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Where Classic Meets Unique

bhtinling
By bhtinling
Updated Sat Nov 26 2022
An attempt to find a middle ground between my husband's plain, classic taste and my desire to give our children interesting, unique names. Rules: 1. No names that start with 'B' or 'T', and preferably, no 'C'. 2. No names that end with "-ing", "-don", "-lyn/lynne", "-vin", or "-andy." 3. Nothing super faddish or out there. 4. Must have at least one option for a good nickname. 5. Preferably will not be in the Top 100.
  1. Atticus

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "from Attica"

    • Description:

      Atticus, with its trendy Roman feel combined with the upstanding, noble image of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, is a real winner among boy names. Atticus entered the US Top 1000 in 2004 and is a firm Nameberry favorite.
  2. Violet

    • Origin:

      English from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "purple"

    • Description:

      Violet is soft and sweet, yet with a vivacious edge. Today, Violet is the top flower name for girls, outranking Lily and Iris in the Top 100, and the second most popular color name for girls after Scarlett.
  3. Amelia

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "work"

    • Description:

      Amelia is one of the hottest girls' names, a successor to the megapopular Emma and Emily. Amelia, the Number 2 choice in England, is now also comfortably ensconced in the US Top 10, where it ranked as the third most popular name for girls in 2024.
  4. Evelyn

    • Origin:

      English from French and German

    • Meaning:

      "desired; or water, island"

    • Description:

      After decades of disuse, soft and feminine Evelyn has returned to the baby name stage in a huge way. It reached the Top 10 for the first time in 2017. Evelyn has now surpassed its former heights, joining a legion of contemporary little Evas, Avas, Eves, Evies, and Evelines.
  5. James

    • Origin:

      English variation of Jacob, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"

    • Description:

      James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys' baby names, and is the most common male name, counting people of all ages, in the US.
  6. Atlas

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "bearer of the heavens"

    • Description:

      Atlas is one of those names that was previously thought too powerful for a baby boy, who would have to be strong enough to carry the world on his shoulders. Now Atlas has joined the pantheon of Greek and Roman god and goddess names in the realm of possibility, along with Mars, Zeus and Apollo.
  7. Matilda

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "battle-mighty"

    • Description:

      Matilda is a sweet vintage name that has been gently climbing the popularity list for the past 15 years, after a half-century slumber. The spunky children's book heroine Matilda is one factor in its rise, along with others of its class like Eloise and Caspian.
  8. Isaac

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "laughter"

    • Description:

      Isaac has shaved off his biblical beard and leaped into the upper echelon of popular boys' names, outrunning cousin Isaiah. A favorite of the Puritans, Isaac has never dipped below Number 400 on the US list of top boy names.
  9. Sebastian

    • Origin:

      Latin from Greek

    • Meaning:

      "person from ancient city of Sebastia"

    • Description:

      Sebastian is an ancient martyr's name turned literary, and Little Mermaid hero—think Sebastian the Crab—that's more popular than ever, as a classic-yet-unconventional compatriot for fellow British favorites T Theodore and Oliver.
  10. Abigail

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "my father is joyful"

    • Description:

      Abigail has been in for so long -- the name has ranked in the US Top 100 since the late 1980s -- it's amazing that it isn't more out by now. But Abigail's biblical and historic roots make it a fashionable classic rather than a passing fad.
  11. Gabriel

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is my strength"

    • Description:

      Gabriel has become a biblical favorite, an angelic choice that's lighter and less patriarchal than some of his Old Testament brethren. Derived from the Hebrew name Gavri’el, Gabriel is taken from the elements gever, meaning "strong," and ’el, in reference to God.
  12. Juniper

    • Origin:

      Latin tree name

    • Meaning:

      "young"

    • Description:

      Juniper is a fresh-feeling nature name -- it's a small evergreen shrub -- with lots of energy. A new favorite of fashionable parents, Juniper joins such other tree and shrub names as Hazel, Acacia, and Willow.
  13. Dorian

    • Origin:

      Greek, name of a tribe

    • Description:

      The Dorians were an ancient Greek tribe, one of the three major pre-Spartan tribes. It literally means "of Doris," a Greek district, or "of Doros," referring to the son of Helen of Sparta. Dorian derives from the Greek doron, meaning "gift," along with related names such as Dorothy and Dora.
  14. 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."
  15. Harrison

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son of Harry"

    • Description:

      Harrison, a name made viable by Harrison Ford, is increasingly popular with parents who want an H name that's more formal than Harry or Hank but doesn't veer into the stiff Huntington-Harrington territory.
  16. Adelaide

    • Origin:

      Variant of Adelheidis, German

    • Meaning:

      "noble, nobility"

    • Description:

      Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for the name of her second daughter.
  17. Juliet

    • Origin:

      English from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "youthful or sky father"

    • Description:

      One of the most romantic names, the lovely and stylish Juliet seems finally to have shaken off her limiting link to Romeo. In Shakespeare's play, it was Juliet who said "What's in a name?"
  18. Meredith

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "great ruler"

    • Description:

      Meredith is a soft, gentle-sounding name with subtle Welsh roots. Although originally a boys’ name , Meredith is used mainly for girls now.
  19. Dexter

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "dyer, right-handed"

    • Description:

      The jazzy, ultra-cool Dexter, like most names with an "x," has a lot of energy and dynamism.
  20. Jasmine

    • Origin:

      Flower name, from Persian

    • Meaning:

      "gift from God"

    • Description:

      Jasmine was derived from the Persian word yasmin, referring to the jasmine flower. Scented oil was made from the plant, and it was used as a perfume throughout the Persian Empire. Variants include Jazmin, Yasmin, Yasmine, and Jessamine.