Name alternative for Henry

Most parents today call their Edwards Edward -- and we tend to think that's the right call. But it's worth noting that Eddie has been in the Top 1000 every year since records began in 1880; indeed, it was a mainstay on the Top 100 through the 1950s.

An appealing Irish placename with a unisex feel, Ennis would be a fresh alternative to Dennis and Ellis. It's little-used for boys and even rarer for girls, but since Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons used it for their son, it could be one to watch.

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 speakers since medieval times, and was in the Top 25 in the US in the late 1920s, around the time of the presidency of Herbert Hoover, but there's been no sight of Herbert in the 21st century. Some Herberts, including novelists H. G. Wells and H. E. Bates, have preferred to go by their initials.

This is an appealing name that could cross cultural borders, but it has lost ground in recent years.

Bulky surname honoring Grandpa Henry or Saul Bellow's Rain King.

The chic Euro spelling of Henry is rising along with the original form.

This surname name fits in with current favorites like Hudson, but is much less common as a given name. It's widely familiar thanks to the late Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets.

Change one letter of Henry, and you end up with this modern-sounding but dignified boys' name. Henty is an English surname that has been spotted on a few boys recently.

No matter how much you love the novels of Papa H., don't saddle your son with this unwieldy appellation.