Updated October 2026
Across 180 pages
of 180
English
"dweller near the temple"
Rather formal word name that has been used occasionally over the years, most notably for the autism activist and animal expert Temple Grandin.
"cottage near the lake"
Similar in style or sound to Prescott, Maverick and Beckett, this far rarer name feels formal and strong. Notably borne by socialist Talcott Parsons, nicknames Tal or Otto might soften it a little.…
"command of the valley"
Upscale and upstanding.
English surname
"wine bearer"
Palin has suddenly become a hot new surname-name given usually to girls. The inspiration can only be former Alaska governor Sarah, though the name Palin is her husband's -- her original surname is…
"strong bear cub"
Variously spelled as Swithun or Swithin, this distinctive sounding name is belonged to St. Swithun, an Anglo-Saxon bishop known as the patron saint of Winchester and of the weather — making him the…
"knight's attendant"
Old-fashioned, conjuring up an ardent suitor in a bow tie and straw boater.
"from the southern cliff"
Climbing a mountain somewhere with Radcliff and Heathcliff.
"owner of a farmstead"
Most people's sole association with this name is Oprah companion Stedman Graham -- cool and sophisticated.
"blind"
Sisley may look like a modern coinage, building on the fashionable -ley ending, but it's actually a medieval English variant of Cicely or Cecily, which in turn is a variation of Cecilia. Also found…
English word name
A video-game name ("Final Fantasy VII") with an unappealing sound and meaning.
Flower name, from English
"yellow wildflower"
Though Buttercup is most often reserved for cows (and pets of other kinds), this humble flower name was given to the princess in "The Princess Bride" and to one of The Power Puff Girls . Yet to rank…
Word and comic book name
Flash Gordon makes this a superhero name, but Flash might just appeal to modern parents looking for one of the new active boys' names, ala Ace and Breaker and Ranger. We'd recommend something more…
English occupational surname
"driver of sheep or cattle"
Drover, an ancient occupational surname, is right in step with today's styles and would make a distinctive choice. Drover and brothers are fresh updates of such now-widely-used names as Carter and…
English word name, German surname
"speck; one from Speck, bacon, butcher"
Not only did rocker John Mellencamp name his son Speck, but he appended the middle name Wildhorse to it.
English and Scottish
"divided field"
Has diverse links to a Groucho Marx character, a bouncing ball, and late performance artist Spalding Gray.
Occupational word name
Drummer entered the baby name lexicon thanks to blogger No Big Dill, who chose it for her newborn son, who joins five older sisters. Drummer is right in step with other occupational names in vogue…
"swift"
Kind of a combination of scoot and fleet, brought into public domain by actor Skeet (born Brian) Ulrich. We would recommend looking into the unsavory slang meaning of this name before choosing it for…
English saint's name
St. JOhn is mainly (but rarely) used by Catholics in England -- there's one in Jane Eyre. This would probably be too cumbersome for most American kids.
English, diminutive of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Yes, it's a word name, but Busy is also a rare pet form of Elizabeth. And yes, actress Busy Philipps was christened Elizabeth--she was given the nickname because she was such an active child. She…
English place-name and surname
"dark wolf's wood or clearing"
Blakesley is the name of a village in England, also sometimes found as a surname along with Blakely and Blakeley, turned into a first name for their daughter by reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter.…