222 Old Money Boy Names That Define Class and History (With Meanings & Origins)

Old money names carry something that no amount of new wealth can purchase, which is the particular quality of a name that has been worn smooth by generations of use in the same family, that has appeared on the same silver christening cup for four or five or six generations, that belongs to a world of mahogany libraries and portrait galleries and the particular confident quietness of people who have never needed to announce themselves. These names do not shout. They do not follow trends. They arrive with the authority of something that has always been there and fully intends to remain.

What makes old money boy names so distinctively powerful is their combination of simplicity and depth, of names that look almost plain on the surface but carry extraordinary historical weight beneath. They tend to be the names of saints and kings and founding fathers, names that have been cycling through the same social class for centuries, names that are on the register of every great English public school and every New England prep school and every European noble house. Popularity rankings are based on the most recent Social Security Administration (SSA) data.

Quick Info: Names ranked >1000 on the SSA database are considered truly rare and unique. Names closer to 1 are among the most popular in the US today.

Table of Contents

• Popular Old Money Boy Names
• English Aristocratic Names
• American Patrician Names
• Scottish and Celtic Heritage Names
• Classical and Latin Names
• European Noble Names
• Biblical and Apostolic Names
• Vintage English Surnames as First Names
• Old Money Short Names
• Rare and Distinguished Names
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Popular Old Money Boy Names

William

• Origin: Germanic / English
• Meaning: Resolute protector, strong-willed warrior
• Popularity: #4

The name of conquerors and kings and presidents and poets, William carries the full weight of the English-speaking world’s most consistently powerful name and has been the choice of old money families across every generation.

Henry

• Origin: Germanic / English
• Meaning: Home ruler, lord of the estate
• Popularity: #10

Carried by eight English kings and countless American patrician families, Henry carries a warm authority that feels equally at home in a Kennedys compound and a Hampshire country house.

Edward

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Wealthy guardian, the estate protector
• Popularity: #162

The name of ten English kings and generations of American and British aristocratic families, Edward carries a quiet authority that defines old money naming at its most essential.

George

• Origin: Greek / English
• Meaning: Farmer, the earth worker
• Popularity: #122

Carried by six British kings and the first American president, George has been the signature old money name of the English-speaking Atlantic world for three centuries.

Charles

• Origin: Germanic / English
• Meaning: Free man, the strong one
• Popularity: #49

The name of British kings and American founding families alike, Charles carries a warm, distinguished quality that has made it the defining choice of old money families on both sides of the Atlantic.

James

• Origin: Hebrew / Latin
• Meaning: Supplanter, from Jacob
• Popularity: #5

Carried by two British kings, six American presidents, and generations of patrician families, James remains the quintessential old money name that works in every context from the nursery to the boardroom.

Thomas

• Origin: Greek / Hebrew
• Meaning: Twin, from the Aramaic
• Popularity: #57

The name of apostles and founding fathers and generations of New England families, Thomas carries a clean, slightly austere quality that is the hallmark of old money restraint.

Arthur

• Origin: Celtic / Latin
• Meaning: Bear, from the legendary king
• Popularity: #196

Carried by legendary kings and American presidents, Arthur carries both a mythological weight and a warm, slightly old-fashioned quality that old money families have always loved.

Frederick

• Origin: Germanic / English
• Meaning: Peaceful ruler, the peaceful one
• Popularity: #376

The name of Prussian kings and American patrician families, Frederick carries a formal, distinguished quality that shortens beautifully to Fred or Freddie in domestic contexts.

Edmund

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Wealthy protector, the guardian
• Popularity: #299

An Old English classic that has been cycling through aristocratic English families since before the Norman Conquest, Edmund carries a quiet, bookish authority.

Philip

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Lover of horses, the equestrian
• Popularity: #364

The name of Macedonian kings and British royals and countless old money families whose connection to equestrian culture makes Philip particularly resonant.

Richard

• Origin: Germanic / English
• Meaning: Powerful ruler, strong king
• Popularity: #199

Carried by three English kings and generations of American patrician families, Richard carries a clean, commanding quality with the beloved short form Dick that old money families use within the family.

Robert

• Origin: Germanic / English
• Meaning: Bright fame, famous one
• Popularity: #67

The name of Scottish kings and American presidents and generations of establishment families, Robert carries a warm authority that has been consistently beloved across old money families.

Francis

• Origin: Latin / French
• Meaning: From France, the Frenchman, the free one
• Popularity: #358

The name of saints and European royals and American Catholic old money families, Francis carries a clean, spiritual quality alongside genuine aristocratic heritage.

