Victorian Name Generator

You’ve had an introduction to Victorian names through our generator—but where do these names come from? They’re a product of their time, so what exactly was the Victorian era like, and what made Victorian names popular at that time? We’ll explore those questions here.

What was the Victorian Era?
The Victorian era was a period of British history encompassing the reign of Queen Victoria, lasting from roughly 1837 through 1901. During the Victorian era, society in Britain was heavily class-based; Britain was known for its rich culture and growing economy.

Britain had a relatively stable government during this time, partly because of Queen Victoria’s 63-year reign, the longest reign of any British monarch at the time. British imperialism also led to a significant expansion of the empire throughout Victoria’s reign (meaning Britain forcibly claimed and colonized areas of Africa, Asia, and beyond).

There was also much scientific and technological progress during this time, with the Industrial Revolution taking place simultaneously.

How were naming trends started in Victorian England?
Naming trends—among many others—were heavily influenced by the upper class of Britain’s class-based society. That’s because names themselves were often associated with social class. So, names that grew popular among the upper class (or Britain’s royalty) then became popular among working class families as well.

Now, let’s look at some of the most prominent influences for Victorian names!

Biblical names: Religion was a very important part of life during the Victorian era, with the majority of British Victorians being Christian. The Anglican churches of England, Wales, and Ireland were especially prominent.

Of course, there was still some diversity among religions at the time, with Britain being home to non-Anglican Protestants, Roman Catholics, Jews, Muslims, and Hindus. Nonetheless, Christian Biblical names were quite popular due to the emphasis of religion in Victorian Britain.

Victorian biblical names include examples such as:

• Abraham
• Benjamin
• David
• Esther
• Ezekiel
• Gabriel
• Hannah
• Joseph
• John
• James
• Mary

Floral and gem-inspired names:
There was also an increase in flower-related names during the Victorian era, especially with the growing popularity of botany during that time. Botany was a much-studied scientific subject, but it was also just considered a fashionable thing to take an interest in!

Thus, a number of Victorian names are botany-inspired, such as:

• Flora
• Florence
• Hazel
• Lily
• Rose
• Violet
• Viola
• Olive

Some Victorian names take after popular (and valuable) gems at the time instead—including names such as:

• Beryl
• Opal
• Pearl
• Ruby

Royalty and historical names:
It was also common to see babies named after royalty—either the royalty at the time or past royals. Respected or admired historical figures also inspired plenty of Victorian names, too! Examples of royal and historical Victorian names include:

• Adelaide (popular among aristocrats, since the name means “noble”)
• Alexandra (common among royals in the 19th century)
• Albert (the name of Prince Albert, Victoria’s husband)
• Augustus (the name of a Roman emperor)
• Catherine (a name shared by many royals)
• Elizabeth (the last monarch of the Tudor dynasty)
• Henry (there have been eight King Henrys of England)
• Louis (a name shared by numerous French royals)
• Victoria (shared by the queen of the era, Victoria)

Family names (or names inspired by close friends):
It was also common for Victorian people to choose names from their family tree, honoring parents, grandparents, or other relatives—or naming children after themselves. This is something plenty of expecting parents still do today!

Nicknames:
The Victorian era is often associated with strict propriety, so it might surprise you to learn that there are quite a few Victorian names that are actually nicknames (shortened versions of other names). Some of these names include:

• Bert (short for Robert, Albert, or Bertram)
• Bessie (short for Elizabeth)
• Della (short for Adelle, Adelaide, or Adeline)
• Effie (short for Euphemia)
• Evie (short for Evelyn)
• Fannie
• Josie (short for Josephine)
• Lottie (short for Charlotte)
• Maggie (short for Margaret)
• Winnie (short for Winnifred)
• Vinnie (short for Lavinia)