User-created list
By justthinkin · Updated May 2023
Across 18 pages
of 18
Norse
"son of Ing"
Ingmar is known here almost solely through Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. Ing was the powerful Norse god of fertility and peace, who lent his name to several mortal variations, more notably to…
German
"angel-raven"
An undiscovered surname possibility with upscale overtones, could be enlivened with nickname Ingo.
Welsh
"handsome lord"
Archaic Welsh name, scarcely heard today. Often referred to as the Welsh variation of Edward, although the two names are not related.
Cornish variation of Jacob or James
"supplanter"
A dashing alternative to the popular James and Jacob, Jago is the jaunty Cornish form of the Biblical names. Occasionally (or historically) appearing as Jagoe, Jego, and Jaego, it may have been…
Anglicization of Iarlaithe, Irish
"tributary lord; sovereign"
Traditionally spelled as Iarlaithe, Iarfhlaith, or Iarlaith, this is the English form of the regal, rugged Irish name. Familiar but distinctive in Ireland, it was given to 6 boys in a recent year,…
Medieval form of Julian
"youthful"
Galsworthy used this for "The Forsyte Saga," but in modern real life Julian would work better.
Slavic variation of Christopher, Greek and Latin
"bearer of Christ"
Attractive attenuated form of the popular Christopher, well used throughout Europe, appearing as Christophe in France and Christoph in Germany.
Place-name
We've seen babies with Texas city names like Austin, Houston and Dallas--, why not the unexplored Laredo, which has a lot of cowboy charisma? Laredo might make for a more modern and creative namesake…
Irish mythological name
Lir is the Irish god of the sea, the equivalent of the Welsh Llyr which some equate with Shakespeare's King Lear. This is one of those rare names that is simple and has a deep history with an…
Loughlin is a masculine name of Irish Gaelic origin, derived from the surname Ó Lochlainn, meaning 'descendant of Lochlann.' Lochlann was an ancient Irish term referring to Scandinavia or Viking…
English and Scottish variation of Ludwig
"famous warrior"
Euro-cool. Heard more in Scotland than in England or the US, Ludovic Lesly is a character in the Sir Walter Scott novel Quentin Durward and Sir Ludovic Kennedy was a noted Scottish broadcaster and…
Scottish
"son of Alasdair"
Macallister as a first name is attracting new attention as the name chosen by Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and venture capitalist Zack Bogue for their young son. Macallister is usually heard as a…
"fortunate, benefactor's son"
Also spelled Madog, which was the name of an early Welshman, Madog ap Owain Gwynedd, reputed to have been the first European to discover North America in 1155. Maddox, the name of Angelina Jolie and…
Nordic
"great"
Magni is a powerful name from Norse mythology: he’s the son of Thor and the giant Járnsaxa. A more modern variant is Magne, which is currently climbing fast in Denmark.
Marinus is a masculine name of Latin origin meaning 'of the sea' or 'marine.' This classical name has historical significance, being borne by several early Christian saints and a pope. Popular…
Spanish and Portuguese
"from the mountains"
The name of the governor of Cyprus in Shakespeare's Othello could be a good alternative to overused (and now mostly female) Montana, bolstered by the trendy o-ending.
Irish
"descendent of the bald-headed"
Less appealing than some other Irish surnames, such as Malone and Sullivan, unless used as a tribute to jazz musician Gerry. There could be some Mulligan stew teasing.
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
"of the palace"
This title of honor given to Charlemagne's twelve best knights would be prized as a name by most sword-loving little boys.
Greek mythological name
Though the name of his great tragic love Thisbe remains in modern use, that of her paramour Pyramus, a young Babylonian, has all but disappeared. Chaucer includes the tale of their misbegotten love…
