snips - snails - etc

  1. Dutch
    • Description:

      If Holland works for a girl, why not Dutch for a boy? Gavin Newsom, Lt-Governor of California, kept up his geographical baby name theme when he called his 4th child Dutch William, (his other children are named Hunter, Montana and Brooklyn.)
  2. Earl
    • Origin:

      English aristocratic title
    • Description:

      Earl is a title name - brought to England by the vikings - that's out of fashion right now, unlike King and Duke. Its peak popularity was in the 1920s, which gives it a dusty great-grandpa feel, but there are also younger Earls in pop culture, like the reformed criminal in "My Name is Earl".
  3. Eden
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "place of pleasure, delight"
    • Description:

      This Biblical name was rising dramatically for boys, but has plateaued in recent years. Although it's more popular for girls, it's a delightful unisex choice. Eden is one of the Top 100 Boy Names in France.
  4. Finch
    • Origin:

      English word and nature name
    • Meaning:

      "to swindle"
    • Description:

      It feels like Finch should be a modern bird name that's as popular as Wren or Lark, but that's not the case - so it's one to consider if you're looking for a nature name that's familiar but rare.
  5. Fitzroy
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of the king"
    • Description:

      An English surname originally given to the illegitimate sons of a monarch. It might be a nice middle name choice to honor an ancestral Roy, though as a first, it does have a cool meaning.
  6. Florin
    • Origin:

      French and Romanian
    • Meaning:

      "flower; flourishing"
    • Description:

      Florin is one of the legion of names derived from the root word for flower, most of them like Flora and Florence used for girls. But the boys' form Florin is among the popular French names for boys, along with sister name Fleur for girls. There was a ninth century Swiss St. Florin. The related Florian was the name of a second century Roman saint.
  7. Folbright
    • Francis
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "Frenchman or free man"
      • Description:

        Since this was the name chosen by the current Roman Catholic pope, Francis has come into the spotlight.
    • Fulbright
      • Origin:

        German
      • Meaning:

        "the descendents of Fulbeorht, bright people"
      • Description:

        No guarantee of a fellowship.
    • Graham
      • Origin:

        Scottish
      • Meaning:

        "gravelly homestead"
      • Description:

        Well used in England and Scotland since the fifties, the smooth and sophisticated Graham is catching on here.
    • Hawthorne
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "lives where hawthorn hedges grow"
      • Description:

        The great American novelist sets this above many other surnames (and nature names, for that matter), but it's still an imposing and adventurous choice. Do nicknames Hawk or Thorne make it more approachable? How about Hank or Hal instead?
    • Hutch
      • January
        • Origin:

          English word name
        • Meaning:

          "month name"
        • Description:

          Cooler than the older month names like April and May, and a highly unusual and eye-catching choice. The most famous real-life January is female – January Jones – but the month is named for the Roman god Janus, who presided over doors and new beginnings.
      • Judge
        • Origin:

          Word name
        • Description:

          Eighties star Judge Reinhold (born Edward Jr. , he was given this nickname at the age of two weeks) made this possible, but it could cause a lot of confusion.
      • Julian
        • Origin:

          English from Latin, variation of Julius
        • Meaning:

          "youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"
        • Description:

          Cool and charming, with plenty of flair and sophistication, Julian manages to strike the balance between being a sensible classic and contemporary choice. Appealingly international, it is no wonder Julian is a rising star.
      • July
        • Origin:

          English word name
        • Meaning:

          "month name"
        • Description:

          Most things Jul-related – from the month of July to popular modern names Julia and Julian – originate with Roman emperor Julius Caesar, and the month name July is no exception. Fifteen girls and seven boys were named July in 2013, putting this month name into the class of gender neutral names.
      • Lee
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "pasture, meadow"
        • Description:

          A name that has a bit of a shouldn't-I-be-a-middle-name sound, though still in use as a first for both genders. Lee might be a good choice if you want something that sounds at once traditional yet modern, unisex but not newly-minted.
      • Llewellyn
        • Origin:

          Welsh, variation of Llywelyn
        • Meaning:

          "leader's image"
        • Description:

          Llewellyn/Llywelyn is a common patriotic first name in Wales, with its distinctive Welsh double LL's; in the U.S. Llewellyn would make a daring choice, though with the chance that some might find the ellen sound slightly feminine.
      • Louis
        • Origin:

          German and French
        • Meaning:

          "renowned warrior"
        • Description:

          Kate and William shocked the world when they announced that they'd named their third child Louis -- Prince Louis Arthur Charles, to be more precise. But we've been predicting a comeback for this classic name for a long time.
      • Madison
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "son of Matthew"
        • Description:

          Madison was at one time a strictly boys' presidential name, reaching as high as Number 311 at the end of the nineteenth century. That all changed in 1985 when it entered the girls' list, zooming up quickly until it reached the Number 2 spot, with more than 22,000 female babies given the name in 2001. As is so often the case, its use for boys has dropped precipitously.