tropelicious' word names

just a place for all the word-names i come across on this site. maybe it'll be useful for you, too.
  1. Abacus
    • Origin:

      Greek word name
    • Description:

      A mathematical possibility, but the odds are against it.
  2. Ace
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "one, unity"
    • Description:

      No longer tied to the hapless Ace Ventura, this jaunty, high-flying nickname name is starting to take flight among celebrity and other parents, with its countless positive references to doing well in tests and poker games, on the tennis court and golf course, and in the air.
  3. Acre
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "a unit of land area equal to 4,840 square yards"
    • Description:

      Acre feels at home with other modern, fresh word names like Rumor, Snow and Ace. But with the feeling of wide open spaces and nature, Acre also offers a softer, earthier tone that will appeal to those seeking a unique name with a distinctly Americana feel.
  4. Aegis
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "young goat"
    • Description:

      Often found as a brand name in the hi-tech and industrial worlds.
  5. Affinity
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Sympathetic new twist on a Puritan virtue name.
  6. Afternoon
    • Origin:

      English, “afternoon”
    • Description:

      An early day name worthy of consideration today for someone seeking a truly unusual name.
  7. Air
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      This nature name hasn't escaped the hippie dippy air of others like River or Sky.
  8. Alchemy
    • Origin:

      Latin word name
    • Meaning:

      "a medieval chemical science"
    • Description:

      One of the most extreme of the new word names, recommended only to the most mystical-minded parents. Actor Lance Henriksen spelled his daughter's name Alchamy.
  9. Alias
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "pseudonym"
    • Description:

      We think, probably, most parents who name their sons Alias are using it as a variation of Elias.
  10. Allegory
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Description:

      If Fable, Story and Saga are getting a look in, why not Allegory? Allegory offers the cute nickname Ally.
  11. Almond
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Gwyneth Paltrow's Apple has opened the world of botanical names beyond flowers to trees, herbs, fruits, and — why not — nuts. Cayley and Brandon Jenner have a daughter named Joan Almond.
  12. Amen
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      One of the new literalist religious names, like Blessing, Heavenly and Neveah. More male than female, but essentially unisex.
  13. Anchor
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "heavy object used to moor a ship; provide with a solid foundation"
    • Description:

      Plausible word name, denoting strength and stability, currently given to a small handful of boys in the US each year.
  14. Angel
    • Origin:

      Spanish and English
    • Meaning:

      "angel, messenger"
    • Description:

      Angel is one of those names that has a very different trajectory for girls and boys. As a female name, it was most popular in the US from the 1970s until the turn of this century, almost breaking into the Top 100 at its peak in 2001 but then beginning a long slide down the list.
  15. Antiquity
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Your daughter will like this better at twenty than she will at fifty.
  16. Arabesque
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "ornate design"
    • Description:

      Fanciful, edging toward bizarre.
  17. Arc
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Description:

      Refers, in literal terms, to a curved line -- as in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famed "arc of justice." Could also be used as a reference to Joan of Arc -- Arc being, there, derived from her father's name, rather than a place -- or, conceivably, to Noah's Ark.
  18. Arcana
    • Origin:

      word name
    • Description:

      This name has many different connotations, from Tarot cards to a species of butterfly. It is related to the English word arcane, which means esoteric, mysterious, enigmatic.
  19. Armistice
    • Origin:

      French word name
    • Meaning:

      "truce, ceasefire"
    • Description:

      Armistice is an unusual word name with a meaning that's both militaristic and peaceful: It refers to a ceasefire, temporary or permanent, by agreement in wartime. Armistice Day commemorates the end of World War I.
  20. Army
    • Origin:

      Word name or variation of Armie, English from French
    • Meaning:

      "military land force; soldier"
    • Description:

      A patriotic spin on Armie, with roughly the same meaning whether you consider it a variation or a totally separate word name.