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The names
Nora
Diminutive of Honora or Eleonora, Latin
"honor or meaning unknown"
Nora is a lovely, refined name that conjures up images of Belle Epoch ladies in fur-trimmed coats skating in Central Park. Long seen as a quintessentially Irish name though its roots are not in…
Matthew
Hebrew
"gift of God"
Matthew was the third most popular boys' name in America throughout the 1980s and '90s, and is still one of the top boy names starting with M . The New Testament Matthew is the epitome of the…
Clara
Latin
"bright, clear"
Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right at Number 78, making it a modern…
Ruth
Hebrew
"compassionate friend"
Ruth, with its air of calm and compassion, was the third most popular name in the 1890s, remaining in the Top 10 through the 1920s. It's still in use today as some parents tiring of Rachel and…
Simon
Hebrew, Greek
"he has heard; flat-nosed"
Simon is pure and simple (not in the nursery rhyme sense), and an appealingly genuine Old and New Testament name that's not overused. These factors make Simon a stylish yet classic choice. In the…
Laura
English from Latin
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
Laura is a hauntingly evocative perennial, never trendy, never dated, feminine without being fussy, with long-standing literary links. All this makes Laura a more solid choice than any of its more…
Louisa
Latinate feminine variation of Louis
"renowned warrior"
Louisa, a quaint but strong vintage name, might feel fresher in English speaking countries than old favorite Louise, just as Diana and Julia have more energy than Diane and Julie at the moment. Part…
Bill
English, diminutive of William
"resolute protection"
Most Bills today are dads...or grandpas. The younger Williams are usually nicknamed Will, or called by their full names.
Feidhlim
Conall
Irish
"strong as a wolf"
Too many Connors in your neighborhood? This name--spelled with one 'l' or two--is equally authentic and much more unusual.
Tadhg
Irish
"poet"
The name of several ancient kings and princes of Ireland, Tadhg became so common at one point that it was used to represent a kind of Irish Gaelic everyman, or man in the street, as Paddy and Mick…
Diarmuid
Irish
"free from envy"
Old Irish spelling of Dermot / Diarmaid. This spelling is commonly used in the legend of Diarmuid and Gráinne, a love story from Irish legend.
Senan
Irish
"little old one"
St. Senán was a famed 6th-century monk, who founded a monastery on Inis Cathaigh whose ruins can still be seen today. Legend has it that before he could found the monastery, he had to banish a great…
Eamonn
Eamonn is the Irish form of Edmund, derived from the Old English elements 'ead' meaning wealth or fortune and 'mund' meaning protection. Traditionally used in Ireland, Eamonn gained popularity…
Fiach
Nóinín
Labhaoise
Ailsa
Scottish from Norse
"elf victory"
Ailsa is a traditional Scottish name for girls related to a rocky island in the Firth of Clyde called Ailsa Craig. It might make an interesting alternative to the outdated Ashley or overly popular…
Ellen
English variation of Helen
"torch; shining light"
An medieval English form of Helen, the sensitive but clear-eyed Ellen has swung in and out of style for centuries, often alternating with the parent name. Ellen was the more common in medieval…
Beth
English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
The sweetest and most sensitive of the pet names for Elizabeth, now also one of the most dated.