Bernard is obviously a saint's name, but how did it get to the big, benevolent dog? The eleventh century monk, patron saint of mountain climbers, who lived in the Alps, was famed for setting up safe houses for pilgrims on their way to Rome over the treacherous St. Bernard Pass, and the canine breed, also used to rescue people in treacherous conditions, was named for him.
 Over the years, though, the name has taken on a highly intellectual image, losing most of that old Alpine energy. There were lots of little Bernies in the early decades of the twentieth century; Bernard reached as high as Number 45 in 1921.
 And the name does have some cultural cred, via playwright (George) Bernard Shaw, seminal art historian Bernard Berenson, and novelist Bernard Malamud. And let's not forget that 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Bernie Sanders's first name is Bernard as well.

Bernard

This name of famed philosopher, mathematician and Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell becomes slightly more plausible with the French pronunciation, bare-TRAHN. Another noted bearer is French director and screenwriter Bertrand Tavernier.

Bertrand

The name of the guardian angel in It's a Wonderful Life is rarely heard the rest of the year because of its studious, near-nerdy image, but this could change in the current naming climate. 
 An English peerage title, Clarence enjoyed great popularity at the turn of the last century, reaching as high as Number 18 in 1900, and staying on the list until 2010. It has two prominent legal bearers--Clarence Darrow, defense attorney at the Scopes Trial, and current Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. We can thank Clarence Birdseye for the invention of frozen food. Aretha Franklin and Louis Armstrong both named their sons Clarence.

Clarence

Delbert

Not heard since the 1980s, Dewey shot into the Top 20 in 1898 thanks to the popularity of Spanish-American War naval hero Admiral George Dewey. Dewey has subtle links to his Welsh roots and relation to father name David . The name was borne by the fifth century St. Dewi, patron saint of Wales. Later references include the namesake of the library Dewey Decimal System, a Donald Duck nephew, the younger brother on Malcolm in the Middle and Lemony Snicket character Dewey Denouement. It has a strong but dewy feel and is appealing enough to be ripe for a modern revival.

Dewey

An old Irish surname that was big in the 1960s, but would be an unexpected choice for a child now.

Duane

Edgar is an Old English name historically associated with the tenth century English king known as Edgar the Peaceful. There was also a King Edgar of Scotland.
 Edgar has been a stalwart on the US <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> lists, not dipping below the Top 400 until 2022, and is especially popular (as is Edgardo) with Latino families.
 Edgar plays a key role in King Lear and has had several distinguished namesakes, including artist Degas, Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs, and author and poet Edgar Allan Poe. In terms of style, however, most would rate it a distant third to Edward and Edmund. 
 Trivia tidbit: Joan Rivers' daughter Melissa named her son Edgar after her father, but he is called by his middle name Cooper.

Edgar

Some might be surprised to learn that Edwin has been a consistent presence on the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> list since statistics have become available.
 The most famous Edwin in history was a seventh century martyr called Edwin of Northumbria, and in literature is familiar from the protagonist of Charles Dickens' final (and unfinished) novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin's was born Edwin, and fellow astronaut Frank Borman honored him by using Edwin for his son.

Edwin

Rocking out on the porch with buddies Hubert, Norbert, and Osbert. 

Elbert

Thanks to Elmer Fudd, Elmer the Cow, and even Elmer's glue, this name has become a bit of a joke -- the quintessential so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out name. But with its trendy El-beginning and popular er-ending, who knows?
 Hard as it may be to believe today, Elmer was a Top 100 name for at least 50+ years--until 1937--hitting Number 38 at the turn of the last century. One literary reference is the title character in Sinclair Lewis's novel Elmer Gantry; real life namesakes include playwright Elmer Rice and composer Elmer Bernstein. "Elmer's Tune" is a jazz classic.

Elmer

Ernest is one of those sober, so-far-out-they're-beginning-to-be-reconsidered Great Uncle names. Ernest recently received a big style boost when Britain's Princess Eugenie chose it for her second son.
 
Ernest was a Top 40 name from 1880 to 1926, and despite trending downward from there, hung onto the Top 1000 until 2019. But we may see the rise of Ernest again before long.
 Ernest is probably the only name a whole play was based on—Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest—in which one character says, "There is something in that name that seems to inspire absolute confidence. I pity any poor woman whose husband is not called Ernest."
 The most famous bearer of the name is novelist Ernest Hemingway—unless you want to count Bert's friend Ernie.
 Changing the spelling to Earnest makes it a male virtue name.

Ernest

Eugene is a classic that has rather lost its way. On the one hand, it's a grandpa, even great-grandpa name that hasn't been one of the cool kids recently—or to quote Jim Carrey, who bears this name in the middle spot, "You can never get too cool with a name like Eugene." The hero of Disney's Tangled felt the same way, when he changed his birth name of Eugene to the more romantic Flynn.
 And yet! Eugene has had a long history of popularity, as a Top 50 name from 1880 to the 1940s. In fact, it has never been out of the Top 1000, making it a classic that's still given to hundreds of boys each year. It's even stopped falling in the last few years, and we could speculate that one day it will return to style.
 Also on the plus side, there were four popes and several saints named Eugene. A literary namesake is playwright Eugene O'Neill, and in art history Eugene Delacroix. In addition, there is the classic Russian novel by Pushkin, Eugene Onegin, and Eugene is the name Neil Simon used for his stand-in in three autobiographical plays, starting with Brighton Beach Memoirs.
 The female form, Eugenie, is chic and elegant, belonging to one of the daughters of the Duke and Duchess of York.

