Down the Rabbit Hole Names

Birk

Birk is a masculine name with Germanic and Scandinavian roots. It derives from the Old Norse 'björk' or German 'birke,' both meaning 'birch tree.' In Nordic countries, the birch symbolizes new…

Lorn

Lorn is a masculine name with Scottish origins, derived from the Gaelic term 'lorn' meaning 'forsaken' or 'lost.' It also exists as a geographic name, referring to the region of Lorne in Scotland. As…

Swithun

English

"strong bear cub"

Variously spelled as Swithun or Swithin, this distinctive sounding name is belonged to St. Swithun, an Anglo-Saxon bishop known as the patron saint of Winchester and of the weather — making him the…

Skyden

Skyden is a contemporary masculine name that appears to be a modern invention combining the popular nature element 'Sky' with the trending '-den' suffix found in names like Aiden, Jayden, and…

Jordany

Jordany is a masculine name that represents a creative variation of Jordan, which derives from the Hebrew word for the famous Middle Eastern river. Most common in Hispanic communities, particularly…

Ephai

Hebrew

"gloomy"

Ephai may have a sad meaning but it's an interesting Biblical alternative to such widely-used names as Eli and Elijah.

Pitney

English

"island, dry ground in moss"

A name you would probably want to use only if it's in your family history. The first syllable moves it miles away from the softer Whitney.

Romulo

Romulo is a masculine name with ancient Roman roots, derived from Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome. This powerful name carries historical weight and classical significance across multiple…

Savva

Russian

"grandfather, old man; wise"

Savva is the Russian variant of the Spanish name Sabas. Chekhov used it for a handsome charmer in one of his short stories.

Almonzo

Arabic

"the victorious"

Introduced to the lexicon by the husband of Little House on the Prairie writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, most scholars agree that this unusual name comes from the Arabic El-Mansur.

Artis

Celtic

"bear"

Some sources say Artis is a form of Arthur, and it certainly has the same root and meaning of bear. But Artis is a name in its own right with a 60-year history on the US Top 1000, from about 1900…

Field

Nature name

More unusual than Forest or Forrest, Field is a nature name that is simple, evocative, and fresh--sort of the male equivalent of Meadow. Field and Fields are both relatively common surnames, noted…

Philbert

French from Greek, "dear, beloved"

"dear, beloved"

Varying Filbert does not improve the name: it still makes one think of a nut.

Markell

Markell appears to be a blend name combining elements of Mark (from Latin 'Marcus' meaning 'dedicated to Mars,' the Roman god of war) with the common '-ell' suffix found in many traditional surnames…

Erastus

Latinized form of Greek Erastos

"beloved"

The Biblical Erastus was an assistant of Paul's in the New Testament. A name used in the 19th century that has fall off the scope, but may be revived as parents dig deeper for undiscovered Biblical…

Barbossa

Portuguese surname

"a place with many palm trees"

Barbossa (also spelled Barbosa) is derived from the Barbosa palm. It is also a common place name, with towns called Barbossa spread across Latin America. Film buffs might also recall that Barbossa is…

Shelomi

Shelomi is a masculine name with Hebrew origins, likely derived from 'Shelumiel' meaning 'peace of God' or 'God is my peace.' It may also be connected to the Hebrew name 'Shlomo' (Solomon), which…

Osie

Osie is a masculine name with multiple origins. It can be a diminutive of names like Oswald (Old English for 'divine power'), Oscar (Old Norse for 'God's spear'), or Hosea (Hebrew for 'salvation').…

Dolph

German, diminutive of Adolph

All Adolph variations are best avoided, though this takes some of the onus off.

Doc

English word name

A boy with this name is certain to be bombarded with "What's up, doc?" every day of his life. Even Doctor would be preferable.