Unique Boho Baby Names For Boys and Girls
Old Fashioned English Baby Names For Girls
There are many beautiful old English baby names for girls but they've been so popular recently it's hard to find an old fashioned name that's truly unique.
However, there are some unbelievably lovely old British and English girl's names that really are rare and ripe for re-discovery.
So if you want a gorgeous old fashioned English name for your baby girl that is genuinely different have a browse of this list.
You'll find forgotten gems Victorians loved but also long lost beauties from Medieval times and even earlier in British history.
Use the index below to find old English girls names from a specific period in history or browse the alphabetic list.
I hope you find something you love. Let me know your favourites.
And do bookmark or save on Pinterest for quick reference later.
Old English Girls Name Index
Simply click the links in the index to read more about the meanings, origins and diminutives of these lovely old girls names :
- Victorian Girls Names
- Edwardian Girls Names
- Medieval Girls Names
- Anglo Saxon Girls Names
- Old British Girls Names
Victorian English Girls Names
Many old English girls names from the Victorian or gilded age are super popular now but there are still uncommon and rare Victorian names to choose from including :
The Victorians adored everything Anglo-Saxon and revived these old English girls name from one thousand years earlier :
Edwardian English Girls Names
The Edwardians in the early 20th century revived old medieval English girls name and borrowed new ones from the French :
Medieval English Girls Names
There was a big change in English girls name after the Norman conquest with French names becoming most fashionable. Some of these old names have been revived but others are still beautifully rare :
- Adela
- Alodia
- Annis - Annice
- Avella
- Aveline
- Cecily
- Eleanor
- Elspeth
- Felicia
- Joan
- Marjorie
- Matilda
- Sibley
- Sybil - Sybilla
Uncommon Anglo Saxon Girls Names
As we have seen the Victorians revived lots of old Anglo Saxon girls names and made them super popular but these beautifully rare old English names escaped their attention and are wonderfully unique now :
Rare Old British Girls Names
There are some very pretty but rare old British girls names that go back before the Anglo-Saxons to Roman and Celtic Britain and give you a choice of something unusual but traditional for your daughter :
Beautifully Rare And Uncommon Old English Girls Names
Adela
Meaning : Noble, Serene
Adela was a popular medieval girl's name in England after Princess Adela the daughter of King William I and the mother of King Stephen. Diminutives: Addie, Della
Adelia
Meaning : Noble One
Adelia is a lovely rare alternative to the ever popular Amelia. It had a burst of popularity in the 19th Century after Donizetti's opera Adelia. Diminutives : Addie, Delia
Adelaide
Meaning : Noble
Popular in the early 19th Century in Britain after the coronation of Queen Adelaide in 1830 after whom the Australian city Adelaide was named. Diminutives : Addie, Della
Adeline or Adelina
Meaning : Noble
Adeline and Adelina first became popular in Wales in the 18th Century but really took off across the British Isles in the 1830s. Adeline, Countess of Cardigan was a famous British society beauty in the 1850s. Diminutives : Addie, Lina
Afrella
Meaning : Pure
Afrella was an early British princess back in the 5th Century and the name has not had a revival since!! So if you want a beautiful but truly unique old British name for your baby girl, Afrella is a great choice. Diminutives : Frella, Affie
Agatha
Meaning : Good & honourable
Agatha has been a girl's name in Britain since Saint Agatha right back in Roman times. Popular with medieval aristocrats, it came back into fashion in the 1880s. Diminutives: Aggie
Aisley
Meaning : An ash tree meadow
Aisley is a pretty Anglo-Saxon version of the more well known name Ashley. It pops up in British and American records back to the 16th Century but is still delightfully rare. Diminutives : Ley
Alodia
Meaning : Other riches
Alodia is an old English version of the French girl's name Alodie. It had a little wave of popularity in the 1600s but has been forgotten since so is a pretty name ripe for a revival. Diminutives : Ally, Loddie
Alys - Alyse - Alyce
Meaning : Exalted
Alys, Alyse and Alyce are old English spellings of Alice and a lovely way to give an unusual twist to a popular girls name. Diminutives : Allie
Elsweth - Elswith - Aelswith
Meaning : Spiritual Strength
Elsweth is a rare old version of the name Elizabeth. The most famous Aelswith was wife of King Alfred the Great and now a star of Last Kingdom. Diminutives : Ellie
Alyssum
Meaning : Worth Beyond Beauty
Sweet Alyssum is the old name for the pretty little pink & white flower sweet Alison and makes a lovely unusual alternative to the more common Alison. Diminutives : Allie
Alwyn
Meaning : Joyful spirit
Alwyn was popular old English girl's name in Anglo-Saxon times but didn't come back with the Victorians so makes a beautifully unique choice today. Diminutives : Allie
Annis - Annes - Annice
Meaning : Pure
Annis or Annice was a traditionally popular girl's name in England and other parts of Britain that had faded away but is now having a revival. Diminutives : Annie
Anora
Meaning : Honour
Anora is a sweet version of the girl's names Onora and Honora that became very popular in Britain and Ireland in the 19th Century. Diminutives : Annie
Arilda
Meaning : Pure
Arilda was the name of one of the first old English saints. Long forgotten, it was revived by the Victorians who adored Anglo-Saxon names. Diminutives : Rillie, Rilda
Audra - Audrey
Meaning : Steadfast honour
Audra is an old fashioned version of the English name Audrey first popularised by pre-WW1 model Audrey Munson and then by Audrey Hepburn. Both were nicknames for Princess Etheldreda an old British saint.
Aurelia
Meaning : Golden one
Aurelia has Latin origins but became fashionable in England during the Renaissance as a feminine version of Aurelius. Diminutives : Relia
Avella - Aveline
Meaning : Hazel
Aveline was originally a French girl's name derived from Avella the pretty Italian name for Hazel but Aveline became fashionable in both Tudor and late Victorian Britain. Diminutives : Vella, Lina
Blanche
Meaning : Pure
Blanche is another old British girls name originating in France that was popular with medieval aristocrats and then had a big revival in Britain & America in the gilded age with fashionable stars such as Blanche Sweet. Diminutives : Bee, Annie
Bliss - Blisse
Meaning : Blessed, Grace
The origins of the word Bliss are found in old English in the Kingdom of Northumbria but Bliss and Blisse only took off as English girls name with the Victorians.
Cecily - Secily
Meaning : For St Cecilia
Cecily is an English version of Cecilia, popular amongst the aristocracy of Medieval England such as Cecily of York mother of King Edward IV.
Cicely - Cicily
Meaning : Spirit lifting
The beautiful old fashioned name Cicely comes from the flowering herb Sweet Cicely which was found in old English gardens and was believed to lift spirits and bring joy.
Clarice - Clarisse - Clarissa
Meaning : Clear and bright
Clarice is an English version of the traditional French and Italian girls names Clarisse and Clarissa. Clarice became popular in the 1890s. Diminutives : Clarrie.
Clementine
Meaning : Gentle one
Clementine has been an English girls name since at least the 1500s but hit peak popularity in Britain in the Victorian era influenced by Princess Clementine of France. Diminutives: Clemmie, Clem.
Cwen
Meaning : Queen
Cwen is a very old British girl's name with roots in the old Welsh spoken in Roman Britain before the Anglo-Saxons arrived in the British Isles. Diminutives : Cwennie
Daisy
Meaning : The day's eye
A beloved old English girl's name since the Anglo-Saxons, Daisy never truly goes out of fashion and is a lovely simple girl's name to combine with something more unusual.
