By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 255 pages
of 255
Polish variation of Xavier, Basque
"new house"
An international form of the Basque name Xavier, Ksawery ranks in the Polish Top 50 in a recent year. The original form of the name comes from a place name meaning "new house" or "castle" and was…
English invented name
Cormoran first popped up as the name of a Cornish giant in the 18th century fairy tale Jack the Giant Killer , which drew on ancient British folklore. Today, though, it is more familiar as the name…
Sanskrit
"immortal victory"
Amarjeet can be used as both a masculine and feminine name. It is popular in Asia and has a strong meaning.
Literary name
Iorek Byrnison is king of the armored bears and a fierce and brave companion of Lyra’s in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. The name Iorek appears to have been coined by Pullman for the…
Irish place name; poetic form
A limerick is an often humorous form of poetry with five lines (the last of which is the punchline). Limerick could be a fun choice for families with Irish heritage or a good sense of humor.
English word name
A paradox is a statement that while seeming true contradicts itself. With the less-than-pleasant "Doxy" as an obvious nickname, Paradox is perhaps a better name for a cat than a baby.
Along the same lines as Fable or Madrigal, Parable is a cute choice for literary families. It might also be considered as a pseudo-biblical name, given the fame of the Biblical parables.
Sure it makes a big statement, but if you can call your child Wren, Robin or Falcon, why not also Hummingbird. This pint-sized jewel of a bird is a lovely connotation for the baby that's full of…
Czech variation of Antonius
A current top 25 choice in the Czech Republic (spelt Antonín), this distinguished name has several notable bearers: from French playwright Artaud, to Czech composer Dvořák, to Death Eater Dolohov in…
Greek
"bear guardian"
The brightest star in the constellation Boötes, and the third-brightest in the night sky. According to Greek myth, Arcturus was placed in the sky by Zeus to protect the two bears — the adjacent…
Portuguese
"from Gaeta"
The attractive Portuguese form of Gaëtan/Gaetano, meaning "from Gaeta" (a town in ancient Italy).
"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…
French
"heavenly"
You may be familiar with Celeste, but have you considered this beautiful choice for a boy, currently highly fashionable in France, derived from Latin Caelestis ("of the sky; heavenly").
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…
English
"lost one"
Digory is the name of a character in a romantic poem from the Middle Ages as well as from The Chronicles of Narnia , also known as The Professor. There's a Harry Potter character named Diggory. If…
Italian
"pre-destined"
Lively Italian name borne by composer Ennio Morricone, best known for his film music. If you're interested in Italian names for boys , this makes a choice that's off the beaten track.
English place name
"wild boar settlement"
This geographical name, which belongs to an English Premier League football club, is popular in soccer-mad Brazil.
Germanic
"protector of journeys"
The name of a semi-legendary 5th century Frankish king. Handel's opera Faramondo is based on his life. Spelling variations include Faramond and Faramund.
Variation of Pharamond.
