User-created list
By maggiethurstons · Updated May 2023
Across 43 pages
of 43
Diminutive of Marjorie or Jordan
Poet Jorie Graham is the best-known (okay: only known) bearer of this fresh, spirited spin on the Cory-Tory-Rory group. The boys' Jory is a Cornish nickname for George.
Feminization of Ebbe, Swedish and Danish, or variation of Old English Æbbe
"bear god; brave boar"
Ebba, the feminine version of Ebbe (a diminutive of Eberhard or Asbjorn) and also a form of an old English name, is in the Swedish Top 10 but virtually unknown in the US. However, with the rise of…
Nature name
"hawk, a bird"
Animal names are on the rise, especially more of the aggressive Hawk-Fox-Wolf variety than cute little Bunnys or Robins, and Hawk is a prime example. Hawk is more commonly heard as a surname,…
English occupational name
"shearer of woolen cloth"
Not quite as over-the-hill as Herman, but not far behind either.
Variation of Ernest, English from German
"serious, resolute"
Not too long ago, Ernie may have felt totally out of style: a clunky old man nickname, best reserved for grandpa alongside Merle, Errol, and Barney. Now however, it's a rising star, a vintage revival…
French
"triangular feature in architecture"
The iconic Gone With the Wind star Clark's surname was brought into the first-name mix when Weeds ' Kevin Nealon picked it for his son. Gable makes a strong and unusual possibility, a rhyming cousin…
Irish surname
"monk"
For football fans who have decided Peyton has become too feminine. Or they could look to brother Eli for inspiration.
French feminine variation of Lucian
"light"
Lucienne is a soft and ultra-sophisticated French-accented option in the Lucy family, one that could provide a fresh alternative to such fatigued Gallic choices as Danielle and Michelle. So if you're…
English word name
A recently entered name on the roster, Poet was used for her daughter by Soleil Moon (Punky Brewster) Frye, who obviously appreciates the advantages of an unusual name. This is a possible middle name…
Greek
"godly"
Theon, an ancient name attached to a noted Greek teacher of mathematics and astronomy, also father to the first woman mathematician, might appeal to parents in this field. You can think of Theon as…
Latin
"of the city"
Urban was not an uncommon name through the 1930s (rising as high as Number 435), having been attached to several saints and early popes, but it has completely disappeared from the landscape--both…
Scottish, spelling variation of Earl
Errol was a swashbuckling name in the Errol Flynn era, which still has a trace of jazz cool.m thanks to jazz pianist Erroll Garner.
Variation of Fraser
"strawberry"
Stylish way to name your son after basketball great Walt -- though Walt is sounding fresh again too.
English
"son of the gray-haired one"
Waspy surname-name most closely associated with visionary magazine editor (Edward) Graydon Carter, who created Spy and Air Mail and was the longime editor of Vanity Fair . More substantial than Gray,…
Gretta is a feminine name representing a variant spelling of Greta, which itself originated as a short form of Margaret or Margareta. With Germanic and Greek roots, the name ultimately derives from…
German
"battle warrior"
When it's spelled with two dots over the ' u ' in German, Gunther is pronounced GUWN-ter, but it has a much softer sound when the 'h' is voiced by English-speakers, as it was, for example, for the…
Kohl is a masculine name with Germanic origins, derived from the Middle High German word for 'cabbage' or 'coal.' As a personal name, it emerged first as a surname for coal workers or those with dark…
Diminutive of Odell, Otis; English, German
"of the valley; wealthy"
This old-timey nickname for Otis and Odell is strongly tied to Garfield’s canine companion in the Garfield comic, movie, and TV franchise. Actress Ashley Williams gave it signs of life when she used…
Audie is a feminine name with diverse origins, functioning as both a diminutive of Audrey and a name in its own right. Derived from Anglo-Saxon roots, it carries meanings associated with 'noble…
"summoner"
Billionaire Sumner Redstone, the nonagenarian owner of CBS and Viacom, practically has a monopoly on his first name — for now. But Hunter, Asher, and Ryder have ushered in a major vogue "-er" names,…
