Unusable Names

You obviously wouldn’t name your son Adolph, which once was a very respectable German name meaning ‘noble wolf’, but some names and name combos should be crossed off anyone’s list. Naming your daughter Zelda will not serve her well- the namesake of a kidnapped princess isn’t the best one out there. Knowing pop culture can serve you well. For example, a person was once asking about Nathaniel Drake, a fine and dandy boys’ name. That is, if you were naming him after the popular Uncharted video game series’ hero Nathan Drake. When considering a name, be careful to not unwittingly stroll into a trap where people asked you if your child was named after so-and-so. Here are some names that have been made unusable or on the border. Make sure you know most of the connections that a name (especially a name combo) has.
  1. Bellatrix
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "female warrior"
    • Description:

      J.K. Rowling is a modern master of naming who brought a whole constellation of ancient and celestial names to modern parents. Bellatrix, of one of the stars of Orion, combines fashionable names Bella and Beatrix to make a convivial and original name. The down side: the Harry Potter character Bellatrix, played by Helena Bonham Carter, is a character so evil she's called a Death Eater, killing one beloved character and being murdered by another. And the name Bellatrix is so closely associated with that character that it might be challenging to sidestep the association.
  2. Casey
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "brave in battle"
    • Description:

      One of the original unisex Irish surname names, energetic Casey bounced onto the scene in the 1960s, then peaked in the 1980s for both boys and girls. Today Casey is having a resurgence for both girls and boys and re-entered the charts on the girls' side, likely due to the character Kayce Dutton (pronounced like Casey) on the hit show Yellowstone.
  3. Katrina
    • Origin:

      German variation of Katherine
    • Meaning:

      "pure"
    • Description:

      The hurricane blew this one out of the realm of possibility.
  4. Luigi
    • Origin:

      Italian vernacular form of Louis
    • Meaning:

      "renowned warrior"
    • Description:

      Italian classic Luigi, though it lacks the modern style of Nico, Enzo, and Rocco, does have some notable namesakes, such as Nobel Prize winning author Luigi Pirandello and composer Cherubini..
  5. Mario
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Marius, form of mythological name Mars
    • Meaning:

      "warlike"
    • Description:

      Many may associate Mario with the popular platform game - unsurprising when it's the 5th best-selling video game worldwide, and was voted the 2nd best game ever by IGN in 2024. The titular plumber was apparently named after American businessman, Mario Segale, who rented a warehouse to Nintendo, and this in itself reflects that Mario is much more established than just a name for a video game character.
  6. Osama
    • Zelda
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Griselda
      • Meaning:

        "gray fighting maid"
      • Description:

        Classified as an early beauty, Zelda has long and often been used as such for characters in books and films. Since 1986, Zelda has been a prime Nintendo name, as in the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.