Published on 08/13/2020 14:58 By Alice Carlill
Edited by | Fact-checked by
Looking for a selection of traditional girl names for your new baby?
We provide the guide to the 91 best Old English names here (and give you a little lesson in the history of Old English too)!
Old English was spoken between the 5th and 12th centuries in areas of England and southern Scotland, and is the earliest historical form of the English language.
Old English came to the country as a result of Anglo Saxon settlers, who arrived around the mid-5th century. Old English girl names, therefore, have their roots in Germanic languages, and are pre-Medieval, dating from before 1150AD, when the Middle Ages began, and Middle English became the vernacular language.
Before the late 14th century, fewer than a thousand names were in use – and the most popular were John and Alice.
We’ll guide you through the best of those names, so that you can find the perfect selection of Old English girls’ names for your new baby. Plus, if you’re feeling the Celtic call, why not check out our list of 100 best Scottish names – or perhaps natural names are more your style?
Old English Names For Girls Beginning With A
Many of the most traditional names for girls begin with A, which was a popular vowel in the Anglo Saxon, Germanic, and Old English languages. This list provides the perfect inspiration for a unique baby name for a little girl.
Afton – Celtic and Old English origins, taking influence from the River Afton.
Aida – Meaning ‘joyful’.
Aislinn – Meaning ‘dream’, and a version of Ashlyn. The Irish spelling is Aisling.
Alcott – Old English, meaning ‘old cottage’.
Alden – Meaning ‘wise protector’. Variations include Aldan and Alldyn.
Alvina – The feminine version of Alvin, meaning wise protector. Alternatives include Alwyn and Alvyna.
Arantxa – Old English for ‘thorn bush’.
Ariana – Meaning ‘silver’ in Old English.
Arleigh – Arly is an alternative; both mean ‘meadow of the hare’.
Ashley – Of the ash tree, and Ash is an alternative.
Aspen – Old English for ‘tree’. Can be spelled Aspyn.
Audrey – From the Germanic ‘aldric’ meaning ‘ancient power’ or ‘ noble strength’.
Avon – Meaning ‘river’, after which the River Avon also takes its name.
Beginning with B
Old English baby names also commonly begin with B – you may find your brilliant baby name here!
Bailey – Has multiple meanings. One is ‘strength’ or ‘fortification’, but Bailey is also a compound of the Old English ‘beg’ for ‘berry’ and ‘leah’ for ‘woodland clearing’.
Beaten – The old Cornish version of Beatrice.
Bersaba –The old Cornish form of Bathsheba.
Beverly – Meaning ‘meadow of the beavers’; alternatives include Beverlea and Beverley.
Blaine – A beautiful unisex option that means ‘source of the river’.
Blossom – From the Old English for ‘lovely’ and ‘full of promise’.
Blythe — Meaning joyous, but also named for a river, the Old English translation of which was ‘gentle’ and ‘pleasant’.
Brenda – Old English for sword, but also meaning little raven in Irish. Variations include Bren and Brynna.
Brook – An Old English word still used in modern parlance, meaning ‘stream’.
Beginning with C & D
Look no further for charming baby girl names with etymological roots in Old English than here. Baby names that are Old English and beginning with D are less common, but this is nonetheless a popular option thanks to a certain TV series set in Cornwall.
Chelsea – It might be a popular London borough, but in Old English, Chelsea meant ‘the landing place of a river’.
Conwenna – Has its etymological roots in old Celtic (the precursor of Old English).
Corliss – The feminine form of Carlisle, typically meaning ‘cheerful’ and ‘generous’.
Courtney – The ‘court’ prefix here determines this name’s meaning, which is ‘courteous’ and ‘dignified’.
Demelza – Demelza is a hamlet in Cornwall, and is one of the more traditional girls’ names. Also meaning ‘fort on a hill’.
Beginning with E
Four beautiful Old English girls’ names for you to choose from.
Eartha – A name meaning ‘of the earth’. Alternatives include Hertha and Ertha.
Edda – A potentially lucky baby name for any girl, meaning ‘rich’.
Edith – Another name that may imbue luck to any baby girl, meaning ‘expensive gift’.
Ethel – Somewhat regal in origin, meaning ‘noble’. Variations include Adele and Ethelda.
Beginning with F
Old English baby names that start with the letter F are fairly frequent — find your fabulous new girl name here.
Farrah – Meaning ‘beautiful’.
Fern – Named after the leafy plant, with alternative spellings including Fearne and Ferne.
Fiona – Meaning white. Different spellings might be Feeona and Fionn, a unisex option.
Flora – Traditionally referencing ‘flower’, and an ideal name option for spring or summer baby.
Beginning with G
These options for Old English baby names may be few, but they’re mighty.
Godiva – Meaning ‘gift of god’, a resonant name option for any baby girl.
Golda – From the Old English for ‘to shine’.
Beginning with H
Old English baby girl names that begin with H are fairly frequent, and wholly unusual, often with natural etymology.
Hazel – A beautiful baby name taking inspiration from nature, and specifically the hazel tree.
Hedwig – A Scandinavian name meaning hidden weapon (not Harry Potter’s owl!).
Hollace – Another baby name taking inspiration from nature, meaning ‘close to the holly bush’.
Holly – You guessed it, from the festive holly tree.
Hope – A somewhat spiritual option for a baby name, meaning ‘faith’.
Beginning with I, J & K
Infrequent but still unusual and intriguing, these options for baby girls names may be what you’re looking for.
Isolda – Meaning ‘fair’ in Old English. Isolde is a variant, as is Eseld, which is Cornish.
Ivy – Another natural English baby name, after the festive plant.
Jocelyn – Various spellings are possible for this name, including Joslyn and Jocelyne, all of which mean ‘just one’.
Kim – This name has different meanings. ‘Chief’, ‘fortress’, and ‘meadow’ are all inferences.
Kyla – Kayla is a possible alternative, but both baby name options mean ‘narrow’.
Beginning with L
Names for girls beginning with L are also more commonly found in Old English. Perhaps your new baby name might be in here…
Lee – Meaning both ‘glade’ and ‘small meadow’, with an alternative spelling Leigh.
Leslie – ‘Small meadow’ is the inference for this potential baby name.
Locke – An unusual moniker, meaning ‘stronghold’.
Luella – Old English for ‘elfin’, with the following variations: Louella and Loella.
Beginning with M, N, O & P
Peruse our collection of Old English name options that begin with M, N, O & P. These letters were less frequent in a Runic language, hence are fewer in number.
Maida – Old English for ‘maiden’.
Mirth – As expected, a name meaning ‘happiness’ or ‘mirth’.
Morwen – Derived from the Cornish for ‘maiden’, meaning virtuous.
Nara – Meaning ‘near one’, with different spellings including Narah and Nera.
Odilia – Of Germanic origin, meaning ‘with wealth’ or ‘prosperous’.
Perry – A unisex name and short form of ‘peregrine’, from which ‘pilgrim’ comes.
Beginning with R, S
Names beginning with R and S were less frequent in Old English, and even less frequent were those beginning with any of the letter alphabet after S. Here are the few select names that are perhaps more unique for being less common.
Ravenel – Another unisex name, meaning ‘raven’.
Ripley – An unusual unisex name meaning ‘from the clearing’.
Shirley – Originally a first name in its Gaelic form, meaning ‘untamed’.
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