User-created list
Names of Nobel Prize Winners
Across 36 pages
of 36
Torsten
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.
Wolcott
English
"cottage near a stream"
One of many stuffy British W surnames that would subject an American boy to years of teasing before growing into it at age fifty.
Roald
Norwegian
"famous ruler"
This intriguing Scandinavian name is associated with Roald Dahl, author of the juvenile classics James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . You can honor an ancestral Ronald…
Nicolaas
Dutch variation of Nicholas, Greek
"people of victory"
Adolfo
Latin form of Adolph
One high-fashion brand that's actually a legitimate first name, though still linked to the tainted Adolph.
Gilbert
German
"shining pledge"
Considered ultra debonair in the silent-movie era, Gilbert then went through a nerdy phase, a la Gilbert Gottfried. Now though, like Albert and Alfred and Walter and Frank, it could be in for a style…
Berg
German
"mountain, hill"
Earthbound surname that few would make as first choice.
Val
Diminutive of Valentine, Latin
"strength, health"
Val as a boys' name is closely associated with the late actor Val Kilmer.
Cronin
Irish
"descendant of Croínín"
Cronin is a masculine name of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic surname 'Ó Croínín,' meaning "descendant of Croínín" (a diminutive of 'cron,' meaning saffron-colored or tawny). As a first name,…
Godfrey
German
"God's peace"
Godfrey was very popular in the Middle Ages, but today you're more likely to hear it as a surname than a first name. It has a solid, old-man charm, but a couple of possible deal-breakers: the first…
Mcleod
Scottish
"son of Leod"
A Scottish surname with cool nickname Mac and a cloudy sound.
Cormack
Cormack is a masculine name of Celtic origin, specifically Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It's a variant spelling of Cormac, which derives from the Gaelic 'Corbmac,' meaning 'charioteer' or 'son of the…
Brown
Color and surname
Most color names, like Scarlet and Violet, are definitely female, but not this one. Brown is as rich and warm as the tone it denotes, though we must admit the Italian version Bruno has more spark and…
Salam
Salam is a meaningful masculine name of Arabic origin that directly translates to 'peace' or 'peace be upon you.' It comes from the same Semitic root as the Hebrew word 'shalom.' The name holds…
Sheldon
English
"steep-sided valley"
Like Marvin and Melvin, Sheldon has been perceived as about as far out as you can get, though there are very pretty towns in Devon and Derbyshire that inspired it. Sheldon Lee Cooper is the lead nerd…
Menachem
Hebrew
"the comforter"
A middle-aged, if not elderly, name associated with Israeli statesman and onetime prime minister Begin, this is a symbolic appellation for boys born on the holiday of Tishah-b'Ab.
Anwar
Arabic
"brighter, clearer"
Strongly identified with peace-accord-seeking Egyptian president Anwar el-Sadat.
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…
Smith
English occupational name
"blacksmith"
Even if it is the Number one surname in the U.S.--with more than 2.5 million bearers--we still think that Smith would make a cool first or middle name, whether or not it has family history. Though…
Arno
German
"eagle"
Subtract the last two letters of Arnold, and you're left with a much more modern-sounding name. Arno is also the name of the main river in Florence, upon which sits the famed Ponte Vecchio. The…