Lopes da Silva (male names, Part 4 of 12)

Amos is a robust biblical name that's being discovered by a new generation of parents in a major way.

Azariah is a rarely used biblical name that moves way beyond Adam and Abraham; its pleasant sound makes it no surprise that parents have discovered it in recent years.

Go with the traditional Irish Brendan. Several professional hockey players use this spelling for their given name: Morrow, Dillon, and Kichton.

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.

Casey is a name with a big wide grin, Irish, friendly, and open, and associated with several American folk heroes--Casey Jones, the engine driver of the Cannonball Express who gave his life to save his passengers, and the legendary Casey at the Bat.

Cassian is a saints' and Latin clan name, related to Cassius, that is virtually unused and waiting to be discovered.

Extremely popular in Ireland, Ciaran is also well used in England and is beginning to be adopted by parents in the U.S., though usually via the more American-friendly Kieran spelling. The Irish spelling is, however, becoming more familiar on this side of the Atlantic, due to the rising popularity of Belfast-born actor Ciaran Hinds.

Curtis is an attractive if somewhat dated surname name that has been borne by several significant musicians and athletes--think Curtis Mayfield, Curtis James Jackson III--aka 50 Cent, and also director Curtis Hanson.

Desmond is a sophisticated and debonair name, with noble ties to 1984 Nobel Peace Prize-winning Bishop Desmond Tutu, and with some great nicknames: Des/Dez, Desi/Dezi.

Eddy, recently used by Celine Dion for one of her twin boys, was chosen to honor Eddy Marnay, who produced her first five records. Though less common a nickname for Edward than Eddie, Eddy is used more often on its own.

The Top 10 boys' name Elijah is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, composed of the elements ’el and yah, both of which refer to God. In the Old Testament, Elijah was the prophet who went to heaven in a chariot of fire, a story sure to inspire any young Elijah.

Sleekened spelling.

Emery is one of the newly popular Em- names that has great potential, though right now for girls more than boys: it received a boost in 2009, a year after Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn used it for one of their daughters. Emery ranks on the Top 1000 for both boys and girls, but all the way up in the Top 100 for girls and down in the 700s for boys. Many related names are also trending for baby boys, from Emerson to Emrys to Amory to Emmett.

Ezekiel is derived from the Hebrew name Yechezqel, composed of the elements chazaq, meaning "to strengthen," and ’el, referring to God. Ezekiel is a prominent prophet in the Old Testament and the author of the Book of Ezekiel, predicting the fall of Jerusalem and eventual rehabilitation of Israel.

Finley has been used for both sexes for enough years to become one of the most popular unisex names. Given nearly equally to boys and girls, Finley appeals to contemporary parents as a truly gender neutral choice.