Bored Hipster Southern Writer's List

Mostly it's a list of names that I like to use occasionally in my writing, but also names that I've reserved in case I accidentally end up with a kid.
  1. Achilles
    • Origin:

      Greek, meaning unknown
    • Description:

      The name of the great Homeric hero with the vulnerable heel, Achilles is more popular in its international form, Achille, which is popular in France, Italy, and Belgium. This variation did however appear briefly on the US Top 1000 list in 2015, perhaps owing to its similarity to the likes of Atticus, Adonis, and Apollo. It has declined in use since then, but is nevertheless chosen for around 160 babies each year.
  2. Alfie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Alfred, English
    • Meaning:

      "wise counselor"
    • Description:

      Alfie is a Top 20 name throughout the British Isles, where retro nickname names are mega-popular, but it hasn't really been picked up in the US yet. Both Alfie and rising star Archie are spunky nickname possibilities with a bit of an English accent.
  3. Arthur
    • Origin:

      Celtic
    • Meaning:

      " bear"
    • Description:

      Arthur, once the shining head of the Knights of the Round Table, is, after decades of neglect, now being polished up and restored by stylish parents, inspired perhaps by the new generation of royals. Arthur has led the list of possible names for the young British princes, chosen as a middle name for Prince Louis, son of William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales.
  4. Bennett
    • Origin:

      English, medieval form of Benedict
    • Meaning:

      "blessed"
    • Description:

      Bennett is Ben with a bow tie, kind of a cross between Benjamin and Beckett. It's been trending up on the popularity charts in recent years, and its choice by The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's Jane Krakowski could shoot it even higher.
  5. Eames
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of the uncle"
    • Description:

      An upscale surname with a nice modern design connection to the creators of the Eames chair and other midcentury furniture classics, Charles and Ray Eames.
  6. Flynn
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "descendant of the red-haired one"
    • Description:

      Flynn, a charming Irish surname, is still used only quietly, despite its easygoing, casual cowboy charm, unlike Finn which is a star of this genre. Flynn was the choice of Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr for their baby boy, and is also the middle name -- used as his first -- of a son of Miranda's fellow supermodel Elle Macpherson, of Gary Oldman's son Gulliver and Marley Shelton's daughter West.
  7. Hugh
    • Origin:

      English from German
    • Meaning:

      "mind, intellect"
    • Description:

      Patrician to the core, Hugh was firmly in the Top 100 until 1903. It's never achieved those heights again, though it has always managed to remain in the Top 1000, scraping bottom at literally Number 1000 in 2006 before reversing course and heading back upwards.
  8. Mauro
    • Origin:

      Spanish and Italian
    • Meaning:

      "moorish"
    • Description:

      Mauro, a Top 100 name in Spain and Puerto Rico, is etymologically unrelated to the girls' name Maura, but that won't stop many English speakers from drawing the comparison.
  9. Miles
    • Origin:

      English form of Milo
    • Meaning:

      "soldier or merciful"
    • Description:

      Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting up the charts for the past half century but has never been TOO popular.
  10. Mischa
    • Origin:

      Russian, diminutive of Mikhail
    • Description:

      This was a 100 percent boys' name till the willowy Mischa Barton of TV's "The OC" made it unisex, a la Sascha.
  11. Mirko