What’s as American as apple pie? A baby name that hails from the good, ole US of A. When the first settlers arrived several hundred years ago, they brought some solid baby names right along with them. And as pioneers moved through the country and began to blaze new trails, the popularity of these ultra-traditional baby names grew.
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If you’re looking for a “salt of the earth” name built on hard work, home and patriotism, these early American boy and girl names will deliver.
American names from the 1600s
The legendary ship, the Mayflower, departed English shores in September of 1620. Aboard were 102 passengers, about half of which were known as separatists (or pilgrims) and they arrived in Cape Cod in November. One baby was born during the voyage and received the suitable name Oceanus. The trip was arduous and while only one person died during the voyage, many more died soon after arrival as during the harsh winter they stayed aboard the ship and disease broke out. Names from this time period were often Biblical in origin (as well as what are known as Puritan names) and this trend continued throughout the next few centuries. Here are notable boy and girl names from the passengers of the Mayflower:
Early American boy names
- Bartholomew
- Christopher
- Degory
- Edward
- Elias
- Francis
- Giles
- Henry
- Isaac
- James
- Jasper
- John
- Love
- Moses
- Myles
- Oceanus
- Resolved
- Richard
- Robert
- Samuel
- Thomas
- William
- Wrestling
Early American girl names
- Alice
- Ann
- Constance
- Damarus
- Desire
- Dorothy
- Eleanor
- Elizabeth
- Ellen
- Humility
- Joan
- Katherine
- Mary
- Priscilla
- Remember
- Rose
- Sarah
- Susanna
Next Up: Puritan names
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