Eawynn - Ewynn
Meaning : River, joy
Ewynn is another old English name popular in Anglo-Saxon times that missed the Victorian revival so a lovely choice for a rare old name. Diminutive : Winnie
Edith
Meaning : To prosper
Edith is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that never truly went out of fashion in England but became super popular with the Victorians. Famous Ediths include Queen Edith of Wessex, novelist Edith Wharton and silent movie stars Edith Roberts and Edith Johnson. Diminutive : Edie, Eddie
Edna - Edina
Meaning : Essence, true heart
Edna and Edina become popular in Victorian Britain as derivations of both the old English name Edwin and the Gaelic name Eithne. Famous Edna's include Edna May a celebrated music hall star. Diminutives : Eddie, Dina
Elfwen - Elfwyn
Meaning : Elf like
Elfwen is a beautifully rare old Anglo-Saxon name which like many old English names pays tribute to the mystical strengths of the elf folk : beauty, wisdom and bravery. Diminutives : Ellie, Wen, Winnie
Elvina - Elwyna
Meaning : Elf friend
Elvina is another lovely old English girl's name that celebrates - curiously to us - the elves. Elvina was still in use in Tudor times and had a Victorian comeback but is now super rare. Diminutives : Ellie, Vina
Elda
Meaning : Protected & protector
Elda is a rare old English name for girls from the West Country. It celebrates a belief in the mythical powers of the elder tree to protect the home. Diminutive : Ellie
Ellen
Meaning : Bright light, protector
Ellen is another old fashioned British girls name popular since Saxon times. Ellen Terry was the most famous actress of the 19th Century. Diminutive : Ellie
Enid - Ened
Meaning : Pure life spirit
Enid is a very old British girls name found in Welsh stories of King Arthur that became fashionable in late Victorian and Edwardian times in Britain and the USA.
Everilda
Meaning : For Saint Everilda
The old English girl's name Everilda honours the Anglo-Saxon saint Everilda who established a religious community in Yorkshire. The name was very rare in England as a whole but found in Yorkshire until the Victorians. Diminutives : Evie, Rilda
Esme
Meaning : Beloved
Esme has been popular recently but first came into fashion in Edwardian times. It's another good old fashioned name to combine with something more unusual.
Edwina
Meaning : Fortunate friend
Edwina sounds like an old English girls name but is really a Victorian invented feminine version of Edwin. Famous Edwinas include Countess Mountbatten and movie star Edwina Booth. Diminutives : Eddie
Eleanor
Meaning : Shining light
Eleanor has been a popular English baby name for girls ever since the arrival of Queen Eleanor from France in medieval times. Diminutive : Ellie
Elspeth - Elsbeth - Elesabeth
Meaning : God's promise
Elspeth is an old British version of Elizabeth most commonly found in Scotland and Northumberland. Diminutive : Elsie, Beth
Fearn
Meaning : Tree of spring
Fearn is a very old British girl's name which comes from the Gaelic for the Alder tree a symbol of protection and new life for babies born in spring from March 18th to April 14th.
Felicia - Felicity
Meaning : Happy, fortunate
Felicia was a Roman saint and both Felicia and Felicity have been used as girls names since early medieval times. Diminutives : Flick, Flissie
Freda
Meaning : Peaceful
Freda is an old English girls name fashionable in the gilded era from the 1890s to WW1. Famous Fredas included Freda Dudley Ward the socialite mistress of King Edward VIII who featured in Downton Abbey. Diminutives : Freddie
Hasel - Hazel
Meaning : Wisdom, authority
Hasel or hazel trees had great power in Celtic and Anglo Saxon myths and Hasel has been used as a rare girl's name ever since but became very fashionable in the 1920s and 30s in Britain and America.
Hilda
Meaning : Mother, teacher, leader
The name Hilda was first made popular by Hilda of Whitby a Northumbrian princess and beloved old English saint, but fell out of fashion until the 1880s. Famous Hildas included silent movie stars Hilda Bayley & Hilda Anthony.
Joan
Meaning : Gracious
Joan became a popular girls name among the medieval nobility with a long line of English princesses called Joan but fell out of fashion in the 1800s until a huge revival in the 1920s & 30s with film stars such as Joan Crawford & Joan Fontaine
Lettice - Letecia - Letitia
Meaning : Joy
Originally a Latin name, Lettice and Letecia were fashionable British girls names from the 17th to the 19th centuries but fell out of fashion after WW1 so a good choice if you want something rare. Diminutive : Lettie
Lewina
Meaning : Serenity
Lewina was one of the very earliest British saints associated by tradition with many miracles. Lewina never completely disappeared from records of English and Welsh girls names but now makes a beautifully rare choice for your baby daughter. Diminutive : Lina
Linnet - Linetta
Meaning : Of the lake, Small bird
Linnet is an old British girls name with Celtic origins that can be found continuously in birth records but has always remained delightfully unusual. Diminutives : Lin, Nettie
Mabel
Meaning : Adorable
The girl's name Mabel came to England from France with Norman nobility. It became super popular and glamorous - think Mabel Lane Fox from Downton Abbey - in Edwardian England and Gilded Age America with early silent film stars such as Mabel Poulton, Ballin and Taliaferro.
Maerwynn - Merewen
Meaning : Fair light
Merewen is another popular Anglo-Saxon girls name - after Maerwynn who founded a great seat of learning at Romsey Abbey - that is now long forgotten. It is obviously an unusual choice but it does have - the ever safe - Mary as a diminutive.
Marigold
Meaning : Mary's gold / splendour
If you love Downton Abbey you could opt - like Edith - for Marigold a traditional flower in English gardens.
Margery - Marjory - Marjorie
Meaning : Pearl
Marjorie is another old British girls name that came over with the Normans. It became common in Scotland in honour of Marjorie Countess of Carrick mother of King Robert the Bruce and then super fashionable in England and the USA in 1890s and early 1900s with silent movie stars such as Marjorie Daw.
Matilda - Mathilda
Meaning : Strength
Matilda was very popular amongst medieval English nobility with numerous Queen Matildas in both England and Scotland after the Norman Conquest. It was super fashionable again with the early Victorians. Diminutive : Tilda, Tilly
Maud - Maude
Meaning : Strength
Maud is a variation of Mathilda that became popular after the birth of Princess Maud of Wales in 1869. The name fell out of fashion but in 2013 the Royal family welcomed a new Maud Windsor.
Mildred - Mildrith
Meaning : Gentle Strength
Mildred is an old British girls name that goes back to the Anglo-Saxon princess Saint Mildred. It had a big revival in Edwardian times led by stage and silent movie stars such as Mildred Davies and Mildred Harris. Diminutive : Milly, Millie
Molly
Meaning : Beloved
A diminutive of Mary, Molly had big wave of popularity in Britain in the 1700s and has been having a comeback since the 1990s. It is a lovely old-fashioned British girls name to combine with something more unusual.
Nelda
Meaning : Protected, new spring
Nelda is another old British girl's name tied to the mystical powers of the Alder tree as a symbol of protection and new life in spring so is a wonderful old-fashioned name for babies born in March and April. Curiously super popular in Texas in the 1930s. Diminutive : Nellie
Odilia - Odelia - Odella
Meaning : Fortune, beautiful song
A lovely and very rare name Odilia was a British princess back in the 500s who became a beloved Saint in France. Diminutives : Dillie, Delia, Della
Odette
Meaning : Fortune
Odette is more common as a girl's name in France but you can find it in English baptism records back to the Tudors and beyond. Diminutives : Dettie
Orelia - Orella
Meaning : Golden one
Orelia and Orella were Victorian adaptations of the old Tudor favourite Aurelia. Diminutives : Relia, Rella
Ottilie - Ottoline
Meaning : Prosper
Ottolie and Ottoline are feminine versions of Otto that were super popular in Denmark in the 19th Century but came to Britain in the late 1800s with Queen Alexandra and everything Danish. Diminutives : Ottie
Ora
Meaning : Golden, prayer
Ora is a rare British girls name but can be found in old birth records going back hundreds of years.
