User-created list
By lesliemarion · Updated May 2023
Across 26 pages
of 26
German
"soldier, warrior"
It's hard to believe now that Herman was once, at the turn of the last century, a Top 50 name, remaining in the Top 100 until 1935, and even harder to imagine it making a comeback. But then again,…
English
"stag"
Hart could be the hero of a romantic novel, but on the other hand, it's short, straightforward, and strong sounding. The most famous bearer of the name was tragic poet Hart (born Harold) Crane, but…
Dutch variation of Abraham, Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
Bram has an unusual measure of character and charm for a one-syllable name; it started as a hipper-than-Abe diminutive of the biblical Abraham, but is also an independent Irish and Dutch name, made…
Short form of David, Hebrew
"beloved"
Dave is the ultimate good guy name, but where father name David is still holding onto a spot in the Top 20, Dave -- widely used as an independent name in the middle of the last century -- dropped off…
"bold, brave"
Hardy is a spirited and durable un-Germanic German surname that is starting to be used in this country. British fashion designer Hardy Amies (born Edwin) is its best known bearer, and Thomas Hardy…
Scandinavian
"son of Neil"
Perfect name for TV Frasier's effete brother. In the 2020 film Palm Springs , Andy Samberg plays a character with the updated spelling Nyles.
Scottish
"steward"
This ancient royal Scottish name had a brief vogue in midcentury America, but it would be far from a fresh choice for a baby boy now.
"settlement by the sea"
Murray, you may be surprised to discover, is a Scottish surname name --that of an ancient noble clan--with a sea-swept meaning, and just could be in the next wave of reevaluated grandpa names.…
French
"from the fortress"
Simple, usable surname choice.
"bright army"
Names ending in bert have long been in limbo, but with the return of Albert, maybe there's hope for Herbert. who could share the Bertie nickname. Herbert is a name that's been used by English…
English word name
Anyone who's seen "The Book of Mormon" or visited Utah knows this as the title taken by male Mormon missionaries during their term of service. We'd advise anyone who lives somewhere with any…
Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
"gift of God"
With brother name Theodore ranking in the US top 10, this alternative might appeal to parents looking to honor Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish heritage.
Latin clan name
"soft; thresher"
A name that seems to hail from the old Irish neighborhoods of Boston and New York, Terence actually dates back a lot further, to the time of a famous second-century poet, who started life as a North…
German and Dutch
"white or blond"
This presidential name is in style limbo today - or, some might say, in the the sweet spot of familiar but little-used.
English occupational name
"guard, watchman"
Until recently Ward was, like Wally, a Cleaver name, but today's parents are seeing it as a cooler nickname for Edward than Eddie, and are also beginning to use it on its own.
Topographical name or short form of Clifford or Clifton
Cliff is a familiar, timeless short form -- never too popular, yet widely known -- that you might also think of as a geographical name ala Vale or Field.
French variation of Frederick, German
"peaceful ruler"
Dropping the final "k" of Frederick definitely makes it a more user-friendly classic boys' name . It streamlines it and also hints at Frederic's status as a French variation of the Germanic…
American place-name
"Charles' town"
Lovers of the languid South Carolina city might be attracted to this rich-sounding name. Could make an interesting update on Charles -- and can certainly work for a girl too. Actor Joey Lawrence used…
English place-name
"fertile valley"
Though it has some distinguished political and tennis world associations, most modern parents would go for the more contemporary sounding Holden. Tilden Park is a beautiful hillside wilderness in the…
French from Latin
"lame; enclosure"
Claude is a soft-spoken French name that conjures up the pastel colors of Monet and harmonies of Debussy. In France, it is used for girls as well, in fact in the Tracy Chevalier novel Lady and the…
