Names That Mean Famous

A romantic rarity, derived from the Old German name Chlotichilda, meaning "famous in battle." Saint Clotilde was a Frankish queen, wife of Clovis I, who played a role in the spread of Christianity.

In Greek legend Clytemnestra was the wife of Agamemnon, mother of Orestes and Electra. She took a lover while her husband was away fighting in the Trojan War, and upon his return she had him killed as revenge for his sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia. She was subsequently killed by Orestes.

Rhythmically appealing international spin on the stiff original.

Lothar is cloddish, till you add a dashing io to the end...

Straightforward but very unusual choice, deriving from a place name in Italy.

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.

Inventive female form of Aloysius.

A medieval French name which belonged to the mother of Eleanor of Aquitaine (incidentally, Aenor is thought to be an older form of the name Eleanor). Its etymology is uncertain, but it may derive from the Germanic name Audamar, meaning "famous wealth'.

A Spanish variation of the name Roger meaning "famous spearman." Rogelio is popular among the Filipino and Argentine communities and could be a great alternative for international families looking for a name that can still be shortened to the very Anglo nickname "Rodge."

Pronounced klo-TEELD, this name is well used in France, but rarely heard here; it has a chic and sophisticated air.

Héloïse is a chic French name related to sleek, peppy classic Eloise. Both ultimately derive from the Germanic name Helewidis, which became Helewis in medieval England. In the twelfth century, the name was borne by the beloved of the French philosopher Pierre Abelard, who was considered to be one of the most learned women of the Middle Ages.

Cutesy combination of Lula and Belle. Lula is a short form of names starting with the "Lu" sound, which may derive from Germanic hlud "famous", and Belle is French for "beautiful".

A handsome Portuguese name derived from the old Germanic saint's name Audamar or Otmar. Especially common in Brazil.

Truncated form of Marylouise.

Unlikely to catch on in the Anglophone world, where parent name Ludwig still conjures up images of Beethoven. But Ludvig actually ranks among the top boy names in Norway and Sweden, while German form Ludwig ranks among the Top 100 boy names in Germany and Ludovico is cool in Italty.

Ludwig may be out, but Ludovico is very very in, at least in Italy. Undiscovered in the US and other English-speaking countries, Ludovico comes with the short form Ludo. The female form Ludovica is also popular.

Variation of Rowena.

Russian form of Roderick given to a small number of American boys each year.

Ro- names are on the rise — think Roman, Rory, and Rowan — but straightforward and streamlined Row (and Rowe, Roe, and Ro) takes this trend to the next level. The pared-down single syllable gives Row an ultra-cool edge.

Kilmer is best known as a surname — as in actor Val Kilmer — but actors Bethany C. Meyers and Nico Tortorella recently used it for their daughter Kilmer Dove, making it a viable first name.