18 Classic Baby Names That Are Making a Comeback

- -
May 15, 2015

The new US Top 100 list is out, and there’s good news for those who love classic baby names! While plenty of newer names caught on, 2014 was all about the return of longtime favorites.

James bumped Jayden out of the US Top Ten. Alice and Eleanor re-entered the girls’ Top 100.

The farther you look down the list, the more vintage gems you’ll find. Some of the names have returned to the rankings after decades of hibernation. Others have never really gone away, but the numbers suggest that these classics might feel stylish and fresh once more.

Here are eighteen great names – nine for girls and nine for boys – that climbed 50 spots or more between 2013 and 2014.

Popular CLASSIC Baby NAMES FOR GIRLS

1. Thea: Theodore has been on the upswing for boys. Now sister Thea is catching up. This spunky name is short for Theodora, or any name ending in –thea. (Anthea, anyone?) In 2014, Thea rose 358 places to rank Number 776. If you’re heartbroken that Stella and Cora are so popular, Thea might be the choice for you.

2. Cordelia: Speaking of Cora, this Cor- name has finally made it back to the Top 1000. Lear’s loyal daughter climbed 205 places to Number 993 in 2014. Meanwhile, the equally Shakespearean Olivia landed at Number 3.

3. Margot: Originally a nickname, Margot has long been bestowed independently. Edgier than Margaret, less modern than Marlowe, it’s easy to see why parents love this ‘o’ ending name. Margot was up 200 spots to Number 749.

4. Elaine: Elaine’s heyday was the 1930s. If the hundred-year rule applies, it’s just about time for a comeback. The French form of Helen climbed 105 places to Number 654 in 2014. Fellow Camelot name Arthur has also made big gains in recent years. And isn’t the nickname Laney/Lainey irresistible?

5. Frances: The 2013 appointment of Pope Francis may help explain the 91 spots Frances climbed to arrive at Number 602. Or maybe Frances just fits with gentle, understated, and classic names like Alice and Charlotte.

6. Edith: Downton Abbey’s middle sister, Edith, is one of the reasons parents are rediscovering this vintage gem. There’s also adorable nickname Edie, as well as literary namesake Edith Wharton. No surprise that Edith made an 89-spot gain to Number 627.

7. Dorothy: Not so long ago, Dorothy was a Golden Girl. Now she’s just golden – the heroine of The Wizard of Oz and the middle name Scarlett Johannson chose for her daughter, Rose Dorothy, in late 2013. Dorothy charted at Number 731 in 2014, a gain of 76 places.

8. Matilda: Matilda has gone from medieval queen to quirky children’s storybook title to celebrity baby name. The name rose by 64 spots to rank Number 583.

9. Ada: Ava is all Hollywood glam, while the similar-sounding Ada has a gentle, homespun sensibility. There’s also Ada Lovelace, daughter of the poet Lord Byron, whose work helped create the modern computer. They’re all reasons why Ada is up 54 places to Number 382.

Popular CLASSIC Baby NAMES FOR BOYS

10. Clyde: Clyde re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2013, and climbed another 192 spots to Number 804 in 2014. Clyde feels cool and edgy, a brother for Dexter or Otis. Bonnie was also up 193 places. Credit a December 2013 miniseries called Bonnie & Clyde with at least some of the names’ rise.

11. Alfred: Batman’s faithful butler answers to Alfred. So did the poet Tennyson and director Hitchcock. Nickname Alfie has been wildly popular in the UK in recent years, and Freddie is also on the rise. All of it makes Alfred a very wearable classic that remains underused, even after climbing 192 spots to Number 804.

12. Harvey: If Henry is huge, no wonder Harvey is catching on, too. Harvey rose by 175 spots in 2013, and gained another 123 rungs this year, to reach Number 493.

13. Winston: It’s a W surname name like Walker, a –ton ending name like Easton or Colton, and ties to a famous figure. Winston feels like a big, important name that’s still wearable for a child. Winston was up 85 places to Number 538.

14. August: At first glance, August is a modern nature name for a summer-born baby. But August is also ancient, a form of Augustus. The name rose 144 spots to Number 544 in 2014.

15. Clark: Not so long ago, Clark – as in legendary actor Gable – was Gone with the Wind. Now Clark feels like an on-trend surname name with an adventurous vibe, thanks to Lewis and Clark, as well as a heroic one, thanks to Superman’s alter ego Clark Kent. Clark climbed to Number 382 in 2014, a gain of 75 places.

16. Lionel: Leo names are fierce! Leo cracked the US Top 100 in 2014. And Lionel, which also has pleasing associations with model trains and Hollywood’s Barrymore dynasty, was up 75 places to Number 660. Another reason this name is enjoying a revival? It’s the given name of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi.