Oakley
Meaning : Growing strength
Oakley is an old English surname that makes a beautifully rare, nature inspired baby name that works wonderfully for girls and boys. Diminutives : Ley
Rowena
Meaning : Protecting
Rowena was the Anglo-Saxon heroine of Walter Scott's popular novel Ivanhoe. The name came from the rowan tree which had magical protective powers in British myths. Diminutives : Rena
Steorra
Meaning : Star, Shining Light
Steorra is an old English word for star or bright guiding light.
Sidwell - Sidwella
Meaning : Virtuous one
Sidwell is the patron saint of Exeter - remembered for her kindness to the poor - and Sidwell and Sidwella were used as girls name in Devon and Cornwall right up until the 20th century. Diminutives : Sid
Sybil - Sybilla - Sibilla
Meaning : Prophetess, blessed sight
The name Sybil goes back to the Greeks but was popular in the British royal families after the Norman Conquest with many medieval princesses called Sybilla including Queen Sybilla of Scotland. Diminutive : Sybbie
Sibley
Meaning: Blessed sight
Sibley is believed to be a shortened version of Sybilla and can be found in old English birth records from medieval times and the Tudors right through to the Victorians. Diminutive : Sibbie
Winifred - Winefride
Meaning : Peaceful friend
Winefride was a Welsh saint in the 600s who became a favourite for English pilgrims and Winifred was a popular English girls name right up until WW1 when it fell out of fashion. It is just starting to comeback so a good old British girls name that is still unusual but on trend. Diminutives : Winnie, Freddie
Wynflaed
Meaning : Joy, beauty
If you'd like a really unique old English girls name, Wynflaed is an alternative to Winifred that was used by Anglo-Saxon noble women. Diminutives : Winnie
I do hope you found some beautiful uncommon old english girls names you love for your baby.
Do bookmark or save on Pinterest to come back to.
And for more ideas and simple pregnancy tips check out my other baby & pregnancy posts and follow me on Pinterest.
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Unusual Vintage Baby Names For Girls
Vintage names have been super popular recently, so it can be hard to find a lovely rare vintage name for your baby girl.
But there are plenty of forgotten and uncommon vintage girls names from the early 1900s just raring for a comeback.
These forgotten vintage names all felt refreshingly modern in the early 20th Century and became the height of fashion in the golden era of glamorous movie stars.
So if you're searching for a forgotten vintage name for your daughter check out these lists of vintage girls names by decade :
Or browse the full list alphabetically to discover meanings, famous namesakes and cute variations for these vintage names.
Forgotten Vintage Girls Names
Girls Names From The 1900s - 1910s
The late gilded age in the 1900s and 1910s before World War One looks old fashioned to us but felt incredibly modern at the time.
The era was bursting with inventions - cars, planes and movies - matched by a whole host of new but now forgotten girls names.
There were stylish short names such as :
PLUS a cluster of gorgeous names tied to romantic but very independent heroines in books and the first silent movies :
- Angela
- Dorothy
- Elsie
- Gertrude
- Grace
- Gwendoline
- Lillian
- Lucille
- Luella
- Marion
- Myrtle
- Pauline
- Veronica
- Viola
1920s Girls Names
Many of the vintage names most in vogue in the roaring 1920s can feel to us now like old-lady names but in the 20s these girls names sounded super sophisticated and modern.
Some names were again very short :
Whilst others were forgotten old British names revived with a modern twist :
1930s Girls Names
Most fashionable girls names in the 1930s came from huge Hollywood movie stars.
Some of these vintage names hung around :
Whilst others are now forgotten and rare :
Curiously some stars who made these names popular - such as Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Crawford and Loretta Young - grew up with completely different names!
1940s Girls Names
The most popular girls names in the 1940s came again from Hollywood movie stars.
Some of these were new variations on old fashioned names forgotten at the time :
Whilst others had strong Celtic influences :
And others were super rare but trended with their Hollywood namesakes :
Vintage Girls Names A to Z
For more inspiration browse all the vintage girls names from the early 20th century in alphabetical order and discover their :
- Meanings
- Origins
- Glamorous namesakes
- Variations
Ada
Meaning : Noble
Ada is an old girls name that came back into vogue in Britain after the heroine Ada Clare in the bestseller Bleak House and then hit the heights of fashion in the USA in the 1910s. Another famous namesake is the inventor Ada Lovelace. Variations : Adie, Addie, Adelia, Adelina, Adela
Alma
Meaning : Spirit lifting
Alma started to trend in the early 1900s in the USA reaching peak popularity in the 1920s with silent movie stars such as Alma Rubens and Alma Hanlon. Variations : Almina, Alma-May
Angela
Meaning : Angel, messenger of God
Angela has been used as a girls name since medieval times but had sudden waves of popularity in the 1910s and 1940s partly influenced by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother whose second name was Angela. Variations : Angelica, Angie, Angelina
Anita
Meaning : Full of grace
Anita is an old fashioned English girls name from medieval times brought back into style in the 1910s and 1920s with movie stars Anita Stewart and Anita Page until it peaked in the 1930s. Variations : Anitra
Barbara
Meaning : Exceptional
The name Barbara, which originated long ago with St Barbara, was fashionable with British aristocrats in the 1600s but came back big time in the early 1900s, hitting its peak in the 1930s with movie stars like Barbara Stanwyck. Variations : Babs, Babsie
Bebe
Meaning : Perfection of the Lord
Bebe is a long forgotten but increasingly popular vintage girls name that first trended in the 1920s with movie star Bebe Daniels as a cute diminutive of Beatrice or Barbara. Variations : Bibi, Beatrice, Barbara
Bette
Meaning : God's promise
Bette as a diminutive of Elizabeth became super fashionable as a given name in the 1940s with stars like Bette Davies Variations : Betty, Bettina, Beth, Bethie
Carole
Meaning : Strength
Carole is a feminine version of Charles which came into vogue in the 1940s with one of Hollywood's best loved stars Carole Lombard.Variations : Carrie, Carolina, Carola
Clara
Meaning : Clear & bright
Clara became one of the most popular American girls names in the 1920s inspired by iconic star Clara Bow. Variations : Clarabella, Claribel, Clarrie
Claudette
Meaning : Strong willed
Claudette is a feminine version of Claude that trended in the 1930s influenced by Claudette Colbert but is now largely forgotten. Variations : Claudine, Claudia
Claudine
Meaning : Strong willed
Claudine is another feminine version of Claude popular in the 1930s but now largely forgotten. Variations : Claudette, Claudia
Connie
Meaning : Steadfast
A diminutive of the popular 19th century name Constance, Connie became fashionable in the 1940s Variations : Constance, Concetta, Constanza
Cora
Meaning : Heart held
Cora was a super stylish golden era girls name - think Cora in Downton - but continued to be very fashionable in the 1920s. Variations : Coralie, Coral, Coraline
Della
Meaning : Noble
Della is a late 19th century derivative of the old English name Adela that was chic in the 1900s. Variations : Adella, Odella
Delores - Dolores
Meaning : Life's grace
Dolores is a Spanish girls name honouring the grace of the Virgin Mary which was very fashionable in the 1920s and 1930s with stars like Dolores Costello. Variations : Dolly, Dollie, Dores
Diane - Diana
Meaning : Daylight
The name Diana, from the Roman goddess of hunting and fertility, was popular in Britain in the 1700s but swept back into high fashion in the USA and Britain in the 1940s with stars such as Diana Lynn. Variations : Di, Dayanna, Dayann, Deana
Dora
Meaning : God's gift
Dora is now a rare vintage girls name but was a fashionable diminutive of Dorothy and Theodora in the 1920s. Variations : Theodora, Pandora, Isadora, Doris
Doris
Meaning : Gift of the seas
Doris may sound like a forgotten old ladies name to us but was very chic and modern in Britain in the 1900s and then the USA in the 1920s when - influenced by movie stars Doris Kenyon and Doris Pawn - it was one of the 10 most popular girls names. Originally, Doris was the name of a Greek goddess of the sea. Variations : Dora, Dorrie
Dorothy
Meaning : Gods gift
Dorothy is an old English girls name from the 1600s that returned to fashion in the 1910s and 1920s with leading film stars Dorothy Gish and Dorothy Mackall, Variations : Dorothea, Dora, Dottie, Dot, Dollie, Dorrie
Edna
Meaning : Essence, true heart
Edna is an old British girls name that was in vogue in the 1930s but is now forgotten and rare. Variations : Eddie, Edie, Edina
Eileen
Meaning : Bright shining one
Originally Irish, Eileen hit peak popularity in the 1920s in Britain and in the 1940s in the USA with stars such as Eileen Percy. Variations : Lina, Leena, Aileen, Aveline
Elsie
Meaning : God's gift
Elsie was a very fashionable diminutive for Elizabeth in the 1900s to 1920s with silent movie stars Elsie Ferguson, Elsie Randolph and Elsie Janis. It is now having a super cool revival with actresses like Elsie Hewitt and Elsie Fisher Variations : Elsa, Elspeth, Elsweth.
