Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit Cast

Stephen

Greek

"garland, crown"

Stephen, also spelled Steven, is a strong and likable classic, with the he's-a-great-guy short form Steve. Though not as well-used or fashionable as it was in its heyday -- it was a Top 25 name from…

Sean

Irish variation of John

"God is gracious"

Sean, after a long reign as one of the top Irish boys' names in the US, has now slipped as parents look to fresher Irish choices such as Liam and Aidan. In Ireland, Sean is still highly popular, but…

Lawrence

Latin

"from Laurentium or bay laurel"

Lawrence has survived from Roman times, when Laurentium was a city noted for its laurel trees (the laurel is a symbol of wisdom and achievement). It was in the Top 50 from the 1890s through the 1950s…

Bruce

Scottish, English, French

"from the brushwood thicket"

Bruce is a Norman place name made famous by the Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who won Scotland's independence from England in the fourteenth century. Hugely popular in the 40s and 50s, it has since…

Andy

Diminutive of Andrew, Greek

"strong and manly"

Although we prefer Drew to the old Raggedy Andy, Andy has overtaken Drew as a name in its own right. About twice as many baby boys are named Andy, just Andy -- though about eight times as many…

Lee

English

"pasture, meadow"

A name that has a bit of a shouldn't-I-be-a-middle-name sound, though still in use as a first for both genders. Lee might be a good choice if you want something that sounds at once traditional yet…

Benedict

Latin

"blessed"

Parents who like Ben and Benjamin but find those forms too popular sometimes consider Benedict as a more distinctive choice. Unlike the Old Testament Benjamin, Benedict is the name of the saint who…

Orlando

Italian variation of Roland

"famous throughout the land"

Orlando, the ornate Italianate twist on the dated Roland, with a literary heritage stretching back to Shakespeare and before, has appealing book-ended o's, and is open to combination with almost any…

Billy

English, diminutive of William

"resolute protection"

Cute kid with freckles, bouncing a Spalding ball. Cool couple Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton put the name Billy Burton on their son's birth certificate. While the classic William, name of the…

Jed

Diminutive of Jedidiah, Hebrew

"beloved of the Lord"

Cowboyish short form that's both macho and cool. Got prime time exposure on The West Wing .

Bernard

German

"strong, brave as a bear"

Bernard is obviously a saint's name, but how did it get to the big, benevolent dog? The eleventh century monk, patron saint of mountain climbers, who lived in the Alps, was famed for setting up safe…

Brad

Diminutive of Bradley

Pitt is the prototypical blond Brad.

Sylvester

Latin

"wood, forest"

This name of three early popes has been associated in recent years with a cocky cartoon cat ("Thufferin' thuccatash!") and the Italian Stallion hero of the Rocky and Rambo movies (who was born…

Karl

German and Scandinavian variation of Charles

Manly almost to the point of macho.

Craig

Scottish

"from the rocks"

Craig is a single-syllable baby-boomer name, still common in its native Scotland, but most modern Americans would prefer something like Kyle.

Mikael

Scandinavian, Finnish, and Breton form of Michael

"who is like God?"

This variation of Michael is very popular in Iceland and Puerto Rico, but has only made the cut for the US Top 1000 two separate years —2016 and 2023. Angel-esque boy names ending in L trended…

Ken

Diminutive of Kenneth; Japanese

"born of fire or handsome; healthy and strong"

In many minds this one belongs to Barbie, but with such positive meanings and international connections, can Ken make the transition to usability again?