Oregon Trail era names - boys

Niel

Niel is a masculine name that serves as a variant spelling of Neil or Neal. It has ancient Celtic origins, derived from the Irish name Niall, which possibly means "champion" or "cloud." This concise…

Sylvanus

Latin

"wood; forest"

Sylvanus or Silvanus was the Roman god of the forest whose name is much more often found today in such variations as Sylvia, Sylvie and even Silas than in its original form. But if you're looking for…

Wulf

Wulf is a masculine name with ancient Germanic roots, directly meaning 'wolf' in Old Germanic languages. This powerful, single-syllable name carries historical significance as both a standalone name…

Absalom

Hebrew

"father of peace"

Absalom, because of its biblical and literary associations, just might appeal to the daring namegiver. In the Old Testament, Absalom was the handsome, favored but rebellious son of King David. In…

Adolphus

Latin

"noble wolf"

This softer version of Adolf is sadly still off-limits due to the connotations with Hitler.

Algernon

French

"moustached man"

While this name came into being as a Norman-French nickname for a man with whiskers, the name was quickly embraced as a true name by the Victorians and is likely most familiar to you as the name of…

Almond

English word name or variation of Almund or Aleman, German

"almond; noble strength; German"

Almond may seem like a hippy modern name, but its use for American boys goes right back to the mid-nineteenth century. In these cases, it was either a variation of Almund, meaning "noble strength,"…

Amery

Amery is a masculine name with Germanic roots, derived from ancient elements meaning "work ruler" or "industrious leader." It shares origins with the more common Emery and Emory, all evolving from…

Ancil

Ancil is a rare masculine name with multiple possible origins. It may derive from Anselm, a Germanic name meaning 'God's helmet' or 'divine protection,' or from Ancell, a diminutive of Anselm.…