User-created list
Dramatic Names
Single page list
About this list
The names
Victoria
Latin
"victory"
Victoria is the Latin word for "victory" and a feminine form of Victor. It is the name of the ancient Roman goddess of victory, the equivalent of the Greek Nike, and also a popular third century…
Evangeline
Greek
"bearer of good news"
Evangeline is a romantic old name enjoying a major comeback, thanks to its religious overtones, Eva's popularity, and the star of the TV megahit Lost , Evangeline Lilly. Evangelia and Evangelina —…
Vera
Russian
"faith"
Vera was the height of fashion in 1910, then was for a long time difficult to picture embroidered on a baby blanket. Now, though, it has come back into style along with other old-fashioned simple…
Roberto
Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese variation of Robert, English from German
"bright fame"
Standard Latin classic that brings some flair to the basic boy name Robert. Nearly 4000 baby boys are still named Robert in the US each year, many of them undoubtedly named for a father or…
Bellamy
English and Irish from French
"fine friend"
Bellamy is a surname name with an admirable meaning and upbeat rhythm, similar to jovial choices like Rafferty, Barnaby and Willoughby. Bellamy is rising simultaneously for boys and girls at the…
Ashlyn
Variation of Aislinn, Irish
"dream"
Though it relates to the Irish original, Ashlyn and its next most popular form, Ashlynn, owe more of their popularity as baby names in the US to the megastar Ashley, though all three have been…
Stephanos
Greek
"garland, crown"
The original form of Stephen, a readily importable choice.
Aragon
Spanish place name
Equally strong, dramatic and romantic, this name of an old kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula and a modern Spanish community as well, would give a boy an instant pedigree.
Thor
Norse and Scandinavian
"thunder"
Thor, the powerful name of the Norse god of thunder, strength and rain, would make a bold statement. Long a comic book staple, Thor has now invaded the big screen, and could land on birth…
Balthasar
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…
Belladonna
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.
Bellerose
French and English
"beautiful rose"
A felicitous combo of two sweet names; also a Queens, New York neighborhood.
Ceridwen
Welsh
"beautiful as a poem; crooked women"
A mythological Welsh name with an intriguing sound, Ceridwen appears in several Welsh legends, in which she is an an enchantress and the owner of the cauldron of poetic inspiration. She is also…
Finnian
Irish
"fair"
Finnian is a fair jig of a name, energetic and easy on the ear. Finnian (and brother Finian) is also familiar in its alternate spelling through the classic 1968 Broadway musical Finian's Rainbow ,…
Flavia
Latin
"golden, blond"
An ancient Roman clan name, Flavia is one choice that's unusual but historic. Now a Top 60 name in Italy, Flavia has been a rarity in the US, but with the upswing in F names for girls, this could…
Flavian
Latin
"yellow hair"
A Latin clan name that may rise again along with other things Roman.
Kallista
Greek
"most beautiful"
Actress Flockhart popularized the C version, but this works, too.
Liliosa
Spanish
"lily"
Liliosa, one of the most extravagant forms of the ever-more-popular and varied Lily family, is an ancient saint's name that's a perfect candidate for revival by parents who love the double-L flower…
Marguerite
French variation of Margaret; also a flower name
"pearl; daisy"
Marguerite is a classic French name with a remnant of old-fashioned Gallic charm; and is also a variety of daisy. Chic again in Paris, it's definitely ripe for revival here. Another reason you might…
Portia
Latin
"pig"
Portia is a perfect role-model name, relating to Shakespeare's brilliant and spirited lawyer in The Merchant of Venice , and is now also a Hunger Games name . Another Shakespearean Portia was the…