Assorted Names

Ashe

English surname; diminutive of Ashley, Ashton, etc

Although usually spelled without the final 'e', this version commemorates tennis immortal Arthur Ashe. Seth Meyers' son Ashe was given his wife's maiden name.

Ashlar

English word name, a type of masonry

An unusual variation on the "ash" names, Ashlar is a great choice for those who know their architecture - Ashlar is a type of fine-cut masonry work.

Auden

English

"old friend"

The poetic, soft-spoken Auden has recently started to be considered as a first name option, used for both sexes, appreciated for its pleasing sound as well as its link to the distinguished modern…

Bard

English, Gaelic

"minstrel, poet"

A literary word name, now synonymous with Shakespeare, Bard also refers more generally to a poet, particularly one who recited epics and traditional poems out loud. Similar in sound to Bernard,…

Bix

Modern nickname

Bix is a cool and jazzy nickname name, thanks to that final x. It's largely associated with the legendary and influential cornet player (and inspiration for the novel Young Man With a Horn ), Bix…

Blaise

French

"to lisp, stammer"

As modern as it sounds, Blaise is an ancient Christian martyr name. In Arthurian legend, Blaise is the name of Merlin the Magician's secretary. Its relation to the word and name Blaze gives it a…

Cassander

Greek

"light of man"

Cassander is the masculine form of Cassandra, and the name of an ancient king of Macedon from the 3rd century BC. It could make a nice alternative to Alexander or a refreshing way to honour a female…

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…

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…

Charon

Greek Mythology

"of keen gaze"

The name of the ferrymen of dead souls to the Greek underworld and the name of Pluto's desolate moon, Charon makes an interesting, if somewhat macabre, choice for a baby. There are two pronunciations…

Ciaran

Irish

"little black-haired one"

Extremely popular in Ireland, Ciaran is also well used in England and is beginning to be adopted by parents in the U.S., though usually via the more American-friendly Kieran spelling. The Irish…

Cielo

Italian

"sky"

Expansive, sunny Italian word name.

Crane

English surname

"crane"

This elegant surname has great potential to turn into an unusual first name, especially with its literary associations to both Stephen and Hart Crane. Crane is a surname that originated for a tall…

Cyprian

Greek

"man of Cyprus"

With a long and noble history -- Cyprian was one of the great Christian Latin writers -- this could make a highly unusual but meaningful choice. Cyprian has been in use since medieval times,…

Dash

Diminutive of Dashiell, meaning unknown

Dash is a nickname that can stand on its own and sounds, well, dashing. Connected these days with Kardashian enterprises. Dash can stand on its own—as is evidenced by its entry into the US Top 1000…

Dex

Diminutive of Dexter

"dyer; right-handed"

Dex, the nickname for Dexter that is sometimes used on its own, has lots of energy and dynamism. It was chosen by comedian Dana Carvey for his now grown son. With the growing popularity of Dexter, we…