Evelyn
Meaning : Desired
Evelyn is a modern early 20th century version of old English girls names such as Aveline and Elvina Variations : Evie, Lyn, Ellie
Faye
Meaning : Fairy like, loyal
Faye is a vintage name that became a popular new twist on Faith in the 1940s after movie stars such as Alice Faye and Faye Emerson. Variations : Faith, Felicia
Gertrude
Meaning : Strength
Gertrude is a rare vintage name with a real old-lady feel but it was very fashionable in the 1900s and 1910s. Gertrude Lawrence was a big Broadway actress and Gertrude Astor a major silent movie actress and trombonist. Variations : Gertie, Trudy, Trudie
Gladys
Meaning : Princess
Gladys is a vintage girls name from Wales fashionable from the 1900s to 1920s. Gwladys was a Welsh queen and saint in the 5th century and Gladys Cooper a multiple academy award nominated actress and theatre producer. Variations : Gwladys
Glenda
Meaning : Pure goodness
Glenda is another vintage girls name originally from Wales. It was most in vogue in the 1940s with actresses such as Glenda Farrell Variations : Glen, Glennie
Gloria
Meaning : Glorious
The vintage name Gloria soared into vogue in the 1920s with movie star Gloria Swanson reaching its peak in the 1940s under the influence of heiress Gloria Vanderbilt. Variations : Glorianna, Glory
Grace
Meaning : Graceful
Everyone has heard of Grace Kelly but the early age of silent movies had a whole host of stars called Grace including Grace Cunard, Grace Darling, Grace La Rue and Grace Moore who helped get the name trending in the 1900s and 1910s. Variations : Gracie
Greer
Meaning : Swift
Greer is a unique vintage girls name that was made famous by Greer Garson one of the world's biggest movie stars in the 1940s. Greer was originally an Irish family name.
Gwendoline - Gwendolen
Meaning : Blessed ring
Gwendoline, which became very stylish in Britain in the 1900s, is another vintage girls name like Gladys that comes from a Welsh princess and saint. Diminutives : Gwen, Gwennie, Gwendolyn
Gwenda
Meaning : Blessed good
Gwenda is a largely forgotten vintage girls name from Wales that had a burst of popularity in the 1940s. Diminutives : Gwen, Gwennie, Gwendoline
Hedy
Meaning : Warrior
Hedy - a diminutive of Hedwig - is another unique vintage girls name from the 1940s which was made famous by stunning movie star and awesome inventor Hedy Lamarr. Variations : Hedda, Hedwig
Hilda
Meaning : Mother, teacher, leader
Hilda is an old English girls name connected to Saint Hilda that came back into fashion in the 1900s with other old Anglo-Saxon names such as Edith, Mildred and Winifred. Variations : Hildie, Hildegard
Ida
Meaning : Prosperous
Ida was an old fashioned medieval name of French nobility e.g. Ida Countess of Boulogne, Ida of Lorraine that became very fashionable pre-war in the 1900s and 1910s. Variations : Idaho, Idelia
Irene
Meaning : Peace
Irene has been around as a girls name since ancient Greece but was largely forgotten until it came back into vogue in the 1890s with Queen Victoria's granddaughter Princess Irene and trended through into the 1920s with movie stars Irene Rich, Irene Dunne and Irene Browne and the hit film 1926 Irene. Variations : Renee, Irenee, Irena
Iris
Meaning : Rainbow
Iris is another vintage name with ancient Greek origins. It hit peak popularity in the 1930s with movie stars Iris Adrian and Iris Stuart. Variations : Irissa, Eirys, Irys
Irma
Meaning : Complete
Irma is a forgotten vintage girls name with German origins that became fashionable in the United States in the 1900s, 1910s and 1920s. Variations : Erma, Irmela
Janet
Meaning : Gracious gift of god
Janet is a feminine version of John that had a big wave of popularity in the 1940s influenced by for example big band singer Janet Blair and actress Janet Leigh. Variations : Jan, Nettie, Janette
Jean
Meaning : God is gracious
Jean is a very old girls name with Hebrew, French and medieval British origins that had a big wave of popularity peaking in the 1940s under the influence of stars such as Jean Harlow, Jean Simmons and Jean Peters. Variations : Jeanie, Jeanette
Jeanette
Meaning : God is gracious
Jeanette is a version of Jean that also became popular in the 1920s to 1940s. Famous Jeanettes of the period included singer and movie star Jeanette McDonald. Variations : Jeanie, Jean
Joan
Meaning : Gracious
Joan has been a popular old English girls name since medieval time but had a big revival in the 1930s with stars Joan Crawford and Joan Fontaine. Variations : Joanie
June
Meaning : Love & marriage
The name June comes from Juno Roman goddess of love and marriage. It has long been used as a girls name in Britain and the USA but like Joan and Jean became super fashionable in the 1930s and 1940s. Famous namesakes of the time included jazz singer June Christy and actresses June Allyson and June Lockhart. Variations : Junia
Joyce
Meaning : Joyous, joyful
Joyce is an old fashioned name popular in Britain since medieval times that took off in the United States in the 1900s, peaking in the 1930s and 1940s with a wide range of stars called Joyce including Joyce Reynolds, Joyce Carey, Joyce Howard and Joyce Compton. Variations : Joy, Joye, Joycella
Kay
Meaning : Purity
Kay is a short form of Katherine which trended in the early 1940s in the USA influenced by Kay Francis who was one of the biggest movie stars of the 1930s but is now largely forgotten.
