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Catesby
English surname, meaning unknown
Brand new surname option that's equally appealing on girls and boys. In Shakespeare's Richard III , Catesby is a double agent working for Richard III of England. He was based on the real-life Sir…
Cathal
Irish
"battle rule"
The name of an ancient Irish saint is in the contemporary Irish Top 50. While it's one of the rare Irish names for boys that hasn't immigrated to the U.S., it may follow brothers Aidan and Declan to…
Cathay
Anglicized version of Italian Catai; place name
A perfect example of what a difference a single letter can make. Add an 'a' to the ho-hum Cathy and you have the old name for China, often used by such poets as Edna St. Vincent Millay and Ezra Pound.
Cato
Latin
"all-knowing"
Cato conjures up images of ancient Roman statesmen and southern antebellum retainers; it could have revival potential, with its 'O' ending and the current interest in the names of Greek and Roman…
Cavanaugh
Irish
"born handsome or son of Caomhan "
Pleasant Irish last name that could be a more masculine alternative to the overused Cassidy. Early kings of Leinster bore the name, which relates to the first name Caomhan or Kevin and can also be…
Cecily
Feminine variation of Cecil
"blind"
Cecily is as dainty as a lace handkerchief. Cecily has a wide assortment of namesakes. One Cecily was the mother of King Richard III, whose beauty gained her the title "the Rose of Raby," Cecily…
Celestine
Latin
"heavenly"
Celestine is a pretty, crystalline extension (actually a diminutive) of Celeste that would make a choice that is both delicate and strong. It is also a popular name in France, though typically…
Cenerentola
Cenerentola is the Italian name for Cinderella, the beloved fairy tale character. Derived from the Italian words 'cenere' (ash) and 'piccola' (small, little), it literally means 'little ash girl' -…
Ceylon
Place-name
Leans toward the feminine, but could work for boys too.
Chalil
Hebrew
"flute"
Rarely heard in this country.
Chamomile
Nature name
"earth apple"
A daisy-esque flower, although chamomile is much more commonly associated with the tea that's made from it.
Charmian
Greek
"joy"
This name was used by Shakespeare (who got it from Plutarch) in Antony and Cleopatra for one of the attendants of the Egyptian queen. An interesting possibility, it is heard occasionally in the UK,…
Chester
Latin
"fortress, walled town,"
Chester is a comfortable, little-used teddy-bear of a name that suddenly sounds both quirky and cuddly. Chester was a Top 100 name in the US from the 1880s to 1929, gradually fading till it finally…
Christabel
Latin and French
"fair Christian"
Though Isabel is a smash hit, Christabel still hasn't been fully embraced. It was originally popularized in England via the Coleridge poem Christabel ("whom her father loves so well") and was given…
Chrysanthemum
Greek
"gold flower"
One of the rarest of the flower names, that of the blossom celebrated in Japan as a symbol of the sun and a possible object of meditation. One of the rare flower names counted among names for autumn…
Cicero
Latin
"chickpea"
Roman statesman's name with a cool and quirky sound. Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman scholar, orator and lawyer who had an immense impact on the Latin language.
Cinderella
French
"little ash-girl"
One familiar name never used for real people, for obvious reasons. Read more about Cinderella and other Disney Princess Names in our featured blog.
Clarabelle
Latin
"bright and beautiful"
A combination name that might be dismissed as a clown and cow name. The sounds are nevertheless pretty and the meaning is good - though spellings Claribel or Clarabel might help distance it from the…
Clarence
Latin
"bright"
The name of the guardian angel in It's a Wonderful Life is rarely heard the rest of the year because of its studious, near-nerdy image, but this could change in the current naming climate. An English…
Clarice
Medieval form of Clarita, a derivative of Clara
"bright, clear"
If you’re a fan of the annual animated Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, you’ll recognize the name of Rudolph’s beautiful doe sweetheart, pronounced cla-REES—uncomfortably close to the Silence of the…