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Finbar
Irish
"fair-haired"
This is an ancient saints' name well used in Ireland but a rarity here and unlikely to ever reach the popularity of other Finn-ish names. St. Finbarr (the more common spelling) is the patron saint of…
Blane
Scottish
"yellow"
Blane is the attractive surname name of an important sixth-century Scottish saint, though Blaine is a more familiar spelling. Ultimately from the Old Irish Bláán, it has the coloful and upbeat…
Conan
Irish
"little wolf"
The fierce image of the Barbarian made a complete turnaround thanks to amiable talk show host O'Brien, making Conan one of the newly desirable Irish choices, a perfect alternative to Conor/Connor. In…
Denis
French from Greek
"god of Nysa"
While Dennis may be more familiar to English speakers, Denis, or sometimes Denys, were the original medieval French forms of the name. Ultimately derived from Dionysius, the Greek god of wine and…
Benedetto
Italian
"blessed"
This Italian form of Benedict sidesteps the Benedict Arnold association that still clouds the English version.
Benen
Irish
"mild"
This name of an ancient Irish saint -- a favorite disciple of Saint Patrick -- could be an option for parents in search of a more distinctive alternative to Brendan or Aidan.
Bosco
Italian and French
"wood, forest"
Saint John Bosco is well-known to Catholic School children, but Bosco is perhaps better known as a chocolate syrup.
Simeon
Hebrew
"he [God] has heard"
Could Simeon be the next Gideon? Parents seeking a less simple form of Simon might consider this biblical appellation that was chosen by Wynton Marsalis for his son. Simon is actually the Greek…
Anselm
German
"with divine protection"
A somewhat solemn appellation, Anselm is a saint's name, connected to the twelfth century archbishop of Canterbury, and in modern times tied to the German neo-expressionist painter Anselm Kiefer.
Aloysius
Latin
"famous warrior"
This name is a classic example of an underused golden oldie that ticks so many boxes - unusual yet traditional, heaps of cute nicknames, a statement name that exudes retro cool. Aloysius is the Latin…
Peregrine
Latin
"traveler, pilgrim"
Peregrine is considered to be an elegantly aristocratic name in England, but has never made it to the U.S., where it has been seen as extravagantly eccentric. In the new naming climate, though, it's…
Leopold
German
"brave people"
An aristocratic and stately Germanic route to the popular Leo, Leopold is a royal name: Queen Victoria used it to honor a favorite uncle, King Leopold I of Belgium. These days, this royal tie may be…
Basil
Greek
"royal"
Although Greek in origin--in the fourth century, a bishop by that name established the principles of the Greek Orthodox Church--Basil for years took on the aura of aquiline-nosed upper-class…