User-created list
By little_billie · Updated May 2023
Across 8 pages
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French variation of James and Jacob
"supplanter"
Regal and ancient feeling, Jacques has been declining in popularity in its native France, but in the UK, it saw a surprising revival in 2022. Jumping from somewhere around the #2500 mark straight to…
German, Scandinavian, Polish
"brave counsel"
German, Scandinavian and Polish spelling of Konrad, borne by several German and Polish rulers throughout history, as well as the German chancellor Konrad Adenauer.
German variation of Claus, diminutive of Nicolas, Greek
"people of victory"
Two drawbacks: some unpleasant World War II associations, and the Santa clause.
Roel is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins. Primarily used in Dutch communities, it developed as a shortened form of Roland, meaning 'famous land' or 'famous throughout the land.' In…
Diminutive of William, German
"resolute protection"
A common surname that was popular as a given name in the late 19th and early 20th century, Willis dropped off the US Top 1000 back in the early 90s, just as alternative William diminutive, Liam,…
Dutch variation of William
"resolute protector"
Common in Holland, the appealing Willem (as in de Kooning and Dafoe) makes William fresh and distinctive.
Scottish
"settlement by the sea"
Murray, you may be surprised to discover, is a Scottish surname name --that of an ancient noble clan--with a sea-swept meaning, and just could be in the next wave of reevaluated grandpa names.…
German
"bright army"
Names ending in bert have long been in limbo, but with the return of Albert, maybe there's hope for Herbert. who could share the Bertie nickname. Herbert is a name that's been used by English…
Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Slovene, German, and Catalan variation of John, Hebrew
"God is gracious"
A standard form of John in Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Slovene, German, and Catalan. Properly pronounced yahn (in most of these languages), most Americans will still equate it…
Greek
"lordly"
A British-accented Greek name with an intellectual image that has been off the U.S. charts since 1966, but was a Top 300 name at the turn of the last century. We have the feeling Cyril's ready for a…
Slavic
"to fight"
Boris is one of the old Russian names being revived by chic Europeans; it hasn't quite made a comeback yet in the U.S., but it does have potential. For a long time the name has been associated with…
Diminutive of Timothy, Greek
"honoring God"
Tim is a boyish short form occasionally given on its own. There were 37 baby boys named Tim in the US last year, versus over 1700 named Timothy.
English
"valley of the Welsh"
Walden is a recent entrant to the en-ending boys' names trend, a name that summons up placid images of Thoreau's two-year stay contemplating nature near Walden Pond. A quite different image came into…
Spanish form of Pascal, French or English
"Passover or Easter"
The name Pascual is traditionally given to babies born in the Spring around Passover or Easter, the literal meaning of the name. A few dozen baby boys are given the name in the US each year, making…
Teutonic
"staff of the Goths"
Gray-bearded name heard primarily in Sweden and Germany.
German variation of Frederick
"peaceful ruler"
One of the most familiar German names , with an upright Prussian image. Friedrich might just have been out for long enough to start coming back in.
Danish variation of Matthew
"gift of God"
Mads is a perennial favorite in Germany, the Nordic countries, and the Netherlands, where it is usually to be found in the Top 50. Just remember the D is not pronounced. Famous bearers include Danish…
"steward"
This ancient royal Scottish name and its equally-correct spelling French variation Stuart had a brief vogue in midcentury America--it was Number 286 in 1955--dropped off the list completely in the…
Word name or surname name, English
"free man"
Another meaningful word name that actually dates back to pre-Emancipation days.
German variation of William
This dignified German form of William belonged to two German Emperors and Kings of Prussia, as well as a host of other important historical figures. These include composer (Wilhelm) Richard Wagner,…
