Potential nb names

Nico

Italian diminutive of Nicholas, Greek

"people of victory"

Nico is one of the great nickname names, full of charm, energy and effortless cool -- a neo Nick. Nico is commonly heard in Italy -- as a short form of Niccolo -- and also in France, Belgium,…

Jay

Latin

"jaybird"

Though this feels like a modern invention, Jay has been in use for centuries. Early Jays often were named in honor of founding father John Jay, whose surname derived from the jaybird. A popular…

Valentin

French, German, Russian, Czech, Scandinavian variation of Valentine

"strength, health"

Romantic name used throughout Europe, though sure to lead to pronunciation problems here. Though it's never been too widely used in the US, it's quite popular in Switzerland, France, Austria, and…

Rene

French

"reborn"

Though it's used for boys, most non-French people would hear it as a girls’ name . Most would be surprised to learn that Rene has always charted in the US Top 1000 for boys.

Clement

Latin

"mild, merciful"

Clement, the name of fourteen popes and several saints, has a pleasantly, positive, slightly antiquated feel, like the phrase "clement weather." Clement C. Moore wrote the poem "A Visit from St.…

Darcy

English, French, Irish

"from Arcy; dark one"

The ultimate Jane Austen hero name, Darcy makes a handsome, surname style choice. Predominantly used for girls in England and Wales, across the pond in Australia, it is a stylish Top 100 name for…

Rosario

Italian

"rosary"

Rosario comes from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Rosario , or "Our Lady of the Rosary", Rosary referring to the vocal and mental prayers in Catholicism, that reflect on the…

Sascha

German variation of Sasha

"defending warrior"

In Europe, this name is mostly male, but here it's more fashionable for girls. It's a diminutive of Alexander.

Amory

German

"industrious"

Amory is the kind of executive-sounding surname name that became popular in the 1990s. Amory Blaine is the protagonist of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, This Side of Paradise .

Jem

Diminutive of James or Jeremiah

This name of the ten-year-old boy in the much loved and acclaimed modern classic To Kill a Mockingbird could find favor along with that of the character's sister, Scout.