Eugene

Both a saint's name and a presidential one via Gerald Ford—who was born Leslie—Gerald is a quintessential 1930s-40s name, when it ranked as high as Number 19. Hence all those nice middle-aged and senior Jerrys we've known and loved. Gerald has always been popular in Ireland, accounting for the prevalence of Fitzgeralds there. Though not considered stylish, Gerald remains on the popularity charts. Cousin Gerard has a similar profile, Geraldo is the well-used Spanish version, and Geraldine is the most promising of the family, in line to follow the path of Josephine to imminent revival.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Gerald

Forget the furry blue Muppet, forget corpulent President Cleveland (not too difficult), and consider this name anew. We think it's spunky, a little funky, and well worth a second look. 
 President (Stephen) Grover Cleveland is actually a more than respectable namesake. The only president to serve two non-consecutive terms, he was well liked and respected. Many children were named in his honor, including the major league Hall of Fame pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander. Another well known Grover is jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr.
 Not surprisingly, Grover was at its most popular as a baby name around the time of Cleveland's presidency;it was Number 20 in 1884 and 1885.

Grover

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, our parents thought the same thing about Max and Jake. Consider the French Armand or Spanish Armando instead. Notable bearers include writers Herman Melville and Hermann Hesse--and then there was TV's Herman Munster.

Herman

Popular in the first half of the 20th century, Leland briefly fell out of favor in the late 90s. After a short break from the US charts, it returned in the mid-2000s, with actor Brendan Fraser choosing it for his youngest son, possibly making it feel cool again. Given to around 500 boys each year, Leland is in the Top 600.
 
Deriving from the English place name and surname, Leyland, meaning "untilled or fallow land", it can also mean "meadow land" from the Old English word Leah. Both serious and sporty in feel, the name is reminiscent of Leroy and Leonard, but also Landon and Liam, somehow managing to feel a little dated but right on trend simultaneously. 
 
 Leland Stanford was the founder of Stanford University and one-time Governor of California

Leland

Sometimes pronounced MAY-nerd, which is death to a name. However, the name Maynard was given to 25 boys in 2022. 

Maynard

All names ending in ville are in nowheresville. 

Melville

This once perfectly respectable surname has suffered decades of abuse, not least by Jerry Lewis's character in the fifties. NFL running back Melvin Gordon stars for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Melvin

Once an upper-class British surname conjuring up the epic poetry of John Milton, it then descended to the antics of "Uncle Miltie" Berle, and now has left the stage completely. 

Milton

A medieval German saint's name which remained popular in Germany until the middle of the 20th century. It is still in relatively wide use in other European countries, including Poland and Hungary. With other Bert names – like Robert and Albert and even Gilbert – appealing to lovers of strong, traditional boy names with a slightly clunky charm, Norbert could be one of those so-out-it's-in choices that everyone knows, but almost no one is using.

 A famous fictional Norbert is the baby dragon adopted by Hagrid in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Norbert

Only if you're an aviation buff or seriously addicted to popcorn. 

Orville

Otis has real appeal for parents attracted to its catchy O initial and combination of strength and spunk. The appealing hero of the British TV show Sex Education has done much to propel Otis into the forefront of cool names.
 Otis originally came into use as a tribute to the Revolutionary hero James Otis, and would be familiar to kids via the Disney film The Adventures of Milo and Otis. 
 Though well used at the turn of the last century, Otis was off the charts for two decades from 1995 to 2014, and now sounds like a fresh choice. Tobey Maguire used the name back in 2009. More recently, and possibly contributing to Otis's return to the Top 1000 in 2015, Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis gave the name to their son.

Otis

Out playing shuffleboard at his condo and not expected back for several generations -- unless it morphs into a girls' name, a la Sydney. 

Seymour

Like Marvin and Melvin, Sheldon has been perceived as about as far out as you can get, though there are very pretty towns in Devon and Derbyshire that inspired it. Sheldon Lee Cooper is the lead nerd character on the TV hit The Big Bang Theory, giving the name a brainy image. Nickname Shel (as in Shel Silverstein, author of Where the Sidewalk Ends) could, in the modern world of nature name love, be seen as beach evoking.

Sheldon

Wilbur is a stylish name in the UK whose merits are just starting to be discovered in the US. Wilbur, the loveable pig who Charlotte of the Web called Some Pig, is an inspirational hero. And Wilbur and Orville Wright were early aviationists.

Wilbur

Wilfred is one of those Old Man Names that still sounds fusty in the US but is fashionable in the UK. It comes with readymade short forms Will or Fred and might make an adventurous alternative to the ubiquitous William. The central character of Walter Scott's Ivanhoe is the knight Wilfred of Ivanhoe. Wilfred Owens was a well-known British poet.

Wilfred

sillysheila's list "Ugly Names that are Handsome" of 27 great name ideas: Bernard - Wilfred!