German Names

Prospective parents tend to respond more to the softer American pronunciation than the harsher German one, and even more to the Scandinavian version (see GUNNAR).

German philosopher and revolutionary socialist Karl Marx will be most people's immediate association with this uncommon name. The author of The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital is widely considered to be the father of international communism.

Diminutive of Maxine, Maxima or Maximiliane

Alda's brother name Aldo has been a mainstay of the U.S. popularity chart for decades now, and the related Alden is soaring up as well. This version has never really caught on. (Maybe it's the association with Alan Alda: great actor, unlikely namesake for a little girl.) However, there is possible hope now that Alba and Alma are on the rise. Aida and Arden are more familiar alternatives.

Native-American feel via similarity to Winona.

With a soft e, sounds like an affected pronunciation of Rita.

This is one of the least known or used of the Theo names, quite possibly because of its last syllable. In Samuel Butler's 1903 novel The Way of All Flesh, there is a clergyman character named Theobald Pontifex.

See RETA.

This surname-name originated as a nickname for redheads.

This is a rarely heard multi-cultural name, related to a 14th century Jewish scholar named Kalonymous ben Kalonymous, who translated important texts from Arabic to Hebrew. It is also a Hungarian derivative of Colman, via the Latin Columba, meaning dove, and was the name of a 12th century king of Hungary. Its modern sound make it an interesting option.

Brings to mind phrases like "I vanda new bike" or "I vanda go home".

The way Wilhelm is pronounced anyway, so a pointless spelling variation.

Although the saintly Gratia was male -- Blessed Gratia of Kotor -- this name feels quite female today.

The American child given this name of four kings of Denmark, not to mention one so similar to that of the Harry Potter archvillain Lord Voldemort, might have to pay a large emotional import tax.