College Baby Names
Updated Mon Jan 29 2024
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When you're on the prowl for the perfect name, anything can be an inspiration. Colleges around the country provide endless possibilities for noteworthy baby names. Princeton in particular has become a smash hit in recent years.
Along with Princeton, other college baby names in the US Top 1000 include Baylor, Duke, Emerson, Emory, Harvey, Howard, Lawrence, and Reed. Ivy League names, such as Yale, Columbia, Penn, and Cornell, carry an extra elite edge.
Some may consider college baby names a special subset of aspirational baby names, while others may choose to use them for their traditional quality or in connection to one’s alma mater.
Below, our full list of college baby names, each derived from the name of a college or university, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Clara
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"bright, clear"Description:
Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right at Number 78, making it a modern classic that's neither too popular nor unfamiliar.
- William
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"resolute protection"Description:
William is one of the most enduring of classic names for boys. It's also among the most popular boys' names, as American parents see it as being ideally conservative yet contemporary, and hands-down the most popular baby name beginning with W of all time.
- Thomas
Origin:
AramaicMeaning:
"twin"Description:
A solid classic with plenty of history, Thomas strikes the balance between strength and gentleness. A favorite in the UK, a staple in France, and Australia, and never absent from the US Top 100, Thomas feels like a safe bet and a name that fits into any era.
- Wesley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"western meadow"Description:
Reminiscent of the Old West, with rugged charm and a gentle, easy-going feel, Wesley has long been a staple on the US charts.
- Calvin
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"bald, hairless"Description:
Calvin is a slightly quirky but cozy name that has a fashion edge thanks to Calvin Klein. It has been steadily on the popularity list since records were kept, never lower than Number 250, peaking in the 1920s, the era of the Calvin (originally John Calvin ) Coolidge presidency.
- Rose
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"rose, a flower"Description:
Rose is derived from the Latin rosa, which referred to the flower. There is also evidence to suggest it was a Norman variation of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis, meaning "famous type," and also Hros, "horse". In Old English it was translated as Roese and Rohese.
- Simon
Origin:
Hebrew, GreekMeaning:
"he has heard; flat-nosed"Description:
Simon is pure and simple (not in the nursery rhyme sense), and an appealingly genuine Old and New Testament name that's not overused. These factors make Simon a stylish yet classic choice.
- Lincoln
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"town by the pool"Description:
Lincoln cracked the Top 50 for boys' names for the first time in 2016, more than 150 years after the death of its most famous bearer. This is especially remarkable because, as crazy as it seems now, Lincoln was deeply out of fashion as recently as the late 90s, consistently hovering near the bottom of the Top 1000.
- Xavier
Origin:
BasqueMeaning:
"new house"Description:
Xavier originated is use as a given name after Saint Francis Xavier, cofounder of the Jesuit order, who got his name from the Spanish-Basque village where he was born. His birthplace was Javier, the name of which was derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria, meaning "castle" or "new house."
- Willa
Origin:
Feminine variation of WilliamMeaning:
"resolute protection"Description:
Willa has become increasingly fashionable, with its combination of Willa (born Wilella) Cather-like pioneer strength and the graceful beauty of the willow tree.
- Madison
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of Matthew"Description:
Since we wrote a book called Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana, encouraging parents to move beyond overused names, it's no secret what we think of this trendy surname name, inspired by a mermaid named Madison in the 1980s movie Splash.
- Cooper
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"barrel maker"Description:
The genial yet upscale and preppy Cooper was one of the first occupational last names to catch on -- and Cooper remains a pleasing option.
- Andrew
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"strong and manly"Description:
During its Top 10 heyday in the late 90s and early oughts, Andrew was one of the "cooler" classic boy names, an update on the old guard Roberts and Richards.
- Emerson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of Emery"Description:
Emerson is a dignified, somewhat serious name associated with transcendental thinker Ralph Waldo Emerson. Much more popular now for girls since Desperate Housewife Teri Hatcher used it for her daughter, it is definitely still a viable boys name.
- Harvey
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"battle worthy"Description:
Harvey, which was brought to England by the Normans, is a genial, old-timey name that has been much more popular across the pond in the UK. It was a Top 100 choice in England & Wales from 1997 until 2021, though 2022 saw it fall just slightly.
- Sarah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"princess"Description:
Sarah was derived from the Hebrew word sarah, meaning "princess." Sarah is an Old Testament name — she was the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. According to the Book of Genesis, Sarah was originally called Sarai, but had her name changed by God to the more auspicious Sarah when she was 90 years old.
- Nova
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"new"Description:
Nova has the feel of both newness, from its meaning, and great energy as an astronomical term for a star that increases suddenly in brightness before fading.
- Mason
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"worker in stone"Description:
Mason is an occupational surname that ranked among the Top 10 name for boys throughout the 2010s, after its choice as one of the first Kardashian baby names.
- Lawrence
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"from Laurentium or bay laurel"Description:
Lawrence has survived from Roman times, when Laurentium was a city noted for its laurel trees (the laurel is a symbol of wisdom and achievement). It was in the Top 50 from the 1890s through the 1950s and the Top 100 for decades longer, always among the most popular boys' names starting with L, but Lawrence is now used less for babies than Landon or Lorenzo.
- Lewis
Origin:
English variation of LouisMeaning:
"renowned warrior"Description:
Lewis is the best spelling to choose if you want this pronounced with the S. It was a Top 100 name in the US from 1880 to 1930, reaching Number 30 in 1880 and while it has declined in use, it has remained in the Top 1000 since stats began.