​
​
Advanced Search

C Baby Names - Rare Unique Vintage

  1. Cornelia

    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Cornelius, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "horn"

    • Description:

      In ancient Rome, Cornelia was considered the paragon of womanly virtue, making it a handsome name with an excellent pedigree. It's rare today, so if you want a name no one else is using, somewhat reminiscent of Amelia and the Shakespearean Cordelia, Cornelia should be on your list. Cornelia's short forms might include Cora, Nelia or Nell--anything but Corny.
  2. Chester

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "fortress, walled town,"

    • Description:

      Chester is a comfortable, little-used teddy-bear of a name that suddenly sounds both quirky and cuddly.
  3. Calista

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "most beautiful"

    • Description:

      Spelled with either one 'l' or two, Calista came to the fore in 1997 when Calista Flockhart hit it big as Ally McBeal. Flockhart, who bears her mother's middle name, didn't just introduce a name, she introduced a whole sensibility. Pretty and delicate, Calista is definitely worthy of consideration, especially for parents with Greek roots.
  4. Clint

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Clinton

    • Description:

      As flinty and steely as Mr. Eastwood.
  5. Cypress

    • Origin:

      botanical name

    • Description:

      Attractive entry into the tree name genre, joining Ash, Oak, and Juniper. Over 110 baby boys were named Cypress in the US last year, along with 70 baby girls.
  6. Carolina

    • Origin:

      Variation of Caroline; also place-name

    • Meaning:

      "free man"

    • Description:

      Romantic, and classy, this variation heats up Caroline and modernizes Carol, adding a southern accent. A popular choice in Portugal, Spain, Mexico, and Italy, it recently entered the US Top 500.
  7. Clayton

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "place with good clay"

    • Description:

      Clayton is one of those names that feels like it could be recently popular but does in fact have a long history of use. It has made the US Top 400 every year since the records began, and though more recently it has been in decline, it is still given to more than 1000 babies every year
  8. Cliff

    • Origin:

      Topographical name or short form of Clifford or Clifton

    • Description:

      Cliff is a familiar, timeless short form -- never too popular, yet widely known -- that you might also think of as a geographical name ala Vale or Field.
  9. Celestine

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "heavenly"

    • Description:

      Celestine is a pretty, crystalline extension (actually a diminutive) of Celeste that would make a choice that is both delicate and strong. It is also a popular name in France.
  10. Caesar

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "cut"

    • Description:

      Caesar, the name of the greatest Roman of them all, is rarely used outside Latino families, where the Cesar spelling is preferred —as in activist Chavez and Dog Whisperer Millan. Its original meaning is debated — either "long-haired", "blue-gray" (as in eyes), or "cut" (because Julius Caesar was supposedly born by cesarian section) — it came to be the title to denote all Roman emperors and it is from the name Caesar that many other European royal titles are derived, including Kaiser and Tsar.
  11. Coral

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "a rock like substance formed by sea creatures; pinkish-red; gemstone"

    • Description:

      A color name, a gemstone name, and an ocean-inspired choice, Coral has a lot going for it with its sharp C sounds yet sweet vintage feel. Unlike Scarlett or Violet, however, it is only quietly used in the US these days, perhaps because of its similarity to more 'dated' Carol.
  12. Clemens

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "merciful and gentle"

    • Description:

      This surname related to Clement is strongly associated with Major League pitcher Roger Clemens, winner of more Cy Young awards than any other pitcher in baseball history, and has a softer sound than Clement. Some variations are Clemen, Clementio, Clemention, and Clemons.
  13. Charlene

    • Origin:

      English feminization of Charles, German and French

    • Meaning:

      "free man"

    • Description:

      Charlene is a Charlotte variation that, along with similar names like Arlene and Marlene, spiked in popularity in the 1940s and fifties, reaching a high of Number 100 in 1949. Most parents today would prefer one of the note classic versions -- or even nickname Charlie.
  14. Crow

    • Origin:

      Bird name

    • Description:

      From Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, the story of a boy named Kafka -- crow in Czech.
  15. Calanthe

    • Origin:

      English from Greek

    • Meaning:

      "Christmas orchid"

    • Description:

      If you love Calliope and Callista, you'll love Calanthe, which combines the trendiness of the Greek 'cal' names with the equally fashionable "the" ending (like Xanthe and Evanthe) and a connection to the beautiful Christmas Orchid. Color Calantha one of the more unusual and captivating names for Christmas babies.
  16. Claribel

    • Origin:

      English combination of Clara + -bel, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "bright + beautiful"

    • Description:

      Claribel improves on its mother name Clarabelle by distancing itself from the clown and the cow.
  17. Claudette

    • Origin:

      French, feminine variation of Claude

    • Meaning:

      "lame; enclosure"

    • Description:

      Once seen as a dated French Claudette-Colbert feminization, along with Annette and Paulette, we can see Claudette moving into a more plausible Colette-Cosette arena. While some may be put off by the common "lame" meaning, some etymologists theorize that the name may relate to the word for enclosure or clause, an alternate meaning that may appeal to a child with a form of this otherwise-appealing name.
  18. Casimer

    • Description:

      Casimer is a masculine name of Polish origin, representing an Anglicized variant of Kazimierz (Casimir). The name derives from Slavic elements meaning 'destroyer of peace' or 'announcer of peace,' though the latter interpretation is more commonly embraced. It gained prominence through several Polish kings and saints named Casimir, particularly St. Casimir, patron saint of Poland and Lithuania. While never extremely common in English-speaking countries, Casimer enjoyed modest usage in Polish-American communities throughout the 20th century. The name carries an air of aristocratic heritage and Eastern European character. Its traditional roots appeal to parents seeking names with historical depth and cultural significance. Casimer offers its bearers a distinguished name with royal connections while remaining distinctive in most contemporary settings.

  19. Cormorant

    • Origin:

      English from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "sea raven"

    • Description:

      Cormorant is definitely one of the most unusual of the newly fashionable animal names, and one of the rare bird names for boys.
  20. Cleora

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "glory"

    • Description:

      Cleora is a now-extinct name (there were no babies named Cleora recorded in the U.S. since 1982) that achieved some standing in the early 20th century thanks to the craze for all things Egypt-related. A range of Cleopatra diminutives, including Cleo, Cleora, Cleona, and Cleola, made the Top 1000 then as the ancient tombs were opened in Egypt.

Introducing the Nameberry App

Nameberry App
Find your perfect baby name together with our new mobile app.
  • Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
  • Names you match on are saved to your shared list
  • Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
  • Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
  • Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
Sign up to be notified when the app launches and to receive a discount on full access.
Nameberry App Logo