Alexander

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Defender of men, the great one
• Popularity: #19

Carried by world conquerors and Scottish kings and generations of patrician families, Alexander carries an extraordinary authority that shortens to the perfectly old money Alec or Alex.

English Aristocratic Boy Names

Peregrine

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Pilgrim, the traveler
• Popularity: >1000

The quintessential English aristocratic name that immediately announces old family credentials, Peregrine carries a warm, slightly eccentric quality that only truly old money families can carry without self-consciousness.

Auberon

• Origin: Germanic / French
• Meaning: Noble bear, elf ruler
• Popularity: >1000

The more elaborately aristocratic form of Aubrey, Auberon carries a warm, slightly fairy-tale quality and a genuine Germanic heritage that has been beloved in English aristocratic families.

Crispin

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Curly-haired, from Saint Crispin
• Popularity: >1000

The name Shakespeare gave its greatest speech to in Henry V, Crispin carries a warm, slightly medieval quality that has been beloved in English Catholic aristocratic families.

Barnaby

• Origin: Hebrew / English
• Meaning: Son of consolation, from Barnabas
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly eccentric English aristocratic name that carries the particular combination of biblical heritage and English quirkiness that defines the best old money names.

Cornelius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Horn, the cornelian stone
• Popularity: >1000

A Roman family name beloved by English aristocratic and American patrician families alike, Cornelius carries a warm, slightly formal quality that announces genuine old family heritage.

Algernon

• Origin: French / English
• Meaning: With mustaches, the whiskered one
• Popularity: >1000

Perhaps the most quintessentially English aristocratic name in existence, Algernon carries the particular eccentric dignity that only the most securely established families can wear comfortably.

Piers

• Origin: French / Greek
• Meaning: Rock, stone, from Peter
• Popularity: >1000

The medieval French form of Peter beloved in English aristocratic families since the Norman Conquest, Piers carries a clean, slightly medieval quality.

Rupert

• Origin: Germanic / English
• Meaning: Bright fame, from Robert
• Popularity: >1000

A favorite of English aristocratic families and European royalty alike, Rupert carries a warm, slightly adventurous quality that has been beloved across English establishment circles for centuries.

Quentin

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: The fifth, fifth-born
• Popularity: >1000

A clean, slightly unusual Latin name beloved by English Catholic aristocratic families, Quentin carries a warm, bookish quality alongside genuine ancient heritage.

Bertram

• Origin: Germanic / English
• Meaning: Bright raven, the shining one
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly old-fashioned English name that has been cycling through aristocratic families for centuries, Bertram shortens to the perfectly establishment Bertie.

Evelyn

• Origin: French / English
• Meaning: Life, from the French Aveline
• Popularity: >1000

Historically a masculine name in aristocratic English families, Evelyn was the name of the great diarist John Evelyn and carries a warm, slightly androgynous old money quality.

Montague

• Origin: French / English
• Meaning: Pointed mountain, the sharp peak
• Popularity: >1000

A Norman French aristocratic name that carries both Shakespearean resonance and genuine old family credentials in English aristocratic circles.

Reginald

• Origin: Germanic / English
• Meaning: Counsel power, the wise ruler
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly old-fashioned English establishment name that shortens to the perfectly aristocratic Reggie within the family.

Archibald

• Origin: Germanic / Scottish
• Meaning: Genuine and bold, the truly brave
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly eccentric Scottish and English aristocratic name that shortens to the perfectly establishment Archie, beloved in both Scottish noble houses and English aristocratic families.

Humphrey

• Origin: Germanic / English
• Meaning: Peaceful warrior, the giant peace
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly distinguished English aristocratic name that has been cycling through the same families for generations and carries a slightly Churchillian authority.

American Patrician Boy Names

Bradford

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Broad ford, the wide river crossing
• Popularity: >1000

A classic New England patrician surname used as a first name, Bradford carries the authority of the Plymouth Colony governor and the particular WASP establishment tradition of surnames as given names.

Ellsworth

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Nobleman’s estate, the lord’s worth
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly distinguished American patrician name that carries the particular quality of New England establishment families whose names appear on the same library wings for generations.

Cabot

• Origin: Norman French / American
• Meaning: From the Norman family name
• Popularity: >1000

One of the great Boston Brahmin surnames that has crossed into given name use, Cabot carries the extraordinary weight of the rhyme about the Cabots and Lowells who speak only to God.

