User-created list
By habert · Updated October 2015
Across 4 pages
of 4
Scottish
"valley"
Glenn appealed to a lot of post-World War II parents for its cool, leafy image, also calling up the Big Band sounds of Glenn Miller and the calm, composed image of actor Glenn Ford, whose name at…
Latin
"blind"
Once a powerful Roman clan name, Cecil has lost much of its potency over the years, though it retains a strong presence in the sports and jazz worlds. Past bearers include film giant Cecil B.…
"bright"
The name of the guardian angel in It's a Wonderful Life is rarely heard the rest of the year because of its studious, near-nerdy image, but this could change in the current naming climate. An English…
Short form of Alonso or Alonzo, variations of Alphonso
"noble, ready"
Lonnie is one of those antiquated nicknames that is used much more often in the US than you might think, especially as a short form of Alonso or Alonzo, names always on the US Top 1000.
Diminutive of Louis or Lewis, French and German
"renowned warrior"
Lou, all by itself, is become fashionable for girls, which usually makes a name LESS fashionable for boys. But Lou, like Bill or Jim, is rarely used on its own for boys anyway. (You wouldn't name a…
Diminutive of Frederick or Alfred, German or English
"peaceful ruler or wise counselor"
Where have all the Freds gone? We haven't seen many since the days of Flintstone and Munster. But it could be time for a comeback--if you think more of the sophistication of Fred Astaire, and of…
English word name
"nobleman, warrior"
Earl is a title name - brought to England by the vikings - that's out of fashion right now, unlike King and Duke. Its peak popularity was in the 1920s, which gives it a dusty great-grandpa feel, but…
Diminutive of John, Hebrew
"God is gracious"
This spelling of the traditional nickname for John is a bit more feminine than Johnny, based on the fashion at the turn of the 20th century to use boyish diminutives ending in -ie for girls.
Short form of David, Hebrew
"beloved"
Dave is the ultimate good guy name, but where father name David is still holding onto a spot in the Top 20, Dave -- widely used as an independent name in the middle of the last century -- dropped off…
French derivative of Mary
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Fun fact: Marion was the birth name of movie star John Wayne. Although commonly thought of as a female name today, it was actually more popular for boys until the late 19th century, and was given to…
Diminutive of Benjamin, Benedict, Bennett, or similar
"son of the right hand; blessed"
A friendly nickname for several classic choices, Bennie has the charm of Ronnie, Reggie, Archie, and Alfie. Familiar in the US in the 20s, 30s, and 40s, some may be reminded of the Elton John song,…
French from Latin
"lame; enclosure"
Claude is a soft-spoken French name that conjures up the pastel colors of Monet and harmonies of Debussy. In France, it is used for girls as well, in fact in the Tracy Chevalier novel Lady and the…
French
"blackbird"
Originally a nickname for someone who loved to sing or whistle, Merle is sleek but gentle, with a hint of great grandpa about it..
Short form of Thomas, Aramaic
"twin"
Tommie is a masculine name traditionally used as a diminutive form of Thomas, which derives from the Aramaic name Te'oma, meaning '"twin"' Popular throughout the 20th century, particularly in the…
"garden of holly"
This Scottish place name and surname was more popular for boys in the US until the mid-1940s; in the UK, the Leslie spelling is predominantly masculine, with Lesley widely used as the feminine…
Jimmie is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive form of James. Deriving from the Hebrew name Jacob (meaning "supplanter"), James became widely popular throughout the English-speaking…
"prayer"
Short and slight, with great potential now that names like Ava, Ida and Orla are popular. Ora Beach is a tourist destination on Seram Island, Indonesia.
English
"fairy"
Fay, also spelled Faye, who had been napping quietly since the 1930's, has, like cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae, sat up and started rubbing her eyes, ready for a mini-comeback, especially as a middle…
Welsh
"lake"
Traditionally used for boys before the 20th-century, Lynn was solidly used as a masculine name in the US, right up until the 70s when it fell out of favor. Prior to that, however, it had already…
Irish
"dark, black"
Carey is a surname name that works equally well on babies of all genders: Jazz great Carey Bell and motorcross champion Carey Hart are just two examples of how handsome this name can be for a boy.…
