Updated October 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
Japanese
"aware of emptiness"
Goku is the name of the protagonist of the popular "Dragon Ball" manga series, which was turned into a live action film. The character of Goku is reportedly based on Sun Wukong, the hero of the…
Jewel name, for the French
"pomegranate"
One of the jewel names in use a hundred years ago, for both boys and girls, due for revival along with sisters Ruby and Pearl. But interestingly, Garnet means pomegranate, the fruit who shares a deep…
English word name
"gray"
Now that Bear is becoming a hot name, can Grizzly be far behind? A handful of baby boys did get this name last year in the US.
Scottish
"windy place"
Guthrie, one of the most attractive Scottish names that's also a surname, has a particularly romantic, windswept aura, with a touch of the buckaroo thrown in. Guthrie's folkie quality is tied to the…
English
"triangular field"
Despite the presidential pedigree, it's still hard to shake the image of the cartoon cat (named after his creator Jim Davis's grandfather). However, there are other Garfields, such as Barbadian…
Welsh
"May hawk"
With a noble air and a distinctive yet familiar sound, Gawain is drawn from Arthurian legend, in which he is one of King Arthur's loyal knights and his nephew. Also appearing as the hero of the 14th…
English demonym
Though it looks, to the untrained American eye, like a yoonek spelling of Jordy, Geordie actually refers to people from Tyneside in Northeast England and the local dialect there. To give you a sense…
Tibetan
"ocean"
Gyatso is a highly meaningful name in Tibetan Buddhism. It is added to the name of each Dalai Lama — the current one is Tenzin Gyatso. It is a translation of the title Dalai, which means "ocean" or…
French form of the Italian Gaetano
"of Gaeta"
It's unusual, but that may be its best feature.
Greek
"milk; gift"
A seldom used name invented by J.R.R. Tolkien for Lord of the Rings, this boys' name makes good use of the 'Gal' prefix and 'Dor' suffix to craft an appealing and unique alternative to Theodore.
An out-of-this-world choice, literally.
Place-name
Associated with the poet and novelist Galway Kinnell, this name of an Irish city, county, and bay would make an evocative choice. For further literary cred, writers Liam O'Flaherty and Frank Harris…
Word name
Gambit means ploy or trick, which makes it an appropriate name for a little player. Eight boys were named Gambit in the US in one recent year.
"gamble, bet"
It's a gamble that your child will grow up to appreciate the name Gamble.
Teutonic
"wand-wolf"
Gandolf and variant Gandulf are legitimate names used in medieval Europe, including by several bishops and dukes. From it comes the name of Castel Gandolfo, the pope's summer residence. However, to…
Irish surname, derivation unknown.
A dandy, bouncy family name with tap shoes, high hat, and cane. There are several theories of its derivation, including as a nickname from the word 'ganty,' for a person who commonly wore gloves, or…
Hindi
"fortunate"
The name of the Hindu elephant-headed god of success and wisdom, son of Shiva and Parvati.
Spanish and Portuguese surname
"bear"
A possible hero name inspired by notables from Spanish poet/playwright Federico Garcia Lorca to writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez to the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia.
"keeper of the garden"
Gardener is surely one of the most pleasant and evocative of the occupational options, calling up images of green grass and budding blooms. The name can also be spelled without the first ' e ', as in…
French
"to protect"
Straightforward surname with potential thanks to the rise of Carson. The actress Greer Garson gives it a splash of Hollywood glamor.