Lana
Meaning : Shining light
Lana is an old girls name that had been used in the United States since the 1700s but was pretty uncommon until it burst into fashion in the 1940s with mega star Lana Turner. Variations : Lanabel, Allana, Allanah
Lena
Meaning : Bright light
Lena became fashionable in the 1900s in the United States as a pretty diminutive of Helena, Elena and Magdalena. Famous namesakes include singer and civil rights activist Lena Horne. Variations : Helena, Magdalena, Elena
Lillian
Meaning : Pure beauty
Lillian was one of a cluster of romantic girls names that came into vogue in the 1900s. Lillian Gish was one of the biggest stars of silent movies. Variations : Lil, Lilly, Lillyanne
Lois
Meaning : Most beautiful
Lois is a vintage name that actually comes from the Bible but in the 1920s it sounded super modern and the cutting edge of fashion. Actress Lois Wilson starred in large numbers of Hollywood silent movies, writing and directing some herself. Variations : Louisa, Luisa, Louisiana
Lola
Meaning : Life's grace
Lola is a short form of Dolores that became very chic between the 1910s and 1930s with science fiction film Lola in 1914 and silent movie stars Lola Todd and Lola Lane. Variations : Dolores, Lourdes, Marlow
Loretta
Meaning : Completeness, balance
Originally an Italian name, Loretta started to trend in the USA in the early 1900s and remained popular throughout the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s but has always been very rare in Britain. Loretta Young was a major film star from the 1920s to 1940s. Variations : Lettie, Lottie, Lorrie, Lora
Lucille
Meaning : Light
Lucille first became popular in France in the 1840s as a diminutive of Lucy and then took off in the USA in the 1910s peaking in the 1940s. It has always been very rare in Britain. Variations : Luci, Lucia, Lucilla
Luella - Louella
Meaning : Warrior, shining light
Luella became fashionable between the 1900s and 1920s in the United States but remained rare in Britain. It is often thought of as a combination of of Louise and Eleanor but is actually an old English girls name from the 1500s which was a feminine version of the family and boys name Lowell. Variations : Lou, Lola, Ella, Lula, Lulu
Mabel
Meaning : Adorable
Mabel was an old english girls name that came back into fashion in the 1900s. Variations: May, Maybella
Mae - May
Meaning : Fair light
The name Mae is a version of May and Maia but also a short form of Maerewen a long forgotten old English name. May became crazily popular in the 1890s and 1910s influenced by Princess May who later became the British Queen and Mae continued to trend into the 1940s in the USA with movie star Mae West. Variations : Maeria, Merewen, Maisy
Marcia - Marsha
Meaning : Warrior
Marcia is an old fashioned feminine version of Marcus that took off in the 1930s and continued to trend in the 1940s. Marcia Mae Jones was a child star in the 1930s appearing with Shirley Temple in Heidi and Little Princess Variations : Marcella, Marcie, Martia
Marion
Meaning : Beloved, star of the sea
Marion - a derivative of Mary or Marie - is an old fashioned name long popular in Britain that trended in the United States in the 1900s and 1910s. Marion Davies was a famous star of the Ziegfield Follies Variations : Marian, Maryanne, Merion
Marjorie
Meaning : Pearl
Marjorie is an old British girls name that came back into vogue between the 1900s and 1920s. Variations : Margie, Margery
Marlene
Meaning : Star of the sea
Marlene is a vintage German name adapted from Maria and Magdalene that took off in the 1920s and 1930s with movie star Marlene Dietrich but is now fairly uncommon. Variations : Marlena
Maureen
Meaning : Little beloved one
Maureen, a version of the Gaelic name Máirín meaning little Mary, trended in the United States in the 1940s with stars like Maureen O'Hara and Maureen O'Sullivan Variations : Maura, Moira, Mo, Renee
Merle
Meaning : Bright sea
The now very rare name Merle is most associated in Britain with Merle Oberon a major movie star of the 1940s but had already had a burst of popularity in the United States before World War One. Variations : Merelyn, Muriel
Mildred
Meaning : Gentle strength
Mildred is a very old British girls name that was rediscovered in the 1900s hitting peak fashion in the 1920s. It was still popular in the 1940s when Joan Crawford made her Oscar winning film Mildred Pierce. Variations : Millie, Mimi, Mildrid, Mildryd
Monica
Meaning : Unique wisdom
Monica has Italian and Spanish origins but can be found in records of old English girls names. It became fashionable in Britain in the 1920s. Variations : Monique, Moniqua
Moira
Meaning : Destiny
Moira is a Scottish and Irish name that became fashionable in Britain in the 1940s under the influence of Scottish ballet dancer Moira Shearer who starred in the award winning film The Red Shoes. Variations : Maire, Moyre
Muriel
Meaning : Bright sea
The vintage name Muriel has Celtic origins in the British Isles and Brittany but was rare in Britain until the early 1900s when it took off and become fashionable in the United States in the 1920s with movie stars such as Muriel Ostriche. Variations : Meriel, Riella
Myrna
Meaning : Beloved, peaceful
The rare vintage girls name Myrna, which has Celtic and Slavic origins, was made famous in the 1930s by actress Myrna Loy Variations : Mirna, Merna, Muirne
Myrtle
Meaning : Loyal love
Myrtle is a flower traditionally used in wedding bouquets. A now rare vintage girls name Myrtle trended in the 1900s and 1910s in both Britain and the USA with early silent movie stars Myrtle Gonzalez and Myrtle Stedman. Variations : Myrtille
Nancy
Meaning :
Nancy was a popular girls name in the British Isles and USA from the 1700s and trended in Victorian times following Nancy in Oliver Twist but then had a massive resurgence in the USA in the 1930s and 1940s. Nancy Carroll and Nancy Kelly were 1930s movie stars. Variations : Nan, Nancie
Nora
Meaning : Light
Nora is a diminutive of Leonora, Eleonora and Anora a beautifully rare old British girls name. Very chic and modern in the 1900s, it has had an old-lady-name feel but both Leonora and Nora are having a revival in Europe with Princess Leonor of Spain and Princess Leonora of Sweden Variations : Norah, Anora, Honora, Eleonora, Leonora, Norabelle, Norabella
Noreen
Meaning : Little light, honour
Noreen, which has both Irish and Persian origins, is a now pretty uncommon vintage name. It is a diminutive of Nora, i.e. little Nora, that became a fashionable alternative to Nora in the 1930s and 1940s. Variations : Norenee, Noirin, Renee
Norma
Meaning : Core truth
Norma was made famous as a girls name by the opera Norma but only became fashionable in the 1920s and 1930s. Academy award winning actress Norma Shearer was one of the most popular stars of the 1930s. Variations : Normandie, Nora-May, Nola
Pamela
Meaning : Sweet honey
The vintage name Pamela first appeared in the 16th Century story Arcadia with the character Princess Pamela. It was very fashionable in the 1700s and early 1800s then had a sudden resurgence in the 1940s. Pamela was the heroine in Alfred Hitchock's hit film The 39 Steps. Variations : Pam, Pammie, Pamelia
Patricia
Meaning : Noble
The name Patricia started to trend after the birth of Queen Victoria's granddaughter Princess Patricia in 1886 but then had a huge surge in the 1930s and 1940s to become the 4th most popular girls name in the USA. Patricia Ellis and Patricia Roc were major movie stars in the 30s and 40s. Variations : Patsy, Patti, Tricia, Trixie
Paulette
Meaning : Humble
Originally French, Paulette is a now uncommon vintage name that had a sudden surge of popularity in the USA in the 1940s influenced by Paulette Goddard a major star of the late 1930s with the hit film Modern Times. Variations : Pauletta
Pauline
Meaning : Humble
The name Pauline began its rise to popularity with European aristocrats such as Princess Pauline of Metternich in the 19th century and by the 1910s and 1920s was in the top 50 US girls names influenced by a whole host of early silent movie actresses including Pauline Curley, Pauline Starke, Pauline Bush and Pauline Frederick. Variations : Paulina, Powlina
Phyllis
Meaning : Love & rebirth
The name Phyllis comes from a Greek goddess. Phyllis was symbolised by some of the first flowers of late winter, the almond blossom, and traditionally the name was given to babies born in February and March, when the almonds were in flower. Phyllis was super popular in the British Isles in the 1900s and 1910s but didn't peak in the USA until the 1940s. Phyllis Konstam and Phyllis Haver were once well known but now forgotten movie stars. Variations : Phillida, Phyllicia, Phyllida, Phil, Phillie
Rita
Meaning : Pearl
Rita is an early 20th century diminutive for Margarita that became very chic in the 1920s in the USA and in the 1940s in Britain under the influence of the most famous Rita of them all Rita Hayworth, who was herself. baptised Margarita. Variations : Margarita, Marguerita, Reta
Shirley
