mr_donut's list "Luna collects boy names" of 20 great name ideas: Leopold - Valerian!

Luna collects boy names

This is just a list of boy names I personally find appealing. I want to see if I have a "type". Feel free to use any of these

An aristocratic and stately Germanic route to the popular Leo, Leopold is a royal name: Queen Victoria used it to honor a favorite uncle, King Leopold I of Belgium. These days, this royal tie may be seen as a drawback to the name, owing to the cruelty of King Leopold II's rule over the Congo, though it remains popular in Austria, Poland, and France (as Léopold). 
 
Though Leopold sounds as if it might be a leonine name, it's not really a relative of such choices as Leon, and Leonard. Instead, it comes from the Germanic elements liut and bald meaning "people" and "brave" respectively. Originally spelled as Luitpold or Liupold, its spelling was altered to reflect the popularity and appeal of being connected to leo and the lionlike bravery it evokes.
 In literature, the name is famous via Leopold Bloom, the central character of James Joyce's Ulysses and in music is associated with the distinguished conductor Leopold Stokowski. It also connected to St Leopold, the patron saint of Austria, step-parents, large families, and child death.
 
Like with many names, it has a variety of pronunciations depending on language and location. LEE-uh-pold or LEE-o-pold may be heard in English, while in Dutch and German, LEH-o-pawlt is used. In Polish, it's leh-AW-pawlt, in Slovak, it's LEH-aw-pawld, in Czech it's LEH-o-polt, and in French, it's LEH-AW-PAWLD. 
 
In the US, Leopold rose up slightly during the late 2010s and early 2020s, reaching its all time American peak in 2018 when it was given to 114 boys. More recently, it has begun to decline again and was given to 72 boys in the latest count. 
 
Nickname Leo might freshen it up (as Archie does Archibald), though Poldi is a German diminutive.

Leopold

Although Greek in origin--in the fourth century, a bishop by that name established the principles of the Greek Orthodox Church--Basil for years took on the aura of aquiline-nosed upper-class Britishness of Sherlock Holmes portrayer Basil Rathbone, then spiced with the fragrant aroma of the herb that entered with the Pesto generation.
 Now, it's time to take a fresh look at Basil.
 Basil was on the U.S. popularity list quite regularly up till 1970, reaching a high of Number 328 in 1904. Its history includes several rulers of the Byzantine Empire and Eastern Orthodox saints, including one whose grandmother, father, older sister and two younger brothers were all saints as well.
 Basil has also been seen as a figure of fun, as in the manic Basil Fawlty in the British TV comedy classic "Fawlty Towers," in the Disney movie "Basil of Baker Street," and as Basil Brush and Basil Wombat in other kids' entertainment.
 The Russian version, Vassily, is another possibility.

Basil

Mordecai, although it has a noble heritage, has never caught on in this country, because of its rather weighty image. Nevertheless, with parents searching for rarer Biblical names that work as alternatives to Malachi and Matthew, Mordecai has seen increased interest in recent years and was given to 74 boys in the US in 2024. 

 Mordecai is a symbolic name for boys born on the holiday of Purim, because this cousin of Queen Esther helped her save the Jews from destruction at the hands of Haman.
 Mordecai Richler was a Canadian author and screenwriter whose best known work is The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz.

Mordecai

With the rise of ancient Roman names, Octavian suddenly seem plausible again.  A variation of Octavius and relative of the more modern Octavio, it's an equally attractive member of the trio.

Octavian

This simple, elegant name offers something for many kinds of parents, from writers and history buffs to photographers to Pennsylvania dwellers. Most famous bearers are comedian Penn Jillette and Gossip Girl hottie Penn Badgley, both of whom were given this distinctive name at birth. Long obscure, Penn seems destined for greater usage.
 More familiar as a surname, Penn has had a number of distinguished bearers, including Pennsylvania founder William, director Arthur, photographer Irving, and actor/activist Sean.

Penn

This more elaborate but not unfamiliar spelling of Riley feels oddly more feminine.  Designer and Beatle daughter Stella McCartney has a daughter named Reilley.  Still, Reilly or more common Riley is one name that's remained popular for both boys and girls.

Reilly

Obscure Old Testament name -- he was the son of Naomi and the husband of Ruth -- that's become even more obscure over the past century, perhaps due to its unappealing meaning.

Mahlon

In Egyptian mythology, Amon is a major god associated with creation and the air. He was later fused with the Sun god, Ra, and became Amun-Ra.
 
In the US, Amon is occasionally used as a variation of Ammon, primarily within the Amish and Mormon communities.

Amon

Zenith is an uplifting if quirky word name, meaning the top or the peak. Eight boys received the name in one recent year, only a third of those who were called Nadir -- the low point!

