User-created list
By CARLEEBERRY · Updated December 2020
Across 3 pages
of 3
German
"peace"
The dynamic personality and paintings of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo have inspired growing numbers of parents to resurrect this form of the name. It does much better in certain European countries,…
Diminutive of Eliza and Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
Liza's heyday was the mid-1970s, following on the heels of super-popular sister Lisa. But thanks to the fact that it never became superpopular, Liza remains a name not especially tied to one…
Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
Lizzie was commonly used as an independent name in the last half of the nineteenth century. Today Lizzie is still one of the most stylish short forms of Elizabeth, but few U.S. parents put it on the…
American place-name
"land of the Indians"
This state name emerged in the eighties along with westerners Dakota and Montana, and it's still used occasionally by high-profile parents such as Summer Phoenix and Casey Affleck. Action man Indiana…
Anglo-Irish surname and variation of animal name
"wolf"
The Wolfe spelling shifts this name from animal name to surname-name, aggressive to aristocratic, much like Wilde does for Wild. Some sources suggests that the original bearers of the Wolfe family…
Russian from Greek Demetrius
Worldly, artistic and attractive Slavic version of the name of the Greek god of fertility and farming.
French; English
"of the Passover; Easter"
The French-accented Pascal was historically used for sons born at Easter, and can make an interesting choice for a boy with Gallic roots arriving around that holiday. Pascal has a number of notable…
Aramaic
"son of consolation"
Barnabas, whose birth name was Joseph, was one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem, who undertook missionary journeys with Paul the Apostle, His name is a bit Old World compared to the…
German variation of Francis, Latin
"Frenchman or free man"
Franz is the German equivalent to Francis, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a Franz outside of countries with Germanic origins. In America the name is often associated with celebrated author Franz…
Russian and Polish variation of Rosa
Adds some zest to Rosa.
Basque, medieval Spanish variation of Ignatius
"fiery"
Inigo, almost unknown in the U.S., is an intriguing choice, with its strong beat, creative and evocative sound, and associations with the great early British architect and stage designer Inigo Jones.…
"bear"
Benno is a cool name in its own right -- there was a tenth century Saint Benno -- though it is also used as a lively nickname for Benjamin. Saint Benno of Meissen is the patron saint of anglers and…
English variation of Barnabas, Aramaic
Barnaby, a genial and energetic name with an Irish-sounding three-syllable lilt, is an ancient appellation that manages to be both unusual and highly attractive and deserves to be used more than it…
Nature name
If not for Motown founder Berry Gordy, this name would now be totally in the girl group.
Greek
"God protects the king"
Balthasar was one of the biblical Three Kings who visited the infant Jesus, also used by Shakespeare and in the oil-rich Getty family; offbeat and intriguing. Balthazar is another, equally…
Irish "spear"
"spear"
Out-of-date for a boy, innovative for a girl.
Literature, French
"pointy hill"
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…
