Weirdest Names 2023 Revised

Bruce

Scottish, English, French

"from the brushwood thicket"

Bruce is a Norman place name made famous by the Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who won Scotland's independence from England in the fourteenth century. Hugely popular in the 40s and 50s, it has since…

Angus

Anglicized form of Aonghus, Aonghas, Gaelic

"one strength"

Angus is a traditional yet stylish choice in the UK, especially in Scotland. And it's a cool choice for US parents too, particularly those whose roots go back to Glasgow. The ancient Celtic form…

Bogart

Dutch surname

"orchard"

What it really means: you're a "Casablanca" fan.

Dick

Diminutive of Richard

"dominant ruler"

Dick was a once-common short form of Richard; replaced by Rick or Richie, and finally by the full name itself. Rude meaning -- make that two rude meanings -- pretty much knocks this one out of…

Elmo

Italian from German

"protector"

Elmo, like fellow Sesame Street characters Kermit and Grover, has a hard time being taken seriously. (It isn't easy being red either.) But Elmo also calls to mind the image of St. Elmo's fire--the…

Ferguson

Scottish surname

"son of Fergus"

This would make an interesting name for a boy, if it weren't for the fact that the two most well known Fergies are female.

Huey

Variation of Hugh, English

"mind, intellect"

Once upon a time, in the 1930s, Huey was a Top 250 name, given to nearly 500 babies in a singer year. Traditionally a nickname for Hugo, Hugh, or Hubert, Huey has been notably borne by actor and…

Marty

Short form of Martin, Latin

"warlike"

Marty is one of those Old Man nicknames that's just starting to sound cute again.

Mowgli

Literary name

The name of the young hero of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book , who was raised by wolves (really) and becomes a genius hunter and trapper, was chosen as a middle name for their son Bronx (really,…