User-created list
By lesliemarion · Updated May 2023
Across 26 pages
of 26
French surname
Woody Allen used this name for his daughter to honor jazz hero Sidney Bechet -- and it could work for a boy as well.
Bedford is a masculine name derived from an English place name and surname meaning 'Beda's ford' - referencing a river crossing associated with a person named Beda. The name carries strong…
English from French
"pretty valley"
Belden is a little-used surname-name that might work in this age of Belles.
English and Scottish occupational name
"ringer of the bell"
Simplicity and pleasant associations give the word Bell real possibility as a first name -- but somehow it seems better for a girl, a la Belle.
Italian
"beautiful view"
Derived from Italian bello "beautiful" and vedere "view", Belvedere is a dramatic name that was used for a cartoon hound dog in George Webster Crenshaw's comic strip by the same name, which ran from…
Variation of Benedict, Latin
"blessed"
Stick with the original.
"good wisher; peacemaker, benevolent"
A kindly, virtue-adjacent name, it appears in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet , borne by the peacemaker friend who persuades Romeo to go to the party where he meets Juliet. Alas. A bold choice but with…
Modern nickname
Bix is a cool and jazzy nickname name, thanks to that final x. It's largely associated with the legendary and influential cornet player (and inspiration for the novel Young Man With a Horn ), Bix…
German surname from Abraham, Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
A melodic choice for lullaby-lovers. Brahms might also make a trendy s-ending nickname for Abraham.
English
"well where the gorse grows; bramble well"
An unexpected route to nicknames Bram or Wells, this English surname derives from a historical hamlet in England, whose exact location has been lost to time. It comes from the Old English word for…
Polish
"weapon of glory"
Also spelled Bronisław, this Polish name has a strong, rugged meaning. It was briefly popular in France in the first half of the 20th century and has been notably borne by Polish anthropologist,…
Brychan is a masculine name of Welsh origin with deep historical roots. It derives from the name of a legendary 5th-century Welsh king, Brychan Brycheiniog, who reportedly had numerous children who…
Welsh
"great hill"
Derived from the Welsh place name Brynmawr, this adventurous sounding name, feels at once as rugged as its meaning but with a hint of gentleness, thanks to the unisex Bryn . While this name wouldn't…
"monastery where deer dwell"
Innovative architect, inventor, and thinker Buckminster (universally known as Bucky) Fuller makes this vaguely possible.
Bucky is a masculine diminutive nickname that typically derives from names like Buchanan, Buck, or sometimes William/Bill. With American roots, it carries a friendly, approachable quality with a…
"inhabitant of a fortified town"
Related to the word bourgeois; actor Burgess Meredith put this surname in first place.
"knotty wood; butler"
This name has a nicely fragrant woodsy feel, bringing it into the nature-tree name category. Its only well-known bearer, folk singer and Oscar-winning actor Burl Ives, had the full birth certificate…
French
"to sail"
Cabot is an attractive English surname associated with the daring early Italian-born British explorer known as John Cabot; his birth name was Giovanni Caboto.
Greek
"one who excels"
Cadmus is the name of the serpent-slaying hero of Greek mythology who also founded the city of Thebes and is credited with inventing the alphabet. Its ancient feel might appeal to modern parents…
"honor in battle"
This surname borne by several early Welsh leaders has a lot of energy.
