Boys

Leonard

German

"brave lion"

Leonard is the name of several saints, including one who is the patron saint of childhood, and another medieval saint who's the patron of prisoners--known for freeing prisoners he deemed worthy of…

Magnus

Scandinavian from Latin

"greatest"

Magnus is a Latin name, literally meaning "greatest," that has a Scandinavian feel. It dates back to Charlemagne being called Carolus Magnus, or Charles the Great. Norwegian king Magnus I, named…

Harry

Diminutive of Henry, English, German

"estate ruler"

Harry is the medieval English form of Henry, which derived from the Germanic name Heimrich, meaning "estate ruler." Harry was the nickname of all eight King Henrys; it is also a diminutive of Harold…

Alfred

English

"wise counselor; elf counsel"

Alfred is up off his recliner! If you're looking for a path to Fred, you can go directly to Frederick or take the long way around with the so-out-it's-in-again Alfred. Alfred is quite popular in…

Reuben

Hebrew

"behold, a son"

Reuben is derived from the Hebrew words ra’a , meaning "to see, to understand," and ben , "son." As a phrase it translates to "behold, a son." In the Bible, Reuben is Jacob's first-born son by Leah…

Caius

Variation of Gaius, Latin

"rejoice"

Caius is classical and serious but also has a simple, joyful quality. There was a third century pope named Caius, as well as an early Christian writer, several Shakespearean characters, and a…

Basil

Greek

"royal"

Although Greek in origin--in the fourth century, a bishop by that name established the principles of the Greek Orthodox Church--Basil for years took on the aura of aquiline-nosed upper-class…

Boris

Slavic

"to fight"

Boris is one of the old Russian names being revived by chic Europeans; it hasn't quite made a comeback yet in the U.S., but it does have potential. For a long time the name has been associated with…

Caspar

Dutch and German variation of Casper and Jasper, Persian

"keeper of the treasure"

After half a century, this otherwise feasible name has at last started to lose its link to the friendly ghost; it certainly didn't scare model Claudia Schiffer, who chose it for her son, as did…

Linus

Greek

"flax"

Can Linus lose its metaphorical security blanket and move from the Peanuts page onto the birth certificate? We think it has enough charm and other positive elements going for it for the answer to be…

Wilbur

English, German

"wild boar"

Clunky yet cuddly, Wilbur is a stylish name in the UK where it currently sits in the Top 600, as cool as Rupert or Wilfred. Its merits are starting to be rediscovered in the US, where it was last…

Wilfred

English

"desires peace"

Wilfred is one of those Old Man Names that still sounds fusty in the US but is fashionable in the UK. It comes with readymade short forms Will, Wilf, or Fred and might make an adventurous alternative…

Ludovic

English and Scottish variation of Ludwig

"famous warrior"

Euro-cool. Heard more in Scotland than in England or the US, Ludovic Lesly is a character in the Sir Walter Scott novel Quentin Durward and Sir Ludovic Kennedy was a noted Scottish broadcaster and…

Rufus

Latin

"red-head"

Rufus is a rumpled, redheaded (it was the nickname for red-haired King William) ancient Roman name popular with saints and singers (e.g. Rufus Wainwright); now, Rufus is on the cutting edge of cool.…

Duncan

Scottish

"dark warrior"

Duncan is jaunty, confident, and open, a Scottish royal name that's brimming with friendly charm and makes it into our golden circle of names that are neither too popular nor too strange. Popularity…

Ruaraidh

Ruaraidh is a masculine Scottish Gaelic name, pronounced roughly as 'ROO-uh-ree.' It's the original Gaelic form of the more commonly known Rory or Ruari. The name derives from the Gaelic elements…

Angus

Anglicized form of Aonghus, Aonghas, Gaelic

"one strength"

Angus is a traditional yet stylish choice in the UK, especially in Scotland. And it's a cool choice for US parents too, particularly those whose roots go back to Glasgow. The ancient Celtic form…