U.S. Presidents and Vice Presidents
By lucyonjupiter
Updated Thu May 18 2023
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Names taken directly from or inspired by former and current Presidents of the United States and their Vice Presidents. These are mostly boy names, but I included some girl and unisex name alternatives in the mix too! This list is pretty exhaustive of all the Presidential names, and all those related to them, but if you think I missed any, let me know!
- Aaron
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"high mountain; exalted, enlightened"Description:
Aaron is a name of subtle contrasts: an unusual spelling that is easily recognizable; a solid Biblical choice that doesn’t feel exclusively tied to religion; a well-established name for boys but sometimes confused with the girls’ name, Erin; used internationally but with notably different pronunciations; classic like Andrew but not out of place with recent favorites like Weston or Jayden.
- Abe
Origin:
Diminutive of AbrahamDescription:
Old-time nickname that may follow in the fashionable footsteps of cronies Jake and Sam.
- Abraham
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"father of multitudes"Description:
Abraham is among the most classic baby names that's still widely-used today, popular for its references to both the Bible and American history. The Biblical Abraham was the first of the Old Testament patriarchs and is considered the founding father of the Jewish people. He was originally named Abram, until, according to Genesis, he was told, "No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations."
- Adalia
Origin:
Hebrew, German, "God is my refuge; noble one"Meaning:
"God is my refuge; noble one"Description:
Distinctive, elegant, and luxurious, Adalia can be a variation of Adele, or a Hebrew name with a Biblical background. Although it is given exclusively to girls in the US, in the Bible it is masculine. The similar Adlai might be easier to wear for boys in English speaking countries, while Adalia fits in with Adeline, Amelia, and Dahlia.
- Adam
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"son of the red earth"Description:
Adam -- a primal Old Testament name -- was revived as a 1960s cowboy name. Adam is not as popular as it once was and feels ready for a respite, replaced by newer A names like Aidan/Aiden, Avery and Axel. Its most prominent current bearers include Adams Sandler, Levine, Brody and Driver -- who plays a character named Adam on Girls.
- Adlai
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is just"Description:
Adlai is an Old Testament name long associated with 1950's liberal presidential candidate Stevenson, who was named after his grandfather, who was Grover Cleveland's vice president in the nineteenth century. Now it's an unusual Biblical choice ripe for rediscovery.
- Agnes
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"pure, virginal"Description:
Agnes is the Latin variation of the name Hagne, which itself derived from the Greek word hagnos, meaning "chaste." In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as a girl's name. Agnes Grey is the title of one of the two novels written by Anne Brontë.
- Al
Description:
Al is a masculine name that primarily functions as a shortened form of names beginning with 'Al,' such as Albert (meaning 'noble and bright'), Alfred ('wise counselor'), Alexander ('defender of the people'), or Alvin ('noble friend'). With its single syllable and straightforward pronunciation, Al projects a friendly, approachable quality that has made it enduringly popular as a nickname throughout the 20th century. The name peaked in popularity during the mid-1900s and carries associations with a generation of reliable, hardworking men. Al's simplicity gives it a timeless quality, though in recent decades it has become less common as a standalone given name, with parents more likely to use it as a familiar nickname for longer Al- names.
- Alben
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"white, or, man from Alba"Description:
More often spelled ALBAN, Alben is an ancient and highly unusual name. Alben Barkley was Harry Truman's vice president.
- Albie
Origin:
Diminutive of Albert, Alban or AlbusDescription:
This cute masculine nickname -- with connections to princes, Hogwarts headmasters and the Manzo family of "Real Housewives of New Jersey" -- almost has enough heft to stand on its own. But all of its precursor names have merit.
- Ally
Origin:
Spelling variation of AllieDescription:
This spelling variation of the popular girls' nickname ranks behind the more traditional form—Allie (Number 255). This spelling could be hurt by the word name ally, which bears a different pronunciation.
- Andrew
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"strong and manly"Description:
During its Top 10 heyday in the late 90s and early oughts, Andrew was one of the "cooler" classic boy names, an update on the old guard Roberts and Richards.
- Arthur
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
" bear"Description:
Arthur, once the shining head of the Knights of the Round Table, is, after decades of neglect, now being polished up and restored by stylish parents, inspired perhaps by the new generation of royals. Arthur has led the list of possible names for the young British princes, chosen as a middle name for Prince Louis, son of William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales.
- Artie
Origin:
Diminutive of Arthur, CelticMeaning:
"bear"Description:
Artie is a cute short form rarely given on its own, unlike the more grownup Art. But for a young Arthur, it's adorable.
- Banks
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"one who lives on the hillside or riverbank"Description:
Banks as a girls' name was brought into the lexicon by actress Hilary Duff and musician Matthew Koma, who chose it for their daughter, Banks Violet. As both a surname and a word name, Banks refers to financial establishments as well as river banks.
- Barack
Origin:
Hebrew; also Swahili from ArabicMeaning:
"thunderbolt, lightning; or blessing"Description:
The name of the 44th president, which he inherited from his Kenyan father, is related to the Swahili word "baraka," meaning "blessing," derived from the Arabic "baracka." It is linked, through the Semitic root, to the Hebrew name Baruch. Barack is also sometimes an alternate spelling of the Hebrew name Barak, which stems from the Semitic word for "lightning." Barack Obama may have found it a difficult name to grow up with, but the same won't be true for the many babies starting to be given that name. Other parents are being inspired to use Obama, which is a common surname among the Luo people of East Africa meaning "to lean or bend."
- Barkley
Description:
Barkley is a masculine name of English origin, originally a surname derived from the Old English 'beorc' meaning 'birch tree' and 'leah' meaning 'woodland clearing' or 'meadow.' As a first name, Barkley has maintained modest usage, experiencing small peaks of popularity in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s, possibly influenced by basketball star Charles Barkley. The name carries strong nature associations and a certain preppy, distinguished quality. It balances being recognizable without being common, appealing to parents looking for names with English heritage and woodland connections. Barkley also carries a friendly, approachable sound while maintaining a traditional surname-as-first-name style.
- Bart
Origin:
Diminutive of Bartholomew, HebrewMeaning:
"son of the earth"Description:
Permanent property of that devilish little Simpson kid.
- Bartholomew
Origin:
AramaicMeaning:
"son of the furrow"Description:
Bartholomew is an apostle's name that's been out of favor for centuries but might appeal again to the parent in search of an old but rare choice. The challenge could be to avoid the Simpson-ish nickname. That character, by the way, has the full name of Bartholomew JoJo Simpson, and creator Matt Groening came up with Bart as an--uh oh--anagram for brat. Two old alternate nicknames are Barty and Tolly.
- Ben
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"son of"Description:
Ben, the diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict, can easily stand on its own as a simple, strong, nice-guy choice, though it's somewhat attenuated. Ben is this generation's Bob or Bill.