Updated November 2023
Across 45 pages
of 45
French surname
As a first name, Basquiat is used as in honor of Jean-Michel Basquiat, the neoexpressionist whose art touched on themes of race, wealth disparity, and humanism.
Spanish form of Juniper
This unusual boys' name ending in O survives thanks to the missionary priest who founded the first of the California missions. With Juniper becoming a more popular name, especially for girls,…
Hebrew
"god is release"
The name of several people in the Old Testament, including a son of David. Eliphalet is a variant spelling.
Breton and French
"light"
This beautiful Breton saint's name peaked at #127 in France in 2006. It's still in the Top 500 there today, but remains almost unknown outside of France.
Italian from Latin
"form of Emygdius"
Derived from Emygdius, a 3rd century saint's name of unknown meaning.
Basque form of Emeterius, Latin from Greek
"distinguished"
The Basque form of the obscure Latin saint's name Emeterius, after whom the city of Santander is named. Emeteri and Emeterius are from the same root as emeritas, a title usually bestowed upon a…
Spanish
"of the garden"
Hortensio was derived from the Ancient Roman cognomen Hortensius, as were the more familiar names Hortensia and Hortense. In Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew , Hortensio is a suitor of Bianca.
Italian
The origins of Lucentio are a bit hazy — it's possible Shakespeare invented the name for his play The Taming of the Shrew , where Lucentio ends up marrying Bianca. However, it may have been an…
Shakespearean invented name
"salary"
Shakespeare invented the names Salerio, Solanio, and Salarino for his play The Merchant of Venice . The names are puns on salario , the Italian word for "salary," as each character shows great…
Italian variation of Vincentius, Latin
"conquering"
Ancient Italian form of Vincent, used by Shakespeare in both The Taming of the Shrew and Measure for Measure .
Latin
"scroll"
Volumnius was the name of an important politician in Ancient Rome, but his name does not feel very usable in the modern day.
Variation of Macallister, Scottish
"son of Alasdair"
This Macallister variation is strongly associted with Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Unless it's your alma mater, it might be wise to stick with the original.
Variation of Junius, Latin
"born in June"
This elaboration of the name Junius originated as a Roman cognomen — a name that was passed down over generations.
Urhobo
"here is my wealth"
A unisex name in Nigeria, but one that will read as feminine in the US.
"of the Tiber river"
Tiberinus was the god of the Tiber in Roman mythology and appears as a character in Virgil's Aeneid . It's related to the name Tiberius, that of an Ancient Roman emperor. Tiberius may be the better…
Hindu mythology name, Sanskrit
"love, desire"
Kamadeva is the Hindu god of love. Much like Cupid, Kamadeva or Kama flies around shooting arrows of desire at young lovers. His bow is made of sugarcane and his arrows are decorated with fragrant…
Word name from Latin
"purification feast"
If January, April and August are useable and fashionable, why not February? February as a word derives from the Latin februa , which was the name of a purification feast coming at the end of winter,…
Finnish variation of Zacharias, Greek
"the Lord has remembered"
Commonly shortened to Sakari, which may have broader appeal.
Finnish variation of Abraham, Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
Aaprahami is unlikely to catch on in the US. Nickname Hami is more usable.
Greenlandic
"snow crystal"
A unisex name from the snowy north.