Pet Names So Ugly They're Cute

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.

Australian opera singer Nellie Melba—self-named for her hometown of Melbourne—inspired this now-dated name more associated today with a peach dessert and dietetic toast.

Delmer is kind of a smoosh of two dated names, Delmar and Elmer, that does not improve on either. While Elmer is making a return as a Geek Chic name, Delmar was given to only 14 baby boys last year while Delmer is extinct.

Gomer is that rare beast, a unisex biblical name. Gomer was both a son of Japheth (and therefore grandson of Noah), and the wife of the prophet Hosea. It has lingering associations with the hayseed Gomer Pyle character, but may just about be ready for rehab.

Unfashionable surname, best left in the forest with Robin Hood and his Merry Men.

Has a decidedly middle-aged image.

Occasionally heard in Ireland, small chance of success here.

Named after Isaac. Or Wayne.

One time joke name, à la Lily Tomlin's bossy telephone operator, Ernestine is ready for a possible reevaluation, like cousins Josephine and Clementine..

Verlin is an obscure name that found some use in the US in the early part of the 20th century, but now it and variation Verlyn are extinct, given to no baby boys in the US last year.

Leota is an antique name rarely used any more -- it was given to just 8 baby girls in the US in 2021. Some sources says Leota is a Native American name meaning blue flower.

There aren't many Glendas under forty.

Hyman was commonly used by first-generation Jewish immigrants to Anglicize Chaim, but similarities to terms like heinie and hymen have taken it out of the realm of modern possibility. The original Chaim would be preferable to Hyman.

Melvin is one of the ultimate nerd names, and Melva is not far behind.

Dickson's nickname problem keeps it from having the upside possibility of similar names like Jackson and Harrison. If you're looking for fresh baby names to honor an ancestral Richard or Dick, consider Dixon. Or better, Richardson.

Hilda with a stuffed nose.

As wooden as its second syllable.

Hagar is an Old Testament name with an unfortunate association with comic strip character "Hagar the Horrible."

More user-friendly than the original.