Finding A Distinctive, Storied Name for a New Son

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, one reader’s name questions will be discussed. We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.

BALANCING DISTINCTIVE WITH WEARABLE

Evan and Celia write:

We’re expecting a son in late March, and thought we might try asking for your advice.
We prefer rare names which stand out and are memorable but don’t feel completely made up or bizarre. We pushed the boundaries a bit for our previous sons and want to dial the eccentricity back this time around but still find something distinct enough to fit in with his brother’s quirkier names.

We like the names Ambrose (nickname Bram), Hugo, and Desmond. But these names haven’t quite inspired the same deep connection with us that we felt when naming his older brothers.
Other names we have considered, but didn’t feel quite right or felt a little too out-there:

• Asa
• Galen
• Julien
• Leander
• Lucien
• Oberon
• Pascal, nickname Pax
• Raphael
• Solomon

Can you suggest any other names with rich histories and compelling meanings for us to consider? Or perhaps tell us some deeper meaning about the names we’re considering which might spark a stronger resonance. And if we do pick one of the names above, do you have any suggestions about how to match it with the best middle name? 

Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

FINDING FRESH IDEAS

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new son!

Hitting the distinctive, but not too out-there mark is challenging for a few reasons:

• First, names have changed so much over the last generation or two. We have access to far more information than parents in the 1990s. That’s one reason why names continue to diversify. The data shows fewer children than ever receive a Top 1000 name. (And that’s not a new phenomenon – that percentage has been dropping for years.) In other words, we’re all looking for something different – and that makes it harder than ever to find.
• Our references aren’t everyone else’s references. Couples tend to like the same music, movies, books, and places. That translates to embracing – and rejecting – certain names. But it can also make it tough to evaluate what others will perceive as distinctive.
• There are lots of ways to make a name feel more mainstream. Even a really different given name can wear well if there’s a more accessible nickname built-in. Or a more mainstream first can stand out with an unexpected nickname. A great middle name can anchor a surprising first. Factoring in middle names often helps us decide on a first.

Looking at your current names, there’s some range, but I feel like they most fit into two categories.

FAMILIAR(ISH) NAMES

Most of the names on your list rank in the current US Top 1000. They’re not popular, though – in fact, I think they hit the memorable/not made-up mark pretty nicely.

One exception: Julien doesn’t chart, but since Julian is a Top 100 favorite, I’m not sure the spelling makes a big difference.

But I also suspect that Asa, Desmond, Hugo, Lucien, Raphael, and Solomon aren’t quite right.

I do like the idea of Ambrose called Bram, because it’s a good example of how a really different nickname can make a difference. Ambrose ranks #789 in the US as of 2023. It didn’t rank in the Top 1000 at all between 1955 and 2018. And it’s not rising in use; it’s sort of hit a plateau. So it’s a good choice for you.

But Bram is even more of a rarity. It’s never charted in the US Top 1000. We tend to call our Abrahams Abe. And while it’s familiar, the most famous use is literary – Bram Stoker. All of this feels like it makes Ambrose/Bram closer to the goal name.

I also wonder if you’d like Solomon called Sonny? Solomon means peace, but suggests wisdom. Sonny works on two levels: first, because the letters and sounds are pretty much there: SOlomoN. But also because sol is the Latin (and Spanish) word for sun.

MORE DISTINCTIVE NAMES

Galen makes me think of Top 100 Gael, as well as Jaylen/Jalen. They’re not related at all, but the similarity is there.

Leander is a cousin to the slightly more popular Leandro – though I still think Leander is pretty close to what you’re after. For short, you might call him Leo, Lando, Len, Ander, or Anders. Leo takes Leander in a very mainstream direction; Lando, the opposite.

Oberon and Pascal are very distinctive choices, but I do think they’re solid, wearable names with plenty of history and backstory.

FRESH SUGGESTIONS: RARE NAMES FOR BOYS WITH HISTORY AND MEANING

Okay, this is the good part.

Let’s see if we can come up with lots of name options that hit the same general spot as Ambrose/Bram, Leander, Pascal, and Oberon.

CASSIAN #533; Cass

This name is more popular than ever before, thanks to the character from the extended Star Wars universe, Cassian Andor. Disney+ series Andor‘s second season will be out this spring, with Diego Luna in the title role. That pushes this unusual name into the mainstream,

CYPRIAN, CYPRIEN unranked; Cy

A Roman family name, Cyprian refers to someone from the island of Cyprus. The place name, in turn, may come from cypress trees, though other origins are possible.

EVERARD unranked; Ever or Ev

Everard may be rare, but it’s quite similar to the popular Everett, as well as names like Everest and Evander. Everard comes from a Germanic name meaning “brave as a boar.”

HAWTHORN, HAWTHORNE unranked

A name equal parts literary and borrowed from the natural world. Easy nicknames are a little bit challenging – Thorn? Hawk? Hawes? – but I think it’s quite wearable in full.

MAGNUS #767; Gus

A Scandi favorite, Magnus comes from Latin roots and means “great.” If you know your extended Percy Jackson universe, you might think of Magnus Chase, a Norse demigod who features in a series of YA novels set in the same world. It’s grand, but also accessible, and Gus is an easy, down-to-earth nickname.

NICODEMUS unranked; Nico

Traditional Nicholas was everywhere in the 1990s. Other Nick names didn’t fare as well – even when they had just as much potential. Nicodemus is mentioned in the New Testament. The meaning – “victory of the people” – is tough to beat. It shortens nicely to Nico. My favorite fact? In Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH – later adapted as the movie The Secret of NIMH – Nicodemus is a wise and capable leader.

TRUETT #695; Tru or True

I’m not sure if surname-style names would appeal to you, but I’m adding just one to the list. Truett would’ve originally been closer to Trewhitt, a place name from Northumberland. (Though other origins are possible.) But because it resembles True, this reads more like a modern virtue name.

RHODES #707; Rhodey

From the Colossus of Rhodes to Rhodes Scholars, so many associations attach to this deceptively brief name. One that might particularly please a child: James “Rhodey” Rhodes is an ally of Iron Man in the comics and movies. The only reason I hesitate is because Rhodes is gaining in use fairly quickly, and might end up more mainstream than you’d prefer.

I feel like Ambrose called Bram is the name to beat, with Solomon a close second. I’d put Nicodemus called Nico at the top of my list.

As for middle names?

Ambrose “Bram” Galen and Nicodemus “Nico” Leander would probably be my top picks, though that second name comes in at five syllables! Maybe something like Nicodemus Rafe would be a little easier to wear? I’m also drawn to Solomon “Sonny” Rhodes.

Readers, over to you! What are your favorite unexpected boys’ names with plenty of history? Bonus for middle and nickname inspiration!