User-created list
By 87infinite · Updated May 2023
Across 9 pages
of 9
English
"thorn thicket"
Rose and Briar are popular, and Hawthorn is cool – so why not the equally prickly Thorne? The E ending gives it a surnamey spin à la Hawthorne. Thorne Smith (born James Thorne) was a comic fantasy…
Farren is a masculine name with Celtic and Irish origins, though it's used for both genders in some regions. Derived from the Irish surname Ó Fearáin, it means 'adventurous,' 'wanderer,' or sometimes…
Scandinavian
"lord, exalted one"
Frey is the handsome Norse fertility god, a worthy namesake. Frey remains rare in the US even as the similar Freya picks up in popularity.
Yes, the poet Joyce Kilmer ("Trees") was a man, the very last male named Joyce. And even for women, it's been in limbo for several generations.
Kipper is an uncommon masculine name with Germanic and English origins. Traditionally, it refers to someone who cures fish (particularly herring) by splitting, salting, and smoking—a kipper being a…
African, Ethiopian
"he has been seen"
Taye, also used as a short form of Taylor, began to stand on its own with the emergence of actor Taye (born Scott) Diggs.
English variation of Latin Horatius
"hour, time"
Like Horace, Horatio is a variation on the Latin Horatius, but its Shakespearean and optimistic Horatio Alger pedigree makes it an attractive up-and-comer, especially with its cool final o. A modern…
Kiva is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins and meanings. In Hopi Native American culture, it refers to a sacred underground chamber used for religious ceremonies, representing…
German variation of Augustus, Augustine, Augustin
"great, magnificent"
Confessional memoirist Augusten Burroughs is the first literary notable to bear one of this family of names since the confessional saint.
Latin
"true"
The o ending and the positive meaning in many languages makes this a winner, and with the feminine Vera making a surprise return, and the new love for the letter 'V', this becomes a name that has…
Russian from Greek
"from Arcadia"
Arkady is a rhythmic Russian saint's name from the Greek meaning "from Arcadia." As a literary name, it belongs to a genteel character in Turgenev's Fathers and Sons and a much less benign one in…
Arvel is a masculine name with varied origins. Some sources connect it to Old Norse elements, possibly derived from 'arr' meaning 'eagle' combined with 'valdr' meaning 'ruler.' Others suggest it may…
Literary name
Auric is an Ian Fleming anti-hero, better known as Goldfinger. Better to go with James. Or even Bond.
"boar battle"
One of the rare English surname names originally derived from a female given name: Eoforhild, meaning "boar battle". Also spelled Averill, it's an extremely rare choice today, but shares sounds with…
Gaelic or Sindarin
"white, fair"
Derived from the Scottish Gaelic bàn , meaning "white, fair". It's also a name in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Elvish language, in which it means "beautiful".
Short form of Bardolph or Aboriginal
"water"
Bardo has a poetic beginning and upbeat ending, with roots in several diverse cultures. It may be most familiar today via George Saunders' novel Lincoln in the Bardo , which refers to the Tibetan…
Italian
"good wisher; peacemaker, benevolent"
A kindly, virtue-adjacent name, it appears in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet , borne by the peacemaker friend who persuades Romeo to go to the party where he meets Juliet. Alas. A bold choice but with…
Greek
"one who excels"
Cadmus is the name of the serpent-slaying hero of Greek mythology who also founded the city of Thebes and is credited with inventing the alphabet. Its ancient feel might appeal to modern parents…
Casimer is a masculine name of Polish origin, representing an Anglicized variant of Kazimierz (Casimir). The name derives from Slavic elements meaning 'destroyer of peace' or 'announcer of peace,'…
Romanian, from Greek
"man of Cyprus"
