User-created list
By Abeltrotter · Updated May 2023
Across 6 pages
of 6
English nickname
The most outlandish Beatles-inspired name, if Lennon or McCartney are too tame for you. Ringo Starr is the stage name of drummer Richard Starkey, taken from his nickname Ringo (because he wore lots…
Welsh
"son of David"
This is a both fresher and cooler spin on David.
Scandinavian
"lord, exalted one"
Frey is the handsome Norse fertility god, a worthy namesake. Frey remains rare in the US even as the similar Freya picks up in popularity.
Scottish
"windy place"
Guthrie, one of the most attractive Scottish names that's also a surname, has a particularly romantic, windswept aura, with a touch of the buckaroo thrown in. Guthrie's folkie quality is tied to the…
Variation of Zachariah, Hebrew
"the lord has remembered"
A New Testament tax collector was called Zaccheus, the freshest spin on this biblical favorite. And it still gets you to Zac.
English
"son of William"
The Christian name of the dashing Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice — it was his mother's maiden name— is just one of several Fitz names, including Fitzroy, Fitzgerald, Fitzpatrick, that…
Scottish variation of Thomas, Aramaic
"twin"
Popularized in Scotland by Tam O'Shanter, the hero of one of Robert Burns' most famous poems, it's associated in the U.S. with the plaid cap he gave his name to. But this could make a creative honor…
English surname
"boundary gate"
Merrit is a spelling variation of the more usual Merritt.
Greek
"shining, brilliant"
One of the names of the sun god Apollo, this is better known in its feminine form, Phoebe. Rarely used as a given name, perhaps owing to the clunky end sound, it might work as a unique alternative to…
Word name
Cool middle name possibility.
Dutch diminutive of Augustus, Latin
"great; magnificent"
The Dutch answer to Gus. Pronounce it like the English word and you have a name that means air .
Diminutive of Cleveland
Appealing short form of the stuffy Cleveland, occasionally used on its own.
There are lots of grandpa Daves and Davids out there, and Dawes can make an original honor name. It's right in step with the current craze for surname names that end in S: Brooks, Wells, Rhodes etc.…
"farm near the willows; willow town"
Energetic Willoughby is a familiar last name, but, as yet, makes for a unique choice in the first spot. An unexpected way to get to popular short forms Will and Billy, Willoughby could make an…
Niam is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Irish Gaelic, it may be a variant spelling of Niamh, meaning "bright" or "radiant," which was the name of a princess in Irish mythology…
Diminutive of Dafydd, Welsh variation of David
The name of the patron saint of Wales is virtually unknown in the US under this spelling. There were no baby boys named Dewi or Dewie in the US in 2021, though there were 35 named Dewey. Incredibly…
"blessed"
Has a positive meaning and a nickname feel. Sealey was a feminine name in medieval times but would be equally stylish (and rare) for both sexes now.
"thornbush thicket"
There's a Perth in Scotland and a bigger one in Australia; this name could make a statement similar to Heath.
Hebrew
"chief"
Rosh is not Ross, not Rush, but an improvement on both of those more familiar names. The Biblical Rosh was a son of Benjamin, so you might consider it to honor a father or otherwise ancestral…
Modern form of Roman Tullius, meaning unknown
Both Tullio and Tulio are modern forms of the ancient Roman family name Tullius. Though its meaning is unknown, Tullius has an illustrious history with many noble bearers, including a sixth century…
