Dogger Names

Kermit was a Top 500 name until the 1960s, not coincidentally the decade in which Kermit the Frog made it a one-person (well, one-frog) name.

The Hungarian classic Laszlo, with its zippy 'z' middle and energetic 'o' ending, has become something of a hipster option, beginning to be considered by cutting-edge parents.

Lazlo is a masculine name of Hungarian origin, serving as a variant spelling of László. The name derives from Vladislav, combining Slavic elements meaning 'rule' and 'glory.' Saint László I was a celebrated 11th-century king of Hungary known for his piety and military skill, which helped establish the name's popularity in Hungarian culture. Outside Hungary, Lazlo gained some recognition through cultural references and Hungarian immigrants, though the more traditional László spelling remains more common in Hungary itself. The name carries an exotic European flair while remaining relatively straightforward for English speakers to pronounce. Lazlo projects strength and character with its distinctive sound and rich historical associations to Hungarian nobility and leadership.

Most famous as a Dracula victim (where Mina is short for Wilhelmina), Mina is a name that can stand on its own or be a diminutive of any name ending in -mina, most usually Wilhelmina.

Minnie was wildly popular at the turn of the last century — it was the fifth or sixth most popular name throughout the 1880s — but is completely obscure in the US today. Blame Mickey's girlfriend. Regardless, it's possible that the up and coming trend toward old-fashioned nickname-names — think Maisie, Mamie, Millie — may give Minnie (all on its own, not as a short form of anything) a new moment in the sun.

If you love Dixie, Trixie and Pixie, this name of a mermaid-like sprite in German folklore may be for you. It might also make an update for Nicki.

Rollo is a livelier, roly-poly, o-ending version of Roland.

Rufus is a rumpled, redheaded (it was the nickname for red-haired King William) ancient Roman name popular with saints and singers (e.g. Rufus Wainwright); now, Rufus is on the cutting edge of cool.

Walter was seen as a noble name in the Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Walter Scott era, but it then spent decades in baby name limbo. Now quite a few independent-minded parents are looking at it as a renewable, slightly quirky, classic, stronger and more distinctive than James or John, second only to William among the handsome classic boy baby names starting with W.