Names That Mean Brilliant

Clunky yet cuddly, Wilbur is a stylish name in the UK where it currently sits in the Top 600, as cool as Rupert or Wilfred. Its merits are starting to be rediscovered in the US, where it was last truly popular more than a century ago. A recent year saw it given to 42 boys.

Years ago we might have said that this name was unthinkable, but with clunky, old-fashioned names being so popular right now — consider Augustus, Stanley, Wilfred, etc — what's to stop Cuthbert from becoming more wearable? Bertie is a cute (and very fashionable) nickname option for this grand old name, though Curt and Kit might work too.

One of the most easily imported Arabic names.

One of the names of the sun god Apollo, this is better known in its feminine form, Phoebe. Rarely used as a given name, perhaps owing to the clunky end sound, it might work as a unique alternative to Phoenix, Felix, or Phineas.

The Irish Gaelic form of Evelyn or Aveline, this name is more authentically spelled Eibhlín. It appears in the title of a love song by 17th century composer Cearbhall Óg Ó Dálaigh, called Eibhlín a Rún.

This name belongs to the eponymous heroine of Rossini's opera Zelmira (1822) about a (fictional) princess of Lesbos who saves her father and husband and her kingdom.

This comes from Faivish, the Yiddish form of Phoebus, the Greek sun god...and it's also the little mouse in "An American Tail."

Ancient saint's name used for cowardly cartoon lion.

A pretty Arabic possibility which would work well in many languages.

Like Norbert and Hubert, feels terminally dated -- in addition to which it's a nut.

An Indian boy name with an appealing meaning.

Some cutting-edge parents might revive Osbert as a substitute for Oscar. We like the "divinely brilliant" meaning. Cool or terminally nerdy? Your call.

A male Spanish given name derived from the Latin name Fulgentius.

A short and bright Arabic name with that zippy Z initial.

A common Vietnamese name heard evenly for boys and girls in the U.S. Sounds like tahn or tong, depending on what part of Vietnam you come from.

A common Vietnamese name heard for both boys and girls in the U.S.

Cuthbert is unlikely to make a comeback anytime soon, so Cuddy too may be lost to history.

A li'l hell-raiser name in the Ryder-Rogue-Rebel vein.

Just one letter separates Alohi from the famous Hawaiian greeting "aloha," but that one letter makes all the difference.