Down the Rabbit Hole Names

French

Surname, place name, word name

Actor French Stewart introduced this one to the lexicon. French is part word name, part place name, and part surname-name, reminiscent of celebrity baby names that reference a nationality rather than…

Pastor

Latin

"spiritual leader"

Pastor might be a brother for Parson and Deacon.

Orestes

Greek

"from the mountain"

A figure in Greek drama who murdered his mother makes for an unconventional choice for a baby name, but it has appeared on the US extended list several dozen times since records began.

Brae

Scottish

"slope of a hill"

A Scottish word name and a short form of Brayden, Brae has a gentle but solid feel to it. However, a 'bray' is also the sound a donkey makes.

Wickham

English

"Homestead"

Most familiar as the surname of the handsome anti-hero of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice , Mr Darcy’s rival in both life and love. He has a brief flirtation with Elizabeth Bennet but the truth…

Javelin

Word name

If Arrow is too straight for you....

Dilwyn

Welsh

"fair, white, blessed"

Welsh heritage choice that's rare today even in its native land.

Pembroke

English

"bluff, headland"

Better suited to a stuffy school than a little boy, but it nevertheless has a preppy air that may appeal to some.

Zerk

Zerk is an extremely rare masculine name with unclear origins, possibly functioning as a shortened form of names like Zerkis or Zerkel, or potentially deriving from Eastern European surnames. This…

Baptiste

French

"baptist"

Traditionally used by the ultrareligious, the French boys' name Baptiste comes from the Greek word meaning "to dip". Baptiste is one of the Top 100 Boy Names in France .

Shlomo

Hebrew

"his peace"

Rarely, if ever, heard outside the Jewish community.

Wolfhart

Wolfhart is a strong Germanic masculine name combining 'wolf' (the animal) and 'hart' meaning 'brave,' 'strong,' or 'hardy.' This powerful compound name dates back to medieval Germany, where…

Fitzwilliam

English

"son of William"

The Christian name of the dashing Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice — it was his mother's maiden name— is just one of several Fitz names, including Fitzroy, Fitzgerald, Fitzpatrick, that…

Stedman

English

"owner of a farmstead"

Most people's sole association with this name is Oprah companion Stedman Graham -- cool and sophisticated.

Able

Word name or spelling variation of Abel

Able takes this name in the direction of the word denoting someone capable and handle, and that is not a bad way to go.

Bravo

Italian word name

One way to encourage some cheers for your little one, but not recommended.

Blackburn

English

"black brook"

Somewhat dashing surname, but with serious teasing potential.

Parke

Parke is a masculine name with English origins, functioning as a variant spelling of Park. Derived from the Old English 'parroc,' meaning 'enclosed space,' it began as a surname for someone who lived…

Saturday

Day name

Saturday derives from Saturn, so with day names and mythological names both gaining wider acceptance, we may see some babies named for this relaxing day of the week.

Seele

Seele is a masculine name with German origins, stemming from the German word for 'soul' or 'spirit.' As a given name, it's relatively uncommon but carries profound philosophical and spiritual…