My Favorites for Each Letter

  1. Ulysses
    • Origin:

      Latin variation of the Greek Odysseus
    • Description:

      Ulysses is one of the few U boys' names anyone knows -- with heavy links to the Homeric hero, eighteenth president Grant, and the James Joyce novel -- all of which makes it both distinguished and kind of weighty for a modern boy. Ulysses was on the US popularity list well into the twenty-first century; it's off now, but Number 684 on Nameberry.
  2. Urania
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "heavenly"
    • Description:

      The name of one of the Greek Muses would be really difficult to bear here on earth.
  3. Vincent
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "conquering"
    • Description:

      Vincent is a name with a complex image. After being quietly used for centuries, it is suddenly seeming stylish, along wih other V names. Even the nickname Vince has been given a reprieve via actor Vince Vaughn and country singer Vince Gill. Vin Diesel was born with the more prosaic name Mark Vincent.
  4. Vivian
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "life"
    • Description:

      Vivian, once an elderly lady name, is on the rise, along with all form of girl names that mean life -- from Zoe to Eva to those who share the vivid Viv syllable. It was one of the fastest-rising names of 2023, vaulting into the Top 100.
  5. Willow
    • Origin:

      English nature name
    • Meaning:

      "willow tree"
    • Description:

      An ancient tree that figures in literature from Shakespeare to Harry Potter and is believed to possess magical powers, Willow is a lovely name, as graceful as its inspiration.
  6. Winslow
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "friend's hill or burial mound"
    • Description:

      Winslow, despite its creative connection to the distinguished American painter Winslow Homer, does still retain remnants of the image of a Victorian boy in a sailor suit, making Winston or even just Win a preferable modern choice.
  7. Xavier
    • Origin:

      Basque
    • Meaning:

      "new house"
    • Description:

      Xavier originated is use as a given name after Saint Francis Xavier, cofounder of the Jesuit order, who got his name from the Spanish-Basque village where he was born. His birthplace was Javier, the name of which was derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria, meaning "castle" or "new house."
  8. Xyla
    • Yager
      • Yakira
        • Zacharias
          • Origin:

            Greek form of Hebrew Zachariah
          • Meaning:

            "the Lord has remembered"
          • Description:

            One of several more venerable names that get to the nickname Zack if you're tired of Zachary. In the New Testament, Zacharias was the husband of Elizabeth and father of John the Baptist.
        • Ziva
          • Origin:

            Hebrew
          • Meaning:

            "life"
          • Description:

            A zippy little international name. The Hebrew name relates to the month of Israeli independence, while the Slavic Ziva (also spelled Živa and Siva) is a goddess of love, life and fertility.