Fancy Boy Names

  1. Salvatore
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Salvator
    • Meaning:

      "savior"
    • Description:

      For every Tio Salvador in a Latino family, there's a Zio Salvatore in an Italian one. Having always ranked in the US Top 1000, it is in danger of falling off the charts very soon.
  2. Leonidas
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "lion"
    • Description:

      Leonidas is an ancient name that has started rising again along with centuries-old names such as Augustus and Cato. The original Leonidas was the most famous of Sparta's warriors, sacrificing his life at the Battle of Thermopylae; there is also a saint Leonidas.
  3. Reeve
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "bailiff, sheriff, local official"
    • Description:

      Cool and dignified, sophisticated and modern, Reeve might be seen as alternative to long-familiar Reese. A medieval occupational name, a reeve was an English manor officer responsible for overseeing the discharge of feudal obligations; as such, it has been linked to bailiffs and sheriffs.
  4. Simeon
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "he [God] has heard"
    • Description:

      Could Simeon be the next Gideon? Parents seeking a less simple form of Simon might consider this biblical appellation that was chosen by Wynton Marsalis for his son. Simon is actually the Greek substitute for Simeon.
  5. Remington
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "place on a riverbank"
    • Description:

      Remington Steele was the perfect name for an upper-crust action hero on 1980s television. Now, Remington is catching fire along with a new generation of predatory baby boy names such as Hunter, Gunner, and Colt. Or you might consider it a unisex namewith a buttoned-up British feel and the friendly short form Rem or Remy.
  6. Marcellus
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "young warrior"
    • Description:

      This ancient Roman family name, first borne by the distinguished Marcus Claudius Marcellus and later by two popes, is a possibilty in the hot new category of names from antiquity.
  7. Tarquin
    • Origin:

      Latin, Roman clan name
    • Description:

      One of the few ancient Roman names that doesn't end in us, the rarely heard Tarquin has a decidedly creative, even dramatic flair, which could appeal to the parent looking for a strikingly original name. Sir Laurence Olivier used it for his oldest child, who was named Simon Tarquin but called by his middle name.
  8. Algernon
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "moustached man"
    • Description:

      While this name came into being in the Victorian era as a 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 Oscar Wilde's fabulous character in The Importance of being Earnest . However, Algernon is not confined to the fictional world of satire; many real world namesakes exist including US footballer Algernon Crumpler (aka Alge Crumpler), British impressionist painter Algernon Talmage, and Canadian astrophysicist Joseph Algernon Pearce, who discovered many thinks about the Milky Way. Plus, who can go past the adorable nickname Algie?
  9. Bertram
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "bright raven"
    • Description:

      Last in fashion in the 1930s, Bertram might once have been firmly in the best left in the past category, but with sweet nickname Bertie and the cool option of Bram, Bertram might just be one to reconsider. Fitting in with other clunky vintage options like Chester, Sidney, Abram, Ebenenzer, and Wilfred, Bertram is a literary option, appearing as the full first name of P.G. Wodehouse's inimitable Bertie Wooster and on a character in Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well.
  10. Fabian
    • Origin:

      Latin clan name
    • Meaning:

      "bean grower"
    • Description:

      Fabian is the ancient name of a saint and pope that also has Shakespearean cred as Olivia's servant in Twelfth Night and more recently made an appearance in Harry Potter. In the U.S. Fabian became best known via the 1960s teen idol/singer who went solely by his first name.
  11. 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.
  12. Ivor
    • Origin:

      Scottish variation of Welsh Ifor
    • Meaning:

      "yew"
    • Description:

      Ivor, a favorite choice for upscale characters in Brit Lit novels by authors like P.G. Wodehouse and Evelyn Waugh, is an interesting and unusual name just waiting to be discovered by parents in this country.
  13. Horatio
    • Origin:

      English variation of Latin Horatius
    • Meaning:

      "hour, time"
    • Description:

      Like Horace, Horatio is a variation on the Latin Horatius, but its Shakespearean and optimistic Horatio Alger pedigree makes it an attractive up-and-comer, especially with its cool final o. A modern reference is the charismatic TV character Horatio Caine played by David Caruso in CSI: Miami.
  14. 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.
  15. Emiliano
    • Origin:

      Italian and Spanish variation of Emil
    • Meaning:

      "rival"
    • Description:

      Emiliano is an appealing Latinate version of Emil, with the same gentle sounds but additional flair. Popular in Chile and Mexico, where it ranks in the Top 20, Emiliano is also a rising name in the US.
  16. Cassander
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "light of man"
    • Description:

      Cassander is the masculine form of Cassandra, and the name of an ancient king of Macedon from the 3rd century BC. It could make a nice alternative to Alexander or a refreshing way to honour a female relative named Cassie/Cassandra/Sandra.
  17. Ozymandias
    • Origin:

      Greek variant of Ramses, Egyptian
    • Meaning:

      "begotten by Ra, the Sun God"
    • Description:

      Percy Bysshe Shelley got the name for one of his most famous poems -- a sonnet about the insignificance of man's labors in the vastness of time -- from the Greek name for Ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II.
  18. Theophilus
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "loved by God; friend of God"
    • Description:

      This is a multi-syllabic New Testament relic that could be yet another fresh way to get to Theo. In the beginning of Luke's gospel, he dedicates his words to Theophilus.
  19. Humphrey
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "peaceful warrior"
    • Description:

      Humphrey is an old name that might have faded completely were it not for that Bogie flair. A royal name in Britain, where it's used somewhat more frequently, Humphrey might just have some life beyond Bogart here, especially with the recent interest in the names of Golden Age Hollywood stars. His first name was the maiden name of his mother, Maud Humphrey, a well-known illustrator who used baby H. as a model.
  20. Xerxes
    • Origin:

      Persian
    • Meaning:

      "hero among heroes"
    • Description:

      The two X's may be a challenge for even the most intrepid baby namer. Xerxes was the name of two early kings of Persia and the Handel opera Serse or Xerxes is loosely based on Xerxes I.

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