User-created list
classic and unusual character names for men
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Caradoc
Welsh
"amiable, beloved"
Derived from the name Caradog, the handsome ancient Celtic name was worn by one of the Knights of the Round Table, as well as a semi-legendary Welsh King. Possibly a cognate of Cedric and Carys,…
Carroll
Anglicized variation of Irish Cearbhall
"hacking with a weapon"
This name was consistently in the boys' Top 200 until WW2. It's a name with so many dimensions to it: the hyper-masculine meaning, the surname-as-firstname trendiness, and the softer sound and…
Cashel
Irish
"castle, stone fort"
Cashel is one of the many appealing Irish names that have not yet emigrated to the US. Cashel was chosen by actor Daniel Day-Lewis and his writer-director wife Rebecca Miller for their son. In…
Cathal
Irish
"battle rule"
The name of an ancient Irish saint is in the contemporary Irish Top 50. While it's one of the rare Irish names for boys that hasn't immigrated to the U.S., it may follow brothers Aidan and Declan to…
Chazaiah
Hebrew
"God has seen"
More orthodox spelling of a name that also appears as Hazaiah and Hazaia. An obscure Biblical choice that has some modern zest.
Chester
Latin
"fortress, walled town,"
Chester is a comfortable, little-used teddy-bear of a name that suddenly sounds both quirky and cuddly. Chester was a Top 100 name in the US from the 1880s to 1929, gradually fading till it finally…
Cleanth
Greek
"glorious flower"
A Latinized form of Kleanthes, this name is best associated with literary and poetry critic, Cleanth Brooks.
Cleneth
Cleneth is an extremely rare masculine name with obscure origins, possibly derived from Welsh or Celtic elements, or perhaps a variation of Kenneth. This uncommon name has barely registered in naming…
Cloud
Nature name
Like Sky and Sunshine, this fluffy name from the hippie 1970s has floated back onto the naming radar. It's similarity of Clyde and Claude help to ground it.
Colm
Irish variation of Latin Columba
"dove"
Colm is a popular Irish name for boys that could immigrate, especially with its peaceful meaning. Colm Toibin is a contemporary Irish novelist and critic, author of The Master and Brooklyn ; Colm…
Columba
Latin
"dove"
While the original Irish St. Columba was male, the modern Irish variation Colm or Scottish Callum would be more appropriate for a contemporary boy. We can, however, imagine Columba as a rhythmic and…
Conleth
Irish
"chaste fire"
This appealing Irish name is borne by actor Conleth Hill, who plays Varys in Game of Thrones . It is an anglicization of the original spelling Connlaodh.
Cordale
Cordale appears to be a modern masculine given name that emerged primarily in the late 20th century in the United States. The name may be a combination of 'Cor-' (possibly from names like Corey or…
Coriander
Greek
"bed bug"
This herb is also known as cilantro. It's meaning, "bed bug" is on account of its smell, characterized by the ancient Greeks as bed bug-like.
Corky
A bouncy midcentury TV nickname name.
Cormac
Irish
"charioteer"
Both offbeat and upbeat, this evocative traditional Irish name that runs through Celtic mythology is known here via award-winning novelist Cormac McCarthy (born Charles). The author's adopted name is…
Crain
Manx, English
"son of Ciarán; Crane"
A surname from the Isle of Man and a spelling twist on a bird name, Crain could fit in with the likes of Kane, Zane, Crew, Creed, Cade, Wren, and Rayne.
Curren
Curren is a modern masculine name with multiple potential origins. It may derive from the Irish surname Curran (meaning 'hero' or 'spear'), or possibly relate to the word 'current' suggesting flow or…
Cymbeline
Celtic
"sun lord or sun hound"
The title of a Shakespeare play based on legends featuring the early Celtic King Cunobelinus, whose name derives from the Gaulish sun god Belenus.
Cyprien
Cyprien is a masculine name with French origins, derived from the Latin name Cyprianus, meaning 'from Cyprus.' The name connects to the ancient Mediterranean island of Cyprus, which was sacred to…