Unique and Elegant Baby Names

Sinjin

Phonetic spelling of St. John

The name St. John is much more usable in its phonetic spelling — similar to the way St. Clair evolved into Sinclair. St. John has some literary cred — St. John Rivers is a cool character in Jane Eyre…

Theophilus

Greek

"loved by God; friend of God"

This is a multi-syllabic New Testament relic that could be yet another fresh way to get to Theo. In the beginning of Luke's gospel, he dedicates his words to Theophilus. Theophilus North is the title…

Inigo

Basque, medieval Spanish variation of Ignatius

"fiery"

Inigo, almost unknown in the U.S., is an intriguing choice, with its strong beat, creative and evocative sound, and associations with the great early British architect and stage designer Inigo Jones.…

Xerxes

Persian

"hero among heroes"

The two X's may be a challenge for even the most intrepid baby namer. Xerxes was the name of two early kings of Persia and the Handel opera Serse or Xerxes is loosely based on Xerxes I.

Zephyr

Greek

"west wind"

If you're looking for a name that's light and breezy, this could be it. A name from mythology: Zephyrus/Zephyr was the Greek god of the west wind, and with its similarity in sound to the likes of…

Auden

English

"old friend"

The poetic, soft-spoken Auden has recently started to be considered as a first name option, used for both sexes, appreciated for its pleasing sound as well as its link to the distinguished modern…

Tarquin

Latin, Roman clan name

One of the few ancient Roman names that doesn't end in us, the rarely heard Tarquin has a decidedly creative, even dramatic flair, which could appeal to the parent looking for a strikingly original…

Thelonius

Latinized form of German Tielo or Till

"people"

One of the coolest of names, thanks to legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Sphere Monk, who inherited it from his father. It has been used very sparingly since the 1960s--just a sprinkling of baby boys…

Cassander

Greek

"light of man"

Cassander is the masculine form of Cassandra, and the name of an ancient king of Macedon from the 3rd century BC. It could make a nice alternative to Alexander or a refreshing way to honour a female…

Dartagnan

French fictional name

"From Artagnan"

The name of the protagonist of a trio of novels by French author Alexandre Dumas, most notably The Three Musketeers . D’Artagnan is an aspiring musketeer who travels to Paris in search of fortune and…

Hyperion

Greek

"the high one"

In Greek mythology, Hyperion is one of the twelve Titans: children of Gaia (Earth) and Uranus (Sky). Hyperion presides over heavenly light, and is the father of Helios (Sun), Selene (Moon), and Eos…

Rhidian

Welsh

"unknown"

A Welsh saint’s name, possibly deriving from the Old Welsh word for "red".

Rhydian

Welsh

"unknown"

Variation on Rhidian, a Welsh saint's name.

Pendragon

Literary name

"head dragon, chief warrior"

The epithet of the legendary king's father Uther in Arthurian legend, later also applied to King Arthur himself. It literally means "head dragon" or "dragon's head", but the name appears in medieval…