A Baby's' Name Determines Her Destiny
Naming a new baby sounds fun, but it’s actually kind of a high-pressure situation. After all, the name you slap on that birth certificate is their name for life (or at least until they’re 18 and can legally change it). If you don’t want to go along with the overwhelming number of Twilight names —
So what’s a parent to do? Well,
you don’t need to resort to the ever-popular “just make something up” option
(Kazzideee? Tscharly? North?!). There are already plenty of perfectly good
names out there that are just waiting to be rediscovered. Take some inspiration
from this list of outstanding baby names with vintage provenances.
Ambrose
This pleasingly old-timey boys’
name — which has the same Latin and Greek roots as ambrosia, the
immortality-providing nectar of the gods — is just begging for a revival. There’s
a Saint Ambrose, but it’s probably most known from the late 19th century author
Ambrose Bierce. It doesn’t even rank in the U.S. as a baby name, making it even
more ripe for the picking.
Aurelia
This gilded girls’ name is the
feminine version of the Roman Aurelius, a name most notably held by the emperor
and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius. More recently, Aurelia is the name of
the maid character in Love Actually. After not showing up on the charts
for decades, this one currently comes in at #833 among American baby names.
Basil
While you could use (and
pronounce) this unisex name like the spice, the more classic pronunciation is
“BAH-zul” — it actually comes from a Greek word meaning “king.” Either
pronunciation is lovely though, or this name isn’t even on the radar in the
U.S.
Baxter
Here’s the thing with names:There are always going to be lots of different associations people have withthem. In the case of this boys’ name, it might be Anchorman. But sometimesa name is just too wonderful, and you have to get past it. Plus by the timeyour kid is 20, are people still going to be quoting Ron Burgundy? (Okay, maybethey will be. But Baxter’s still a terrific name.)
Blaise
This boys’ name (pronounced “BLEZ,”
from the French, rather than “BLAZE”) is a classic saint name, and also the
first name of the famed French mathematician for whom a unit of pressure, a
programming language, and lots more are named. This one just cracks the
top 1,000 American boys’ names, at #912.
Carlisle
Though this is commonly a boys’
name (well, insofar as it is common — it’s a pretty rare name), it would also
be perfect for a girl. It sounds debonair, but, oh, the nickname possibilities!
Carly or Lila, Carl or Lyle… this one is just spoiling for a comeback. Despite
having a Twilight provenance, it’s never been in the top 1,000 U.S. baby
names.
Clement
The female version of this name
— Clementine — has revived in popularity, but Clement hasn’t been so fortunate.
Yet, that is. This name, from the Latin for merciful or gentle, has been the
name of saints, at least one pope, and Clement Moore, the author of “A Visit
from St. Nicholas” (aka “The Night before Christmas”). Plus how terrific is
“Clem” as a nickname?
Cleo
This girls’ name sounds quite
modern, but it’s actually very ancient. Often attributed as a shortening of
Cleopatra (the Greek “kleos” means “glory”), it’s also one letter off from
Clio, who was the Greek muse of history. In the past it’s also gained some
traction as a boys’ name, but as of now it’s been unranked among popular U.S.
baby names for decades.
Dashiell
Boys’ names with a vaguelyliterary provenance — no, not just Twilight, think “Atticus” and “Gatsby”— are popular right now. Dashiell remains off the radar though, despite lendingitself to the most, well, dashing nickname ever (Dash!). It’s thename of basically one person, author Dashiell Hammett, and author of TheMaltese Falcon, The Thin Man, and many more classic detective stories. (Ifwe’re going to get technical too, though he authored books under it, Dashiellwas actually his middle name.) Nonetheless, this unusual moniker might be aboutto blow up.
Delphine
This is a French version of a
Greek name, which though some say is related to “dolphin” is more likely related
to “Delphi,” the site of a famed oracle in Greek mythology. It shares this
derivation with the flower Delphinium. Why’d it make this list? This obscure
name — pretty much last seen in Balzac’s novels — deserves a comeback!
Flannery
Another literary name, most
famously attached to the acclaimed southern author Flannery O’Connor. (Another
case where it was technically her middle name.) Though baby names that are
Irish last names (or at least sound like them, courtesy of the Cullens
of Twilight) are super-popular, somehow Flannery isn’t. Pre-O’Connor, it
was actually more common as a boys’ name, but now it’s firmly in the girls’
camp. And how sweet (literally!) of a nickname is Flan?
