[name_u]Red[/name_u]'s a nickname I’ve been pondering recently and now quite like. However, I can’t seem to think of any longer forms except [name_m]Frederick[/name_m] (for which I prefer the nickname [name_u]Freddy[/name_u] anyway!) and names that are a bit of a stretch, like [name_m]Caradoc[/name_m] (rad=red), although I’d probably be OK with that if it really worked.
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you Berries have any ideas? [name_f]TIA[/name_f]! (And for those of you who haven’t figured out what that means - I only did so recently - it’s thanks in advance.)
[name_u]Phoenix[/name_u] nn [name_u]Red[/name_u] ([name_u]Phoenix[/name_u] means dark red, maybe too subtle of a connection?)
[name_m]Radley[/name_m] nn [name_u]Red[/name_u] (The [name_m]Rad[/name_m] sound sounds very similar to [name_u]Red[/name_u], plus [name_m]Radley[/name_m] means red meadow)
[name_u]Sorrel[/name_u] nn [name_u]Red[/name_u] ([name_u]Sorrel[/name_u] is a reddish brown colour)
[name_m]Rojo[/name_m]/Rouge nn [name_u]Red[/name_u] (the word [name_u]Red[/name_u] in Spanish and [name_m]French[/name_m] respectively)
I have a great uncle who is just called Big [name_u]Red[/name_u] - and its sad but I cannot think of what his real name is because he’s ALWAYS been Big [name_u]Red[/name_u] to me, my entire life - and his nickname came about because he had red hair! I don’t know if your child will have red hair, but to me that seems to be the commanality for names such as [name_u]Red[/name_u] to come about. As for suggestions, I have a little list!
[name_f]Garnet[/name_f] - red gemstone
[name_m]Radley[/name_m] - meaning ‘red meadow’
[name_u]Reed[/name_u] - just a letter off from [name_u]Red[/name_u]!
[name_u]Sorrel[/name_u] - redbrown color often used to describe a horse’s coat color
[name_m]Adam[/name_m] - meaning ‘red earth’
[name_u]Rory[/name_u] - ‘red king’
You could use a name with “der” in it, such as [name_m]Dermot[/name_m], Derwood, Alder, [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], [name_m]Lysander[/name_m], [name_m]Ryder[/name_m], [name_m]Wilder[/name_m], etc. You could also use the names of different shades of red, such as [name_u]Auburn[/name_u], [name_u]Burgundy[/name_u], Cardinal, [name_f]Crimson[/name_f], Maroon, [name_f]Mahogany[/name_f], etc.
Rhydian/Rhidian is a Welsh name meaning ‘red’. I think [name_u]Rory[/name_u], [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]/Ruadhán, [name_u]Roy[/name_u] and [name_m]Rufus[/name_m] (same meaning) have already been mentioned.
I love the idea of [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] “[name_u]Red[/name_u]”! Rhydian, [name_u]Rowan[/name_u], [name_u]Sorrel[/name_u], [name_m]Reginald[/name_m] (we like old-fashioned here :)), [name_u]Rory[/name_u], [name_m]Rufus[/name_m] . . . there’s lots of good suggestions. I’ve never heard of Rhydian (I’m not Welsh, which probably doesn’t help!) but I really like it.
[name_u]Meredith[/name_u] would be cool, but it feels feminine to me. Though I can already feel it growing on me as a boy’s name . . .
Based on sound:
Tancred
Peredur
Aldred
Redwood
Alred
Based on meaning:
Rogan
Flynn
Clancy
Flannery
Flanagan
Vermilion
Robin
Radcliff
Russell
Rudyard
Corcoran
Roone
Baynard
Gough
Reading
Raleigh (as for Radley, above)
Altan (not on NB, but according to behindthename, it means “Red Dawn” in Turkish?)
Carnelian
Rusty
Fox
Todd
Voss
Cedar (for red cedar)
Jarrah (another red timber, a boys’ name where I live)
For some of these, nameberry gives the meaning “redhead”. In at least some cases, the name actually just means ‘red’ - they were/are often given to red-haired children, but the names don’t actually mean ‘red haired’.
My favourite ‘red’ name is Reynard. You can use ‘Red’ as a contraction. Reynard the Fox is a popular character from a medieval folktale (and the fox = red association is pretty strong). It might not work in French-speaking countries, though - the name became so strongly associated with Reynard the Fox that the French word for fox is now renard.
