User-created list
By bookie231 · Updated October 2022
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German
"to burn"
Brenner is an occupational surname for both a charcoal burner and a distiller of spirits. One of the least used of occupational surnames, it has that 'er' ending that definitely adds to its…
Place-name
After Dallas, Austin, and Houston, the new cowboy on the block, complete with old-school Western nickname, Tex. Quietly used as a name since at least the late 19th-century, Texas was given to around…
American invented name
A trendy sounding choice--if we had to give it a meaning would be either "three cities" or "town with trees," but since it's a modern invention, you'd have to pick it for its current feel alone.…
English
"son of the gray-haired one"
Waspy surname-name most closely associated with visionary magazine editor (Edward) Graydon Carter, who created Spy and Air Mail and was the longime editor of Vanity Fair . More substantial than Gray,…
French variation of Taylor
"tailor"
Thayer is an affable, less-common alternative to Taylor, with a much more indirect connection to its occupational source. Actor Thayer David (born David Thayer: Thayer was his father's first name)…
Swedish from Old Norse
"Thor's stone"
Scandinavian names are fashionable these days, and Torsten is one that is used only occasionally: About 20 baby boys were named Torsten in the US last year.
English word name
Nice sound, but double meaning -- shady glen or shady character.
Scottish variation of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Elspeth is one of those names that never quite made it out of the British Isles--particularly Scotland, but possesses a winningly childlike charm. Elspeth was used by Sir Walter Scott for several of…
Spanish
"pretty"
Like Benita, had some popularity in the fifties.
English combination of Eliza + Bella
"pledged to God + beautiful"
Elizabella is a much more obscure smoosh than sisters Isabella and Annabelle, but the megapopularity of Isabella may give this unusual combo name a boost.
"son of the uncle"
An upscale surname with a nice modern design connection to the creators of the Eames chair and other midcentury furniture classics, Charles and Ray Eames.
Hebrew
"not exalted"
Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab in the Hebrew Book of Kings, has long had a bad girl reputation. But in the modern secular world, this is somewhat mitigated by the feminist perspective of her as a…
"God is my father"
Abiah is a Biblical name that appears for both female and male figures. It may be considered the same as the name Abijah in the Bible; one female Abijah was a queen and ancestor of Christ. Abiah may…
American place name from Greek
"Atlantic Ocean"
The capital of Georgia is far from the ocean, but got its name from the Western and Atlantic Railroad which ran through the city. Best known as a hub of industry and transport, and for its roles in…
Compound name, combining May, Mary, Margaret or Maya with Ella
"Maytime fairy; beloved fairy; pearl-like fairy; fairy mother"
A sunny sounding name, Mayella is a smoosh name with various meanings, depending on which etymological root you follow for May . The name is perhaps most associated with Mayella Ewell in Harper Lee's…
Anneka is a feminine name with Scandinavian and Dutch origins, primarily functioning as a variant of Anna or Annika. In Dutch, it's a diminutive form of Anna, while in Swedish and Finnish contexts,…
English, variation of Jessamine
"jasmine flower"
Jessamy and big sister Jessamine are all but unknown in the U.S., but make distinctive alternatives to overexposed Jessica, Jessie, and Jasmine.
Italian variation of Elizabeth
This version softens, feminizes, and glamorizes the long-time favorite. A fresh way to honor Grandma Betty. Elizabetta is a variation.
Variation of Evan, French place name
"God is gracious; water"
Evian might sound elegant, if you could forget the water. But, as noted in the 1999 movie Superstar , which features a female Evian, no one will. Or at least, they might feel the need to comment on…
Variation of Abilene, place name
An obscurity, though with the popularity of Abigail and the rise of all names that start with A, may make an attractive choice.