Prescott

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Priest’s cottage, the clergyman’s dwelling
• Popularity: >1000

A classic New England patrician surname used as a first name, Prescott carries the authority of the Bush family heritage and old Connecticut establishment culture.

Winthrop

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Wynn’s village, the friendly settlement
• Popularity: >1000

The name of Massachusetts Bay Colony governors and generations of Boston Brahmin families, Winthrop carries an extraordinary founding American old money legacy.

Lowell

• Origin: French / American
• Meaning: Young wolf, the little wolf
• Popularity: >1000

One of the great Boston Brahmin family names that speaks only to the Cabots in the famous rhyme, Lowell carries an extraordinary New England literary and establishment legacy.

Harrington

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Estate of Herred’s people, the heritage estate
• Popularity: >1000

A classic American patrician surname used as a first name, Harrington carries the particular warm authority of old New England and mid-Atlantic establishment families.

Standish

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Stony park, the stone enclosure
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the Pilgrim captain Myles Standish and generations of New England old family names, Standish carries a genuine founding American heritage.

Thatcher

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Roof thatcher, the craftsman
• Popularity: >1000

A classic American patrician occupational surname used as a first name, Thatcher carries a warm, clean quality and a genuine English heritage.

Whittier

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: White island, the pale place
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great New England poet John Greenleaf Whittier and a classic American literary old money name.

Alistair

• Origin: Scottish / Greek
• Meaning: Defender of men, from Alexander
• Popularity: >1000

A Scottish form beloved in American patrician families of Scottish heritage, Alistair carries a cool, precise quality and genuine old family credentials.

Worthington

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Enclosure of Worth’s people, the worthy estate
• Popularity: >1000

A classic American patrician surname used as a first name, Worthington carries the particular warm authority of families whose names have been on the same pew in the same church for two centuries.

Aldrich

• Origin: Germanic / English
• Meaning: Noble ruler, the old power
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly distinguished American patrician name that carries the authority of old New England Republican establishment families.

Coolidge

• Origin: Old English / American
• Meaning: Cool ridge, from the place
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the thirtieth American president and a classic old New England family name that carries the particular quiet authority of Yankee establishment culture.

Saltonstall

• Origin: Old English / American
• Meaning: From the salty hall, the coastal estate
• Popularity: >1000

One of the great Boston Brahmin family names whose members have served Massachusetts since colonial times, carrying an extraordinary American old money legacy.

Scottish and Celtic Heritage Boy Names

Alasdair

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic / Greek
• Meaning: Defender of men, from Alexander
• Popularity: >1000

The authentic Scottish Gaelic form of Alexander, Alasdair carries the full authority of Highland clan culture and the particular dignity of a name worn by chiefs and scholars.

Fergus

• Origin: Irish / Scottish
• Meaning: Man of strength, the strong man
• Popularity: >1000

An ancient Celtic name beloved in both Scottish and Irish old families, Fergus carries a warm, slightly mythological quality and genuine aristocratic Celtic heritage.

Callum

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic / Latin
• Meaning: Dove, from Columba
• Popularity: >1000

A clean, distinctively Scottish name that carries the spiritual legacy of Saint Columba and the warmth of Scottish Highland naming tradition.

Duncan

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic
• Meaning: Dark warrior, brown chief
• Popularity: >1000

The name of Scottish kings and Macbeth’s murdered sovereign, Duncan carries an extraordinary Scottish royal legacy and a warm, slightly literary quality.

Malcolm

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic / Latin
• Meaning: Devotee of Saint Columba
• Popularity: >1000

The name of four Scottish kings, Malcolm carries a warm, distinguished quality that has been beloved in Scottish noble houses and American families of Scottish heritage.

Ramsay

• Origin: Old English / Scottish
• Meaning: Garlic island, Hræfn’s island
• Popularity: >1000

A classic Scottish aristocratic surname used as a first name, Ramsay carries the authority of the Earls of Dalhousie and a warm, clean Scottish quality.

Hamish

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic / Hebrew
• Meaning: Supplanter, from James
• Popularity: >1000

The Scottish Gaelic form of James beloved in Highland families, Hamish carries a warmly eccentric quality that announces Scottish heritage with quiet confidence.

Torquil

• Origin: Norse / Scottish
• Meaning: Thor’s cauldron, the thunder kettle
• Popularity: >1000

An extraordinarily rare Scottish Norse name beloved in old Highland families, Torquil carries the particular dignity of a name that has been used in the same family for ten generations.