17. Otto: Quirky, upbeat Otto is yet another name climbing for the second year in a row. Otto arrived at Number 627, after a gain of 69 places. With ends-in-o names like Leo and Arlo in favor, Otto fits right in.

18. Harold: Can Harold be ready for a comeback? As with so many names, the minute you meet a small Harold, it seems reasonable. Beloved children’s book Harold and the Purple Crayon is a positive association, as is the super-genius character from CBS series Person of Interest. Harold climbed 59 places to Number 828 in 2014.

Are you excited to see any classic or vintage names make a comeback? What are your favorites? Let us know in the comments.

This post was originally published on Nameberry by Abby Sandel

“Protective” Peter Gallagher Is “So Grateful” Mischa Barton Survived “Toxic Fame”

No matter what kind of day you're having, Marissa Cooper's having a worse one. Mischa Barton's The O.C. character went through the ringer during the first three seasons of the teen drama (remember how she overdosed in Tijuana...and also saw her parents post-hookup after their divorce?).

And during her time on The O.C., Mischa Barton struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. She was arrested for a DUI in 2007 and eventually received involuntary psychiatric hospitalization in 2009 after allegedly threatening to end her own life. And in a new interview, Peter Gallagher (who played Sandy Cohen on the show) says he's "just so grateful" for "the fact that she’s still alive."

  • Mischa Barton starred alongside Peter Gallagher in The O.C. from 2003-2006.
  • The actress has revealed the "trauma" of being a star at that point in her life.
  • Peter recently opened up about how he's thankful "she’s still alive."


Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for FLC/John Lamparski/Getty Images

The O.C. follows Ryan Atwood, who moves in with the Cohens after getting kicked out of his mom's house, and starts a relationship with Marissa shortly after. While Peter Gallagher played Adam Brody's TV dad instead of Mischa's, Sandy was a definitely father figure for Marissa, and it seems like Peter felt that same responsibility off camera.

"I’ve always felt very protective of her," Peter told The Independent. "First fame is toxic. First fame can kill you. She was 16 years old when she started working with us, so just the fact that she’s still alive, I’m just so grateful."

“You can go to therapy every day for the rest of your life,” Mischa said in a 2023 interview with The Sunday Times. “There’s just a certain amount of trauma [from] all that I went through, particularly in my early twenties, that just doesn’t go away overnight.”

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage revealed that season 1 overdose not only served as a cliffhanger, but gave “network executives an escape hatch on a performer they had been wary about” (via People). But Mischa Barton got her big break, becoming "how people knew the show," and (thankfully) Marissa recovered — only to die after a car crash in season 3.

As hard as that season 3 ending is to watch, Mischa did have the opportunity to watch it with Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke for the first time on their rewatch podcast. "It needed to be a thing, after everything she's been through, but if it's here I'll watch it with you," Mischa says.

"I couldn't do it, Mischa, I couldn't do it," Rachel adds. "But I'm going to do it if you're going to do it."

Mischa says even though being written off the show "was a little bit of a bummer," it wasn't necessarily a surprise. "The character was just doing too much," she told Vanity Fairin 2023. "And I think they ran out of places for her to go. It was not the best thing in the world, [but] there wasn’t much you could do at that point. It was whether she could sail off into the sunset, or die. At that point, I guess it’s better to have the more dramatic ending.”
What did you think of The O.C. season 3 finale? Let us know on Facebook!
pop culturecelebrity

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse and model Barbara Palvin are certainly living the sweet life after tying the knot in Palvin's native Hungary. The couple, who have been together for nearly five years, have always been pretty low-key — except for the occasional and undeniably adorable Instagram post (and a stunning wedding!). We are simply ~obsessed~ with this celebrity couple, especially after they pulled out all the stops for their couple's Halloween costume. Keep scrolling to see some of their best moments :').

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Halloween Couple's Costume!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Barbara Palvin (@realbarbarapalvin)

For Halloween Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin stunned as the Phantom and Christine from Phantom of the Opera. Dylan wore a mask and a black cape, while Barbara wore a beautiful white dress. While the costume is obviously a nod to the musical, it also totally reminds us of their day as bride and groom.

"In Sleep He Sang to Me," Barbara said in a post, quoting the musical's titular number. "@dylansprouse my forever Phantom."

Who did Dylan Sprouse marry?

www.instagram.com

On the couple's wedding day (July 15, 2023), Barbara wore a Vivienne Westwood wedding gown to celebrate her Hungarian nuptials, bringing together their nearest and dearest for an intimate(-ish) celebration. Barbara and Dylan tied the knot on her parent's property, which conveniently doubles as an event venue, with plans to host an larger wedding in California in the fall.

"This past weekend was supposed to be an intimate event, but we ended up having 115 guests in the end because there are a lot of people we care about, and we wanted them all to be there," Barbara told Vogue.

