Nobel prize names
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- Aaron
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"high mountain; exalted, enlightened"Description:
Aaron is a name of subtle contrasts: an unusual spelling that is easily recognizable; a solid Biblical choice that doesn’t feel exclusively tied to religion; a well-established name for boys but sometimes confused with the girls’ name, Erin; used internationally but with notably different pronunciations; classic like Andrew but not out of place with recent favorites like Weston or Jayden.
- Ahmed
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"greatly praised"Description:
This variation of Ahmad is one of the most popular Arabic names among Muslim families the world over and is now the most used spelling in the USA. It shares the same root as other popular Arabic names, including Muhammad and Hamid.
- Al
- Alan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"handsome, cheerful"Description:
In its three most popular spellings -- Alan along with Allen and Allan -- this midcentury favorite has tended to skew older. It was a Top 100 name from 1938 to 1971, peaking at Number 40 in 1951. Alan has had leading roles on recent TV, in shows like Two and a Half Men, 24 and Boston Legal.
- Albert
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"noble, bright"Description:
Albert has acquired a new gloss as one of the top royal baby boy names, a considerable upgrade from its serious, studious image (think Einstein, Schweitzer).
- Alexei
Origin:
Russian, GreekMeaning:
"defending men"Description:
Alexei could well join the legion of Alex names popular in the US. There are countless opportunities to liven up Alexander, and Alexei (or Alexey) is one of the most straightforward and appealing.
- Alva
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"his highness"Description:
Edison's middle name is a fabulous option for parents looking for something with history and a soft sound. This could be the name you're looking for if you like Tesla's scientific pedigree but think that it has become too corporate with the advent of Elon Musk's company.
- Andre
Origin:
French and Portuguese variation of AndrewMeaning:
"strong and manly"Description:
Andre is one of the international forms of Andrew that has been familiar in the English-speaking world for decades without any need to be overly Anglicized - though round the world, it is more likely to be written as André.
- Andrei
Origin:
Russian form of AndrewMeaning:
"manly"Description:
Russian, Belarusian, Romanian and Bulgarian form of Andrew
- Andrew
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"strong and manly"Description:
During its Top 10 heyday in the late 90s and early oughts, Andrew was one of the "cooler" classic boy names, an update on the old guard Roberts and Richards.
- Anthony
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"from Antium"Description:
Substantial, strong, and enduring, Anthony has remained a perennially popular name over the last century. With just a hint of playfulness and just a touch of clunky-coolness, Anthony is a versatile choice that seems comfortable anywhere.
- Anwar
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"brighter, clearer"Description:
Strongly identified with peace-accord-seeking Egyptian president Anwar el-Sadat.
- Archer
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"bowman"Description:
Archer is an Anglo-Saxon surname that feels more modern than most because of its on-target occupational and Hunger Games associations. And it's a nice way to bypass the clunky Archibald to get to the cool nickname Archie.
- Arvid
Origin:
Swedish, Norwegian, DanishMeaning:
"eagle-tree"Description:
Arvid, a Scandinavian name that's virtually unknown in the US, is one of the top baby names in Sweden. It might make a handsome, unusual choice for a parent in search of an original yet traditional A name.
- Avram
- Barbara
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"foreign woman"Description:
Barbara is back! Among the fastest-rising names of 2023, Barbara came back from oblivion at the very bottom of the Top 1000, gaining nearly 100 places on the popularity list.
- Barry
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"spear"Description:
This Anglicized form of Bearach or short form of Finbarr was in the Top 200 in the USA for 50 years until the early 80s when it rapidly fell out of favor. Barry has not yet found popularity in the modern era - but that may well change as people rediscover their love of classic figures like musician Barry White, baseballer Barry Bonds or even Barack Obama, whose nickname as a young man was Barry.
- Baruch
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"blessed"Description:
Think of this as the Hebrew equivalent of Benedict or Benito; best for observant Jews.
- Bernard
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"strong, brave as a bear"Description:
Bernard is obviously a saint's name, but how did it get to the big, benevolent dog? The eleventh century monk, patron saint of mountain climbers, who lived in the Alps, was famed for setting up safe houses for pilgrims on their way to Rome over the treacherous St. Bernard Pass, and the canine breed, also used to rescue people in treacherous conditions, was named for him.
- Bertil