Chicago Names
- Adler
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"eagle"Description:
Adler is a German-Jewish surname that is beginning to be used occasionally as a first and is among the stylish new German names for boys. Among the distinguished bearers of Adler as a last name are Freud colleague Alfred Adler, actress and influential acting teacher Stella Adler and Guns N' Roses drummer Steve Adler.
- Payton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"fighting man's estate"Description:
Rarely used until the 90s, Payton rose up the charts when it was popularized by the football star, Peyton Manning, and, interestingly, by the character of "Peyton Flanders", the villainess of the 1992 film, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle.
- Ernie
Origin:
Variation of Ernest, English from GermanMeaning:
"serious, resolute"Description:
Can Ernie shed the rubber ducky association and make its way onto the vintage revivals list? Years ago we may have said no, but celebrity chef Stephanie Izard made a strong case for Ernie when she gave the name to her son in 2016. Princess Eugenie uses Ernie as a nickname for son Ernest, born in 2023 - showing that Ernie could be the next Augie.
- Foster
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"forester"Description:
Foster is one commonly heard last name that makes a fine first. The word foster means "to nourish" — as in "fostering hope", or "fostering a relationship". The only problem with Foster might be its association with "foster child."
- London
Origin:
English place-nameMeaning:
"Capital city of England"Description:
The capital of England makes a solid and attractive twenty-first-century choice in the US where it is currently in the Top 1000. Given to nearly 1000 girls and 200 boys each year, it is a unisex option that has been in slow decline since its peak in 2013. Conjuring up images of Big Ben, red phone boxes, and the London Eye for some, but perhaps the rush hour commute and grey skies for others, London is far less popular in the UK and other English-speaking countries.
- Randolph
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"shield-wolf"Description:
Randolph is a timeworn classic that had its last hurrah in the 1940s, when Randolph (born George) Scott was starring in westerns, but then was probably done in by its tricky nickname Randy (which, strangely enough, was itself a Top 50 name in the fifties and sixties).
- Forest
Origin:
French occupational nameMeaning:
"woodsman or woods"Description:
The Forest variation of Forrest, used by actor Whitaker, nudges the meaning more toward the woods and away from the woodsman.
- Prairie
Origin:
English nature nameMeaning:
"prairie"Description:
Unspecific place name with a wonderfully wide-open, spacious, western feel; used for a character in Thomas Pynchon's novel Vineland.
- Navy
Origin:
English, word nameMeaning:
"fleet of ships; sea-based branch of the armed forces; dark blue"Description:
When R & B singer Nivea made this highly original choice for her daughter's name back in 2005, she claimed to have thought of it in terms of the color and not the seagoing armed service. As a word with multiple meanings, however, it could easily work as a nod to a naval officer in the family or to someone who enjoys sailing.
- Devon
Origin:
English place-nameDescription:
This spelling of Devon, as opposed to Devin or Devan, makes it a pretty and popular British place-name, evoking the beautiful county of farmlands and dramatic seascapes and moors in southwest England. A stylish ambi-gender name particularly well used in the early nineties, Devon remains an attractive option--though be aware that at this point in time, it is used more frequently for boys.
- Lyric
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"of the lyre; songlike; a personal, emotive poem"Description:
Associated with poetry, pop music, and the Greek lyre, Lyric has a light and zippy sound to it and joins the likes of Melody, Harmony, Cadence, and Aria as musical names that have become baby names. A unisex name, it is currently three times more popular for girls in the US where it sits in the Top 600. It has declined in use since its 2014 peak, but was still given to around 560 girls in a recent year.
- Ike
Origin:
Diminutive of Isaac, HebrewMeaning:
"laughter"Description:
Ike, once the quirky one-person nickname of President Dwight Eisenhower, has morphed into a cool kid nickname of the early 21st century.
- Wrigley
Origin:
Surname nameDescription:
A name that's long been popular for dogs on Chicago's North Side is now gaining traction among human babies. Wrigley Field is the Chicago Cubs' historic ballpark, originally named after the Wrigley Company, which made and sold chewing gum.
- Hyde
Origin:
Medieval measure of land, or English surnameMeaning:
"hide"Description:
Hyde, of course, is most familiar as a surname -- as in Mr. Hyde, evil alter ego of Dr. Jeckyll. Unless Hyde is a family name or you have some other excellent reason for using it, we think you could do better.
- Fields
Origin:
English, “meadow”Description:
Brooks, Banks, Wells, Woods… why not Fields? This unique S ending option has a smart sound and outdoorsy appeal, and was given to just 16 boys in a recent year. The similar Fielding is another, similar option.
- Morton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"town near the moor"Description:
An English family name used a few generations ago as an Anglicization of Moses, but hardly heard since th 1950s.
- Chicago
Origin:
American place name, AlgonquinMeaning:
"wild garlic"Description:
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian have done it again for their third child: Chosen a name that feels iconic yet strangely inevitable. They named North and Saint's younger sister Chicago, after Kanye's hometown. The name Chicago derives from a Native American word for "wild garlic," which once grew plentifully in the Illinois city, the third most populous in the US.
- Robie
Description:
Robie is a masculine name with Germanic origins, functioning as a diminutive form of Robert. The name Robert derives from the Germanic elements 'hrod' meaning 'fame' and 'beraht' meaning 'bright', thus Robie carries the meaning of 'little famous bright one' or 'small shining fame'. Robie has a friendly, approachable quality while maintaining a classic heritage. Though less common than Robert or Rob, Robie has maintained steady if modest usage throughout the years. It offers a softer alternative to Robert while maintaining its strong roots. The name is sometimes spelled Robbie or Robby, though Robie has a more distinctive appearance. Robie works well in contemporary settings while honoring traditional naming practices.
- Mckinley
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"son of the fair hero"Description:
Presidential name that makes a fresh substitute for MacKenzie or McKenna. Possible spelling variations include MacKinley, MacKinlee, Makinleigh ad almost infinitum. McKinley is one of the Scottish names for girls that can work equally well for boys.
- Ogden
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"from the oak valley"Description:
Rarely used surname, associated with humorous poet Ogden Nash.
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