VINTAGE BOY NAMES — A / B / C / D / E / F / G / H / L / M / O / P / R / S / T / W /

Vintage Boy Names That Start with C

Old-fashioned C boy names

Expecting a baby boy and looking for an old-fashioned baby name that starts with the letter C? From old saints' names (Charles, Clarence) to retro French charmers (Claude, Cyril), there's no shortage of old-fashioned C-names for boys. But with so much choice, it can be difficult to know where to start.

If you're feeling stuck, here are 14 names to get you inspired.

  1. Charles—Charles Dickens? Prince Charles? Charles Bukowski? Saint Charles? Take your pick! Famous namesakes abound with this one. Bonus points for the cute nickname Charlie.
  2. Charley—In the 1800s and early 1900s, both Charlie and Charley were considered perfectly acceptable spellings of this endearing boy's name, but today, the spelling Charlie reigns by a huge margin.
  3. Conrad—A sepia-toned name with no future, or a retro saint's name on the brink of cool? We're not sure.
  4. Clyde—Has Clyde been retired long enough to feel playground-friendly again? You be the judge.
  5. Clarence—A terribly old-sounding saint's name that few of us have the guts to use. Consider that a challenge!
  6. Cecil—A graybeard of a name with artistic bona fides via a number of revered past bearers such as founding figure of American cinema Cecil B. DeMille, British photographer and designer Sir Cecil Beaton, Irish-born poet Cecil Day-Lewis, and pioneering free jazz pianist Cecil Taylor.
  7. Chester—An intriguing blend of place name panache and vintage charm.
  8. Clement—The name of several saints and more than a dozen popes, this old-fashioned name might appeal if you're looking for a conspicuously Catholic boys' name.
  9. Cyril—An ancient saint's name oozing old-school French charm, Cyril reached its apex in the 1920s.
  10. Casimir—A lofty old-fashioned name with Slavic roots.
  11. Claude—A hundred years ago, Claude was a well-established but not overly popular French-inspired choice. Fast forward to today, and you rarely meet a baby named Claude. So, if under-the-radar biblical names are your thing, this one might appeal.
  12. Carroll—This surname doubles as a male given name, or rather, doubled: today, no one seems to be interested in naming their baby boy Carroll.
  13. Cletus—An ancient name that's struggling to find its footing in the contemporary U.S. The fictional character Cletus Spuckler from The Simpsons may have something to do with that.
  14. Chuck—A perfectly on-trend choice for a son in mid-century America, this Charles diminutive hasn't managed to find favor with the new generation of moms and dads.