125+ Posh Baby Names

  1. India
    • Origin:

      Place name, from the River Indus
    • Description:

      Euphonious and long stylish in England, India was one of the fastest-rising names on the 2013 list, after jumping 240 spots back into the Top 1000.
  2. Ludovic
    • Origin:

      English and Scottish variation of Ludwig
    • Meaning:

      "famous warrior"
    • Description:

      Euro-cool. Heard more in Scotland than in England or the US, Ludovic Lesly is a character in the Sir Walter Scott novel Quentin Durward and Sir Ludovic Kennedy was a noted Scottish broadcaster and writer. Cute nickname: Ludo.
  3. Anoushka
    • Origin:

      Russian, diminutive of Ann
    • Meaning:

      "grace"
    • Description:

      A lively, affectionate Russian pet name that is never given as a full name in its homeland, but has found some popularity in upper-crusty British society. It's also a surprising cultural crossover name due to its resemblance to the Indian name Anushka. British-Indian musician and composer Anoushka Shankar, daughter of Ravi, is a famous bearer.
  4. Digby
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "town by the ditch"
    • Description:

      Digby is a place-name in Lincolnshire turned surname turned quirky first name that is starting to get some attention.
  5. Willoughby
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "farm near the willows"
    • Description:

      Willoughby is an energetic last-name-first route to the popular short form Will, livelier than any of the two-syllable options. It could be picked up by parents attracted to the Willow sound for girls.
  6. Sholto
    • Origin:

      Scottish from the Gaelic
    • Meaning:

      "sower"
    • Description:

      Rugged but gentle, Sholto is a traditional Scottish first name, especially within the Douglas clan, with Sholto Douglas being its mythical ancestor. It is an Anglicized form of Sìoltach, meaning "sower".
  7. Hebe
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "youth"
    • Description:

      The name of the Greek goddess of youth, daughter of Zeus and Hera, is rarely used today but may be ripe for revival considering the rejuvenation of the rhyming Phoebe. We'd call it one of the Greek goddess names ripe for modern use.
  8. Giles
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "young goat"
    • Description:

      One of those names that most Americans find just too too tea-sippingly British to consider; its meaning has led to occasional use for Capricorn boys.
  9. Montague
    • Origin:

      Literature, French
    • Meaning:

      "pointy hill"
    • Description:

      The family name of Shakespeare's Romeo, Montague has a touch of old-fashioned grandeur about it. With clunky-cute nickname Monty and similar sounds to Montgomery, it has been used as a given name since at least the 18th century, with a number of English earls and baronets receiving the name, along with film director, Montague "Monty" Banks, journalist and radio host Montague Modlyn, and cricketer Montague Noble.
  10. Plum
    • Origin:

      Fruit name
    • Description:

      British-born novelist Plum Sykes has taken this rich, fruity name out of the produce section and put it into the baby name basket. It's more appealing than Apple, more presentable than Peaches. The French equivalent, Prune, is very fashionable there but would not fly with English speakers.
  11. Venetia
    • Origin:

      Italian place-name
    • Description:

      Venetia, the name of the region encompassing Venice, has a radiant, picturesque authenticity, as do the related Venezia and Venice.
  12. Lettice
    • Origin:

      English variation of Letitia
    • Meaning:

      "joy, gladness"
    • Description:

      Lettice is still occasionally heard in upper-class British families, but we fear it would cause too much salad-green teasing to be considered in the U.S. Calling your little Lettice Lettie could help make the name more user-friendly, or go all the way to the original Letitia.
  13. Torquil
    • Origin:

      Scottish from Norse
    • Meaning:

      "Thor's cauldron"
    • Description:

      Torquil, is a quirky but intriguing option that evolved from an ancient Scandinavian nameand was imported into Scotland by the Vikings. The Gaelic form of the name is Torcaill.
  14. Marmaduke
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "devotee of Maedoc"
    • Description:

      One of the ultimate teasable names, an Irish saint's name now associated with the oversized comic-strip dog. Scottish adventurer Bear (born Edward) Grylls took up the challenge when he used it for his son.
  15. Bathsheba
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "daughter of an oath"
    • Description:

      Popular with the Puritans, this name of the shrewd and beautiful wife of King David and mother of King Solomon could be a bit of a load for a modern girl to carry.
  16. Perdita
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "lost"
    • Description:

      A Shakespearean invention for an abandoned baby in The Winter's Tale, Perdita's sense of loss has always been off-putting to parents. But her image was somewhat resuscitated by its association with the appealing canine character in Disney's One Hundred and One Dalmations.
  17. Atalanta
    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name
    • Meaning:

      "equal in weight"
    • Description:

      Atalanta was a beautiful mythological maiden who refused to marry any man who couldn't beat her in a footrace -- quite a role model. This myth is found in Ovid's Metamorphoses and later in Swinburne's Atalantis in Calydon.
  18. Tristram
    • Origin:

      Medieval English variation of Tristan, “noise or sorrowful"
    • Description:

      This version of Tristan, known to English Lit students from the novel Tristram Shandy, is rarely used in this country, but, though its similarity to the popular Tristan could prove confusing, still makes an interesting literary choice.
  19. Candida
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "white"
    • Description:

      Attractive ancient name borne by several saints but sullied by association with yeast infection.
  20. St john
    • Origin:

      English saint's name
    • Description:

      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.