User-created list
New Zealand places
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of 4
Henley
English
"high meadow"
The name of a British town on the Thames that hosts a famous regatta, so it could be an appropriate middle name for the son of boat-lovers.
Herbert
German
"bright army"
Names ending in bert have long been in limbo, but with the return of Albert, maybe there's hope for Herbert. who could share the Bertie nickname. Herbert is a name that's been used by English…
Drury
French
"dear one, sweetheart"
Rhythmic and energetic, Drury is of French origin, with the wonderful meaning of "dear one, sweetheart."
Leigh
English variation of Lee
"pasture, meadow"
This spelling adds a little more femininity to the neutral Lee. Leigh and sister Lee were quite popular in the 1960s and 1970s among the first cool wave of unisex names for girls, but now have…
Marsden
English
"boundary valley"
A surname-style choice that could work as an alternative to Marshall, Mason, or Arden. A topographical name referring to someone who lived near the boundary of a valley, it could lead to nickname…
Milton
English
"settlement with a mill"
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.
Mimi
Diminutive of Mary, Miriam, and others
Sweet, nicknamey name belonging to the tragic heroines of both La Bohème and Rent . Mimi might feel too slight for many parents to use on the birth certificate, but as a short form, it's one of the…
Moana
Maori, Samoan
"deep ocean, sea"
This Maori name, often heard in New Zealand, is an attractive, evocative choice for lovers of the ocean made famous – perhaps too famous – by the Disney heroine. Moana was also an alternate name for…
Oxford
English place-name
"from the oxen crossing"
High-collared and straightlaced, with the deadly "Ox" nickname.
Palmerston
Palmerston is a masculine name of English origin, derived from the occupational surname meaning 'one who lives near or tends palm trees' or possibly from a place name combining 'palmer' (a pilgrim…
Richmond
German
"powerful protector"
Richmond is a place-name — it's the capital of Virginia, US, and a town in London, UK — that makes a fresh way to honor an ancestral Richard.
Portland
English
"land near the port"
There are two lovely Portlands, in Maine and Oregon, but not many babies with their name.
Ross
English and Scottish
"upland, peninsula"
Like Friends , Ross is off the air and into syndication as a baby name, having plummeted from its zenith in the late 80s to fall off the US Top 1000 in 2013. Today, Ross is more likely to be a dad…
Sanson
Sanson is a masculine name with multiple cultural roots. It's primarily a variation of Samson, the biblical figure renowned for his extraordinary strength. The name derives from Hebrew origins…
Shannon
Irish
"old and wise"
Irish place-name -- it's a river, a town, and an airport -- once popular but now supplanted by such newer immigrants as Saoirse and Seanan.
Stratford
English
"street by the ford; road by the river crossing"
Preppy and contemporary in feel, Stratford is a surname and placename, most notably associated with Stratford-upon-Avon, the birth and burial place of William Shakespeare. It could make an unexpected…
Stirling
Scottish
"from the city of Stirling"
Though the usual U.S. spelling is Sterling, this is the authentic Scottish family name version.
Wakefield
Walton
English
"fortified town"
Slightly more modern than Walter, but only just.
Waverley