Mungo

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic
• Meaning: My dear one, the beloved
• Popularity: >1000

The name of Glasgow’s patron saint and a warmly unusual Scottish name beloved in old Scottish families, Mungo carries a genuine spiritual and national legacy.

Cailean

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic
• Meaning: Young dog, whelp, from Colin
• Popularity: >1000

The authentic Scottish Gaelic form of Colin beloved in Highland clan families, Cailean carries a warm, genuine Gaelic quality.

Struan

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic
• Meaning: Stream, from the streams
• Popularity: >1000

A distinctively Scottish name beloved in old Highland families, Struan carries a cool, clean quality and a genuine Gaelic geographical heritage.

Lachlan

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic
• Meaning: From the land of lochs, the Viking
• Popularity: #375

A beloved Scottish name that has been rising strongly in America, Lachlan carries the warmth of Scottish Highland heritage and a clean, slightly adventurous quality.

Angus

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic
• Meaning: One strength, the true strength
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly distinguished Scottish name beloved in Highland families and increasingly embraced internationally, Angus carries a warm, slightly rugged quality.

Euan

• Origin: Scottish Gaelic / Greek
• Meaning: Born of the yew, from Eugene
• Popularity: >1000

The Scottish form of Ewan carrying a warm, clean quality and a genuine Scottish heritage beloved in both Highland and Lowland families.

Ranald

• Origin: Scottish / Norse
• Meaning: Counsel power, from Ronald
• Popularity: >1000

The Scottish Norse form of Ronald beloved in old Highland families, Ranald carries a warm, clean quality and genuine Scottish aristocratic heritage.

Classical and Latin Boy Names

Horatio

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: From the Horatian clan, the timekeeper
• Popularity: >1000

The name of Nelson and of Hamlet’s faithful friend, Horatio carries a warm, slightly Nelsonian authority beloved in English naval families and American patrician households.

Cornelius

Already celebrated, Cornelius belongs here as one of the great Roman family names beloved in both English aristocratic and American patrician traditions.

Octavius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: The eighth, eighth-born
• Popularity: >1000

A clean, Roman imperial name that carries the full weight of classical heritage and has been beloved in English aristocratic families who favor classical names.

Lucius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Light, bringer of light
• Popularity: #493

A clean, slightly aristocratic Roman name that carries the light tradition of classical naming and has been beloved in English old families.

Cassius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: To shine, hollow
• Popularity: #505

A clean, slightly dramatic Roman name beloved in old money families who appreciate the particular authority of Republican Roman names.

Tiberius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Of the Tiber, from the river
• Popularity: >1000

A Roman imperial name that carries the full weight of classical heritage and a warm, slightly grand quality beloved in families with classical educations.

Aurelius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Golden, the golden one
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great philosopher emperor Marcus Aurelius, carrying both an extraordinary philosophical legacy and the warm luminous quality of golden naming.

Cicero

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Chickpea, from the Cicero family
• Popularity: >1000

The name of Rome’s greatest orator, Cicero carries an extraordinary rhetorical legacy and the particular authority of a name that announces classical education.

Maximus

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Greatest, the greatest one
• Popularity: #328

A clean, powerful Roman name that carries the full weight of the greatest tradition in a name that works beautifully in both formal and informal contexts.

Augustus

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Great, majestic, venerable
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the first Roman emperor and a warmly grand name beloved in English aristocratic and American patrician families who want something genuinely classical.

Septimus

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: The seventh, seventh-born
• Popularity: >1000

A clean, slightly unusual Roman ordinal name beloved in English aristocratic families and Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway, carrying genuine literary old money credentials.

Caius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Rejoice, gladness
• Popularity: >1000

A clean, warmly classical Roman name that carries the full authority of ancient Rome and has been beloved in English legal and academic old families.

Marcus

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Of Mars, the warrior
• Popularity: #160

A clean, warm Roman name that carries the full authority of classical naming and has been consistently beloved in old money families across generations.

Julius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Youthful, downy-bearded, from the Julian clan
• Popularity: #290

The name of Rome’s greatest general and a clean, warm Latin name that carries extraordinary historical authority in a form beloved across old money families.

Brutus

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Heavy, dull, the weighty one
• Popularity: >1000

The name of Caesar’s most trusted friend and the great Republican martyr, Brutus carries a warm, slightly tragic authority beloved in families with classical educations.

