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Endearingly Untamed

  1. Raven

    • Origin:

      Word and animal name

    • Description:

      Bird name Raven, once a symbol of pride for both African-American and Wiccan parents, is finding new life as a superhero name. Raven Darkholme is the real name of Mystique, heroine of the X-Men films played by Jennifer Lawrence. And there is another Raven superheroine in Teen Titans. Some parents may still choose Raven to signal black pride or mystical powers or maybe even Edgar Allan Poe fandom, but we are guessing most inspiration is coming from the comics.
  2. Fox

    • Origin:

      Animal name

    • Description:

      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 middle name.
  3. Judas

    • Origin:

      Greek variation of Judah

    • Meaning:

      "praised"

    • Description:

      Though there were two apostles named Judas, everyone remembers the one who betrayed Jesus, and the name has been permanently shunned.
  4. Deirdre

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "sorrowful"

    • Description:

      Sadly, this strong Celtic name often has "of the sorrows" attached to it because of the tragic character in Irish legend. Also a bit drab when compared with newer Irish imports.
  5. Eris

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "strife, discord"

    • Description:

      Eris was the goddess of strife and discord, turned fairy tale and then popular culture figure Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty. Ironic, as her name sounds so much like that of Eros, the god of love.
  6. Desdemona

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "ill-starred"

    • Description:

      Desdemona is as Shakespearean as a name can be, but because the beautiful and innocent wife of Othello came to such a tragic end, her name has been avoided for centuries. But at this point in time, there might be some adventurous parents willing to overlook that.
  7. Atreus

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "fearless"

    • Description:

      This unusual name from Greek mythology is gaining traction along with others in its class, such as Atlas, Artemis, and Apollo. The King of Mycenae (to where he'd been banished, after murdering his half-brother) , Atreus was also the father of King Agamemnon, an important commander in the Trojan War.
  8. Perseus

    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name

    • Meaning:

      "to destroy"

    • Description:

      Perseus is a godly Greek hero (he was a son of Zeus) whose ancient name just might have modern possibilities along with other so-old-they're-new-again names such as Atticus and Orion.
  9. Draven

    • Origin:

      Modern invented name

    • Description:

      Inspired by Brandon Lee's character in The Crow and Cuba Gooding Jr.'s in In the Shadows, this name, with its Wiccan feel, was used by a member of Linkin Park. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1995.
  10. Electra

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "amber, shining, bright"

    • Description:

      Though the plays by Sophocles and Eugene O'Neill and via the "Electra Complex" proposed by psychoanalyst Carl Jung, this name has, unfortunately, become associated with incest and murder.
  11. Carmilla

    • Description:

      Carmilla is a feminine name with literary origins, most famously associated with Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's 1872 Gothic novella featuring a female vampire character named Carmilla, predating even Bram Stoker's Dracula. The name likely derives from 'Carmela' or 'Carmel,' which has Hebrew origins meaning 'garden' or 'vineyard of God.' Carmilla has a flowing, romantic sound with its melodic syllables and gentle ending. While uncommon in most English-speaking countries, it offers an intriguing alternative to more familiar names like Camilla or Carmela. The Gothic literary connection gives it a mysterious, somewhat dramatic flair that might appeal to parents with an appreciation for classic literature or unconventional name choices that still maintain feminine elegance.

  12. Calixta

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "most beautiful"

    • Description:

      Calista Flockhart may have made her variation of this beautiful Greek name familiar to modern Americans, but the even-edgier x version was the name of an earlier feminist heroine: a character in Kate Chopin's The Storm.
  13. Hecate

    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name

    • Meaning:

      "willpower or far-reaching"

    • Description:

      In Greek mythology, Hecate is associated with witchcraft and magic. The name may mean "willpower" or "far-reaching".
  14. Emeric

    • Origin:

      French form of German Emmerich

    • Meaning:

      "power"

    • Description:

      A name popular both in France (where it's Number 405) and within the Cajun population, it's more substantial than Eric, and occurs twice in the Harry Potter series.
  15. Clove

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "clove"

    • Description:

      Clove is a spice name that is a tad more piquant than Saffron or Cinnamon. It might get more attention now as a member of The Hunger Games family of names.
  16. Rocket

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Description:

      Starbaby name that might prove too supercharged for real life, but if like director Robert Rodriguez you're interested only in boys' names starting with R, you may need to add Rocket (and Rebel and Racer) to your list.
  17. Corentin

    • Origin:

      French, Breton

    • Meaning:

      "tempest, hurricane"

    • Description:

      Corentin is an intriguing saint's name fashionable in France but virtually unknown here-- which you may consider a big plus. St. Corentin possessed a magical fish that regenerated itself each night, feeding himself and his lucky visitors in perpetuity.
  18. Belladonna

    • Origin:

      English from Italian

    • Meaning:

      "nightshade, beautiful lady"

    • Description:

      Literally meaning "beautiful lady" in Italian, Belladonna is the name of a poisonous flower also known as nightshade. This connection gives an otherwise flowery name a darker, more dramatic edge.
  19. Helix

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "a curve in three-dimensional space"

    • Description:

      A scientific word name that would work wonderfully as a given name, given its similarity to Felix.
  20. Taj

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "crown"

    • Description:

      Taj is a cool-sounding name reflecting the magnificence of the seventeenth-century Indian Taj Mahal, chosen by Aerosmith's Steven Tyler for his son.