User-created list
By bootsie · Updated April 2023
Across 7 pages
of 7
Alutiiq, Native American,"island"
"island"
Kodiak Island, off the coast of Alaska, is the second largest island in the US as well as a baby name getting some attention, especially for boys and especially in Washington State.
Chinese
"shining bright"
A common Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean unisex name, and the name of a culturally rich Chinese Dynastic period. Yao Ming is the seven and a half foot Shanghai-born basketball star. Trivia tidbit: His…
Music name
Feels as if it's missing a syllable.
Scottish from the Gaelic
"sower"
Rugged but gentle, Sholto is a traditional Scottish first name, especially within the Douglas clan, with Sholto Douglas being its mythical ancestor. It is an Anglicized form of Sìoltach, meaning…
Parlan is a masculine name with Scottish and Irish Gaelic origins. It's believed to be derived from the Gaelic 'Parthalán' or 'Bartholomew,' which means 'son of Talmai' or 'furrow.' In Scottish…
Scottish
"little saint"
Excellent candidate for use as an undiscovered surname name. Niven is the Anglicized spelling of the Irish name Naomhan, a diminutive of the word naomh which means saint. This handsome but unusual…
Chinese surname
For admirers of modernist architect I. M.
"bright"
A well-used name in China that has some potential for assimilation.
Chinese or Aboriginal, meaning unknown
Kija was a legendary king who brought Chinese civilization -- including rice and writing -- to the Korean people, probably in the 2nd century BC. Kija is also the name of a group of Aboriginal people…
"the ox"
In China, the ox represents patience and determination, a commendable combination.
Pehr is a masculine name of Scandinavian origin, primarily found in Sweden. It represents a traditional Nordic variation of Peter, which derives from the Greek Petros, meaning 'rock' or 'stone.' This…
Cornish
"little dark one"
It may be a longshot – especially since it was given to less than 5 boys in the US in 2021 – but Piran could conceivably be a future Kieran, which is shaping up to being the next Kevin. Piran is the…
Literary name
The original Zooey, hero of J.D. Salinger's Franny & Zooey , was male, but nowadays the name is more closely associated with actress/singer Zooey Deschanel. With Zoe at number 31 for girls and Zoey…
Word name
Toni Morrison, a master of character naming, coined this one for the best friend of hero Milkman Dead in Song of Solomon . Definitely a cool choice, with a twang.
Place name
An unexplored choice, evocative of the snowcapped Andes, with a pleasant, catchy sound.
Cool, musical modern choice, especially as a middle name.
Phonetic spelling of St. John
The name St. John is much more usable in its phonetic spelling — similar to the way St. Clair evolved into Sinclair. St. John has some literary cred — St. John Rivers is a cool character in Jane Eyre…
Scandinavian variation of Peter
So simple, yet so unique: a prime candidate for export. Pronunciation is like the English pair or pear.
English word name
"a very large nail"
Spike is part mid-century nickname-name, ala Buster or Buck, and part word name, with an all-over cool creative dude feel thanks to directors Spike Lee and Spike Jonze. Mike Myers named his son…
Place-name
An interesting Canadian province and city name that has some literary history as the name of a character in Dickens's Bleak House ; could make a distinctive choice for parents with northern roots.
