My favorite boy names

North

English word name

"cardinal direction of north"

A lot of attention was drawn to this name when Kim Kardashian and Kanye West announced it as the name of their baby daughter, making it instantly unisex. North is a word name that's long been used,…

Thorin

Norse and Scandinavian

"thunder or brave and daring"

Some sources give Thorin as a variation of the thunder god name Thor, equivalent to Thoren, while others says it comes from the verb að þora, meaning "to dare." This is a dwarf's name that first…

Melchior

Dutch from Hebrew

"city of the king; king of light"

The least used of the Three Wise Men's names, but a strong option for bold namers to consider. The exact origins of Melchior are unknown, but it is speculated that it derived from either the Hebrew…

Marius

Latin, from a Roman family name related to Mars, the god of war

Marius, frequently heard in Germany and France, is a slightly fusty yet accessible name that has (Les Mis) to Anne Rice. With the rise in interest in such Latin names as Maximus and Atticus, Marius…

Balthazar

Phoenician

"Baal protects the King"

This evocative name of one of the Three Wise Men of the Orient, also spelled Balthasar, may finally be ready for prime time. Balthazar, Melchior and Caspar were the Magi who brought gifts of gold,…

Casimir

English; French, from Polish

"destroyer of peace"

Casimir, a traditional name of Polish kings, could do quite well these days as we see the rise of Caspian, Cassius, Castiel, et. al. Like Leopold and Laszlo, Casimir is strong and worth considering…

Leopold

German

"brave people"

An aristocratic and stately Germanic route to the popular Leo, Leopold is a royal name: Queen Victoria used it to honor a favorite uncle, King Leopold I of Belgium. These days, this royal tie may be…

Sid

Short form of Sidney, French

"Saint-Denis"

Sid originated as a nickname for Sidney, but we like it on its own, a la Sara Quin's and Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen's sons. Sid Vicious, member of the band the Sex Pistols, gives this name a punk…