Mister Men

Alaric

German

"all-powerful ruler"

Alaric is an ancient regal name that sounds modern enough to be considered. Alaric was a traditional name for the kings of the Ostrogoths, the most famous of whom was Alaric I, the King of the West…

Baer

German

"bearlike, dweller at the sign of the bear"

Reversed vowels make it seem less fierce.

Cedrick

Cedrick is a variant spelling of Cedric, a name created by Sir Walter Scott for his 1819 novel "Ivanhoe." Scott likely derived it from the Saxon name Cerdic, belonging to a 6th-century king. The name…

Gryphon

Mythological animal name or form of Griffin, Welsh

"strong lord"

Rare but rising, Gryphon is an intriguing name that combines several stylish associations. The Gryphon spelling relates directly to the fierce legendary creature that's eagle in front, lion behind.…

Perseus

Greek

"to destroy"

Perseus is an up-and-coming name with a plenty going for it, so it's no wonder it's almost tripled in usage since the 2010s. Given to nearly 170 boys in the US in a recent year, Perseus ticks the…

Theon

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…

Bravery

Virtue name

This one's cutting right to the chase, but with such names as Justice and Peace on the rise, why not? And we guarantee your seven-year-old son will love it, though your 17-year-old, maybe not so…

Cyril

Greek

"lordly"

A British-accented Greek name with an intellectual image that has been off the U.S. charts since 1966, but was a Top 300 name at the turn of the last century. We have the feeling Cyril's ready for a…

Tennyson

English

"son of Dennis"

Few people would have considered the surname of this famous Victorian poet as a first name until Russell Crowe chose it for his son in 2006. But, as a rhythmic three-syllable patronymic, Tennyson has…

Francesco

Italian variation of Francis

Thanks to the inspiration of Pope Francis, Francesco has galloped to the front of the line to become the Number One boys' name in Italy. As Francesca has become a familiar and popular form of the…

Theron

Greek

"hunter"

Theron is best known these days as the surname of actress Charlize, but it does have a long history as a first name, ranking in the Top 500 in the early part of the 20th century and only dropping out…

Isidore

Greek

"gift of Isis"

Isabel, Theodore, and Isadora are back: could it now be time for a more widespread revival of Isidore? Yet to see any big moves up the charts, Isidore was given to more than 30 boys in a recent year:…

Demetri

Demetri is a masculine name of Greek origin, derived from Demetrius, which honors Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture and fertility. The name literally translates to 'follower of Demeter' or…

Marlowe

Variation of Marlow, English

"driftwood"

While Marlowe (and Marlow and Marlo) are surname names that are not intrinsically or traditionally gendered and so in theory work equally well for boys and girls. About 10 percent of the babies named…

Earnest

Earnest is a masculine name of English origin that developed from the word 'earnest,' meaning 'serious,' 'sincere,' or 'determined.' The name gained popularity during the Victorian era when virtue…