Classic Baby Names · Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames
Telegraph Baby Names
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Bowen
Welsh
"son of Owen"
Bowen is a Celtic surname representing two separate Celtic strains, one Welsh and one Irish, and entered the US Top 1000 (for boys) for the first time in 2011. It comes complete with cute nicknames…
Liline
French diminutive of Lillian and similar
Light, sweet, and cheerful, with the potential to feel both sophisticated and sassy, depending on the bearer, Liline is a diminutive name, predominantly used in francophone regions. While the name is…
Rainnie
Rainnie is an uncommon feminine name that evokes natural imagery through its connection to rain. It may be a variation of Rainey or Raine, with the double 'n' and '-ie' ending giving it a more…
Christabel
Latin and French
"fair Christian"
Though Isabel is a smash hit, Christabel still hasn't been fully embraced. It was originally popularized in England via the Coleridge poem Christabel ("whom her father loves so well") and was given…
Edwina
Feminine variation of Edwin, English
"wealthy friend"
Edwina may still be taking tea in the parlor, but we can see her joining friends like Matilda and Josephine for a comeback, especially if pronounced like Edwin rather than Edween. She had a very…
Pomeroy
English
"dweller by the apple orchard"
This is an English surname dating back to 1086, but we don't see it having much of a first name future in the twenty-first century.
Wolfie
Diminutive of Wolfgang, German
"traveling wolf"
A domesticated take on Wolf, if the animal name is too ferocious for your liking. Wolfie has never charted as a given name in the US, but that may soon change now that Wolf names are of interest…
Marion
English and French diminutive of Marie
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
An underused classic that has proved surprisingly unisex over the last few decades, being given to roughly the same number of baby girls and boys in the US from the 1970s to the 2000s. For a girl,…
Wolf
Animal name or diminutive of Wolfgang, German
" traveling wolf"
Wolf is a name with a split personality. It can be seen as one of the fierce animal names, like Fox and Bear and Puma, with a touch of the werewolf, or it can be viewed as a quieter, Wolf Blitzer…
Farleigh
Farleigh is a masculine name of English origin derived from Old English elements, likely combining 'fearn' meaning 'fern' and 'leah' meaning 'woodland clearing' or 'meadow.' Originally a surname and…
Trixie
Diminutive of Beatrix, Latin
"she who brings happiness"
A sassy, spunky name for the bold parent who doesn't remember Mrs. Ed Norton on The Honeymooners or who's into the nicknames-as-given-names trend sweeping the UK and returning to the US. Trixie is a…
Addie
Diminutive of Adelaide or Adeline
Old-fashioned nickname with sweet turn-of-the-last-century charm that's become a favorite among the popular girl names starting with A of today. In fact, with all spellings of Adeline/Adalynn taken…
Agatha
Greek
"good woman"
Agatha until recently summoned up visions of martyred saints, mauve silk dresses, and high lace collars, but now that some dauntless excavators have begun to resurrect it, we're sure more will follow…
Agnes
Greek
"pure, virginal"
Agnes is the Latin variation of the name Hagne, which itself derived from the Greek word hagnos , meaning "chaste." In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as…
Alienor
French, meaning unknown
Also seen as Alyenor and Eleonore, this is an old French name dating back to the Arthurian romances and still heard today.
Ailsa
Scottish from Norse
"elf victory"
Ailsa is a traditional Scottish name for girls related to a rocky island in the Firth of Clyde called Ailsa Craig. It might make an interesting alternative to the outdated Ashley or overly popular…
Ajax
Greek mythology name
"mourner, earth land"
Ajax is the name of two Greek heroes, both who fought in the Trojan war and feature in Homer's "Iliad". Distinctive yet familiar in sound, thanks to similar choices like Jack, Asa, and Ajay, Ajax is…
Alaric
German
"all-powerful ruler"
Alaric is an ancient regal name that sounds modern enough to be considered. Alaric was a traditional name for the kings of the Ostrogoths, the most famous of whom was Alaric I, the King of the West…
Albie
Diminutive of Albert or Albus, English, Germanic, Latin
"noble and bright; white, bright light"
Gentle and friendly, but also full of energy and spark, Albie is a bubbly diminutive, usually of Albert, but also of Alban, Albus, Albie has become a big favorite in England and Wales in recent…
Albus
Latin
"white, bright."
The ancient name Albus has modern currency as the first name of the headmaster of Harry Potter 's Hogwarts, more formally known as Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Can Albus work if…