Cortomaltese's List

  1. Almond
    • Byron
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "barn for cows"
      • Description:

        For centuries, this name had a romantic, windswept image due to its strong connection to the poet Lord Byron, who inspired its use as a first name. It is one of those surprise names that's appeared on the Top 1000 every year since 1880.
    • Claude
      • Origin:

        French from Latin
      • Meaning:

        "lame; enclosure"
      • Description:

        Claude is a soft-spoken French name that conjures up the pastel colors of Monet and harmonies of Debussy. In France, it is used for girls as well, in fact in the Tracy Chevalier novel Lady and the Unicorn, the protagonist is a female Claude.
    • Clyde
      • Origin:

        Scottish river name
      • Description:

        Even though in the past Clyde may have been identified as half of the infamous outlaw duo with partner Bonnie Parker—especially after the 1967 movie in which he was played by Warren Beatty—Clyde has always had an element of jazzy cool that could overcome all the rest.
    • Conrad
      • Origin:

        German
      • Meaning:

        "brave counsel"
      • Description:

        Conrad has a somewhat intellectual masculine image, a solid name that has been consistently on the popularity lists, especially well used in the 1920s and 30s, and given a pop of rock energy by the Elvis-like character of Conrad Birdie in Bye, Bye, Birdie--("We love you Conrad, oh yes we do!").
    • Dylan
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "son of the sea"
      • Description:

        Dylan still feels poetic and romantic after years of popularity. It still ranks highly on the charts, among the top boy names starting with D, so if you choose it, be aware that yours may not be the only Dylan in his class.
    • Francis
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "Frenchman or free man"
      • Description:

        Since this was the name chosen by the current Roman Catholic pope, Francis has come into the spotlight.
    • Giacomo
      • Origin:

        Italian variation of James
      • Meaning:

        "supplanter"
      • Description:

        Giacomo is a primo member of the Giovanni-Gino-Giancarlo-Giacomo gruppo of Italian names that are beginning to be adopted by American parents. Singer/creative baby namer Sting chose it for his son.
    • Giulio
      • Origin:

        Italian variation of Julius
      • Description:

        Giulio is a Top 50 name in Italy, and we think Giulio is a good candidate to follow, especially now that Giovanni and Gianni are in up in the US charts. It's an interesting alternative to popular cousins Julian and Julius. And of course the most famous Giulio of all is the Emperor, Giulio Cesare.
    • Jasper
      • Origin:

        Persian
      • Meaning:

        "bringer of treasure"
      • Description:

        Jasper originated as a variation of the Latin Gaspar, which ultimately derived from the Persian word ganzabara, meaning "bringer of treasure." As a given name, Jasper’s etymology is unrelated to that of the gemstone, which comes from a Semitic word meaning "speckled stone." Jasper is the usual English form for one of the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the infant Christ according to medieval tradition and appears in the Bible as a reference to the stone itself in Revelations 4:3.
    • Jeremy
      • Origin:

        English form of Jeremiah
      • Meaning:

        "appointed by God"
      • Description:

        This one-time trendy form of Jeremiah hovered just outside the Top 25 throughout the 1970s and 80s.
    • Julien
      • Origin:

        French from Latin
      • Meaning:

        "youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"
      • Description:

        Julien is the handsome French form of Julian, which derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthfu"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".
    • Laurence
      • Origin:

        English from Latin
      • Meaning:

        "from Laurentum or bay laurel"
      • Description:

        Lawrence is the dominant spelling in the US, but in the UK Laurence and Lawrence are given in almost equal numbers each year, often with the adorable nickname Laurie or Lawrie. British actor Sir Laurence Olivier is a famous bearer.
    • Lennox
      • Origin:

        Scottish
      • Meaning:

        "elm grove"
      • Description:

        Lennox is an aristocratic and powerful Scottish surname name made truly special by that final x. The worldwide fame of British boxer--World and Olympic champion--Lennox Claudius Lewis brought the name into the spotlight as a first name, while as a last it's tied to Eurythmics singer Annie L.
    • Leon
      • Origin:

        Greek variation of Leo
      • Meaning:

        "lion"
      • Description:

        Currently overshadowed by the bright and lively Leo, Leon feels a slightly more serious, more quietly confident than its short and trending counterpart.
    • Linus
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "flax"
      • Description:

        Can Linus lose its metaphorical security blanket and move from the Peanuts page onto the birth certificate? We think it has enough charm and other positive elements going for it for the answer to be yes.
    • Luca
      • Origin:

        Italian variation of Luke and Lucas
      • Meaning:

        "man from Lucania"
      • Description:

        The related Lucas and Luke are both hugely popular boy names in the US and internationally, and now Luca has joined them on boys' popularity lists around the world.
    • Lucien
      • Origin:

        French form of Lucian
      • Meaning:

        "light"
      • Description:

        Sophisticated Gallic version of Lucian, Lucien may appeal to parents attracted to this meaning over that of Lucas and Luke, which have a different root, and also looking for a more unusual choice.
    • Luke
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "man from Lucania"
      • Description:

        Luke is a cool-yet-strong Biblical name with a relaxed cowboy feel, which has been on the rise since the advent of Luke Skywalker.
    • Marcel
      • Origin:

        French variation of Marcellus
      • Meaning:

        "little warrior"
      • Description:

        Marcel, despite distinguished namesakes including Proust and Duchamp, suffers from a terminal headwaiter image in this country. But along with its sister name Marcella and French variation (and Jolie-Pitt pick) Marcheline, Marcel may be on the brink of a style renaissance.