Meaning : Bright meadow
Shirley is an old English family name that started to be used as a girls name in the 19th Century after Charlotte Bronte's book Shirley and hit peek popularity in the 1930s closely tied to child star Shirley Temple . Variations : Sherley, Shirlee, Shirleen
Stella
Meaning : Bright star
The girls name Stella first appeared in a love sonnet by Philip Sydney in the 1500s but remained very rare until the 1900s when it shot into fashion as a name that was stylishly modern to the Edwardians but still romantic. Stella Adams was one of the very first American movie stars and Stella Dallas was a hit 1920s book and 1930s movie. Variations : Estella
Sylvia
Meaning : Spirit of the wood
Sylvia is a vintage name adapted from Silvia the Roman goddess of the forest for whom Shakespeare wrote a poem "Who Is Silvia?". The name started to take off in the 19th century with the Elizabeth Gaskell novel Sylvia's Lovers and was a top 100 name in the USA from the 1910s peaking in the 1930s. Sylvia Sidney was an Oscar nominated actress in the 1930s who was still making movies e.g. Beetlejuice in the 1980s and 90s!! Variations : Silvia, Sylvina, Sylvie
Thelma
Meaning : Delicate beauty
The vintage name Thelma was incredibly rare in American and British birth records before 1890 but shot into high fashion with the popular novel Thelma in 1887, the basis for the British movie Thelma in 1918 and the US movie Thelma in 1922. Often seen as an old-lady-name now, Thelma was thought of as very chic in the 1920s with the likes of major socialite Thelma Furness and movie star Thelma Todd. Variations : Delma
Una
Meaning : Lamb, One
Una has Gaelic origins and featured as a character in Spenser's The Faerie Queene in 1590 but was a rare vintage girls name until the 1900s and 1910s. Una Merkel was a silent movie star who continued acting in films until the late 60s. Variations : Unity, Euna
Velma
Meaning : Determined protector
Velma is found in old British and American birth records but was a rare girls name until the 1900s. Velma is now associated with Velma Dinkley from Scooby Doo but through the 1910s and 1920s it was a very chic girls name. Velma Middleton was a big band singer with Louis Armstrong Variations : Vilma
Veronica
Meaning : She who brings victory
Veronica was an uncommon girls name until the 1900s in the USA when it rose rapidly in popularity. It trended separately in the British Isles in the 1940s influenced by movie star Veronica Lake. Variations : Ronnie
Vilma
Meaning : Determined protector
Vilma was a rare girls name until the 1920s when it became a fashionable twist on the in vogue name Velma. Vilma Banky was a silent movie star who often partnered Rudolph Valentino. Variations : Velma, Wilma, Thelma
Viola
Meaning : Violet
Viola was one of Shakespeare's favourite heroines in Twelfth Night but it remained a rare girls name until flourishing in the 1900s and 1910s. Viola Dana, Viola Richard and Viola Allen were all famous early 20th century actresses. Variations : Violet, Violetta
Virginia
Meaning : Pure
Virginia became a very fashionable girls name in the United States in the 1920s and in the British Isles in the 1940s. Virginia Rappe, Virginia Grey and Virginia Bruce were all popular stars in the 1920s. Variations : Ginnie, Ginny
Vivian - Vivien
Meaning : Lively, vivacious
Vivian is an old girls name with Latin origins in Saint Viviana and was traditionally the name of the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian myth as featured in Tennyson's poem Vivien's Song but was uncommon until the 1900s when it came into vogue, peaking in the 1920s. Vivian Blain and Vivian Dandridge were popular singers and Vivien Leigh an Oscar winning actress in the 1930s. Variations : Viviana, Vivi, Vivienne, Vivianne
Wanda
Meaning : Truth seeker
Wanda was originally a Polish name celebrating the beautiful and wise 12th century Princess Wanda, which became fashionable in the 1940s. Wanda Hawley and Wanda Hendrix were both glamorous movie stars. Variations : Vonda
Wilma
Meaning : Protector
In the 1920s Wilma was a chic diminutive name for Wilhelmina which had trended throughout Europe and America in the 1800s with famous figures such as Queen Wilhelmina. Wilma can be used as a feminine version of William. Variations : Vilma, Velma, Will
And there you go, a huge list of uncommon and forgotten vintage girls names.
For even more rare vintage names read this guide to old English girls names.
And do follow me on Pinterest ...
Original image sources : Beverly & Renee, Simple Insomnia
Baby Names Inspired By Nature
European Train Travel Tips
Train travel in Europe can seem incredibly complicated and expensive and slow but the truth is with a few simple tips you can book surprisingly good value tickets easily.
So I have for you here 12 of the best tips for enjoying cheap train travel all over Europe.
I do hope they help with your holiday plans. Bon voyage!
Table of Contents
Timetables
This is perhaps the most useful tip I have for you : bookmark the Deutsche Bahn timetable in your laptop browser. This a timetable to almost every single train in Europe.
There are quite a few European train booking apps and sites around now but they will show you trains you can book on with them at that moment. So when you're planning ahead you won't see all the trains. On the Deutsche Bahn timetable, you see everything.
Booking Windows
European train companies like airlines have booking windows. They can be anything from 3 months to a year. On most Eurostar trains it is 6-8 months with ski train bookings opening in August.
Train ticket prices are almost always cheaper when the booking window first opens. So if your journey includes for example, a Eurostar train and a French SNCF train you should book the Eurostar train as soon as it becomes available to get the best price and then separately book SNCF when their window opens later.
Ticket Booking Apps
There are increasing numbers of ticket booking apps and sites that let you book tickets on connecting trains across Europe in a single booking :
- Trainline : a very user friendly British based app.
- RailEurope : (was Loco2) now owned by SNCF.
- Omio : lets you book trains, buses & flights in one place.
- Eurostar : primarily for Eurostar trains but you can book connections from London to major French cities e.g. Toulouse in one go.
- ACPRail : sells BritRail & Eurail passes and some tickets for non Europeans.
The booking apps are convenient but sometimes are more expensive than individual tickets bought direct from a national train company.
Cheap Fares
There are a number of simple ways to make European train travel cheaper :
- Book Early
- Fixed Tickets
- InterRail Pass
- OuiGo
- Alerts
- Eurostar Snap
- Train Points
- Be Ready To Go
Book Early
Tickets are typically cheapest when the booking window first opens.
Fixed Tickets
booking a fixed ticket on a specific international train is always cheaper but will tie you to that train.
InterRail Pass
On longer journeys or multi destination holidays an InterRail pass (available for all ages) may be cheapest. You will have to pay supplements on Eurostar and sleeper trains but the pass will give you much more flexibility than fixed tickets.
OuiGo
You can buy very cheap - e.g. E10 - tickets on French and some international trains on OuiGo. The website and app let you clearly see the days and times when trains are cheapest. If you're travelling from London look out for good deals from Calais, Lille & Lyon as well as Paris.
Alerts
You can sign up for price alerts on specific routes on a number of sites e.g. OuiGo
Eurostar Snap
if you've got flexibility over the time and day you travel you can get cheap return tickets via Eurostar Snap to Paris, Lille & Brussels from London St Pancras. You just have to travel on the train they give you.
Train Points
Eurostar have a points system like Air Miles that earns you points towards discounts and free tickets.
Be Ready To Go
If you sign up with Eurostar & the various apps you'll hear about last minute deals but it's hard to find good places to stay last minute in popular destinations like Amsterdam and Paris. But you usually can find space in lovely small towns close by.
For inspiration check out these 10 weekend breaks & 50 cool independent hotels you can reach from Rotterdam by train in less time than it takes to Edinburgh.
Major Hubs
The European train network has some really useful hubs just like the air network. Knowing your way around a few of these stations - plus local hotels and restaurants - makes connections and longer European train journeys much easier, quicker and cheaper.
And you can actually make these hubs part of the holiday. Rather than hurtling to your end destination stop and enjoy these cities for a day or so on the way.
Paris is the obvious European train hub from the UK as travelling from St Pancras it's the main gateway to the rest of France, Spain, Switzerland and Italy. But it does involve changing stations which can be a hassle with a load of luggage or small kids.
