User-created list
By DeanieBaby · Updated July 2022
Across 6 pages
of 6
English
"lives where hawthorn hedges grow"
The great American novelist sets this above many other surnames (and nature names , for that matter), but it's still an imposing and adventurous choice. Do nicknames Hawk or Thorne make it more…
"chief secretary"
Of the names derived from titles, this is one of the least obvious (unless you are of German extraction). Chancellor also has the attraction of offering the exciting - and very on-trend - nickname…
Arabic, Spanish
"swooping eagle; meadow"
Another astral name, this one relating to one of the largest and brightest stars in the heavens, is popular in Scandinavia and Spain, where it ranks among the Top 50 girls' names . Although still…
English, Literary, meaning unknown
Though modern parents seeking to honor an ancestor named Thelma might opt for the airier Thea instead, Thelma is starting to make its way back onto adventurous vintage name lovers' radars. It is…
Greek
"security, hostage, pledge"
Homer is a name of two halves, associated with the ancient Greek poet of the epic Odyssey and with the (often) doltish patriarch of The Simpsons . So does that make Homer a classic and scholarly…
Greek mythology name
Icarus, the mythological figure famous for flying too close to the sun, has a couple of negatives: his rash reputation, and those "icky" nicknames.
English from Italian
"nightshade, beautiful lady"
Literally meaning "beautiful lady" in Italian, Belladonna is the name of a poisonous flower also known as nightshade. This connection gives an otherwise flowery name a darker, more dramatic edge.
Arabic
"falcon"
The eleventh brightest star in the sky has a celestial feel, but also could be the name of a commercial airline.
"region offering peace and contentment"
Arcadia, a name for an unspoiled paradise, makes an attractive secular alternative to Nevaeh or Eden. For parents who want an unusual name with a friendlier nickname, Arcadia has the advantage of…
"master planner"
Archimedes of Syracuse was a famous Ancient Greek thinker, especially in the fields of mathematics and sciences. He made important contributions to geometry and calculus. His name was a perfect…
Latinized variation of German Tielo or Till
"people"
One of the coolest of names, thanks to legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Sphere Monk, who inherited this Latin-sounding German name from his father. It has been used very sparingly since the 1960's,…
Hebrew
"father"
Double exposure: 1970s rock sensation (Mamma Mia) and scholar/diplomat name in Israel.
German surname and literary name
"from Gaddesby"
Gatsby is one of the most famous literary surnames, borne by the titular character of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby . The book's Jay Gatsby gussied up his surname from Gatz, whose meaning is…
"golden, yellow"
X marks the spot in names these days, usually at the middles or ends of names, but here is one that puts it squarely up front. This extravagant name, which, like many Greek names beginning with X, is…
"little raven"
This British surname has a somewhat aristocratic air, which ties in to its association with the early American boxing champ "Gentleman Jim" Corbett. Also borne by actor and country singer John…
English surname and place name
Kipling calls to mind writer Rudyard (b. Joseph) Kipling, author of the stories familiar to schoolchildren Gunga Din and The Jungle Story. Certainly, Kipling is a friendlier name than Rudyard these…
Color name
"deep sky-blue"
Cerulean is just beginning to be heard as a name thanks to its distinctive sounds and the appealing electric-sky-blue it evokes. Reminiscent of Ocean, Aurelian, Cyrus, and Caspian, it was given to…
Japanese
"light or radiance"
A unisex Japanese name with a beautiful and radiant meaning, it is notably borne by chess prodigy Hikaru Nakamura, and is a central character in the manga series The Summer Hikaru Died .
English word name
"a day of religious observance and abstinence from work"
Sabbath is a faith-inspired word name, like Sunday or Faith, that is attracting some notice since heavy metal musician Zakk Wylde chose it for his son. But then there's the band Black Sabbath, which…
Punic and Assyrian
"grace of Baal, god of fertility and fortune"
These days, it's thought of less as the name of the great general and more as the first name of Lecter the fictional cannibal. Either association is too heavy for a child to bear.
