Down the Rabbit Hole Names

Kipper

Kipper is an uncommon masculine name with Germanic and English origins. Traditionally, it refers to someone who cures fish (particularly herring) by splitting, salting, and smoking—a kipper being a…

Zedekiah

Hebrew

"the Lord is just"

The name of an Old Testament king, and yet another ' Z ' choice from the Bible that still retains some zip, especially with the appealing nickname Zed. Zedekiah was the name of the last king of Judea…

Adonijah

Hebrew, 'my lord is Yahweh"

Adonijah was one of King David's sons in the Old Testament; this name (the accent is on the "ni" syllable) is waiting to be rediscovered.

Bronco

Spanish

"rough, unbroken horse"

For the parent who might also have Buck and Ryder on his list.

Gaige

Gaige is a modern masculine name with multiple possible origins. It may have evolved as a variant spelling of Gage, which originated as an English surname meaning 'pledge' or 'challenge,' derived…

Asier

Basque

"the beginning"

This Basque name is quite popular in Spain, where it has long been in the Top 100 names. This is likely due to its pleasant meaning; the sound, dignified in Spanish and Basque, may not fare so well…

Jacoby

Variation of Jacob, Hebrew

"supplanter"

Jacoby, a surname spin on Jacob shot up the charts in the middle of the 2000's, thanks largely to the popularity of Jacoby Ellsbury, the first Native American of Navajo descent in the Major Leagues,…

Knut

Old Norse; Norwegian; Swedish; Danish

"knot"

This royal but common Scandinavian name is, in the US, linked to a single figure -- Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne. While Rockne's name was commonly pronounced like newt, the correct…

Aeron

Welsh

"berries; battle, slaughter"

Aeron is the name of a river in modern-day Wales, that possibly takes its name from a Celtic war goddess (Agrona). Alternatively, it could come from the word aeron meaning "berries, fruits, plum,…

Whistler

English occupational name

"one who whistles"

A new entry in the fashionable occupational name category -- and a jolly job it must be -- with the added attraction of relating to the great early 20th century American artist James Abbott McNeill…

Dewi

Diminutive of Dafydd, Welsh variation of David

The name of the patron saint of Wales is virtually unknown in the US under this spelling. There were no baby boys named Dewi or Dewie in the US in 2021, though there were 35 named Dewey. Incredibly…

Jael

Hebrew

"mountain goat"

A unisex Hebrew name sometimes given in Israel to kids born under the goat sign of Capricorn; it's also spelled Yael/Ya'el.

Selig

German

"blessed, happy in life"

Selig comes from the Yiddish vocabulary word meaning 'happy, fortunate, blessed.' Most of us are more familiar with its Woody Allen variation, Zelig.

Baldassare

Baldassare is a traditional Italian masculine name derived from the Babylonian name Balthazar (or Belshazzar), which means 'Baal protects the king' in ancient Assyrian. In Christian tradition,…

Web

Web is an uncommon masculine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a shortened form of Webster, which was originally an occupational surname for a weaver. In contemporary contexts, it could…

Increase

Word name

One Puritan virtue name unlikely to thrive in the 21st century.

Benno

German

"bear"

Benno is a cool name in its own right -- there was a tenth century Saint Benno -- though it is also used as a lively nickname for Benjamin. Saint Benno of Meissen is the patron saint of anglers and…

Hitch

Diminutive of Hitchcock

The charming Hitch played by Will Smith in the eponymous movie put this into the lexicon. Also known as the nickname of director Alfred Hitchcock and writer Christopher Hitchens, who titled his…

Ib

Danish, diminutive of Jacob

Ib, though it sounds insubstantial here, is actually a pretty common name in Denmark.

Alexios

Greek

"defending men"

Very popular on its native turf, foreign-sounding here.