
Oliver was a popular name for little boys in the 1700s. Its roots can be found within the Latin language. The name Oliver means “olive tree.” Fans of 12th century literature may remember that one of the knights in the poem “Chanson de Roland” was named Oliver. The name continued its popularity through the 1990 U.S. Census, when it was rated 319th most popular out of 1,220 baby names.
Lucy
Ranked 208 out of 1,220 baby names in the U.S. Census, Lucy was popular in the 1700s as well. It has a Latin origin and translates to “light.” Several popular variations of the name are Lu, Luci and Lucia.
Molly
The name Molly hails from Ireland and was popular in the 1700s. Later in U.S. history, the term “moll” became a slang term for a prostitute or the girlfriend of a gangster, but it never interfered with the popularity of the name Molly, which ranks 317 out of 1,270 names during the 1990 U.S. Census.