Frances
Thanks to the Pope’s
popularity, the name Francis is making a solid comeback. Somehow though, the
girls’ version is not — yet anyway (it’s in the top 1,000 baby names for girls,
but hardly popular). Meaning, more or less, “French,” it’s the name of people from
author Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden) to Kurt Cobain’s daughter
Frances Bean Cobain.
Gideon
Biblical names (think Michael
and David) are consistently popular for boys, and Gideon is just beginning to
get up there. If you’re looking for a truly classic boys’ name that hasn’t been
overdone, look no further.
Griffith
This boys’ name sounds
masculine and rugged, yet sexy (and okay, yes, no one thinks of
their baby that way, but remember the name needs to fit for life).
It’s derived from the definitely unsexy Welsh name “Gruffudd,” which was a
common name among Welsh royals back in the day — well, way back in the
day. This name seems like it would be popular, but it’s never charted in the
U.S.
Heathcliff
You may think of the irasciblecartoon cat, but what you should think of is the ultimate swoon worthy romantichero from Wuthering Heights. Emily Bronte created the name for thecharacter, thus dreaming up possibly the best made-up name of all time. Despiteawesome nickname possibilities — Cliff or (double swoon!) Heath — this name hasnot made it into the top 1,000 baby names in the U.S.
Hugo
Henry has become super-popular
for boys, but why not Hugo? Most commonly associated with the French author
Victor Hugo (Les Miserable, The Hunchback of Notre Dame), this name was
originally a variant of Hugh. An extremely common name overseas, it’s unclear
why this moniker — cute on a little boy, manly on an adult — hasn’t caught on
here.
Jasper
Jasper is more commonly a boys’
name, but it would also be terrific for a girl (it’s definitely got plucky and
resourceful connotations, like Scout). We often associate it with the gemstone,
but it actually comes from Persian (“treasurer”) — it’s sometimes given to one
of the three Magi. Of all the names in this list, this is the only one that
currently has any traction on the top baby names listings.
Lavinia
The actual origins of this name
are unknown, but this name quite the literary pedigree. Lavinia is the last
wife of Aeneas in Homer’s Aeneid (a role which was expanded upon in
Ursula K. Le Guin’s 2008 novel Lavinia), who also shows up in
Dante’s Divine Comedy. There’s also a Lavinia in Shakespeare’s Titus
Andronicus. Also: The potential nickname Vinnie. Vinnie!
Marcella
Though this pretty girls’ name
sounds Spanish, it’s actually derived from Latin — the feminine form of the
Roman name Marcellus, which is a diminutive of Marcus, which is a name that
comes from Mars, the Roman god of war. But still Marcella — such a beautiful
name, and almost never heard in the United States.
Millicent
Girls’ names that had gone out
of fashion (like Harriet and Penelope) have made strong comebacks, but somehow
Millicent hasn’t. And why not? Face it, Milly (or Millie) is a delightful
nickname. This name traces its roots back quite far, all the way to the
Germanic name “Amalsuintha” (nowthere’s an old-fashioned name), which
combines words that mean “work” and “strength.”
Orson
Originally derived from an
English last name that started out as a nickname meaning “bear cub” —
seriously, how cute is that? And yet this name is most strongly associated with
a famed pillar of American cinema, Orson Welles.
Otis
So you like the name Owen, but
you’d like to be a bit different. Why not give this boys’ name a go?
Popular in England but exceedingly rare on this side of the pond, it’s a
variant on a medieval German term for wealth or fortune. Though it doesn't rank
in the U.S., this name has a great pedigree with famous folks like soul singer
Otis Redding sharing it.
Roscoe
This adorable and old-fashioned
boys’ name is just begging to be brought into modern times. Originally derived
from an English last name, it’s never cracked the name charts in the U.S.
Sidra
Depending on the pronunciation,this lovely girls’ name finds its roots in the Middle East or North Africa. As“SID-ra,” it’s an Islamic name referring to what is often translated as thelotus tree, which Muhammad saw when he ascended to the highest level of heaven.Pronounced “SEE-dra,” it’s a Hebrew-derived name meaning order. However you sayit, it’s an interesting and unusual moniker.
Theodora
This lovely name, which has
Greek origins, belonged to several Byzantine empresses. Though the male
version, Theodore, is in the top 200 of boys’ names, the girls’ version has
never been in the top 1,000, despite lending itself to adorable nicknames.
Teddy, Dora, or what about a girl Theo? You’ve got plenty of
possibilities.
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