European Noble Boy Names

Leopold

• Origin: Germanic
• Meaning: Bold people, the brave nation
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly regal Central European name beloved in Austrian, Belgian, and British royal families and increasingly embraced by American old money families seeking Continental distinction.

Maximilian

• Origin: Latin / Germanic
• Meaning: Greatest, from Maximus and Aemilian
• Popularity: >1000

The great Habsburg imperial name that carries the full weight of Central European aristocratic culture and a warm, slightly grand quality beloved in old European families.

Constantine

• Origin: Latin / Greek
• Meaning: Constant, steadfast, the firm one
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the first Christian Roman emperor and a warmly distinguished name beloved in Greek, Romanian, and British royal families.

Sigismund

• Origin: Germanic
• Meaning: Victory protection, the winning guardian
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly unusual Germanic royal name beloved in Polish, Hungarian, and Holy Roman Empire noble families, Sigismund carries extraordinary Central European aristocratic heritage.

Vladislav

• Origin: Slavic
• Meaning: Rule and glory, glorious rule
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly distinguished Slavic royal name beloved in Czech, Polish, and South Slavic noble families, carrying genuine Central European aristocratic heritage.

Lothaire

• Origin: Germanic / French
• Meaning: Famous warrior, the renowned army
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly unusual Frankish royal name beloved in French and Belgian aristocratic families, Lothaire carries the full authority of Carolingian dynastic heritage.

Balthazar

• Origin: Babylonian / Greek
• Meaning: God protect the king, the royal Magus
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly grand name of the Three Magi beloved in Spanish, Portuguese, and Belgian aristocratic families and carrying extraordinary cross-cultural royal heritage.

Casimir

• Origin: Slavic / Polish
• Meaning: Proclaimer of peace, destroyer and peace
• Popularity: >1000

The name of four Polish kings and a warmly distinguished Central European name beloved in Polish aristocratic and American families of Polish heritage.

Thaddeus

• Origin: Greek / Hebrew
• Meaning: Heart, courageous heart
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly distinguished apostolic name beloved in Polish noble families and American Catholic patrician households of Central European heritage.

Rudolf

• Origin: Germanic
• Meaning: Famous wolf, the renowned wolf
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly regal Central European name beloved in Habsburg and other German-speaking royal families and increasingly embraced by American old money families.

Gottfried

• Origin: Germanic
• Meaning: God’s peace, the divine peace
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly unusual Germanic name beloved in German and Austrian aristocratic families and carrying the full authority of the German naming tradition.

Albrecht

• Origin: Germanic
• Meaning: Noble and bright, the brilliant noble
• Popularity: >1000

The German form of Albert beloved in German, Austrian, and Belgian royal families, Albrecht carries a warm, distinguished quality and genuine European noble heritage.

Waldemar

• Origin: Germanic
• Meaning: Powerful ruler, the strong fame
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly distinguished Germanic name beloved in Scandinavian and Eastern European noble families, Waldemar carries genuine old European aristocratic credentials.

Konrad

• Origin: Germanic
• Meaning: Bold counsel, the brave advisor
• Popularity: >1000

The German form of Conrad beloved in German and Central European aristocratic families, Konrad carries a warm, distinguished quality.

Sigurd

• Origin: Norse
• Meaning: Victory guardian, the victorious protector
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly distinguished Norse royal name beloved in Scandinavian noble families and the great Norse sagas, carrying genuine Nordic aristocratic heritage.

Biblical and Apostolic Boy Names

Sebastian

• Origin: Greek / Latin
• Meaning: Venerable, from Sebastia
• Popularity: #16

The name of one of the most beloved Christian martyrs and a warmly distinguished name that has been beloved in both Catholic European noble families and English old money circles.

Bartholomew

• Origin: Greek / Hebrew
• Meaning: Son of Tolmai, the furrow farmer
• Popularity: >1000

One of the great apostolic names beloved in English aristocratic families, Bartholomew carries an extraordinary biblical legacy and shortens to the perfectly old money Bart.

Nathaniel

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: Gift of God, the divine gift
• Popularity: #133

A warmly distinguished New England patrician name beloved in both Puritan founding families and subsequent American establishment circles.

Thaddeus

Already celebrated, Thaddeus belongs here as one of the great apostolic names beloved in American Catholic patrician families.

Benedict

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Blessed, the blessed one
• Popularity: #627

The name of the great monastic saint and a warmly distinguished name beloved in English and American Catholic old money families.