When did Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin get engaged?

www.instagram.com

Barbara Palvin on Instagram: "♥️"

After months of speculation surrounding the couple's engagement, Dylan and Barbara confirmed their engagement in conversation with Sprouse's twin brother, actor Cole Sprouse, for V Magazine in June, sharing that they got engaged last September.

"We didn't necessarily feel the need to be fully transparent with the public about that aspect of our engagement," Dylan said. "What we wanted to do with Stephen [Gan, V editor-in-chief] and the V team is make something that was kind of tongue-in-cheek about the nature of private versus public. We're playing with the idea of perception."

Barbara noted that the lovebirds wanted to announce the news "on our time," adding, "When some people leaked the information that we got engaged, our PR team was like, 'Hey, so you guys should do maybe a post about it or talk to this magazine or talk to that magazine…' That really annoyed me because I knew we were building this story up. So, I'm very happy that we ended up doing it our way."

When did Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse start dating?

Sean Zanni / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

According to People, the couple met back in 2017 after a party when the Suite Life On Deck star slid into the model’s DMs (and as they say, the rest is history). The duo made their relationship Instagram official back in 2018 with Barbara’s sweet birthday tribute for Dylan’s 26th birthday.

Let’s be real here for a second though, we all knew they were endgame the minute Dylan went above and beyond to support Barbara at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show that same year (remember this viral video?). Three days after the fashion show, the Hungarian model told Vogue Australia that she hadn’t had a boyfriend in six years, but had now found “the perfect guy” in Dylan (we aren’t crying, you are).

How old are Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse?

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Barbara Palvin was born on October 8, 1993, making her 31 years old. Dylan Sprouse was born on August 4, 1992, meaning he's 32 years old. So there's only a one-year age gap between them!

Stay up to date with all of Brit + Co's favorite celebrity relationships. Let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

This post has been updated.

engagement newsweddingscelebritypop culturecelebrities

Elle & Dakota Fanning Will Collab On Apple's 'Margo's Got Money Troubles'

2017's The Beguiled gave us one of the best groups of people of all time: Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Sofia Coppola, and Kirsten Dunst just to name a few. And we're finally getting an Elle and Nicole reunion thanks to Apple TV+! "THRILLED to bring @rufithorpe genius hysterical heart-wrenching heartwarming book to your TV screens alongside a dream group of people!" Elle says on Instagram. Rather than having to test the success of its pilot, the series has already been ordered — even though the book it's based on isn't even out yet! Here's everything you need to know about the series.

  • Dakota and Elle Fanning will produce the upcoming Apple TV+ show Margo's Got Money Troubles.
  • The series follows Margo, who signs up for OnlyFans after learning she's pregnant.
  • The cast includes Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nick Offerman.

Who's in the Margo's Got Money Troubles cast?

Amy Sussman/Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Margo's Got Money Troubles Cast

We couldn't contain our excitement when we learned Margo's Got Money Troubles will star Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, but knowing Michelle Pfeiffer is also joining the cast is too much to bear! This is the first time the actress will collaborate with her husband, TV creator David E. Kelley, so we can't wait to see the magic they'll create (via Deadline).

Nick Offerman from The Last of Us and Parks and Rec will also star.

When is Margo's Got Money Troubles coming out?

Ron Lach/Pexels

Margo's Got Money Troubles Release Date

We don't have an official release date for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV show yet. I'm thinking if the TV show is in the early stages of planning, we could see it in 2025! Check out all of this year's best New TV Shows to hold you over until then.

What is Margo's Got Money Troubles about?

Amazon

Margo's Got Money Troubles Plot

Margo Millet is the daughter of a Hooter's waitress named Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and an ex-wrestler (via Deadline). She's always had to make it on her own, even though she's not sure how. When she enrolls in her local junior college, she's totally unprepared to get swept up into a torrid love affair with her English professor — or to get pregnant.

Now at 20 years old, Margo needs an income and fast. She decides to experiment with OnlyFans and ends up taking some of her estranged father's advice from the world of wrestling to create a character users will fall in love with. You can order the book now!

What is Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's new TV show?

Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels

Margo's Got Money Troubles is coming soon to Apple TV+ thanks to a bunch of different producers. A24 is backing the film, as well as Elle and Dakota Fanning’s production company Lewellen Pictures and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films, to name a few.

What else has Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in?

Focus Features

Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in 2017's The Beguiled. The movie follows John McBurney, an injured Union soldier, who winds up at a female Southern boarding school after deserting the Civil War. But soon, as the women help him, tensions turn to rivalries and friends turn to enemies.

Are you excited for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV reunion? Let us know what other New TV Shows you're watching in the comments.

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

elle fanningnicole kidmanpop cultureentertainment