Down the Rabbit Hole Names

Volker

Volker is a traditional Germanic masculine name derived from the Old High German elements 'folk' meaning 'people' and 'heri' meaning 'army' or 'warrior.' Historically, it translates to 'people's…

Hartwig

German

"courageous in battle"

Baby-naming rule #984: forget any name that contains the syllable wig.

Baudouin

French variation of Baldwin, German

"brave friend"

Essentially the French equivalent of Baldwin, this name carries strong historical significance, particularly in Belgium where multiple kings have borne the name. The most notable was King Baudouin I…

Alas

Alas is an uncommon masculine name with multiple cultural origins. In Indonesian, 'alas' means 'forest' or 'foundation,' connecting the name to nature and strength. In Lithuanian, it may be related…

Shango

African, Yoruba, mythology name

More substantial than it sounds: Shango was the god of thunder and legendary ancestor of the Yoruba people of Nigeria.

Belcher

English from French

"pretty face"

Try telling the kids it really means "pretty face" and not "burper".

Fifer

Scottish occupational name

"piper"

This musical choice fits right in with all the new hard-working Millers and Gardeners. It's also a Scottish demonym, referring to an inhabitant of the historic Scottish county of Fife.

Beige

Color name

"pale, yellowish-brown"

Sound-wise, Beige fits in with Sage, Gage, Boone, and Brooks, and you could argue it gives off calm, clean vibes. However, its links to total blandness and to the divisive "Beige Mom Aesthetic" mean…

Clevon

Clevon appears to be a variant or diminutive form of the name Cleve, which itself is typically a shortened form of Cleveland. Cleveland originated as an English surname derived from a place name…

Malus

Latin botanical name

"the apples"

A name given to apple--specifically crab apple--trees. The first syllable rhymes with Cal.

Radclyffe

Radclyffe is a masculine name of Old English origin, derived from a surname that was originally a place name meaning 'red cliff' or 'red slope.' The name combines the elements 'read' (red) and 'clif'…

Seosamh

Seosamh is the traditional Irish Gaelic form of Joseph, a name with Hebrew origins meaning 'God will add' or 'God will increase.' Pronounced approximately as 'SHAW-suv' or 'SHO-sav,' this name…

Dumas

French

"of the little farm"

The name of the great French novelist, author of the timeless The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers , would make a surprising middle name choice.

Draxler

German

Bavarian and Austrian form of the German surname Dressler, meaning "turner". Draxler was a new addition to the extended US list in 2017, likely inspired by German soccer star Julian Draxler.

Bergeron

Bergeron is primarily a French surname that has occasionally transitioned to use as a masculine given name. The surname originates from the Old French 'berger' meaning 'shepherd,' often indicating…

Rhyley

Rhyley is a modern masculine name that serves as a creative spelling variant of Riley, which originated as an Irish surname meaning "valiant" or "courageous." This particular spelling with the 'h'…

Darko

Slavic

"gift"

If you're a movie fan or a sports fan, you might be attracted to this name, via the film "Donnie Darko" or the Serbian-born basketball star Darko Milicic. It is kind of dark, though.

Androcles

Greek

"glorious man"

Mythological name with a fabulous meaning. Sure it's weighty, but so is Aphrodite; Andy is an easy nickname choice to make this name more wearable in the classroom.

Thyme

Nature name

Fragrant herb often used for cooking, but scarcely as a name.

Zelyg

Zelyg is a masculine name with likely Yiddish or Eastern European Jewish origins. It may be a variant spelling of Zelig, which comes from the Yiddish word for "blessed" or "holy." The name carries…