Ignatius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Unknown, from the Ignatian clan
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the founder of the Jesuits and a warmly distinguished name beloved in Catholic European and American old money families with Jesuit educational connections.

Ambrose

• Origin: Greek / Latin
• Meaning: Immortal, divine
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great bishop of Milan and a warmly distinguished early church name beloved in English Catholic aristocratic families.

Cyprian

• Origin: Latin / Greek
• Meaning: From Cyprus, the copper island
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great African bishop and martyr, Cyprian carries a warm, slightly unusual ecclesiastical quality beloved in Catholic old money families.

Anselm

• Origin: Germanic / Latin
• Meaning: Divine helmet, god’s protection
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great Archbishop of Canterbury and philosopher, Anselm carries a warm, scholarly quality beloved in English Catholic aristocratic families.

Cuthbert

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Famous and bright, the brilliant one
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great Northumbrian saint whose cult defined English Christianity, Cuthbert carries a warmly eccentric quality beloved in old English Catholic and Anglican families.

Aldhelm

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Noble helmet, the dignified protection
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great Anglo-Saxon bishop and scholar, Aldhelm carries a warm, deeply historical quality beloved in old English families.

Wilfrid

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Will peace, the peaceful one
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great Northumbrian bishop who argued for Roman Christianity at the Synod of Whitby, Wilfrid carries a warm, slightly ecclesiastical quality.

Dunstan

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Dark stone, the brown rock
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great Archbishop of Canterbury and craftsman saint, Dunstan carries a warm, deeply Anglo-Saxon quality beloved in old English families.

Aelred

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Noble counsel, the elf counsel
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great Cistercian abbot of Rievaulx whose writing on friendship is among the most beautiful in medieval literature, Aelred carries extraordinary scholarly and spiritual heritage.

Columba

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Dove, the dove
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great Irish saint who founded the monastery of Iona and brought Christianity to Scotland, Columba carries an extraordinary founding spiritual legacy.

Vintage English Surnames as First Names

Cavendish

• Origin: Old French / English
• Meaning: Cavenedis’s settlement, the Norman estate
• Popularity: >1000

The surname of the Dukes of Devonshire and one of the great English aristocratic surnames used as a first name, Cavendish carries extraordinary English noble heritage.

Pemberton

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Settlement on the headland, the hill village
• Popularity: >1000

A classic English aristocratic surname used as a first name, Pemberton carries the warm authority of old English establishment families.

Marlowe

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Remnants of a lake, the drained mere
• Popularity: >1000

A classic English surname used as a first name that carries both the literary legacy of Christopher Marlowe and a warm, clean old money quality.

Ashford

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Ford by the ash trees, the wooded crossing
• Popularity: >1000

A classic English topographic surname used as a first name, Ashford carries a warm, slightly arboreal quality and genuine English establishment heritage.

Clifton

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Settlement on the cliff, the high town
• Popularity: >1000

A classic English topographic surname used as a first name, Clifton carries a warm, slightly elevated quality and genuine English old money credentials.

Huntington

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Huntsman’s settlement, the hunting estate
• Popularity: >1000

A classic English aristocratic surname used as a first name, Huntington carries the authority of the Earls of Huntingdon and American old money families.

Whitmore

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: White moor, the pale heath
• Popularity: >1000

A classic English topographic surname used as a first name, Whitmore carries a cool, slightly atmospheric quality and genuine English establishment heritage.

Sherborne

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Clear stream, the bright brook
• Popularity: >1000

A classic English geographical surname used as a first name, Sherborne carries the authority of the great Dorset town and school.

Harley

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Hare’s meadow, the rabbit field
• Popularity: >1000

A classic English surname used as a first name, Harley carries the warm authority of Harley Street and the old money medical establishment.

Mortimer

• Origin: Old French / English
• Meaning: Dead sea, the still water
• Popularity: >1000

A classic Norman French aristocratic surname used as a first name, Mortimer carries the warm authority of the Earls of March and a slightly gothic quality.

Chatsworth

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Ceotel’s estate, the settlement
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great Devonshire seat of the Cavendishes, Chatsworth carries extraordinary English aristocratic heritage as perhaps the grandest English country house name.

Alderton

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Alder tree settlement, the riverside village
• Popularity: >1000

A classic English topographic surname used as a first name, Alderton carries a warm, arboreal quality and genuine English establishment credentials.

