User-created list
By smileatu · Updated May 2023
Across 3 pages
of 3
Irish
"liberty"
Before the young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan made her mark in the films Ladybird and The Lovely Bones , few of us had heard this name, let alone known how to pronounce it. But now it is slowly way…
Greek
"rock, stone"
A strong Greek name with pan-European charm, Petra is a relatively recent feminization of Peter, though it relates back to an incredible ancient city in Jordan that was rediscovered in the early…
German
"army people"
Once restricted to evangelical Protestants honoring the ecclesiastical reformer and theologian Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant revolution. In more recent times it has been favored by parents…
English, Egyptian
"the Nubian, the bronze-colored one"
Phineas is the English variation of Phinehas, a Hebrew name likely derived from the Egyptian name Pa-nehasi. Pa-nehasi, meaning "the Nubian" can also be translated as "the bronze-colored one." The…
English, Literature, Sindarin
"sun star"
On one hand, Elanor is a spelling variation of the classic Eleanor with a slightly lighter, contemporary look about it. Usually said to derive from the Latin phrase, alia Aenor meaning "other Aenor",…
Latin
"peaceful"
Pax, one of the variations of names meaning peace that are newly popular in these less-than-peaceful times, got a lot of publicity when chosen by Brad & Angelina for their Vietnamese-born son.…
French, German, and Dutch form of Sabina, Latin
"Sabine"
A concise choice with a hint of chic, Sabine is the French, Dutch, and German form of the Latin Sabina. While it has never charted in the US, Sabine saw a slight increase in use in recent data, with…
An intriguing mythological name whose one challenge might be pronunciation questions. In Greek myth, Danae, a goddess of music and poetry, was the mother of Perseus by Zeus, who appeared to her in…
"favorable, prosperous"
In France, pronounced PRO-spare, Prosper is a fairly common name; here it presents a worthy aspirational message for a child. Prosper was the name of several early saints, including a noted fifth…
Literary name, variation of Harriet
A pretty, dainty name for one of the little characters in the children's book series The Borrowers . It was the basis for a later Studio Ghible animated film, The Secret World of Arrietty . While the…
Pheonix is a masculine name variant of Phoenix, which derives from Greek mythology representing a bird that cyclically regenerates, rising from its own ashes. This alternate spelling has gained…
Literature, compound of Arabella and Aminta, Greek
"loveable; unyielding + defender; unfading"
Araminta is a poetic and enchanting eighteenth-century invention with plenty of elegance and a touch of old-fashioned clunkiness. It first appeared in William Congreve's 17th century comedy The Old…
"white, fair"
The most enduringly popular hero of Irish myth was Finn McCool, whose name is one of the coolest ever. When used for the female protagonist of How to Make an American Quilt , Finn established its…
English
"son of the uncle"
An upscale surname with a nice modern design connection to the creators of the Eames chair and other midcentury furniture classics, Charles and Ray Eames.
"loving"
Could Philo be the next Milo? We love the o-ending and sweet meaning of this dynamic and distinctive Greek name, often used in literature, but never particularly popular. The ancient Philo (aka Philo…
French, feminine variation of Severus; Latin
"stern"
This long-popular name in France sounds fresh, elegant and unusual here. Severine is the name of the most recent gorgeous James Bond Girl in the film Skyfall . Students of film history will associate…
Rhianon is a feminine name of Welsh origin, a variant spelling of the more common Rhiannon. The name derives from the Celtic Rigantona, meaning 'great queen' or 'divine queen.' In Welsh mythology,…
Dutch short form of Sebastian, Latin from Greek
"man of Sebastia"
Bastiaan is a common Dutch form of Bastian, a short form of Sebastian that stands on its own. While the double A is not intuitive for English speakers, the name is widely used in the Netherlands. Bas…
Short form of Simon or Simeon, Hebrew
"the listener"
You might want to abbreviate this from one of the Biblical originals or use it as a name all on its own, an update of Sam or Finn. Sim is a Scottish Gaelic form of Simon.
Dutch diminutive of Willem or William
"resolute protection"
Short but spirited, Pim is in the Top 200 in The Netherlands, though it is little-known elsewhere. A diminutive of Willem (or William), it possibly emerged via its rhyme with alternative, more direct…
