Unusual Names Used by European Aristocrats

  1. Ines
    • Origin:

      Italian, Portuguese, Slovene and Croatian variation of Agnes
    • Meaning:

      "pure, virginal"
    • Description:

      This form of Agnes, Ines has always been popular since the true story of the thwarted lovers Queen Ines of Castro and King Peter of Portugal. This has to be one of the most heartbreaking and bloody true romances in history!
  2. Inga
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "guarded by Ing"
    • Description:

      Ing was a powerful Norse god whose name inspired several modern variations -- though Inga has become a caricatured Scandinavian choice.
  3. Islay
    • Origin:

      Scottish place-name
    • Description:

      Islay is the name of a Hebridian island famous for its whisky. Don't be fooled by the "y" at the end - this name is pronounced exactly like the more well-known Isla.
  4. Isolda
    • Isolt
      • Ierne
        • Illtyd
          • Inna
            • Irmengarde
              • Jermyn
                • Julius
                  • Origin:

                    Latin
                  • Meaning:

                    "youthful, downy-bearded"
                  • Description:

                    Immortal through its association with the ancient Caesar (it was his clan name), Julius may still lag behind Julian, but is definitely starting to make a comeback, and in fact feels more cutting edge, in line with the current trend for Latin -us endings.
                • Jehoshaphat
                  • Jodeph
                    • Justine
                      • Karissa
                        • Origin:

                          Spelling variation of Carissa
                        • Description:

                          Both Karissa and Carissa are trending downward, along with the other issa names that first rose to popularity in the 1970s. Karissa fell out of the Top 1000 in 2014, two years after Carissa.
                      • Kenya
                        • Origin:

                          Place name, Kikuyu
                        • Meaning:

                          "mountain of white"
                        • Description:

                          Kenya, a name borrowed from the East African nation and theoretically unisex, is now used mostly for girls. While it's had its ups and downs since entering the US Top 1000 in 1968, it currently ranks lower than spelling variant Kenia.
                      • Kaeraen-Auan
                        • Karenina
                          • Kiloran
                            • Kingsmill