User-created list
captivating character names
Across 8 pages
of 8
Fox
Animal name
Fox is one animal name backed by a longish tradition, and then popularized via the lead character Fox Mulder on X Files . Fox is simple, sleek, and a little bit wild, and could make an interesting…
Henrik
Danish and Hungarian variation of Henry, German
"estate ruler"
The long history and solid usage of Henry has infiltrated other cultures, where a number of variations experience the same degree of popularity. In the US, Henrik first entered the Top 1000 in 2014.…
Hyacinth
English, Greek
"blue larkspur; precious stone"
Though it may not be as sweet and gentle as, say, Violet, the purple-hued Hyacinth still might hold some appeal for the parent seeking a truly unconventional flower name. In Greek mythology…
Ithiel
Hebrew
"God is with me"
Biblical name from the Old Testament that was given to 25 baby boys in 2022.
Lazuli
Persian place name
Now deeply associated with the gemstone Lapis Lazuli, Lazuli is derived from one of the places where the stone was first mined. The word Lazuli is the root for words like azure. Lapis Lazuli is a…
Liodor
Variation of Iliodor, Russian from Greek
"gift of the sun"
Liodor is the Leo and Theodore mash-up you didn't know you needed — with authentic Russian roots! It ultimately derives from the Greek name Heliodoros.
Macsen
Welsh variation of Maximus, Latin
"greatest"
Macsen may sound like a modern invention, cousin to Jackson and Maxon, but it's a longtime Welsh variation of Maximus with evocative roots in legend. Macsen Wledig is another name for the Roman…
Madoc
Welsh
"fortunate, benefactor's son"
Also spelled Madog, which was the name of an early Welshman, Madog ap Owain Gwynedd, reputed to have been the first European to discover North America in 1155. Maddox, the name of Angelina Jolie and…
Moritz
German form of Maurice
"dark-skinned"
The unusual-to-the-English-ear Moritz is a Top 25 name in Austria and a form of Maurice or Morris, which are modern variations of the ancient Roman Maurus. There were several early saints named…
Osiris
Egyptian
"with strong eyesight"
Osiris is the name of Egyptian mythology god-king who died and was reborn every year. Emerging from centuries of obscurity, Osiris has several ingredients for success in the modern world: Roots in…
Pascal
French; English
"of the Passover; Easter"
The French-accented Pascal was historically used for sons born at Easter, and can make an interesting choice for a boy with Gallic roots arriving around that holiday. Pascal has a number of notable…
Priam
Greek mythology name
In ancient Greek mythology, a Trojan king with fifty children; in the modern world it sounds more like a computer language or environmentally correct car.
Rockwell
English
"rock spring"
This would be an intriguing choice for an illustrator's child, thanks to Norman Rockwell and Rockwell Kent. But most babies called Rockwell today are named after Porter Rockwell, a companion of…
Sylvain
French
"wood, forest"
Doesn't everything sound better with a French accent? Sylvain, the French variation of the Roman wood god's name, sounds somehow cooler and more sophisticated than Sylvan.
Sylvian
French
"of the forest"
Variant of the more popular Sylvain
Torin
Irish, Spanish, French
"little chief, little hill, mound; holding fast; bull"
Though it has a Scandinavian ring (a la Thorfinn), Torin is in fact a multicultural choice, an occasional feature in the UK Top 1000, and given to around 150 boys in the US each year. Connected to…
Vasiliy
Vasiliy is a masculine name of Slavic origin, specifically the Russian form of Basil, which derives from the Greek name Basilios meaning "royal" or "kingly." This classic Russian name has been borne…
Vision
English word name
"the state of being able to see"
Vision is a member of the new class of spiritual word names, which sometimes reflect the faith or religious beliefs of parents but may only relate to an uplifting meaning. This gender neutral name…
Willow
English tree name
"willow tree"
Fresh and surprising on a boy – and how can you not love the cool classic nickname Will?
Zadock
Hebrew
"fair, righteous"
A biblical name that was used in colonial times, but which has an unpleasant sound to the modern ear.