Zenith

Wheeler is one of the most energetic of the newly stylish occupational names, all those 'e's giving it a friendly, freewheeling sound. 
 Wheeler has some historical cred via the nineteenth Vice President of the United States, William Almon Wheeler.

Wheeler

A rare Old Testament name that, although short, is resoundingly biblical. It belonged to name the tenth king of Israel, who seized power violently and reigned from about 841 to 814 BCE.
 
Jehu Mountain is a peak in the Catskills in New York State.

Jehu

The French-accented Pascal was historically used for sons born at Easter, and can make an interesting choice for a boy with Gallic roots arriving around that holiday. 
 Pascal has a number of notable first and last named namesakes, including the philosopher Blaise Pascal, a character in Beauty and the Beast and--for computer freaks--it is also the name of a scientific database.
 Pascoe is an attractive Cornish variation.

Pascal

Cary Grant's debonair image has stood the test of time: he is still rated as one of the most handsome and admired men in Hollywood. Charming, succinct, and witty, Cary (also spelled Carey) was a familiar choice throughout most of the 20th-century, peaking in the 50s and 60s when it made the Top 300. Out of favor since the 90s, could Cary be ready for reconsideration, now that Kerry and Carrie aren't as popular for girls?
 
Usually considered an anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Ciardha, the name ultimately comes from ciar meaning "black". Other sources occasionally link it to the Welsh Carew, meaning "fort on the hill", to the Irish mac Fiachra meaning "descendant of the crow", to the Byronic karɨd meaning "to love", or to the German Gehring, meaning "spear".

Cary

For fans of Hayden, Aiden, and Logan who are on the hunt for something familiar but unique, Hagan may be a possibility. It comes from the Irish surname Higgins, which itself derives from either Ó hAodhagáin or Ó hÁgáin, lending it the meanings "little fire" or "young". 
 
It was chosen for nearly 30 boys in 2024, along with six girls.

Hagan

Abbott is a neglected masculine surname with religious overtones, used to describe the head of a monastery or a prominent church figure, such as a priest. Though the feminine nickname Abby could be seen as a slight drawback, that's hardly stopped Abner or Abraham rising up the charts, and besides, there's nothing wrong with a gentler boy name.
 
Derived from the Italian abate meaning "priest, abbot", the name ultimately comes from the same Hebrew and Aramaic root as Abram or Abraham, giving it the additional meaning of "father". While the Abbot spelling is used to describe the head of an abbey of monks, Abbott was originally used as an English nickname or a last name for someone who worked for a high-ranking church official. 
 
An unexpected honor for an Abraham or Abigail, or perhaps for a family member who works within the church, Abbott fits in with the trends for spiritual names, occupational names, and names with a double -tt ending, like Everett, Barrett, Bennett, and co. 
 The political activist and co-founder of the Yippies, Abbie Hoffman's birth name was Abbott, while Abbot (one 't') Kinney is known for developing Venice, California--whose main throughfare bears his name.
 
Quietly used in the US, it was given to 30 babies in a recent year.

Abbott

Azriel, also found as Azrael or Asriel, is the name of the Angel of Death in Jewish and Islamic tradition. The Asriel spelling occurs as a Biblical name, notably as the forefather of the Asrielite tribe. Lord Asriel is Lyra’s immensely powerful and charismatic father in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy.

Asriel

It's the French Steve yet feels oh so much more debonair. Well-used and still a popular classic in French-speaking lands, but one of the many <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/498/french-names-for-boys">French names for boys</a>unfamiliar to most English speakers, except maybe fashionistas who associate it with designer Etienne Aigner. A new way to honor Grandpa Steve?

Etienne

While Aurelio, Aurelia, and Aurelius are all on the rise, this historical and Romanian form of the golden name is yet to share in its relatives' success. Given to just 25 boys in a recent year, it may never the less appeal to those who like Adrian, Elian, and Augustine. 
 
Aurelian is typically used in English to refer to the 3rd century Roman emperor (Lucius Domitius Aurelianus), known for reuniting the Roman Empire through his successful military victories. There's also the wrestler Aurelian Smith, better known as Grizzly Smith, Paul Aurelian, a 6th-century Welsh saint who supposedly lived to be 140, and Aurelian Temișan, a singer and actor.

Aurelian

Serafin and Seraphim are much less known and used in the US than the feminine forms Serafina and Seraphina, but just as appealing. An out-of-the-box Spanish option with a deep history and an animated meaning.

Serafin

This name of a Roman emperor and of a sedating plant is still used quietly, given to about a dozen baby boys in the US last year. It has a strong, rhythmic sound and could make a modern-feeling honor name for grandma Valerie.