20 classic old-fashioned baby names and their modern nicknames
Pick a name that has a little vintage charm!
Looking for a classic name that has a modern twist? Why not consider choosing a old-fashion name that can be shortened to form an adorable nickname?
You could check the family tree for names of your ancestors and choose a name that belonged to a beloved great-parent and see if it has a cool nickname or pick one from our curated list.
Step back in time with this charming selection of names and cute nicknames in the gallery below.
Old-fashioned baby names for boys and their modern nicknames
Albert / Alby
This classic name has German origins and means “noble” or “bright”.
Alexander / Alex, Xander or Xan
This charming name has Greek origins that mean “to defend/protect”.
Andrew / Drew
Of Greek origin, the meaning of the name Andrew is “man or manly”.
Archibald / Archie
This name is popular thanks to Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the son of Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle.
Archie is the shortened form of Archibald which has German origins and means “bold”.
Benjamin / Benji
With Hebrew origins, Benjamin means “son of my right hand”.
Theodore / Theo
Theodore is a handsome name of Greek origin that means “gift of God”.
Nathanial / Nate / Natty
Nate has become popular thanks to the Gossip Girl character of the same name.
The long form of Nate is Nathanial and it has Hebrew origins and means “he gave.”
Oliver / Ollie
Oliver is a very popular name in Australia, especially in NSW where it has sat comfortably as the state’s number one boy” name since 2014.
Oliver has Latin origins and means “olive tree”.
Robert / Bobby / Bert
The name Robert is of German origin and means “fame”.
William / Billy
Another name hailing from Germany, William means “desire/ will and helmut/ protection”.
The nickname of William is Billy and it could make an adorable name for your kid.
Old-fashioned baby names for girls and their modern nicknames
Amelia / Millie
Amelia currently sits at the number four spot on the top Australian girls names for 2022 (Isla is number one).
The name Amelia is of German origin and means “work”.
Beatrice / Bea
The name Beatrice is girl’s name of Italian/Latin origin meaning “she who brings happiness; blessed”.
Caroline / Carrie
The name Caroline means “free woman” or “beloved and valuable.”
Of course, we love the name Carrie (hello, Sex and the City fans) and we adore television presenter and mum-of-three, Carrie Bickmore.
Chloe / Coco
This name has Greek origins and means “fertility or blooming”.
Eleanor / Elle
Of Arabic or Greek origin meaning “light”.
We all know supermodel Elle Macpherson but Elle is also the name Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich chose for their daughter.
Evelyn / Evie
This name has English origins and means “wished for child”.
Florence / Floss
Of Latin origin, Florence means “flourishing or prosperous.”
And Floss makes an adorable nickname for your little Florence.
Louise / Lulu
The French name Louise means “famous warrior”.
How cute is the nickname Lulu!?
Margaret / Maggie
Of Greek origin, the name Margaret means “pearl”.
Maggie makes for an sweet and modern nickname!
