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Quirky Cemetery Names

ErinRose
By ErinRose
Updated Thu May 25 2023
Interesting and unusual names found while wondering around old cemeteries throughout central Maine.
  1. Aurelia

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "the golden one"

    • Description:

      Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to climb.
  2. Emerson

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son of Emery"

    • Description:

      Emerson is a dignified, somewhat serious name associated with transcendental thinker Ralph Waldo Emerson. Much more popular now for girls since Desperate Housewife Teri Hatcher used it for her daughter, it is definitely still a viable boys name.
  3. Lenora

    • Origin:

      English, contracted form of Leonora

    • Meaning:

      "light"

    • Description:

      A lovely (and uncommon) longer form for Nora, one of the most fashionable international nickname names around. Lenora fell off the US charts in the 70s, but just re-entered in 2022 as parents' love for short forms Leni and Nora is growing.
  4. Salome

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "peace"

    • Description:

      A soft and interesting Hebrew name long popular in France, where it has ranked in the Top 400 since 1986 (as Salomé). Ex-ER star Alex Kingston named her daughter Salome Violetta.
  5. Ripley

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "strip of clearing in the woods"

    • Description:

      The "Believe It or Not" jokes will get old fast, but this surname feels fun and on-trend for both girls and boys, reminiscent of Riley, Tripp, Bridger, and Oakley.
  6. Avis

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "bird"

    • Description:

      Avis is a bird name that's been in hibernation for awhile, possibly due to the car rental association, but it could make a return on the wings of Ava. Baldwin brother Daniel chose it for his daughter.
  7. Letitia

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "joy, gladness"

    • Description:

      Letitia is a delicate, once prim and proper sounding name whose staid image has been unbuttoned by numerous phonetic spellings. The original, often used in Spanish-speaking families, would still make an attractive, delicate choice. After a solid century on the Top 1000 list, Letitia fell off in the early 1980s and has not yet returned.
  8. Elden

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "noble friend"

    • Description:

      This old-fashioned name looks like it could be on the edge of a revival, following in the footsteps of Alden and Auden.
  9. Sophronia

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "sensible, prudent"

    • Description:

      A name some people first encountered in the old children's book series The Five Little Peppers, in which Sophronia, the youngest of the Peppers is nicknamed Phronsie.`It was also used by Dickens in two of his novels: The Old Curiosity Shop and Our Mutual Friend.
  10. Mills

    • Description:

      Feels akin to Brooks and Rivers, two other boys' names that double as plural nouns. It's been used as a first name for centuries, including by a two time governor of Virginia.
  11. Lucina

    • Origin:

      Roman

    • Meaning:

      "grove or light"

    • Description:

      Lucina, deriving from Latin lucus "grove" and also associated with lux "light", is an epithet given in Roman mythology to the goddess Juno (and sometimes also Diana) in her role as goddess of childbirth. A stately and unusual route to Lucy, more delicate than Lucinda.
  12. Temple

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "dweller near the temple"

    • Description:

      Rather formal word name that has been used occasionally over the years, most notably for the autism activist and animal expert Temple Grandin.
  13. Albion

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "white, bright"

    • Description:

      Albion is an ancient, poetic, and literary name for Great Britain. As a name, Albion is a variation of Albus -- and Dumbledore fans might find it a congenial update. Attractive short forms include Al and Albie.
  14. Thirza

    • Origin:

      Hebrew; diminutive of Theresa, English

    • Meaning:

      "delightful; harvest"

    • Description:

      This rarely used Old Testament name will inevitably set off a connection to thirst. Thirza was historically used as both an independent name and as a nickname for Theresa.
  15. Connell

    • Description:

      Connell is an Irish masculine name derived from the Gaelic surname Ó Conaill, meaning "descendant of Conall." The original name Conall combines the elements "con" (wolf or hound) and "all" (mighty), translating to "strong wolf" or "strong as a wolf." Connell carries a sense of strength and resilience with its powerful animal association. The name gained moderate popularity in Ireland and Scottish Highlands historically but remained relatively uncommon globally. In recent decades, it has seen some increased usage in English-speaking countries, appealing to parents seeking a distinctive name with Celtic roots and masculine qualities. Its connection to Irish heritage makes it particularly appealing to those with Irish ancestry.

  16. Fidelia

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "faithful"

    • Description:

      Fidelia stems from the Latin word Fides, meaning faith. It has the some root as the English word fidelity. Fidelia gained popularity in the mid-19th Century after Beethoven's opera "Fidelio" gave this name cultural and virtuous significance.
  17. Melville

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "settlement on infertile land"

    • Description:

      All names ending in ville are in nowheresville.
  18. Winfield

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "meadow, field"

    • Description:

      An English surname derived from multiple place names, which ranked in the Top 500 for boys in the US until the turn of the 20th century.
  19. Carmelita

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Carmel, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "garden"

    • Description:

      Carmelita is an obscure short form of an obscure name that may rise to new prominence during the 2012 Olympics, via runner Carmelita Jeter aka "The World's Fastest Woman." Carmelita has a particularly international flavor with the original Carmel a Hebrew name long popular in Ireland, with Carmelita itself most popular in Latin countries.
  20. Elder

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Description:

      Anyone who's seen "The Book of Mormon" or visited Utah knows this as the title taken by male Mormon missionaries during their term of service. We'd advise anyone who lives somewhere with any significant Mormon population to avoid it for that reason.