Down the Rabbit Hole Names

Payson

Modern invented name

Pay-names are ultra-hot for girls these days, but they're also fairly popular for boys, in no small part thanks to Peyton Manning.

Fryderyk

Polish, from German

"peaceful ruler"

The Polish form of Frederick.

Bridge

Word name

"bridge"

A new name with the potential for spanning across a far-reaching future. Bridges and Bridger are other possiblities.

Mead

English

"from the meadow"

Undiscovered single-syllable surname option, a friendly alternative to Reed.

Sisyphus

Greek

"son of Aelous"

One of the most severely punished characters in Greek mythology, and the first two syllables don't help.

Herne

Herne is a masculine name with roots in English folklore. It derives from the legendary figure Herne the Hunter, a ghost or deity associated with Windsor Forest in Berkshire, England. Shakespeare…

Broder

Scandinavian

"brother"

One of the more unfamiliar Nordic choices, a perfect set-up for the nickname Brody.

Claes

Swedish and Dutch variation of Klaes, form of Nicholas

"victory of the people"

Pronounced klaus, this spelling of the name is associated in this country with the major Pop Art sculptor Swedish-born Claes Oldenburg, known for his colossal public sculptures of everyday objects…

Fulk

Fulk is a masculine name of Germanic origin that was once relatively common in medieval Europe, particularly after the Norman Conquest of England. It derives from the Germanic element "folk" meaning…

Aleph

First letter of the Hebrew alphabet and Hebrew

"chief, number one"

Aleph came into the spotlight when chosen by Israel-born Natalie Portman for her son. Alef is a more common spelling of these related Hebrew baby names . In the Kabbalah, Aleph/Alef relates to the…

Schyler

Schyler is a masculine name representing an alternative spelling of Skyler or Schuyler. The name ultimately derives from the Dutch surname 'Schuyler,' meaning 'scholar' or 'one who seeks shelter.'…

Egidius

Egidius is a masculine name with ancient roots, derived from the Greek name Aigidios, which relates to 'aegis' (shield). It's the Latin form of the name that evolved into Giles in English.…

Maury

Diminutive of Maurice

"dark skinned"

Old-man name, soft as a fraying gray cashmere cardigan, that would be even cuter for a girl.

Chazaiah

Hebrew

"God has seen"

More orthodox spelling of a name that also appears as Hazaiah and Hazaia. An obscure Biblical choice that has some modern zest.

Clovus

Clovus is a masculine name of Germanic origin, likely a variant spelling of Clovis, the Latinized form of the Frankish name Hlodowig. The name carries significant historical weight as it was the name…

Barzillai

Barzillai is a biblical masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning 'man of iron' or 'strong.' In the Old Testament, Barzillai was a Gileadite who showed loyalty to King David during Absalom's rebellion,…

Dafydd

Welsh variation of David

Extremely common in Wales and England, Dafydd would likely leave some non-Welsh speakers confused at first. But we love the soft, lispy quality this variation offers.

Thorpe

English

"farm, village"

Brusque and charmless, two things you don't want your son to be.

Kyd

English surname

Téa Leoni and David Duchovny named their kid Kyd in 2002, but he usually goes by his middle name, Miller. Probably a wise choice, given the homonym. On the other hand, the association with…

Picasso

Spanish artist name

A worthy honoree that would place a too-heavy expectation on a child, probably subjecting him to ridicule. Try Pablo instead.