Vintage Names: Five Choices Compared Across Two Eras

Selecting a name associated with an earlier era often involves looking at how choices appeared in historical records. Within this article, calling a name "vintage" is an editorial categorization rather than an official classification from the Social Security Administration (SSA). To compare recorded standings across two specific points in American record-keeping, we examine five candidate names: Alice, Arthur, Elizabeth, Evelyn, and Henry.

Candidate Choices Across Two Eras

The table below presents the recorded ranks for each name from Social Security card application data across two separate windows: the full 1920–1929 decade source and the six-year 2020–2025 window source.

Name	Recorded Sex	1920–1929 Rank	2020–2025 Rank
Alice	Female	15	67
Arthur	Male	20	129
Elizabeth	Female	11	15
Evelyn	Female	12	9
Henry	Male	18	7

Understanding the Data Snapshots

Comparing these figures requires noting structural differences between the two periods. The historical dataset covers a full ten-year decade (1920–1929), whereas the recent window spans only six years (2020–2025), representing neither the entire 2020s decade nor the single year 2025 source. These two reference points serve as isolated historical snapshots rather than a continuous trajectory, proof of a name revival, or a forecast of future naming practices.

Administrative record-keeping limitations also apply source:

• Incomplete early coverage: Many individuals born before 1937 never applied for a Social Security card, so historical counts for that era do not cover all births.
• Geographic scope: Data reflects card applications across the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, not total living populations or classroom counts.
• Name variations: Different spellings are counted and ranked separately.
• Recorded categories: Administrative sex markers indicate card application entries rather than gender identity.

Examining the Recorded Ranks

The positions of these five names differ between the two snapshots without implying a measured continuous shift between them.

In the 2020–2025 period, Henry (rank 7) and Evelyn (rank 9) hold positions nearer the top of the table than in the 1920–1929 period, where Henry held rank 18 and Evelyn held rank 12 source source. These standings illustrate that historic names can occupy high rankings near the top of recent lists. Conversely, Alice and Arthur hold lower positions on the 2020–2025 list (ranks 67 and 129, respectively) than in the 1920–1929 decade, where Alice stood at rank 15 and Arthur stood at rank 20 source source. Meanwhile, Elizabeth occupied rank 11 in the 1920s data and rank 15 in the 2020–2025 data source source.

Personal Preferences in Length and Spelling

When choosing among these five candidates, observable attributes such as letter count and spelling can help guide personal preference. For broader considerations when selecting a name, see our guide on how to pick a baby name.

• Five-letter options: Alice and Henry provide five-letter spellings, which may appeal to someone seeking a shorter candidate.
• Six-letter options: Arthur and Evelyn provide six-letter choices, with Arthur containing a repeated consonant (r) and Evelyn featuring an internal v.
• Nine-letter option: Elizabeth offers a longer nine-letter spelling, which may suit a reader looking for an expansive traditional form.

For principles on researching name backgrounds, consult our name meaning and origin guide.

Sources and further reading

• Social Security Administration: Popular Names of the 1920s Decade. Popular names of the period 1920–1929; corresponding name rows. Read date: 2026-09-17.
• Social Security Administration: Top Names, 2020–2025. Top names of the period 2020–2025; rows 7, 9, 15, 67, 129. Read date: 2026-09-17.
• Social Security Administration: National Data Background Information. Background information; coverage, pre-1937 records, spelling and sex categories. Read date: 2026-09-17.

Prepared with AI assistance; references checked against the cited sources.