By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 14 pages
of 14
English variation of Robert
"bright fame"
All varieties of Hob are antiquated nicknames for Robert, though this one has the "Calvin and Hobbes" cartoon association too. It may also be linked to philosopher Thomas Hobbes, giving it a more…
Word name and literary name
Everybody knows Huckleberry Finn, the Mark Twain character named, Twain said, for the 19th century slang term for "humble." A few modern parents have put it on a birth certificate, including "Man Vs.…
Greek mythology name
"dweller in the sea"
Halie is the name of several figures in Greek mythology, most of them sea nymphs. The most prominent mythological Halie was the mother of Rhodos, who gave her name to the island Rhodes, and six sons…
Latin, Spanish
"cheerful"
Hilaria, the ancient Roman form of Hilary also given to joyous festivals, is still used in Spain and Poland, while the intriguing Italian version is Ilaria. A notable current bearer is fitness expert…
Tigrinya, Eritrea
"gift of God"
Derived from the Tigrinya elements hiyab , meaning "gift," and el , "God."
Hebrew
"flight, forsaken"
Hagar is an Old Testament name with an unfortunate association with comic strip character "Hagar the Horrible."
Greek
"demi-god"
Despite the possibility of gender confusion, the Hero in Greek myth was a woman. Myleene Klass got that when she chose Hero for her daughter, and Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson used it as their…
Medieval variation of Esther, Persian
"star"
The disgraced heroine of The Scarlet Letter 's name, after long neglect, just might have a chance at revival, following in the wake of sister-name Esther. We've characterized her elsewhere as an…
Latin
"woman of honor"
This is an eighteenth century elaboration of Honor found in Charles Dickens ( Bleak House ) but rarely heard here and now.
Anglicized variation of Chaim
"life"
Hyman was commonly used by first-generation Jewish immigrants to Anglicize Chaim, but similarities to terms like heinie and hymen have taken it out of the realm of modern possibility. The original…
Japanese
"bee; eight"
Arabic
"gift"
Perfect for a long-awaited child or rainbow baby.
Literary name
Gentle giant Rubeus Hagrid is the groundskeeper at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter novels (probably after Hagrid Rubes, the equally kind ancient Greek mythological giant), but that's not the only reason…
"peppermint"
A minty Japanese name as well as a language and culture in southeast China.
"kingfisher bird"
This highly unusual name -- the Halycyone was a mythic bird who could calm the seas -- conjures up images of utter peace and tranquility because of the phrase "Halycon days"...and the sleeping pill.
Heaven, Peace, Serenity: parents seem especially attracted to word names that signal paradise, but Halcyon sounds quite feminine, and might conjure up the sleeping pill Halcion.
"the sea"
Like others in this vein, problematic due to the feminine Hailey connection.
"hot, warm"
Along with Shem and Japheth, a son of Noah with a name that's almost never used -- for more obvious reasons than those of his brothers.
Diminutive of Aaprahami, Finnish
"father of multitudes"
Much less intimidating than the formal form, Aaprahami.
German
"little home-lover"
One you might like for its cozy meaning, but there is that Pied Piper rat connection.
