User-created list
Strong, Unusual and Cool
Across 7 pages
of 7
Elihu
Hebrew
"Jehovah is God"
Rarely used in the last two centuries, but might be worth dusting off and holding up to the light.
Fionn
Irish
"fair or white"
Fionn, the modern Irish form of Finn, is more popular in Ireland these days than Finn, which is rising fast in the U.S. where Fionn is virtually unknown. That's probably a good thing, because few…
Loki
Norse mythological name
"lock"
Loki is the shape-shifting, gender-bending god of mischief in Norse mythology. Taking several animal forms, from a salmon to a seal to a fly, Loki is alternately friend and foe of the gods.
Dodge
English, diminutive of Roger, German
"famous warrior"
This old short form might be seen as a little dubious by some, though it could make for a fun pet name, honor name, on update on the still-stodgy Roger. In a recent film, Seeking a Friend for the End…
Wolverine
Nature name
Fox, okay. Buck, maybe. But Wolverine? You gotta be kidding us. On the plus side, your five-year-old will love you for giving him this superhero name. Your fifteen-year-old, not so much.
Calixta
Greek
"most beautiful"
Calista Flockhart may have made her variation of this beautiful Greek name familiar to modern Americans, but the even-edgier x version was the name of an earlier feminist heroine: a character in Kate…
Gib
Gib is a concise masculine name with historical depth, typically functioning as a diminutive of Gilbert. Gilbert derives from Germanic elements 'gisil' (pledge, hostage) and 'beraht' (bright),…
Kiefer
German
"barrel maker; pine"
Kiefer is a strong occupational surname associated with "24" star Kiefer Sutherland, but one that could well join the other 'er' surnames currently in favor. Keifer is a German surname transferred to…
Casimir
English; French, from Polish
"destroyer of peace"
Casimir, a traditional name of Polish kings, could do quite well these days as we see the rise of Caspian, Cassius, Castiel, et. al. Like Leopold and Laszlo, Casimir is strong and worth considering…
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…
Hieronymous
Greek
"sacred name"
A name used in Germany and Holland as a form of Jerome, it's the unlikely moniker of fictional detective Hieronymous "Harry" Bosch.
Bray
Irish place-name, from French
"marsh"
Can't help thinking of a donkey.