Unnamed List
- Ada
Origin:
German or TurkishMeaning:
"noble, nobility, or island"Description:
Ada is one of the classic baby names for girls that is suddenly super stylish again. A favorite at the end of the nineteenth century, Ada is an alternative to the over-popular Ava. Ada is also part of the trend toward simple, old-fashioned names beginning with a vowel, like Ivy and Ella.
- Alois
Origin:
Variation of Aloysius, LatinMeaning:
"renowned warrior"Description:
Alois and Aloysius are variation of Louis. Alois ranked in the US Top 1000 until the 1930s, and still ranks in the Top 1000 in Germany. Last year in the US, only seven baby boys were named Alois.
- Buckley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"meadow of the deer"Description:
Mama's boy.
- Carlyle
Origin:
Variation of Carlisle, EnglishMeaning:
"from the walled city"Description:
Carlisle is more popular than Carlyle for both genders, and in both spellings more widely used for boys than for girls. It's a name we see on the rise in either spelling.
- Collins
Origin:
Surname derived from Nicholas or ColinDescription:
Though Collins makes the Top 1000 for girls, it sounds strong and handsome for boys too, kind of like the newly-stylish Brooks. The final s updates it from the 80s-ish Colin or the Twilightish Cullen. Might make an innovative honorific for a grandpa Nick.
- Constance
Origin:
English version of Latin ConstantiaMeaning:
"steadfastness"Description:
Constance is one of the more subtle of the virtue baby names, but still has quite a prim and proper image. One impediment to its revival has been the decidedly dated nickname Connie, though modern parents might well opt for using the strong and dignified name in full.
- Eliah
Description:
Eliah is a masculine name with ancient Hebrew origins. It's a variant spelling of Elijah (Hebrew: Eliyahu), meaning 'my God is Yahweh' or 'Jehovah is God.' This spelling maintains the biblical connection while offering a slightly different visual and phonetic quality. Eliah appears in various cultures, including as a variant in Scandinavian countries. The name carries profound religious significance in Abrahamic traditions, as Elijah was a revered prophet in the Old Testament. While less common than the traditional Elijah spelling, Eliah has gained some popularity in recent decades as parents seek alternatives to popular biblical names. It offers a gentle yet strong sound with its flowing vowels, conveying both sensitivity and spiritual depth.
- Elmer
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"noble and renowned"Description:
Thanks to Elmer Fudd, Elmer the Cow, and even Elmer's glue, this name has become a bit of a joke -- the quintessential so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out name. But with its trendy El-beginning and popular er-ending, who knows?
- Eveline
Origin:
English or FrenchMeaning:
"desired; or water, island"Description:
Variant of Evelyn or Aveline
- Fanny
Origin:
Diminutive of FrancesMeaning:
"free man"Description:
As this word is less often used to mean derriere, it becomes more possible to view Fanny as the kind of appealingly quaint nickname name, like Josie and Nellie, that many parents are favoring now.
- Forster
Origin:
English, variation of FosterMeaning:
"scissors maker"Description:
Forster, a variation of Foster or potentially even Forester, is associated with British novelist E.M. Forster, author of A Passage to India, Howard's End, and A Room with a View. But if you choose Forster, you'd always have to force that 'r'.
- Gilbert
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"shining pledge"Description:
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 revival.
- Hesperus
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"evening, evening star"Description:
Hesperus or Hesperos is a figure in Greek mythology who is the personification of the Evening Star or Venus, the son of the dawn goddess Eos. There's a Longfellow poem about a tragic shipping voyage called The Wreck of the Hesperus. An archaic name that with the revival of many old mythological names might just have a chance at revival.
- Hilaire
Description:
Hilaire is a feminine name of French origin, derived from the Latin 'Hilarius,' meaning 'cheerful' or 'joyful.' Though it can be used for any gender, it's more commonly given to girls in contemporary usage. The name carries a sophisticated European flair and has historical connections to Saint Hilary of Poitiers, a 4th-century theologian and Doctor of the Church. As a given name, Hilaire has never been widely popular in English-speaking countries but maintains a steady presence in Francophone regions. The name's association with happiness and its elegant sound make it appealing to parents seeking something distinctive yet meaningful. Its relative rarity gives it an air of exclusivity while still being recognizable and pronounceable to most.
- Hughes
Origin:
English, Scottish, Irish surnameMeaning:
"mind, intellect; son of Aodh"Description:
Part of the next generation of preppy H-beginning surnames. Once Harrison, Hudson, and Holden are no longer fresh, expect to hear more little boys being called Hughes, Hutch, and Henderson on the playground.
- Lucy
Origin:
English variation of Lucia, LatinMeaning:
"light"Description:
A versatile classic, Lucy is both sweet and solid, a saint's name, and the heroine of several great novels. First fashionable in England and Wales, Lucy is now a popular choice in the US, The Netherlands, and New Zealand.
- Morris
Origin:
English variation of MauriceMeaning:
"dark-skinned"Description:
Morris is as quiet and comfortable as a Morris chair, and has the same vintage feel. Once a Top 100 name in the early 1900s, Morris fell completely off the roster in 1995, probably due to lingering fallout from his identification with Morris the cat's ("the world's most finicky cat") 9 Lives cat food commercials.
- Morton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"town near the moor"Description:
An English family name used a few generations ago as an Anglicization of Moses, but hardly heard since th 1950s.
- Nadine
Origin:
French variation of Nadia, RussianMeaning:
"hope"Description:
Part of the vogue for French-sounding names in the 1920s and 30s, Nadine has been replaced by the Russian sound of Nadia and Natasha.
- Newman
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"newcomer"Description:
Family name best used in the middle, especially since it was seen as the portly postman in Seinfeld.