User-created list
By eperdument · Updated August 2021
Across 8 pages
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Hebrew, diminutive of Ebenezer
"stone of help"
Though most parents would shy away from Ebenezer, short form Eben is affable and creative and perfectly able to stand alone; nothing Scroogish about it. This also makes a fresh new spin on the very…
French variation of Aurelia, Latin
"the golden one"
Aurelie is the delicate French variation of Aurelia, one of the most improbable popular names of recent years. Both versions of the name are lovely, but it might be difficult to insist that Americans…
Greek mythology name
"to keep in, to curb"
Eryx has a sci-fi sound and deep roots. In Greek mythology, Eryx was the son of Poseidon and Aphrodite and a king in Sicily. He was a great boxer, but was eventually beaten by Heracles. He probably…
Caelen is a masculine name of Gaelic origin, considered a variant spelling of Caelan or Kaelan. The name derives from Celtic roots meaning "slender" or "powerful in battle." Some sources also connect…
Irish
"unlucky"
Devlin is an Irish name that's fresher and even more devilish than Devin. The earliest written record of this surname occurs in the thirteenth century, when an O'Devlin was appointed Bishop of Kells…
Word name
Inventive name for the child of a writer.
English
"freezing"
Long heard as a last name, as in venerable poet Robert, U.K. talk show host David, British actress Sadie and old Jack Frost, Frost has suddenly entered the scene as a possible first, along with other…
English, variation of Everett, from German Eberhard
"brave boar"
Though you might have been a fan of tennis star Chris Evert, stick with EVERETT, which everyone will think you're saying anyway.
"bard, royal poet"
Has a legitimate first name history in its native land and an appealing meaning, but pronunciation is far from obvious.
French form of Aurelius, Latin
"golden"
More traditionally spelled as Aurélien, this is the elegant French form of the golden Aurelius. Ultimately derived from aureus meaning "gold, gilded", this form is in the French Top 500, albeit near…
"sorrowful"
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.
English, Turkish
"noblewoman; country, world commander; ruler of the people"
A name with various origins, Elmira combines the sounds of multicultural Mira with the popular El- beginning. Despite this, the name is rarely heard in the US, though it does rank in the Top 100…
German and Dutch form of Adelheidis, German
"noble, nobility"
The ancient German name Adelheidis gave rise to both Adelaide and Adelheid. While Adelaide is more popular and better known internationally, Adelheid is still used occasionally in Germany, the…
Sanskrit, Latvian
"possessing drops of rain; reed, water witch; estate ruler"
In Hindu tradition, Indra is the warrior god of sky and rain, whose name is often used as element of other names, such as Jaswinder or Rajendra. Its use as a feminine name may come from the Western…
Elgin is a masculine name with Scottish origins, derived from a place name in Moray, Scotland. The etymology likely stems from Gaelic, possibly meaning 'noble' or 'high-spirited.' Historically, Elgin…
Welsh
"very fair, beautiful"
Anwen is one of the simplest and best of the classic Welsh girls' names, more unusual than Bronwen but with the same serene feel.
Dutch, German, and Frisian diminutive of Adelheid
"noble"
Though she has long stood on her own, Elke has many longer cross-cultural connections, to the Dutch/German/Scandinavian Adelheid and Alice and the English Adelaide, as a feminine version of Elkanah…
"peacock"
An evocative unisex one-syllable name, Poe is most distinguished by its literary reference. Edgar Allan Poe was an influential American author and poet, credited with inventing the genres of…
French variation of Basil
"regal"
Herby and aristocratic Basil remains a tough sell, but we’d like to introduce you to Basile, the delightful French version. It retains all of Basil’s charm, but sheds some of the pesto linkage.…
"dry valley"
Underused literary name (as in the poet John) with a -den ending that's very much in style.
