Vintage, quirky, clunky, lovely names.

Quirky, clunky names I'm considering.
  1. Adelaide
    • Origin:

      Variant of Adelheidis, German
    • Meaning:

      "noble, nobility"
    • Description:

      Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for the name of her second daughter.
  2. Alice
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "noble"
    • Description:

      Alice is a classic literary name that's both strong and sweet, ranking in the US Top 100 and popular throughout the western world. Alice is derived from the Old French name Aalis, a diminutive of Adelais that itself came from the Germanic name Adalhaidis, which is composed of the Proto-Germanic elements aþala, meaning "noble," and haidu, "kind, appearance, type."
  3. Anna
    • Origin:

      Variation of Hannah, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "grace"
    • Description:

      Anna has become the dominant form of the Ann family, offering a touch of the international to English speakers and a bit more style than the oversimplified Ann or Anne.
  4. Annabel
    • Origin:

      Scottish variation of Amabel
    • Meaning:

      "loving"
    • Description:

      Annabel is a spirited name that embodies quirky British gentility. Appearing in Scotland as early as the twelfth century, where it was a royal name, it also recalls the romantic Edgar Allan Poe poem Annabel Lee, written upon the death of his young wife, Virginia.
  5. Annabelle
    • Origin:

      Combination of Anna and Belle or French form of Amabel
    • Meaning:

      "loving"
    • Description:

      This is a charming name that rose steeply along with other-belle names, such as Isabelle, until the horror film Annabelle and its sequels knocked it out of favor. Made famous by the Edgar Allen Poe poem Annabel Lee. Annabelle is saucy and stylish, a tad upscale, has a sense of humor, is melodious and lively, but is unfortunately off its peak.
  6. Araminta
    • Origin:

      Invented hybrid name from Arabella and Aminta
    • Description:

      Araminta is an enchanting eighteenth-century invention familiar in Britain and just beginning to be discovered here. It was used in 1693 by William Congreve in his comedy The Old Bachelor, and in 1705 by the versatile Sir John Vanbrugh, architect of Blenheim Palace as well as a playwright, for his comedy The Confederacy.
  7. Athena
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "from Athens"
    • Description:

      The given name Athena was derived from the city name Athens, which is of uncertain origins. In Greek mythology, Athena is the name of the daughter of Zeus who was the goddess of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts, mathematics, and courage, among others. She was the great patroness-goddess of the city of Athens. In the Odyssey, Homer describes her as 'sparkling-eyed Athena.'
  8. August
    • Origin:

      German form of Latin Augustus
    • Meaning:

      "great, magnificent"
    • Description:

      The name August is at its highest point since the 1890s, when it ranked among the Top 100 boy names in the US. And deservedly so, given its great meaning, historic roots, and cool nicknames.
  9. Augusten
    • Origin:

      German variation of Augustus, Augustine, Augustin
    • Meaning:

      "great, magnificent"
    • Description:

      Confessional memoirist Augusten Burroughs is the first literary notable to bear one of this family of names since the confessional saint.
  10. Beauregard
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "beautiful gaze"
    • Description:

      In the past this was seen as a jokey Southern colonel name, but we have heard of some parents considering it as a path to the likeable Beau.
  11. Boheme
    • Origin:

      French word name
    • Description:

      "Girls Gone Child" blogger Rebecca Woolf made Boheme a first name when she gave it to one of her twin daughters (the other one's name is Reverie). La Boheme -- "The Bohemian" -- is a Puccini opera that was transmogrified into the modern play Rent. Boheme means a literary or artistic person who lives outside conventional society.
  12. Bosworth
    • Caius
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "rejoice"
      • Description:

        Caius is classical and serious but also has a simple, joyful quality. There was a third century pope named Caius, as well as an early Christian writer, several Shakespearean characters, and a Twilight vampire. We would pronounce the name to rhyme with eye-us though at Cambridge University in England, where it's the name of a college, it's pronounced keys.
    • Cashel
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "castle, stone fort"
      • Description:

        Cashel is one of the many appealing Irish names that have not yet emigrated to the US. Cashel was chosen by actor Daniel Day-Lewis and his writer-director wife Rebecca Miller for their son.
    • Cassian
      • Origin:

        Latin, variation of Cassius
      • Meaning:

        "hollow"
      • Description:

        Cassian is a saints' and Latin clan name, related to Cassius, that is virtually unused and waiting to be discovered.
    • Cate
      • Origin:

        English diminutive of Catherine
      • Meaning:

        "pure"
      • Description:

        Time was, even C-starting Catherines who called themselves Kate spelled it with a K, but Cate Blanchett changed all. Cate is now as acceptable as (but not as well used as) Kate. Cait might be short for Caitlin.
    • Clover
      • Origin:

        Flower name, from Old English
      • Meaning:

        "key"
      • Description:

        Clover is a charming, perky choice if you want to move beyond hothouse blooms like Rose and Lily, and it's recently become a new celeb favorite, chosen by both Neal McDonough and Natasha Gregson Wagner, who used it to honor her mother, Natalie Wood, one of whose most iconic films was Inside Daisy Clover.
    • Emmeline
      • Origin:

        Old French form of archaic German Amal
      • Meaning:

        "work"
      • Description:

        Emmeline is an Emma relative and Emily cousin that is destined for greater use in the wake of the megapopularity of those two names. A recommended Nameberry fave, Emmeline hopped onto the US Top 1000 in 2014 for the first time ever. While it is genuinely an old name, it was rarely used a century ago; only 17 baby girls were named Emmeline in 1915, the same number as were named Ernie!
    • Eugenia
      • Origin:

        Feminine variation of Eugene, Greek
      • Meaning:

        "wellborn, noble"
      • Description:

        Eugenia, a name scarcely used at all since the 1980's, is another that flourished a century ago and could be due for a revival.
    • Evangeline
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "bearer of good news"
      • Description:

        Evangeline is a romantic old name enjoying a major comeback, thanks to its religious overtones, Eva's popularity, and the star of the TV megahit Lost, Evangeline Lilly. Evangelia and Evangelina — two variants of Evangeline — are sure to tag along for the ride.