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One for the Gents
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Gardiner
Gardiner is a masculine name of Old French and English origin functioning primarily as a surname before its occasional use as a first name. Derived from the occupational term for one who tends or…
Aurelien
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…
Dublin
Irish place-name
With Galway and Ireland in play as names (not to mention Shannon and Kerry), there's no reason this one can't work, too.
Ellington
English place-name and surname
"Ellis's town"
Ellington is a swinging musical name, evoking the jazzy and elegant persona of the Duke (born Edward Kennedy Ellington). While that reference may seem to make Ellington a male name, it is also…
Hamilton
English and Scottish
"treeless hill"
Unless it runs in your family, or Alexander Hamilton is your particular hero, you might consider something less imposing -- and without the teasable nickname Ham. Scottish curler Hamilton McMillan Jr…
Naveen
Hindi
"new"
Naveem, which is also spelled Navim, is a traditional Arabic name that also has the sheen of modernity. It was introduced to a wider audience via Prince Naveen, the charming (if opportunistic),…
Qadir
Arabic
"capable, powerful"
Qadir is a classic Muslim name that represents one of the ninety-nine attributes of Allah. Since the initial Q is pronounced as K, this handsome name is sometimes Anglicized as Kadir.
Rembrandt
Dutch artist name
The name of the most renowned of the Old Masters is a potential option for families who put an emphasis on the creative. Rembrandt Peale was a member of the Peale family of painters, all named for…
Kit
English, diminutive of Christopher
"bearer of Christ"
Actor Kit Harington, aka the dreamy Jon Snow on Game of Thrones , has given this nickname-name new style and appeal for boys. Actress Jodie Foster used it for her son back in the 2000s, while actor…
Cailean
Irish
"pup, cub"
This is the original Gaelic spelling of the Anglicized Colin -- more authentic, yes, but could make your American child's life unnecessarily complicated.
Kellen
German; Irish
"swamp; slender"
Kellen is German in origin and Irish in spirit. Kellen has fallen a bit in popularity for boys since its peak in 2012, but it has possibilities for girls too. In fact, Kellen's similarity to such…
Tavish
Scottish variation of Thomas
"twin"
This Scottish form of Thomas has a lot of charm, evoking images of men in plaid kilts playing the bagpipes. As for the 'ish' ending, it could either be seen as cozy and hamish, or a little…
Britton
English
"from Britain"
One case where a spelling variation improves the name, Britton is used about four times as often as Britain for both genders. Currently, the count of baby Brittons is running at about 4 to 3 in favor…
Laird
Scottish
"lord of the land"
Laird is a Scottish title for the landed gentry – it ranks just below a Baron – with a pleasantly distinctive Scottish burr that must have appealed to Sharon Stone, who chose it for her son. Laird…
Cavanaugh
Irish
"born handsome or son of Caomhan "
Pleasant Irish last name that could be a more masculine alternative to the overused Cassidy. Early kings of Leinster bore the name, which relates to the first name Caomhan or Kevin and can also be…
Crispin
Latin
"curly-haired"
Crispin, which was introduced into the mainstream by actor Crispin Glover and which means "curly-haired" in Latin, has an image very much like its first syllable: crisp, autumnal, and colorful. St.…
Thackeray
English
"place with thatching"
The name of the famous British man of letters might just appeal to some English majors as a more interesting alternative to Zachary. An appropriate playmate for Russell Crowe's boy Tennyson.
Ciaran
Irish
"little black-haired one"
Extremely popular in Ireland, Ciaran is also well used in England and is beginning to be adopted by parents in the U.S., though usually via the more American-friendly Kieran spelling. The Irish…
Guillaume
French variation of William, German
"resolute protection"
An everyday name in France, a charismatic possibility elsewhere, Guillaume is a French form of the classic Germanic William. It's heyday was back in the 1980s and 90s, when it ranked in the French…
Lucretius
Latin clan name
"wealth"
Lucretius is the name of the Roman philosopher who invented Epicureanism. But even in these days of old Roman name revival, Lucretius sounds a bit long-white-beardish, though it can be enlivened with…