💡 GOOD TO KNOWUse virtue names for girls in strict Puritan families and plainer names for others.
Use virtue names for girls in strict Puritan families and plainer names for others.
Colonial American names have a sound all their own. Families in the 1600s and 1700s picked biblical names like Ezekiel and Abigail, plain English names like John and Mary, and Puritan virtue names that sound almost like instructions: Patience, Prudence, Remember, Thankful. A colonial name tells you a lot about faith and family values in early America.
This colonial name generator pairs real first names from that era with surnames common in the early colonies. Use it for a historical novel, a school play about Plymouth or Jamestown, a living history event, a genealogy-style game, or a spooky story set in an old New England village.
How to use the colonial name generator
- Choose Male, Female or Any in the Style box.
- Press Generate names to get ten colonial names.
- Look out for Puritan virtue names like Mercy or Remember among the female results.
- Copy the name or tap the heart to save it for your story.
Puritan virtue names
Puritans in New England wanted children to grow up with good qualities, so many girls were named after them. Names like Patience, Prudence, Temperance and Charity were a daily reminder of how to behave. Some went further and used whole words or short phrases: Remember, Thankful, Experience, Submit and Desire were all real names given to colonial girls.
Boys more often received names from the Old Testament, such as Ezekiel, Obadiah, Hezekiah and Jedediah. A few boys got unusual Puritan names too. Increase Mather, a famous Boston minister, is one of the best-known examples, and his son was named Cotton after his mother's family.
Surnames from the early colonies
Many surnames in this generator belonged to early settlers whose families became well known. Bradford, Brewster, Alden, Standish, Fuller, Hopkins and Winslow are linked to the Mayflower passengers of 1620. Winthrop, Endicott and Dudley belonged to leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Coffin and Starbuck are old Nantucket whaling families.
Using one of these names gives a story a strong sense of place. A character called Bradford or Winthrop instantly sounds rooted in Plymouth or Boston.
- Mayflower families: Alden, Brewster, Fuller, Hopkins, Winslow.
- Massachusetts Bay leaders: Winthrop, Endicott, Dudley, Saltonstall.
- Nantucket whalers: Coffin, Starbuck.
Nicknames in colonial homes
Colonial families used plenty of pet names at home. Mary often became Polly or Molly, Martha became Patty, Sarah became Sally, and Margaret became Peggy. For boys, John was Jack, William was Will or Billy, and Richard was Dick. Using one of these in dialogue makes a historical scene feel warm and real.
Example names and what makes them work
| Name | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Josiah Winthrop | A biblical first name with a surname tied to Boston's first leaders. |
| Remember Alden | A real Puritan word-name with a Mayflower family surname. |
| Ebenezer Putnam | Strong, old-fashioned and very New England, good for a stern farmer. |
| Thankful Coffin | A virtue name paired with a Nantucket whaling surname. |
| Hezekiah Brewster | Old Testament first name that suits a church elder or minister. |
| Mehitable Sewall | A popular colonial girl's name that would be called Hitty at home. |
| Peregrine Fuller | Peregrine means traveller, a fitting name for a child of new settlers. |
| Prudence Wadsworth | A classic virtue name that sounds careful, sensible and proper. |
Tips for picking the right name
- Use virtue names for girls in strict Puritan families and plainer names for others.
- Give siblings related names, like Faith, Hope and Charity, as real families did.
- Use nicknames like Polly or Jack in dialogue and full names in letters and records.
- Choose a famous colonial surname only if your character belongs to that kind of family.
- Read a colonial name aloud with 'Goodman' or 'Goodwife' in front for period flavour.
Common questions
What were common names in colonial America?
For boys, John, William, Thomas, Samuel and Joseph were very common. For girls, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Hannah and Abigail led the way. Biblical names were everywhere, and Puritan areas added virtue names.
What is a Puritan virtue name?
It is a name taken from a good quality or a religious idea, such as Patience, Mercy, Prudence or Hope. Some Puritans also used words like Remember, Thankful or Submit as names for their daughters.
Can I use this for a school project?
Yes. All first names and surnames are ones used in the American colonies, so they work well for reports, history plays and role-play activities about Plymouth, Jamestown or colonial Boston.
What were Goodman and Goodwife?
They were polite titles for ordinary married men and women in colonial New England, a bit like Mr. and Mrs. today. Goodwife was often shortened to Goody, as in Goody Proctor.