Beyond ‘Fred’: Names for Victorian Games

Everyone has trouble coming up with character names, at least occasionally. Especially GMs, who frequently have to come up with names on the spur of the moment. That’s what this series, “Beyond ‘Fred'” is all about: providing lists of names from other times and cultures so you can find a name that feels right for the time and place of your game.

In this series, I’m more interested in finding names that capture the feel of various game settings. Historical accuracy is not a factor here. In the spirit of my new Castle Falkenstein campaign, here’s a list of names common in Victorian England and America:

Male Names

• Aaron
• Alonzo
• Ambrose
• Barnabas
• Bartholomew
• Bernard
• Byron
• Cecil
• Cyril
• Clarence
• Clement (Clem)
• Clinton (Clint)
• David
• Edward (Ned)
• Edwin
• Eldon
• Ernest
• Ezra
• Francis
• Franklin
• Fredrick
• Gabriel
• Garrett
• Harland
• Harrison
• Henry
• Horace
• Isaac
• James
• John
• Jasper
• Julian
• Lawrence
• Leander
• Louis
• Maurice
• Maxwell
• Merriweather
• Micajah
• Morris
• Nathaniel (Nate, Nathan, Nat)
• Nimrod
• Oral
• Orville
• Patrick
• Perry
• Peter
• Reuben
• Richard (Dick, Rich)
• Samuel
• Simeon
• Thaddeus
• Thomas (Tom)
• Victor
• Walter
• Wilfred

Female Names

• Abigail (Abby)
• Agnes
• Beatrice
• Charity
• Charlotte
• Chastity
• Constance
• Dorothy (Dot)
• Elizabeth (Bess, Betsy, Bessie, Eliza, Liza, Lizzie)
• Eudora
• Eva
• Fern
• Fidelia
• Frances
• Flora
• Geneve
• Genevieve
• Grace
• Hattie
• Helene
• Hester
• Irene
• Ivy
• Jessamine
• Josephine
• Judith
• Katherine
• Lenora
• Letitia
• Lily
• Lottie
• Margaret
• Maude
• Mercy
• Minerva
• Molly
• Nellie
• Patsy
• Parthena
• Permelia
• Phoebe
• Rowena
• Rufina
• Sarah
• Sarah Anne (Sarah Elizabeth)
• Sophronia
• Theodosia
• Victoria
• Winnifred (Winnie)

Biblical names were very popular in the Victorian Era, as were virtues (such as Chastity or Hope), and flowers (primarily for women). Both boys and girls were also given “nature” names, such as Forrest, Fern

Sources

• Victorian Baby Names
• Victorian Baby Names – Girl – WikiParenting
• Victorian Era Names, A Writer’s Guide
• Victorian Names

Other “Beyond ‘Fred'” posts:

• Beyond ‘Fred’: Ancient Egyptian Names
• Beyond ‘Fred’: Anglo-Saxon Names for Characters
• Beyond ‘Fred’: More Anglo-Saxon Names
• Beyond ‘Fred’: German Names for Characters
• Beyond ‘Fred’: Italian Names for Characters
• Beyond ‘Fred’: Roman Names for Characters
• Beyond ‘Fred’: Russian Names