So these other key hubs are worth knowing :
- Brussels
- Lille
- Rotterdam
- Turin
- Milan
- Berlin
- Vienna
Brussels
Brussels isn't everyone's favourite city but is a brilliant hub for mini-breaks to beautiful Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp plus German cities and it is the starting point for sleeper trains with same station Eurostar connections to :
- Berlin & Prague
- Munich, Salzburg & Vienna
- Bern, Lake Maggiore & Milan (Jun 26)
- Barcelona (2027 hopefully)
Lille
Lille is only 80 minutes from London by Eurostar and is a good hub for mini breaks exploring northern France including WW1 sites and small towns in western Belgium such as Tournai, Mons, Namur and Charleroi. But also for direct trains to Avignon and Marseille and the Eurostar snow train to Bourg St Maurice bypassing Paris.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is a quicker hub from London than Amsterdam for exploring Holland's beautiful small towns & cool cities such as Delft and Leiden.
Turin
Turin is the first stop in Italy from Paris and a handy hub for picking up sleeper trains to Rome, Naples, Salerno for Amalfi, Lecce and more. It's also a great city in its own right for a quick break.
Milan
Milan is the major hub for Italian train travel - you can basically get everywhere in Italy from Milan including Sicily by sleeper train and it has direct trains to Paris and Zurich.
Berlin
Berlin has sleeper trains to Brussels, Vienna, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Zurich and more. It's also the gateway for Poland and from Warsaw the Baltic.
Vienna
Vienna is the key hub for most of Eastern Europe including Budapest, the Croatian coast, the Carpathian mountains and Istanbul. It's now much easier to get to from London on the Brussels sleeper. You can get to Vienna on sleeper trains from Brussels, Berlin, Zurich, Amsterdam, Rome and Bucharest.
Sleeper Trains
European sleeper trains make much more efficient use of your time than planes. You hop on at bedtime and wake up at your destination. And boy are they more romantic!!
The good news is that Europe's night trains are expanding again and I've got a guide for you here to 15 Great European Sleeper Trains. These are cool for everything from simple family holidays and ski breaks to grand adventures right across Europe.
Low Carbon Mini Breaks
Trains can slash our carbon emissions on mini breaks from London by over 90%. That's a real immediate difference we can make to reduce global warming this year.
And mini breaks by train aren't just about Paris and Amsterdam, there are loads of wonderful places to be reached easily via Eurostar trains from royal palaces, Loire chateaus, Champagne vineyards and dutch canals through secret beaches and national park waterways in Holland to the battlefields of the Somme.
This is the real Europe you don't get to see by plane. For simple ideas try these : 10 Dutch Weekend Breaks By Train.
Ski Trains
There are more and more options for skiing by train from London including:
- Eurostar Ski Train : the direct day train takes you to Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne and Bourg-St-Maurice putting you in easy reach of range of popular French ski resorts.
- Briancon Sleeper : leaving St Pancras at 4.30pm you can be in Briancon for Claviere, Montgenevere and Serre Chevalier by 8.30 the next morning.
Ferry Connections
You don't have to be a landlubber when you travel Europe by train. Lots of ferries to Europe's islands connect directly with train services :
- Corsica & Sardinia
- Balearic Islands
- Orkney
- Hebrides
- Scilly Isles
Corsica & Sardinia
You can sail to Corsica and Sardinia by Corsica Ferries from Toulon which is a stop on the Paris-Nice sleeper train.
Balearic Islands
Take a train to Barcelona via either Paris or if you are coming from the east, Lyon to catch ferries to Menorca, Mallorca & Ibiza.
Orkney
Take the Highlander sleeper to Inverness and then the stunning and remote Far North line up to Thurso for the Stromness ferry to Orkney to see the 5,000 year old ruins of Skara Brae and more.
Hebrides
Take the train to either Oban via Glasgow or Mallaig via Fort William for the CalMac ferries. There is a Highlander sleeper to Fort William.
Scilly Isles
The Night Rivieria sleeper from London Paddington to Penzance connects to the Scillonian Ferry to the beautifully peaceful Scilly Isles off the Cornish coast.
The Encyclopedia
Once you have worked out where you want to travel in Europe and checked out the master timetable, you can find out everything else you need to know about the stations you will be stopping from the rail travel encyclopedia that is : The Man In Seat Sixty-One.
Train Travel Companies
There are an increasing number of travel companies offering package holidays in Europe by train. If you would rather someone else did all the booking for you check out these :
Share Your Trips
My final tip for travelling by train in Europe is simple : share your trips.
The more we all share pictures and stories of our train trips across Europe, the more it becomes the new normal. And normal makes stuff easy.
Before we know it we'll all be hopping on and off trains in Brussels, Rotterdam, Lyon & Milan, dropping off on the Vienna sleeper and discovering all sorts of wonderful small towns across the length and breadth of Europe that we'd never see by plane.
So what are you waiting for? Book a train trip today and share your journey with the world.
Original image source: Kecko
European Sleeper Trains
European sleeper trains are making a big come back and you can now use them for everything from time saving business travel and simple low carbon family holidays in the sun or on the ski slopes to border busting, flight free European adventures.
It's all very exciting but before we rush to book this year's holiday by night train we need to get real. The modern European sleepers are not - for the most part - Orient Express style luxury and different routes are going to appeal most to different travellers.
So to help you find your ideal night train, I've put together this guide to the best European sleeper routes with honest appraisals of the pros and cons of each route and shared tips from years of sleeper travel on how to make to the most of the new night train network.
Table of Contents
Sleeper Train Travel Tips
Personal Priorities
Before you book your sleeper train you must identify your travel priorities. Night trains can deliver on all of the following but no routes or tickets can deliver on all of them :
- Price
- Comfort
- Time Saving
- Stunning Scenery
- Relaxation
- Meeting Travellers
- Privacy
- Reliability
Work out what is most important to you and choose routes and tickets appropriately to avoid disappointment.
Couchettes & Cabins
Most sleeper trains offer a mixture of :
- Seats - of varying comfort
- Couchettes - effectively the equivalent of a shared dorm
- Cabins - private for your travel group with some cabins including ensuite loos & showers.
More comfortable seats and cheaper mini cabins are appearing on more routes but some sleeper trains still have old rolling stock. If you are a sensitive sleeper look out for routes e.g. Nightjet, Milan-Sicily or the Highlander offering newer facilities.
For some of us the big delight of night trains is meeting other travellers and swapping stories whilst sharing a couchette compartment. For others nothing could be worse but the privacy of a private cabin can triple your price.
If you are travelling with kids it can be very cost effective to book a whole couchette compartment for up to 6 of you but you will need to book early.
Booking Windows
Most sleeper trains have shorter booking windows than flights so you can't always book your holiday as far in advance. Some routes connecting to the Eurostar have shorter windows than Eurostar so to get the best Eurostar price you may need to book in advance of your sleeper.
Booking Alerts
Some routes e.g. Paris to the south of France, book up very quickly once they open. So if you are tied to specific dates set up alerts on the SNCF site so you can get in there first!
Things Go Wrong
Things do go wrong on sleeper trains just as they do on flights. Trains get cancelled and sometimes only half the train turns up! You can't hunker down on a station as you can at an airport so do have a back up plan of budget hotels near the station in case needed.
Best European Sleepers
Cornish Night Riviera
The Cornish Night Riviera is the easiest sleeper train to start with if you've never travelled on a night train before. Simply board at 10.30 pm at London Paddington and wake up the next morning for breakfast in Penzance.
The Riviera is an old route - there's been a night train to Penzance since 1877 - and the carriages have been on the go since the 1980s so whilst you do get a properly made up bed and a basin in your cabin, the toilets are at the end of the carriage. There is a small lounge car serving snacks and breakfast but not an evening meal.
The Night Riviera stops at several stations in Cornwall before Penzance so you can easily connect to local trains for St Ives or Newquay. Or for an extra dollop of slow travel romance, connect to the Scillonian ferry for the tiny Scilly Isles sparkling in the Celtic Sea. The quay is just a 10 minutes stroll from Penzance station.
The Highlander
The Highlander - run by the Caledonian Sleeper - is another simple sleeper route if you are new to night trains. You can join the train mid-evening at London Euston or Birmingham with useful late departure on Fridays.