Cromer

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Crow pool, the dark lake
• Popularity: >1000

A classic English geographical surname used as a first name, Cromer carries the warm authority of Lord Cromer and the old English colonial and aristocratic establishment.

Trevithick

• Origin: Cornish / English
• Meaning: Big homestead, the large settlement
• Popularity: >1000

A distinctive Cornish surname used as a first name, Trevithick carries the authority of the great Cornish engineer and a genuinely unusual old family quality.

Cholmondeley

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Ceolmund’s meadow, the Saxon field
• Popularity: >1000

Pronounced CHUM-lee, Cholmondeley is perhaps the ultimate English aristocratic surname, demonstrating the extraordinary gap between spelling and pronunciation that defines English upper-class naming.

Old Money Short Names

Blythe

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Cheerful, gentle, the merry one
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly unusual Old English name beloved in English aristocratic families and American patrician households, Blythe carries a gentle, cheerful authority.

Clive

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Cliff, the steep slope
• Popularity: >1000

The name of Lord Clive of India and a warmly distinguished English one-syllable name beloved in old English establishment families.

Brooke

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Small stream, the brook
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly distinguished English surname used as a first name, Brooke carries the authority of Lord Brooke and the old English title naming tradition.

Hugh

• Origin: Germanic / English
• Meaning: Mind, heart, the intelligent
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly distinguished one-syllable name beloved in English aristocratic families from the Earls of Chester to contemporary noble houses.

Miles

• Origin: Latin / Germanic
• Meaning: Soldier, from Milo
• Popularity: #186

A clean, warmly distinguished name that carries both the Pilgrim heritage of Myles Standish and the English aristocratic tradition of a name beloved across generations.

Piers

Already celebrated, Piers belongs here as the perfect old money one-syllable name.

Rex

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: King, the ruler
• Popularity: >1000

A clean, warm Latin name that announces royalty in three letters and has been beloved in British aristocratic families as a given name of absolute minimal distinction.

Rhys

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: Enthusiasm, ardor, the passionate
• Popularity: >1000

A clean Welsh name beloved in Welsh aristocratic families and increasingly in English and American old money circles for its distinctive, clean authority.

Kent

• Origin: Old English / Celtic
• Meaning: From Kent, the coastal land
• Popularity: >1000

A clean, warmly distinguished American patrician name that carries the authority of the great English county and the Superman alter ego tradition.

Worth

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Enclosure, the settlement worth
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly minimal Old English name used in American patrician circles, Worth carries the authority of something that states its own value in a single syllable.

Blaine

• Origin: Scottish / Gaelic
• Meaning: Yellow, from Blane
• Popularity: >1000

A clean, warmly distinguished Scottish name beloved in American patrician families of Scottish heritage, Blaine carries a cool, precise quality.

Grant

• Origin: Scottish / French
• Meaning: Great, tall, the tall one
• Popularity: #273

A clean, warmly distinguished Scottish surname used as a first name, Grant carries the authority of the great Scottish clan and the eighteenth American president.

Ames

• Origin: Old French / English
• Meaning: Friend, the beloved one
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly minimal American patrician name that carries the authority of the great Massachusetts town and old New England establishment culture.

Pell

• Origin: Old English / French
• Meaning: Skin, hide, the leather worker
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly unusual old family surname used as a first name, Pell carries the authority of the great Rhode Island establishment family.

Chase

Already celebrated in the popular section, Chase belongs here as a warmly distinguished American patrician surname name.

Rare and Distinguished Names

Algernon

Already celebrated, Algernon belongs here as perhaps the rarest and most distinguished of all English old money names.

Peregrine

Already celebrated, Peregrine belongs here as one of the rarest and most distinguished Latin old money names.

Evander

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Good man, the good hero
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the legendary founder of the pre-Roman city on the Palatine Hill, Evander carries a warm, slightly mythological quality beloved in classical education old money families.

Lysander

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Liberator of men, the releasing one
• Popularity: #861

A warmly distinguished classical name beloved in old money families with classical educations, Lysander carries the authority of Spartan generals and Shakespearean heroes.

Leofric

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Dear ruler, the beloved king
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the Earl of Mercia who was Lady Godiva’s husband, Leofric carries a warmly unusual Anglo-Saxon quality beloved in old English families.

Aethelred

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Noble counsel, the wise noble
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the English king known as the Unready, Aethelred carries a warmly unusual Anglo-Saxon quality that announces genuine old family heritage.

Oswald

• Origin: Old English / Germanic
• Meaning: God’s power, the divine ruler
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great Northumbrian saint king and a warmly unusual Anglo-Saxon name beloved in old English families.

