Down the Rabbit Hole Names

Hannibal

Punic and Assyrian

"grace of Baal, god of fertility and fortune"

These days, it's thought of less as the name of the great general and more as the first name of Lecter the fictional cannibal. Either association is too heavy for a child to bear.

Finbar

Irish

"fair-haired"

This is an ancient saints' name well used in Ireland but a rarity here and unlikely to ever reach the popularity of other Finn-ish names. St. Finbarr (the more common spelling) is the patron saint of…

Cotton

Word name

A name heard in Puritan times -- Cotton Mather was a minister involved in the Salem witchcraft trials -- which really deserves modern consideration as it blends nature and softness into a really…

Diesel

German, from a pet form of Mathias

Diesel, which you can think of as a word name for the fuel or as a German surname that derives from a pet form of Matthew or Mathias, is a new entry to the American name lexicon thanks to celebrities…

Vigo

Italian surname

"settlement"

Vigo is both an Italian and Spanish surname and a Scandinavian first name. As a place name, it's found in Spain, Italy, England – and Indiana. Vigo the Carpathian is the fictional villain of…

Gunther

German

"battle warrior"

When it's spelled with two dots over the ' u ' in German, Gunther is pronounced GUWN-ter, but it has a much softer sound when the 'h' is voiced by English-speakers, as it was, for example, for the…

Yuki

Japanese

"snow; happiness"

Short yet impactful, this Japanese name with has two appealing meanings, depending on which kanji are used. It may be associated with joy, or with a wintery scene.

Esca

Gaelic

"water"

The name Esca appears in Rosemary Sutcliff's 1954 historical adventure novel The Eagle of the Ninth , which is set in 2nd century Roman Britain. Esca is the name of a freed slave who accompanies his…

Alexei

Russian, Greek

"defending men"

Alexei could well join the legion of Alex names popular in the US. There are countless opportunities to liven up Alexander, and Alexei (or Alexey) is one of the most straightforward and appealing.

Drystan

Welsh

"sad, tumult"

The Welsh form of Tristan, and the name of a counselor to King Arthur.

Feivel

Yiddish

"brilliant one"

This comes from Faivish, the Yiddish form of Phoebus, the Greek sun god...and it's also the little mouse in "An American Tail."

Storm

Word name

Windswept and dramatic, but perhaps asking for trouble. Quite popular in Denmark and Sweden, where it derives from Stromr, which is a fairly common surname. Storm Thorgerson is a famous bearer of the…

Timo

Norwegian, Finnish, German, and Dutch variation of Timothy

"honoring God"

Popular in its own right in Germany and definitely makes a more intriguing and grownup short form of the classic Timothy than Timmy or even Tim.

Aeneas

Greek

"the praised one"

In Greek and Roman mythology, Aeneas was the legendary son of Venus (or Aphrodite) who was the hero of Troy and Rome. Appearing in the Aeneid by the poet Virgil, he goes on to found the Roman state…

Tex

Place-name, nickname for state of Texas resident

Despite its rakish western charm, still remains a cowboy costume without a real persona inside.

Tristram

Medieval English variation of Tristan, “noise or sorrowful"

This version of Tristan, known to English Lit students from the novel Tristram Shandy , is rarely used in this country, but, though its similarity to the popular Tristan could prove confusing, still…

Aalto

Finnish

"wave"

The last name of Finnish moderne designer/architect makes an original, creative choice with an unexpected water-related meaning.

Salo

Salo is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins. In Finnish, it's both a place name and personal name. In Jewish traditions, it often serves as a diminutive of Solomon, meaning 'peace.' The…

Science

English word name

"knowledge"

Actress Shannyn Sossamon used this as the middle name for her son Audio; one of the most do-not-try-this-at-home combos we've heard.

Cordell

English occupational name

"maker or seller of rope or cord"

This is a name that deserves more attention. Cordell is an occupational name that, through its similarity in sound to Cornell, Denzel, Dashiell, Boswell and Maxwell, feels both on-trend and upmarket.