German Names

World War II stamped a permanent verboten on Adolph.

Mystical overtones.

For Sam-lovers who want to make a slight detour off that well-traveled road.

More familiar to most English speakers in its Italian form, Tancredo, this Old School name is one to consider if you want something both authentic and highly unusual.

Amory is best known for the hero of Fitzgerald's 1920 This Side of Paradise, Princeton student Amory Blaine. Amory is in some danger of being borrowed by the girls, a la Avery. Alternate spellings Amori or Amorie also relate to the Latin word for love.

Abelard brings to mind Peter/Pierre Abelard, the great twelfth century Breton scholastic philosopher and theologian, who was equally celebrated for his tragic love affair with Heloise--one of the world's most famous love stories.

Dieter is a classic German name that got lots of satiric exposure via Mike Myers on "Saturday Night Live" a few years back. If mispronounced, it could conceivably be read as someone on a diet.

Richmond is a place-name — it's the capital of Virginia — that makes a fresh way to honor an ancestral Richard.

Softer, milder, and sans chipmunk references, Alwin is a likable alternative to Alvin. Win makes a nice nickname.

Sure, he'd probably get a certain amount of red-nosed teasing around the holiday, but a boy named Rudolph could probably take it. Besides, he's got other, more distinguished namesakes -- the great ballet dancer Nureyev, silent screen Lothario Valentino and 9-11 Mayor Giuliani.

This floral name, related to bloom and Blossom, is common in the Jewish community, but not often heard outside it. Other Yiddish nature names are Ita (star), Masha (rising water), and Mayim (water).

Associated with Reynard the cunning fox in medieval European animal tales. Reynard can make an unusual yet historic choice for a modern boy, a modern day Richard or Robert.

Inventive female form of Aloysius.

French form of Hildegard

Many popular Dutch short forms are drawn from the middle or end of their proper name: Sanne from Susanne, Bas from Sebastian. Jette could be from a name like Henriette or Mariette.

This name of famed philosopher, mathematician and Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell becomes slightly more plausible with the French pronunciation, bare-TRAHN. Another noted bearer is French director and screenwriter Bertrand Tavernier.