You'll wake up north of Edinburgh to enjoy breakfast looking out over some of Scotland's most breathtaking scenery on your way to Fort William, Inverness or Aberdeen. All three towns are gateways not only for exploring the Highlands but also for ferries to the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland.
The Highlander is more expensive than the Riviera but has new rolling stock with fancier cabins some of which have ensuite loos and showers. There is a dining car which serves - from my experience - pretty good food for both dinner and breakfast but priority goes to those travelling in ensuite rooms.
Paris To Nice
The Paris to Nice sleeper can be a fun and pretty time efficient way to hit the south of France. It leaves from Paris Austerlitz around 9pm arriving in Nice around 9 the next morning having stopped at Marseille, Cannes, Antibes etc along the way. The 2.30 or 3.30 Eurostar departure from St Pancras gives you time to make the connection from Gare du Nord.
One honest downside of the route is the French carriages are not great. They sold off the better ones when previously closing routes and even the first class cabins are basic - no made up bed, no wash basin - and I have to say from doing this route 2 years ago not as clean as they could be!!
So if you are looking for golden age glamour this is not the right sleeper route but if you are looking for a reasonably priced alternative to budget airlines for a flight-free holiday in the south of France it is a good option.
I've also used the Nice sleeper to travel on to Genoa - cool if you like cities with a Naples vibe - and the Cinque Terre resorts from which you can easily get to Pisa, Lucca and Florence by train.
Paris To Spanish Border
The Paris to Cerbere night train is another good way to get a flight-free holiday on France's Med coast. It stops at Nimes, Montpelier, Perpignan and then all the holiday resorts beyond to Cerbere by the Spanish border. It is fun to board the train straight off the beach at little holiday spots like Collioure and the route does offer amazing national park scenery.
However, the route has the same downsides as Paris - Nice with old rolling stock and the change from Gare du Nord to Austerlitz which with small kids is best done by taxi.
Briancon Ski Train
Ski trains are fantastic fun for skiers of a certain age. Sadly there's no longer an overnight ski train directly from London but the Briancon night train runs from Paris to get you on the Serre Chevalier slopes air miles free the next morning.
The Briancon ski train leaves Paris Austerlitz between 8 and 9 pm so from London you need to get a Eurostar between 2.30 and 4pm to make the connection. The ski train offers 1st and 2nd class couchettes, seats and private cabins but these are pretty basic as on all the French night trains.
Turin to Naples
Back in the day you could get a night train directly from Calais to Naples. Sadly these trains are long gone but the Turin-Naples sleeper lets you go flight free to Naples from London via Paris.
There are 5 direct trains a day from Paris to Turin and with an early Eurostar you can be in Turin in time to catch one of the two night trains down to Naples. But to be honest it's more fun to stop off in Turin at least on the way - as its one of those ignored Italian cities which is well worth a mini break.
Milan To Sicily
The Sicily sleeper is one of the great sleeper experiences of Europe as the train is actually taken onto the ferry across the Strait of Messina. Once in Sicily it splits with part going to Syracuse and part to Palermo stopping at seaside resorts along the way.
It is a long journey; the train leaves Milan just after 8pm and only arrives in Palermo at near 5pm the next day. So this is not the sleeper route for those short on time but if you are all up for enjoying amazing Italian scenery from comfortable compartments - superior cabins offer ensuite showers - it is a route for you. Breakfast and snacks are served on the train but there is no dining car.
Brussels To Berlin
The Brussels-Berlin night train is operated by European Sleeper - an independent start-up - who are innovatively re-opening the big old routes that glued Europe together. The Brussels hub is much more useful than Paris when coming from London on the Eurostar as you don't change stations so can make tighter connections.
The Brussels-Berlin sleeper is a brilliant route for exploring not only Berlin and eastern Germany but also Poland, the Czech Republic and beyond as there are direct trains from Berlin to Warsaw, Gdansk, Krakow, Prague and more.
If you've got the time for a big journey, you can loop from the Berlin sleeper through Poland and down to Budapest via Slovakia before heading up to Bratislava and Vienna to get Nightjet's night train back to Brussels.
Brussels To Vienna
The Brussels-Vienna sleeper launched in 2020 was a game changer for European train travel as it reopened the grand cross-Europe over night routes.
Catching a midday Eurostar from St Pancras you will be in Vienna by 9 the next morning, ready to enjoy Austria's grand capital. But once you've filled up on Vienna the whole of Eastern Europe is sitting waiting for you.
Budapest and Bratislava are just a few hours further by train. Or if you're feeling adventurous you can strike out on another sleeper for the unspoiled glories of Transylvania (see below) or in the spirit of the old Orient Express head on for Istanbul (see below).
Brussels to Milan
Personally, I am super excited about the launch of the new Brussels-Milan sleeper in June 2026 which will connect with Eurostar trains from London. We will finally be able to whizz to Italy again, leaving mid afternoon and waking up in the Alps.
The new train will be run by European Sleeper who also run the Brussels to Berlin train. They use fairly old carriages but have smartened them up and unlike SNCF offer made up beds in cabins and basins in some.
The European Sleeper company are also planning to launch a Brussels to Barcelona train in 2027 but currently there are no sleeper trains running into Spain or domestically.
Berlin To Stockholm
If you head out to Berlin on the sleeper from Brussels you can - once you're done exploring northern Germany - head up to Scandinavia on the Snalltaget which stops at Copenhagen before reaching Stockholm at midday.
The service is again run by an independent company and the trains have a pretty youthful vibe. You can book either seats or couchettes but you can book out all 6 couchettes as a private compartment.
The train does have a dining car but only for dinner travelling to Berlin and breakfast heading to Stockholm. The train doesn't run in winter.
Istria : Budapest To Croatia
There's been lots of excitement about Europe's new night trains but some of the best sleeper routes are actually those that never went away. The Istria night train from Budapest to Ljubljana, Slovenia and Rijeka on the north Croatian coast is a great example.
If you've been inter-railing around eastern Europe off the Brussels-Berlin or Brussels-Vienna train, it's a great way to nip down to the coast from Budapest. You can then carry on down the Croatian coast to Albania etc or even hop on a ferry to Venice.
The main train offers seating, couchettes and private cabins some with ensuite toilets and showers. There's also a Retro Istria train in the summer with old rolling stock from the 1970s and no air-con or charging points but good old fashioned made up beds
Adria : Budapest To Croatia
The Adria Express is another summer only night train route that goes all the way from Budapest to Split in southern Croatia enjoying truly stunning scenery along the way.
The train has seating, couchettes and private cabins and a proper old fashioned dining car serving full dinner, late night drinks and breakfast!!
Both the Istria and the Adria routes are pet and bicycle friendly.
Ister Express : Transylvania
The Ister Express is a night train route for the more adventurous. We're not talking luxury sleeper travel with a fancy dining car but instead a chance to hike in some of Europe's most stunning and unspoilt - watch out for the bears!! - mountain country in Transylvania in Romania
The Ister leaves Budapest Keleti just after 7pm. Any of the stops between Sibiu (5.50 am) and Brasov (9 am) are possible bases for exploring the mountains, Dracula's castle and much, much more.
Bosphor Express : Istanbul
The penultimate European sleeper is pretty hard core. The journey is almost 20 hours. There's no restaurant car & no snack bar. You can't book online. And unfortunately it's not accessible for wheelchairs or bikes.
But the Bosphor Express does take you all the way to Istanbul!!
So if you want to go the whole way flight free on night trains from London to Istanbul you can take :
- Eurostar : St Pancras to Brussels
- Nightjet : Brussels to Vienna
- Dacia : Vienna to Bucharest
- Bosphor : for final leg to Turkey.
This is real European train travel seeing Europe for itself, not flying over it.
I do hope you found this post helpful and have a great time exploring Europe by night train. Any questions at all do shout.
Original image source: Oleksii LeonovBoutique Hotels In Holland
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