Names That Mean Also
Across 5 pages
of 5
Burgundy
French place-name; also color name
Ron Burgundy was Will Ferrell's fictional helmet-haired newsman, but this color name is much more suited to a girl.
Caesar
Latin
"cut"
Caesar, the name of the greatest Roman of them all, is rarely used outside Latino families, where the Cesar spelling is preferred —as in activist Chavez and Dog Whisperer Millan. Its original meaning…
Lito
Latin
"light"
Lito is an onomatopoeia of a name: a name that sounds like what it means. A modern bearer is Lito Sheppard, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback. Lito might also be a short form of such names as Carlito…
Chazon
Hebrew
"prophecy, revelation"
This is one of several Hebrew names with the beginning syllable Chaz.
Chico
Spanish
"boy"
Friendly but flimsy.
Cornell
British from Latin, or Anglicized form of French
"corner or crow"
This name has not one but two impressive cultural connections: collage artist Joseph Cornell and photographer Cornell Capa--not to mention Cornell University.
Courtney
English from French
"short nose; courteous, from the court"
This courtly old Southern name has several cool male bearers: NFL player Courtney Brown, British jazz musician Courtney Pine, and Barbados-born economist Courtney Blackman, to name but a few.
Dion
Diminutive of Dionysius, Greek
"child of heaven and earth; of Zeus"
A variation of Greek Dionysius, itself derived from the name of the god of wine, revelry, and dance, Dion gives a nod to mythology while also having historical ties to a student of Plato, to a Greek…
Derry
Diminutive or Derek or Dermot or Irish place-name
"like an oak"
With the fashions for tree names, place names, and nickname names, Derry is a three-way winner. The unusual Irish Derry was given to zero babies of either gender in the US last year, but it's a merry…
Elan
Hebrew
"tree"
When given the French pronunciation (ay-LAN), has a great deal of esprit and élan.
Erwin
German
"respected friend"
One of the many names with a strong "er" sound, like Bertram and Ernest, that was huge in the 1920s and is languishing in style limbo now. One famous bearer is the physicist Erwin Schrödinger, as in…
Faro
Italian word name
"lighthouse"
Names ending with O are popular, but this one is almost unheard-of. Faro has the advantages of being easy to spell and pronounce (unless it's confused with Pharaoh), and a bright meaning. Ultimately…
Fort
French, English
"strong; a protected building, a stronghold"
A saints name and a word name, this is a modern, original way to convey a powerful meaning, especially in the middle place.
Gray
Color name, also diminutive of Grayson
The girls have Violet and Scarlet and Ruby and Rose, but for the boys there's a much more limited palette of color names. Gray (or Grey), is one exception, which could make for a soft and…
Hadar
Israeli place name and Hebrew
"fruit or glory"
A Hebrew name also used for girls, with many variations to choose from. Hadara is another version. The name is associated with the holiday of Sukkot.
Haig
Armenian hero name; also English surname
"enclosed with hedges"
This very popular Armenian name represents a grandson of Noah, considered the father of the Armenian nation.
Massai
African tribe; also Italian
"owner of land and farms"
Unusual name chosen for her son by actress Nia Long, who combined it with the even more unusual literary middle name, Zhivago.
Nalin
Indian, Hindi, Sanskrit
"lotus"
Derived from the Sanskrit word nalini meaning "lotus", Nalin holds spiritual significance in Hinduism where it is associated with divine beauty and spiritual awakening, while in Buddhism, it…
Nick
English, diminutive of Nicholas and Dominick
The classic strong-yet-friendly nickname name, much used for charming movie characters.
Othello
Variation of Otho
"wealth, fortune"
Possibly created as an elaboration of Otho or Otto, Othello is almost exclusively associated with Shakespeare's 1603 tragedy of the same name. Borne by a Moorish General who is tricked and…