Names from Once Upon A Time

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…

Maurice

English and French from Latin

"dark-skinned"

In the USA, Maurice was in the Top 200 for most of the 20th century; since 1990, however, it has been on a slow and steady decline. This name has the potential for some old-school cute nicknames such…

Gaston

French from German

"the foreigner, the guest"

Depending on your cultural references, you may think of Phantom of the Opera author Gaston Leroux, or the macho villain of Beauty and the Beast . While he's hardly a role model (unless you too use…

Anton

German, Russian, and Scandinavian variation of Anthony, Latin

"from Antium"

Cultured and cultivated in an old-style, Old World way, Anton is popular across Europe. It may be associated with the classic Russian playwright Anton Chekhov and also with ballroom dancer Anton Du…

Micheal

Spelling variation of Michael

A spelling variation of Michael—or sometimes simply a mistake. Whatever the case, this version has always ranked in the US Top 1000, though always much lower than the traditional spelling.

Walsh

Walsh originated as an Irish and English surname derived from the Old English word 'wælisc,' meaning 'foreigner' or specifically 'Welshman.' It historically identified people of Welsh or Celtic…

Hans

German, Dutch, and Scandinavian, diminutive of Johannes

Though familiar to all via such childhood icons as Hans Brinker, Hans(el) and Gretel, and Hans Christian Andersen, few Americans have chosen this name for their sons because of its intractably Old…

Stefan

German, Scandinavian, Polish, and Russian variation of Stephen, Greek

"crown, garland"

An elegant, continental name for the post-Steve era. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 1949, fell off in 2008 for one year, then dropped off again in 2024 and seems to be heading downward along with…

Fergus

Scottish and Irish

"man of force"

In Celtic lore, Fergus was the ideal of manly courage, making it a charming, slightly quirky Scottish and Irish favorite. As a name, Fergus forms a link between Ireland and Scotland, as Gaelic…

Hercules

Greek

"glory of Hera"

Any boy with this name, a synonym for power via the Greek mythology figure, better be strong of body, and of psyche.

Zeus

Greek mythology name

The supreme Olympian god represents a mighty image for a little fella to live up to, but more and more parents are beginning to consider it seriously. The Roman equivalent Jupiter has also come down…

Nemo

Greek

"nobody"

One of the best known early Nemos was the captain in Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea , while the more familiar modern one is the animated little orange fish in the Disney movie. Unusual name…

Brennan

Irish

"descendent of the sad one"

Brennan is a winning Irish surname name, more modern than Brian or Brendan, more unusual than Conor and Aidan. The only possible problem with Brennan: people might think you're saying Brendan.…