By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 255 pages
of 255
French
"well-pleasing"
Vanishingly rare in its home country nowadays, this French form of Evaristus belongs to several notable historical figures, including poet Évariste Désiré de Forges de Parny and mathematics prodigy…
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…
Russian
This ancient Russian name has caught the attention of some modern Russian parents recently.
Croatian form of Vladimir
"famous ruler"
This Croation take on Russian stalwart Vladimir has a softer sound that may appeal to many.
"noble, generous"
Gennady is derived from an early saint's name (Gennadius) and shares the same Greek root word as the English word generous. It is a familiar if still uncommon boys' name in Russia. If you're looking…
Indian
"victory over resistance"
This fabulous Indian name comes to us via nineteenth century Indian author and reformer Behramji Malabari. Malabri devoted most of his life to advocating for the rights of women and girls and to…
Hindi place name
Venkata is one of the seven peaks of the Tirumala Hills in India. As a result of the temple on this hill, Venkata is connected to the god Vishnu. Venkata is also the name of the protagonist in the…
"fruitful"
One of the least attractive names to come out of the pantheon of Nobel-laureates (via Polykarp Kusch), Polykarp (also spelled Polycarp) is an early Christian saint name from Smyrna. We suggest you…
Japanese
"brave or gallant"
This charming Japanese name, with two meanings every little boy would love to have, was briefly in the Canadian Top 100 in the early 20th Century. There are many famous bearers of the name, such as…
"victory"
Derived from Greek name Nike "victory", this name has been borne by many notable figures, from ancient times to the present day. It belonged to several early kings of Macedonia and to a 1st-century…
"wealth"
A French masculine form of Odilia/Odile which ranked in the top 500 in France for most of the first two decades of the 20th century, but has since fallen out of use. Famous bearers include 19th…
unknown
This intriguing surname name has an infamous bearer in O. J. (Orenthal James) Simpson, who was apparently named by his aunt after an obscure 1940s-era foreign film actor. Orenthal is likely to be an…
Scots Gaelic
"name of a bird species"
Ptarmigan is the common English name for the genus Lagopus, in the grouse family of birds. The name is derived from the Scottish word for the bird, tàrmachan (meaning unknown), with the initial P-…
Welsh
"unknown"
A Welsh saint’s name, possibly deriving from the Old Welsh word for "red".
Germanic
"glorious reign"
Romuald is an obscure medieval Italian saint’s name which had a surprising run of popularity in France in the 1970s, featuring in the top 100 from 1972-79. It only fell out of the French top 500 in…
Spanish and French
"rose and honey"
A French surname turned Spanish masculine given name, Rosamel likely derives from the combination of rose + Greek mel "honey". As a surname, it was borne by a 19th century French naval officer with…
Sanskrit
"ruler of the gods"
Older form of Suresh.
"lion honor"
This ancient name, belonging to a 4th century BCE Greek statesman and general, would be one of those unique baby names with lots of more down-to-earth nickname potential, including Tim and Leon.…
Latin
"voyager"
Viator is a late Latin name, which belonged to a 4th-century Italian saint. Similar in sound to the word Aviator, this name has a slightly space-agey vibe.
"equality"
The name of one of the ten Attic orators, it is a name with a great academic pedigree and a wonderful meaning - a good choice for social justice minded parents.
