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Pastoral Dreamer

lavenderwitch
By lavenderwitch
Updated Fri May 12 2023
Names in this category are bards and poets, readers and writers and dreamers, hopeless romantics, indolent shepherds sleeping while their flock roams nearby. Colors and textures are green and gold, the susurration of the wind through meadow grasses, passionate love letters with pressed flowers inside, curly wool, dandelion fluff carrying wishes on the breeze, distant castles on verdant rolling hills, stolen kisses in sun-drenched fields, deerskin breeches and ivory linen tunics, dust motes floating in golden summer sunlight.
  1. Theodore

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"

    • Description:

      Classic and elegant but with boyish charm, Theodore has become hit name in recent years, vaulting into the US Top 10 in 2021 for the first time ever and into the Top 5 in 2024. A favorite in English speaking countries, it also ranks highly across the UK and Ireland, and in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
  2. Jude

    • Origin:

      Latin diminutive of Judah, Hebrew, Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "praised; to be generous, to be good to others"

    • Description:

      Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity -- but not TOO much popularity, in the US at least. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", double-handedly responsible for propelling Jude up the charts.
  3. Rhys

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "ardor"

    • Description:

      Rugged but gentle, Rhys is the traditional Welsh spelling of this name, which can also be anglicized as Reese or Reece. Up until 2010, Reese was the preferred spelling in the US, perhaps because parents were concerned about mispronunciation. However, Rhys has since taken over for boys and is now used twice as often as Reese.
  4. Atticus

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "from Attica"

    • Description:

      Atticus, with its trendy Roman feel combined with the upstanding, noble image of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, is a real winner among boy names. Atticus entered the US Top 1000 in 2004 and is a firm Nameberry favorite.
  5. Everett

    • Origin:

      English variation of the German Eberhard

    • Meaning:

      "brave as a wild boar"

    • Description:

      Everett is a preppy but outdoorsy name, with wintery New England vibes. In the last decade, it’s had a leap in popularity, perhaps because of its similarity to trendy girls’ names like Ava and Scarlett, or perhaps because it offers a fresh alternative to 90’s style Evan and Brett.
  6. Nathaniel

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"

    • Description:

      Nathaniel was derived from the Hebrew name Netan’el, meaning "gift of God," composed of the elements natan, meaning "to give," and ’el, in reference to God. The name is featured several times in the Old and New Testaments, typically spelled Nathanael. In the New Testament, Nathanael is also known by his other name, Bartholomew.
  7. Brooks

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "of the brook"

    • Description:

      A nature name, a word name, and a surname name, Brooks has plenty of cool factor. It gives off cowboy vibes and a sporty feel, while also maintaining a smart, collected image.
  8. Hugo

    • Origin:

      Latinized form of Hugh

    • Meaning:

      "mind, intellect"

    • Description:

      Hugo, the Latin form of Hugh, has more heft and energy than the original -- and of course we love names that end (or begin, for that matter) with an o. This one is especially appealing because it's backed up by lots of solid history and European style.
  9. Beckett

    • Origin:

      English and Irish

    • Meaning:

      "bee hive, little brook or bee cottage"

    • Description:

      Beckett is one of the big baby name hits of the decade.
  10. Evander

    • Origin:

      Scottish; Greek

    • Meaning:

      "bow warrior; strong man"

    • Description:

      Evander is a name that could build on the popularity of shorter form Evan, and could work and play well with schoolmates like Zander and Xander.
  11. Graham

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "gravelly homestead"

    • Description:

      Well used in England and Scotland since the fifties, the smooth and sophisticated Graham is catching on here.
  12. Bennett

    • Origin:

      English medieval form of Benedict, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "blessed"

    • Description:

      Bennett is Ben with a bow tie, kind of a cross between Benjamin and Beckett. It's been trending up on the popularity charts in recent years, and its choice by The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's Jane Krakowski could shoot it even higher.
  13. Emrys

    • Origin:

      Welsh, variation of Ambrose

    • Meaning:

      "immortal"

    • Description:

      Magical and powerful, but gentle and approachable too, Emrys is a Welsh name which may be worth considering if you're looking for something less common that Dylan, Evan, or Morgan. An offbeat epithet of the wise wizard Merlin, it's currently in the Welsh top 100 and in the England and Wales Top 500 over all.
  14. Caius

    • Origin:

      Variation of Gaius, 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.
  15. Fletcher

    • Origin:

      English occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "arrow-maker"

    • Description:

      Fletcher is a common surname with a touch of quirkiness; it definitely fits into the So Far Out It's In category--and moving further in all the time along with other occupational names from Parker to Forester.
  16. Wilder

    • Origin:

      Surname or word name

    • Meaning:

      "wild, untamed, uncontrolled"

    • Description:

      Rugged, outdoorsy, and full of energy, Wilder entered the US Top 1000 back in 2015. Part bad boy, part Western, part preppy, and part nature-loving, Wilder is given to nearly 800 babies each year.
  17. Finley

    • Origin:

      Irish and Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "fair-haired hero"

    • Description:

      A hugely popular choice for boys in England and Wales, Finley has been used for both sexes in the US since the early 2000s, and has since become one of the most popular unisex names. Until recently, it was tilting slightly towards the girl side, however, as of 2024, it leans more masculine.
  18. Tristan

    • Origin:

      Celtic

    • Meaning:

      "noise or sorrowful"

    • Description:

      Tristan -- known through medieval legend and Wagnerian opera -- has a slightly wistful, touching air. This, combined with the name's popular "an" ending, makes Tristan very appealing to parents seeking a more original alternative to Christian.
  19. Clark

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "scribe, secretary, cleric, scholar, clerk"

    • Description:

      Clark seemed to have been Gone with the Wind, but parents looking for a short, strong boy's name are now beginning to appreciate its cool combination of Gable charm with Superman power.
  20. Dorian

    • Origin:

      Greek, name of a tribe

    • Description:

      The Dorians were an ancient Greek tribe, one of the three major pre-Spartan tribes. It literally means "of Doris," a Greek district, or "of Doros," referring to the son of Helen of Sparta. Dorian derives from the Greek doron, meaning "gift," along with related names such as Dorothy and Dora.

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