Godwin

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: God’s friend, the divine companion
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great Earl of Wessex and father of King Harold, Godwin carries a warmly unusual Anglo-Saxon quality.

Ethelbert

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Noble and bright, the brilliant noble
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the first Christian king of Kent and a warmly unusual Anglo-Saxon name that announces genuine pre-Conquest English heritage.

Willoughby

• Origin: Old English / Norse
• Meaning: Willow farm, the willow settlement
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly distinguished English aristocratic surname used as a first name, Willoughby carries the authority of the Austen villain and genuine old family Lincolnshire heritage.

Cholmeley

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: From Cholmondeley, the Saxon meadow
• Popularity: >1000

A variant spelling of Cholmondeley carrying the same extraordinary pronunciation gap, Cholmeley announces genuine old English family credentials.

Trelawney

• Origin: Cornish
• Meaning: Elder tree settlement, the Cornish estate
• Popularity: >1000

A distinctively Cornish aristocratic surname used as a first name, Trelawney carries the authority of the great Cornish bishops and a genuinely unusual old family quality.

Dacre

• Origin: Old English / Norse
• Meaning: Trickling stream, the steady flow
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the great Cumberland noble family and a warmly unusual old English surname used as a first name.

Beverley

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: Beaver stream, the beaver settlement
• Popularity: >1000

A warmly unusual Old English name used as a given name in English aristocratic families, Beverley carries the authority of the great Yorkshire town and old family tradition.

Saltire

• Origin: Scottish / Heraldic
• Meaning: The diagonal cross, Saint Andrew’s cross
• Popularity: >1000

A rare heraldic name carrying the authority of the Scottish national symbol and the particular dignity of a name drawn from the heraldic tradition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What makes a name feel like old money rather than just old-fashioned? A: Old money names carry a specific combination of qualities that distinguish them from merely outdated names. They tend to have been used continuously in the same social class rather than falling out of use entirely. They carry genuine historical weight through association with real dynasties, institutions, or founding figures. They are names that certain families have used for multiple generations, appearing on the same portrait frames in the same drawing rooms. And they carry the quality of confidence without announcement, names that do not need to explain themselves because they have always been there.

Q: What are the most popular old money boy names right now? A: The most widely used old money names currently include William at #4, James at #5, Henry at #10, Charles at #49, Thomas at #57, Alexander at #19, Robert at #67, and Arthur at #196. These names have been in continuous use in old money families for centuries and remain strong precisely because they never followed trends.

Q: Are old money names only for families with old money? A: Old money names belong to anyone who wants to give their son a name of genuine historical depth and quiet authority. The names themselves carry no social requirements for their use and many are deeply rooted in religious, mythological, and historical traditions that belong to everyone. What they offer any family is the particular combination of timelessness and depth that makes a name feel genuinely enduring rather than fashionable.

Q: What are the rarest old money names on this list? A: The rarest and most distinctive choices include Algernon, Peregrine, Cholmondeley, Trelawney, Aethelred, Leofric, Saltonstall, Torquil, Cabot, and Winthrop, all of which carry extraordinary historical depth while being genuinely distinctive on modern birth certificates.

Q: What middle names pair well with old money first names? A: Old money families have traditionally used family surnames as middle names, creating combinations like George Herbert Walker Bush or William Cavendish Bentinck. For contemporary families, a family surname as a middle name remains the most authentically old money approach. Alternatively, pairing a slightly unusual old money first name with a classic single-syllable middle name like James, Hugh, or John creates a beautifully balanced combination.

Conclusion

Old money boy names carry a weight, a quiet authority, a genuine historical depth, and the particular confidence of names that have never needed to follow fashion because they have always been above it. Whether you choose a popular classic like William or Henry, an English aristocratic name like Peregrine or Algernon, an American patrician name like Winthrop or Cabot, a Scottish name like Torquil or Hamish, a classical name like Horatio or Aurelius, a European noble name like Leopold or Maximilian, a biblical name like Benedict or Ambrose, a surname name like Cholmondeley or Mortimer, a short name like Hugh or Piers, or a rare distinguished name like Leofric or Aethelred, you are giving your son a name that carries the full accumulated weight of centuries of use by people who understood that a name is not a fashion statement but a statement of who your family is and has always been. Take your time with this list, let the names settle, and trust that the right old money name will find you.

Which name is your favorite? I would love to hear in the comments below!