User-created list
Maximalist Names
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Galahad
Welsh or place name
"hawk of summer; heap of witness"
The son of Lancelot and Elaine in Arthurian legend, Galahad is the purest and most chivalrous of the Knights of the Round Table, and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail. The derivation of…
Galileo
Italian
"from Galilee"
The name of the great Renaissance astronomer and mathematician, Galileo would make a distinctive hero-name for the son of parents involved in those fields. Deriving from Latin and Hebrew, it refers…
Heathcliff
English
"cliff near a heath"
Heathcliff is the name of the original passionate macho hero of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights , and also of the cartoon cat. It was chosen by fashionista Lucy Sykes for her son, and inspired the…
Huckleberry
Word name and literary name
Everybody knows Huckleberry Finn, the Mark Twain character named, Twain said, for the 19th century slang term for "humble." A few modern parents have put it on a birth certificate, including "Man Vs.…
Hyperion
Greek
"the high one"
In Greek mythology, Hyperion is one of the twelve Titans: children of Gaia (Earth) and Uranus (Sky). Hyperion presides over heavenly light, and is the father of Helios (Sun), Selene (Moon), and Eos…
Helion
Ignatius
Latin
"fiery"
The striking Ignatius is making a truly surprising comeback, sparked by its selection by not one but two celebrities — Cate Blanchett and Julianne Nicholson. With its fiery qualities and magical…
Kassian
Variation of Cassian or Kassiani
"hollow or cinnamon"
Kassian may be seen as a Kardashianed spelling of the rising saint's name Cassian, which is a variation of Cassius, but it could also be considered the authentic Greek male form of Kassiani, the name…
Knightley
English
"servant clearing"
A courtly surname and place name that feels like it could be a successor to Kingsley. It has a British feel thanks to its most famous wearers: actress Keira Knightley, and Mr (George) Knightley, the…
Lancelot
French
"servant"
In Arthurian legend, Lancelot was one of the most dashing of the Knights of the Round Table who eventually had an affair with Queen Guinevere: it makes for a romantic story-- but perhaps overly…
Laszlo
Hungarian
"glorious ruler"
The Hungarian classic Laszlo, with its zippy 'z' middle and energetic 'o' ending, has become something of a hipster option, beginning to be considered by cutting-edge parents. A name with a royal…
Lazarus
Latinized Greek variation of Hebrew Eleazar
"God is my helper"
Lazarus is a name that looks as if it could possibly be raised from the dead, just like its biblical bearer. Look for it in the next wave of Old Testament revivals that transcend their long-bearded…
Leander
Greek
"lion-man"
Leander was once an almost unknown name, however, with the popularity of Leo and the rise of Leandro, it now feels like a perfectly accessible alternative to Leon or Alexander. In Greek legend,…
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…
Linus
Greek
"flax"
Can Linus lose its metaphorical security blanket and move from the Peanuts page onto the birth certificate? We think it has enough charm and other positive elements going for it for the answer to be…
Lucius
Latin
"light"
Lucius is an old Roman clan name that has lots of religious and literary resonance, yet is still vital today. It was the name of three popes, appears in several Shakespeare plays, and, like all the…
Lysander
Greek
"liberator"
Lysander is a distinctive Greek name that could be thought of as a more creative cousin of Alexander. In ancient history, Lysander was the name of an esteemed Spartan naval commander and his literary…
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…
Marcellus
Latin
"young warrior"
This ancient Roman family name, first borne by the distinguished Marcus Claudius Marcellus and later by two popes, is a possibilty in the hot new category of names from antiquity.
Mercutio
Literary name
A Shakespearean name used for the wild and witty best friend of Romeo in Romeo and Juliet . A variant of the name, which supposedly derives from Mercurius/Mercury, first appeared in one of…