Boy names from vintage baby name book

Deriving from the Roman cognomen Vivianus, Vivian was originally a masculine name, with Vivien being a feminine soundalike coined by Alfred Lord Tennyson for the Lady of the Lake in his famous poetic adaptation of the legend of King Arthur. It has since become a much more popular choice for girls in the US, but retains a refined British charm which sees it cropping up occasionally for boys in the Telegraph birth announcements.

The American child given this name of four kings of Denmark, not to mention one so similar to that of the Harry Potter archvillain Lord Voldemort, might have to pay a large emotional import tax.

Way out.

A rarely heard biblical name, Zadok is borne by no less than nine Old Testament men. The most famous was a priest who lived during the reign of King David, whom he helped and supported, and was rewarded by allowing his descendants to be the only God-appointed legitimate heirs to the priesthood. "Zadok the Priest" is one of four anthems composed by George Frideric Handel for the coronation of George II and has been song at every British coronation since.

The Biblical Zerah is etymologically related to such names as Zora, which also means dawn. While the vowel sound at the end of the name does not sound as feminine to our modern ear as it once did, thanks to such popular choices as Noah and Joshua, but the downside of Zerah is that it is quite similar to such girls' names as Zara and Sarah.