UK Baby Names

Authentic Gaelic name with pronunciation problems in the US. In Scotland Eachann has been anglicized as Hector, not because of its sound, but because the Trojan hero Hector had the reputation as a mighty horseman.

And her sisters, Stormy and Sunny.

This surname borne by several early Welsh leaders has a lot of energy.

This version of Tristan, known to English Lit students from the novel Tristram Shandy, is rarely used in this country, but, though its similarity to the popular Tristan could prove confusing, still makes an interesting literary choice.

Rough-and-tumble surname with some degree of charm.

This scary word name was given to five baby boys in the US in 2013, entering the lexicon for the first time. Are the boys named Vice destined for a life of crime, or the creation of a media empire?

Spring doesn't sound half as contemporary as Winter, which has become the cool season name.

Not as popular for girls as Kylie or Kyla, but we prefer its simplicity.

This name has two origins: the English word Dusk, meaning evening twilight and the Czech name for girls Duška meaning "soul or spirit". Either way, this is an interesting name with some potential.

An Emily or Emma substitute that may be prettier and more classic as Emmeline or Emeline.

Spelling Camden with a K makes it less of a place name—Camden is a downmarket city in New Jersey and an upmarket area of London—and more of a Kardashian-era confection, or maybe konfection. Both Kamden and Camden are in the Top 500 boys’ names.

Two-syllable place-names are stylish, and this one is attached to a British city noted for its white chalk cliffs, but there are a couple of minuses: associated with the fish, Dover sole, and also rhymes with the doggy Rover.

This name has a nicely fragrant woodsy feel, bringing it into the nature-tree name category. Its only well known bearer, folk singer and Oscar-winning actor Burl Ives, had the full birth certificate name of Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives--nothing compared to his two siblings named Argola and Lillburn.

You might want to honor premier U.S. architect Frank Gehry--even though he was born Ephraim Goldberg. Gehry, pronounced like the more common surname Geary, may be a spin on the name Gary, which means spear, or derive from the Middle English word geary, which means fickle.

As dated as Merry and Gay.

This name's buttoned-up British vibe is what makes it cool - that, and the fact that it was chosen by Anne Bronte as her pseudonym - Acton Bell. That's quite the literary - and may we add feminist - credential for a name. For those with an adventurous edge, Acton is one of the highest peaks in Antarctica.

Despite its poetic associations, almost as dated as Sheldon, and more feminine.

Now that Kimberly is no longer one of the top girl names, Kim or long form Kimball feel more gender neutral.

A rarely-used place name (probably because of the last three letters), Essex was the ancient kingdom of the East Saxons and is now a county in England. The singer David Essex used it as his stage surname, and reality TV couple JP and Ashley Rosenbaum used it for their daughter's name, though few have followed suit.