User-created list
By peaseblossom · Updated May 2023
Across 5 pages
of 5
Hebrew
"father of peace"
Absalom, because of its biblical and literary associations, just might appeal to the daring namegiver. In the Old Testament, Absalom was the handsome, favored but rebellious son of King David. In…
Greek
There once was a moralizing fabulist who tried to make it as a baby name...and failed.
Mythological name
"ocean"
Oceanus was the Titan in ancient Greek mythology who rules what they thought was the body of water that surrounded the Earth. Oceanus was, appropriately enough, the name of the baby born on the…
French, Breton
"tempest, hurricane"
Corentin is an intriguing saint's name fashionable in France but virtually unknown here-- which you may consider a big plus. St. Corentin possessed a magical fish that regenerated itself each night,…
Cornish
"sea brow"
Cornish variation on Meriadoc and Meriadeg.
Place name
From the name of the river which flows through Pakistan, India, and Tibet.
"one who excels"
Cadmus is the name of the serpent-slaying hero of Greek mythology who also founded the city of Thebes and is credited with inventing the alphabet. Its ancient feel might appeal to modern parents…
"from the sea"
Pelagios is one of the more outre of the sea-related names. But Pel could work as a short form -- or Gus.
"from the mountain"
A figure in Greek drama who murdered his mother makes for an unconventional choice for a baby name, but it has appeared on the US extended list several dozen times since records began.
Nature name
This tree name could be one of those fresh, cool nature names for winter babies , though we can only imagine the kind of jokes that will fly in junior high.
Greek mythology name
"the darkness of the night"
Name of the legendary ancient Greek poet and musician — whose music was so beautiful it made trees dance and rivers stop to listen — would provide a child with a challenging but indelible identity.
"all or shepherd"
Pan is the Greek god with the legs of a goat and the body of a pipes-playing man known for his mischievousness. Pan is also the god of shepherds, pastures, and fertility. Pan is also a Hindi name…
"evening, evening star"
Hesperos or Hesperus is the personification of the evening star in Greek mythology; in Roman myth, that role is held by Venus. There's a Longfellow poem called "The Wreck of the Hesperus" about a…
Demeter, while historically a feminine name from Greek mythology, has occasionally been used as a masculine name in some contexts. In Greek mythology, Demeter was the powerful goddess of agriculture,…
French
"fortification"
An old French surname derived from baille , meaning "fortification" – the same root as the English word bailey. The surname was borne by an aristocratic English family descended from French nobility.…
Italian variation of Florentius or Florence, Latin
"prospering, flourishing"
A masculine form of Florence, Fiorenzo has a bold, arty flair to it, while also giving the option of stylish nickname Enzo. It has been notably borne by cyclist Fiorenzo Magni.
Persian place name
Now deeply associated with the gemstone Lapis Lazuli, Lazuli is derived from one of the places where the stone was first mined. The word Lazuli is the root for words like azure. Lapis Lazuli is a…
Turkic, Mongol
"iron"
This Westernized form of the name of an ancient Mongol warrior, remembered primarily today through the works of Christopher Marlowe and Edgar Allan Poe, runs the risk of sounding pompous and…
Arabic
"peace through faith"
A name with considerable history, as the celebrated sultan of Egypt and Syria in the time of the Crusades.
Cornish variation of Pascal
"Easter"
Pascoe was popular in medieval times and is definitely deserving of revival, especially for a child born in the Easter season. Other spellings are Pasco and Pascow.
