Clunky Cool Names
Across 5 pages
of 5
Theodosia
Greek
"gift of God"
This feminine form of Theodosius has long been buried deep in the attic, but might be a good discovery for the parent who wants to move beyond Theodora. Vice President Aaron Burr named a daughter…
Thomasina
English, feminine variation of Thomas, Aramaic
"twin"
Though rarely used now that many parents would rather appropriate men's names than sweeten them with feminine endings, Thomasina does have some vintage appeal. Thomasina Coverly plays a large part in…
Thurgood
Puritan virtue name
"Thoroughgood"
Borne by the first African American Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, this name probably originated from the Puritan "Thoroughgood." While Thurgood is still quite clunky, it is certainly less…
Torhild
Norwegian
"Thor's battle"
Derived from the Old Norse Þórhildr , Torhild is a name with gravity and strength. The name has several interpretations, including "Thor's Valkyrie", "thunder battle", and "Thor's battle", with the…
Tybalt
Medieval form of Theobald
"from bold people"
Similar in sound to the French "Thibault", which is far more popular, Tybalt is best known as the bloodlustful and brawling cousin of Juliet in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet . Perhaps this…
Veselina
Bulgarian, South Slavic
"cheerful"
A vibrant name with an uplifting meaning, Veselina is a feminine form of Veselin, predominantly used in Bulgaria. It comes from the South Slavic element, vesel , meaning "cheerful". Also used as the…
Vladimir
Slavic
"great ruler, peaceful ruler, ruler of the world"
Vladimir is a cultured and deep-rooted Slavic name associated in this country with cultural figures including piano virtuoso Vladimir Horowitz and the author of Lolita , Vladimir Nabokov. The name…
Wendall
German
"wanderer"
A clunky-cool name with a "grandpa" quality to it, that equally fits into the trend of last names as first names. Wendall, along with its alternative forms, Wendell and Wendel, peaked in the US…
Wilbur
English, German
"wild boar"
Clunky yet cuddly, Wilbur is a stylish name in the UK where it currently sits in the Top 600, as cool as Rupert or Wilfred. Its merits are starting to be rediscovered in the US, where it was last…
Wilhelmina
German and Dutch, feminine variation of Wilhelm
"resolute protection"
Wilhelmina might once have been condemned as a clunky relic best left in the past, but a steadily increasing number of parents are dusting it off for their 21st century babies. A reasonably popular…
Zenobia
Greek
"force of Zeus"
With historical roots as a beautiful and intelligent ancient queen and literary ties to Hawthorne and Edith Wharton novels, this rarity could appeal to adventurous parents seeking the romantically…
Zephaniah
Hebrew
"God has hidden"
A minor prophet who has his own Book, Zephaniah is another Old Testament gem waiting to be rediscovered now that Noah and Abraham are becoming too trendy. The vowel-sound ending of Zephaniah is…
Adalberto
Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese variation of Albert, German
"noble, bright"
Adalberto is a masculine name of Germanic origin, combining the elements 'adal' meaning 'noble' and 'berht' meaning 'bright' or 'famous.' This powerful combination creates the meaning 'noble and…
Somerilda
Variation of Somerhild, Anglo-Scandanavian
"summer battle"
Spritely Summer meets strong classic Hilda in this Anglo-Scandinavian choice, joining together to make a name that feels as poetic as it does tough.
Alexandrina
Greek, variation of Alexandra,
"defending men"
Alexandrina is the most elaborate and unusual of the Alex- girls's names.The real first name of Queen Victoria, who was given it in honor of her godfather, Alexander I of Russia (her childhood…
Algernon
French
"moustached man"
While this name came into being as a Norman-French nickname for a man with whiskers, the name was quickly embraced as a true name by the Victorians and is likely most familiar to you as the name of…
Alparslan
Turkish
"heroic lion"
Alparslan is a combination of the Turkish words alp , meaning "hero," and arslan , "lion." The name is a reference to Alp Arslan, the title given to 11th-century Seljuk sultan Muhammad bin Dawud…
Annegret
German, combination of Anne and Margaret
"grace+pearl"
This German compound name combines two classics into a name that feels both ancient and new, poetic and fantastic, but with clunky-old-lady-name vibes about it too. Notable bearers include wheelchair…
Apollonius
Greek, Latinised
"from Apollo, destroyer; strength; father's light"
A dramatic classical name connected to the god of medicine and archery, we think just Apollo is a more wearable choice for a modern boy — though this longer form does fit in with the likes of…
Avdotya
Russian form of Eudocia, Greek
"to be well pleased"
A Russian variant of the Greek Eudocia, Avdotya appears in Dostoevsky's novel, Crime and Punishment in which it is borne by the strong-willed sister of the protagonist. She is often referred to by…