Gaston, Odette, Léon, Solange… First names that smell like Proust’s madeleine — literally. Far from the top 20 crowded with Gabriel and Louise, a handful of century-old first names are quietly waiting to be brought up to date. Discreet, steeped in history and carrying a discreet elegance, they could well be the most original – and most touching – choice you will make for your child.
Why is vintage making such a comeback?
In the choice of a first name there is an element of dream, and an element of heritage. As Julie Milbin recalls in her Guide to First Names 2026 (Solar editions), “naming your child means immediately conferring on him an individual status, giving him his place as a member of society“. Looking for a name for your baby also means considering the person he will become — dreaming of his future life.
In this context, ancient first names exert a particular fascination. They tell a story, evoke bygone eras, romantic characters, grandparents or great-grandparents of whom we have fond memories. And above all, they have this rare merit in 2026: not being worn by ten children in the same CP class.
Here is our selection of vintage first names — all from the 2026 First Name Guide — still rarely assigned today, but in the midst of a silent renaissance.
The top vintage first names to (re)discover
For boys
- Léon (frequency: widespread, but increasing sharply — average age: 90 years) From Latin leo: “lion”. Short, solid, sonorous: Léon ticks all the boxes of the vintage first name which is impressive. The guide describes his character as “energetic, logical, methodical and efficient, but also warm, affectionate and charismatic” – enough to reassure the most hesitant parents. The list of its illustrious bearers is impressive: Léon Gambetta, Léon Blum, Léon Tolstoy, Léon Daudet… Good news: if it was still very confidential a few years ago, Léon is slowly coming back into favor, carried by the wave of short and old first names.
- Gaston (frequency: widespread — average age: 91 years) From German gast: “host, traveler”. Ah, Gaston! For a long time, this first name suffered from the somewhat lunar heritage of Gaston Lagaffe. But look closer: Gaston Leroux (the father of Fantômas), Gaston Gallimard (the legendary publisher), Gaston Bachelard (the philosopher), Gaston Doumergue (statesman)… Not to mention a certain song by Nino Ferrer. The guide also notes that his “robust will, the finesse of his intellect and a good-natured sociability” make him a first name with character. And its frequency is increasing: obviously, other parents have had the same idea.
- Anatole (frequency: rare — average age: 46 years) From the Greek anatolé: “the East, the rising”. Rare, precious, literary: Anatole is the first name of a cultured dandy. The writer Anatole France (Nobel Prize for Literature 1921) is its most illustrious representative. The guide attributes to him an “independent, curious and rigorous” character – in other words, a future lover of books and ideas. Its frequency is increasing, which suggests that it could soon come out of its discretion.
- Fernand (frequency: widespread — average age: 89 years) From German Fried: “protective” and Nant: “bold, courageous”. Fernand Raynaud has long embodied popular and funny France. But Fernand is also one of those solid first names that spans the centuries without really aging. The guide recognizes him as “a great vital force, as much for work as for pleasure” — in short, he is a lover of life. Jacques Brel even dedicated a song to him. To be rediscovered urgently.
- Marcel (frequency: rare — average age: 87 years) From the Latin Marcus: “devoted to the god Mars”. Marcel Proust, Marcel Pagnol, Marcel Aymé, Marcel Carné, Marcel Cerdan, Marcel Marceau, Marcel Duchamp… The list of illustrious Marcels is simply dizzying. Very rare today (average age: 87 years), it is one of the first names that are making a sneaky comeback, encouraged by the fashion for grandpa’s first names – its development is also on the rise. A name with substance.
- Augustus (frequency: widespread – average age: 93 years) From the Latin augustus: “venerable, majestic, consecrated by auguries”. Quite a program! Among the Romans, this title designated the equal of the gods. Auguste Comte (philosopher), Auguste Renoir (painter), Auguste Rodin (sculptor), Auguste Lumière (inventor of cinema with his brother Louis)… The guide attributes to him a character of “go-getter: tenacious, dynamic, methodical, but also proud and loyal”. Majestic, indeed.
- Armand (frequency: rare — average age: 76 years) From Germanic harja: “army” and man: “man”. Armand irresistibly evokes the romanticism of the 19th century – it is the first name of Armand Duval, the passionate hero of The Lady of the Camellias by Dumas fils, but also of Cardinal Richelieu (Armand Jean du Plessis). The guide gives him a “solid, realistic, honest and unfailingly faithful” character. Its frequency is increasing: Armand is coming back, and that’s excellent news.
For girls
- Odette (frequency: rare — average age: 85 years) From Germanic odal: “heritage, fortune”. Odette is both the heroine of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, the unforgettable character of Marcel Proust’s Un amour de Swann, and the actresses Odette Joyeux and Odette Laure. Generous, efficient, attractive and endowed with a certain strength of character according to the guide — a winning trio. Very rare today (average age of 85 years!), it is biding its time.
- Solange (frequency: widespread — average age: 76 years) From the Latin sollemnis: “serious, consecrated”. Solange Knowles, Beyoncé’s younger sister, has given this typically French name a facelift. Lively, energetic, determined, with great adaptation skills according to the guide: Solange clearly has all the makings of a first name with character. However, its frequency is decreasing in France, which makes it an original choice.
- Madeleine (frequency: widespread — stable =) From the Aramaic Magdala, named after a village near Lake Tiberias. Mysterious, passionate, sociable and charismatic: the guide draws a flamboyant portrait. Madeleine de Scudéry (17th century author), Madeleine Renaud (actress)… And of course, Proust’s famous madeleine — which makes this first name one of the most charged with French literature there is. A name that stands the test of time without aging.
- White (frequency: common – average age not specified) From Germanic: “white, luminous”. Queen’s first name (Blanche of Castile, mother of Saint Louis), heroine of Aragon’s novel Blanche ou l’oubli, and even character in the tale of Snow White for the little ones: Blanche has an undeniable royal aura. The guide recalls that she is “reliable, with a sense of duty” — a blessing in the home, he says not without humor. A chic first name, rare in today’s playgrounds.
- Yvette (frequency: widespread — average age: 77 years) From Celtic: “yew”. The guide notes that Yvette is “characteristic of a certain period: the 30s-40s” and “little attributed today”. However, voluntary, affectionate, generous and tender, she has all the makings of a sweet and endearing name. Yvette Roudy (former Minister of Women’s Rights) and accordionist Yvette Horner gave it its credentials. A first name to be rehabilitated without delay.
The little extra: why choose a rare first name?
Julie Milbin’s Guide to First Names 2026 kindly underlines this: a first name is “a few syllables that will contain a whole story”. Choosing a rare vintage first name means offering your child a unique identity, anchored in the history of France, loaded with literary, artistic or political figures who will give him – as the guide so beautifully writes – “an extra soul and charisma”.
So, Gaston or Marcel? Odette or Madeleine? The answer is up to you — and that’s the magic of this first gift.