Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 3 pages
of 3
Anglicized variation of Irish Cearbhall
"hacking with a weapon"
This name was consistently in the boys' Top 200 until WW2. It's a name with so many dimensions to it: the hyper-masculine meaning, the surname-as-firstname trendiness, and the softer sound and…
Latin
"third"
Tertia—which is occasionally used in the UK, but rarely in the US, would make an unconventional but interesting possibility for the third child in a family. Terza and Terzo are lively Italian…
French
"russet-haired"
An old English redhead name -- one of the few that doesn't begin with the letter r -- with references both to a famous French knight and a magical horse. Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin is a…
English, diminutive of Katherine
"pure"
This endearing nickname name is one Katherine pet form that predates all the Kathys and Katies, having been fairly common in the eighteenth century. With the current mini-craze for animal-related…
English word name
Five is a number name introduced to the lexicon by famous crazy baby namers The Novogratz Family. Five is, yes, their fifth child, who happens to be a boy, but there's no reason Five -- and Seven and…
English diminutive of Dorothy, Greek
"gift of God"
Dodo is one of the few names of the cute repeating-sounds genre that is not alas so cute, being a slang word for someone brainless as well as the name of the infamous extinct bird. Dot, Dottie, Dory,…
Lory is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It can be a diminutive of Dolores (from Spanish, meaning 'sorrows'), Lorraine (a French place name), or Laura (from Latin, meaning 'laurel').…
Dodgson is an uncommon masculine name that originated as an English surname derived from the name Roger or Dodge. It gained literary significance through Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by his…
"month name"
Along with August, March is one of the month names perfectly suited to boys. This brisk single-syllable name – which derives from the name of Mars, the Roman god of war – is worth considering as…
Flower name, from Greek
"asphodel"
Yes, though it seems so extreme, girls were actually sometimes given this name a century ago; now it is so uncommon it would make a strong springtime statement. Biggest obstacle: the nickname Daffy.…
English place name and surname
"peat bog, mouse clearing"
Mosley, former best known as the surname of author Walter, has been put in play as a first name for girls by football great Peyton Manning, who used the name for his twin daughter, sister of…
English flower name from French
"thought"
Pansy is an early floral name that lost credibility when it became a derogatory slang term for gay people. Better these days: Posy or Poppy.
