[name_m]Hi[/name_m] and happy NYE!
I won’t restate what I wrote for my feminine names list which I’ll link below. But I will say that I am so grateful to everyone on this site for the help, the generosity, and the distraction.
This list serves as a bit of a memory for me to look back on and as a way to speak my pride for these names into the world. If you want to comment suggestions (21 for 2021 
), mix-and-match, or list your own favorites that would be lovely, and if you just want to scroll past that’s fine too. Details and stories are below the name.
[name_m]Ansel[/name_m] [name_u]Oberon[/name_u]
with divine, noble protection
Summary
[name_m]Ansel[/name_m] is a supremely quirky name that I’ve loved since middle school when I found out the meaning - with divine protection. I like how it’s slightly ambiguous to mean that [name_m]Ansel[/name_m] is protected but he is also a protector. [name_m]Ansel[/name_m] is loyal and sunny and reminds me of Mediterranean summers (not that I’ve experienced any). [name_u]Oberon[/name_u] is from A Midsummer [name_u]Night[/name_u]'s [name_u]Dream[/name_u] as king of the fairies which gives the name a whimsical, literary vibe. Through the story, [name_u]Oberon[/name_u] has become one of Uranus’s moons. I know I want [name_u]Oberon[/name_u] somewhere (plus he comes with the nickname [name_m]Bear[/name_m]) and [name_m]Ansel[/name_m] [name_u]Oberon[/name_u] is handsome with the feeling of world-travel as well as a family night in.
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] [name_m]Evander[/name_m]
strong and regal
Summary
[name_u]Basil[/name_u] first came into my life with [name_u]Dorian[/name_u] [name_u]Gray[/name_u] where [name_u]Basil[/name_u] is a moral and loyal friend. A few years after, I listened to the audiobook on a whim and hearing the name said over and over again made me fall more and more in love. I love that it has the literary connection while also feeling earthy with the herb and I love the nickname [name_m]Baz[/name_m] (I pronounce [name_u]Basil[/name_u] bahz-uhl). [name_m]Evander[/name_m] is such a strong name with an etymology all his own while also being a gentle connection to [name_f]Eve[/name_f] and the lifeforce meaning. Sometimes a name will feel like it could be perfect if I ____, but [name_u]Basil[/name_u]? He feels like he could be “mine” as I am (though not for a few years).
[name_m]Bram[/name_m] [name_u]Yarrow[/name_u]
sublime, everlasting love; bountiful healing
Summary
This combo was almost, almost [name_m]Bramwell[/name_m] [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] which I still love ardently. [name_m]Bram[/name_m] is such a joyful name for me. It feels cozy like warm drinks in front of the fire and storied through [name_m]Abraham[/name_m]. [name_u]Yarrow[/name_u] is used in the Victorian flower language to symbolize everlasting love. It’s also used medicinally for healing. It is especially important to me as a name because yarrow seems to pop up at every meaningful place. There’s yarrow near my mom’s home, yarrow by my college, and most importantly copious amounts of yarrow that we see by my great-grandmother’s gravesite and at her old farmhouse. It would be impossible to go visit or drive past without noticing the yarrow. [name_m]Bram[/name_m] [name_u]Yarrow[/name_u] is homey and warm. He reminds me of sunny days and family stories.
[name_m]Corwin[/name_m] [name_m]Leander[/name_m]
strong friend of the heart
Summary
[name_m]Corwin[/name_m] was the name that first made me really excited by the idea of having (a) son(s). I like the idea of “Corio” and the meaning - heart’s friend - really sold the name. Feels like the name of a happy, warm, loving boy. [name_m]Leander[/name_m] has that [name_m]Leo[/name_m] sound that makes it feel not too out there while also having that historical factor that I appreciate. There are many different versions of the story of [name_u]Hero[/name_u] & [name_m]Leander[/name_m], I tend to want to pick the happiest/least tragic interpretation for the name… it shows the lengths you would go to for love, sacrificing and surprising yourself.
[name_m]Darwin[/name_m] [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]
gift of a true friend
Summary
It feels a bit weird having [name_m]Darwin[/name_m] right under [name_m]Corwin[/name_m], but I just couldn’t leave either out. It will probably be a recurring theme in my name descriptions so I might as well put it out early on: my day-to-day life requires science to be on the brain at all times. [name_m]Darwin[/name_m] is among the most obvious. There were issues with the original [name_m]Darwin[/name_m]'s research… the discoveries that went alongside it made it so [name_m]Darwin[/name_m] is not [name_m]Charles[/name_m], but almost a metaphor for research and evolution and adaptation. So not only is [name_m]Darwin[/name_m] a scientific name, it’s a nod to big life changes and weathering different seasons of life. [name_m]Theodore[/name_m], on the other hand, has a much happier meaning: one of my great-grandmothers was named [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f]. Together, [name_m]Darwin[/name_m] [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] is a remembrance of the past while also acknowledging all the wonderful and unknown changes ahead.
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m] [name_m]Grover[/name_m]
fortunate protector of the grove
Summary
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m] [name_m]Grover[/name_m] is a very handsome, fairly nerdy name that just comes together for me. I really love the nickname [name_m]Ned[/name_m] - both because it is soft and sweet, and as a nod to the [name_f]Nancy[/name_f] [name_u]Drew[/name_u] stories I read with my mom and have collections of lining my bookshelves that have been passed down four generations now. I have collector’s edition ND books that have probably lost monetary value while gaining personal value due to the handwritten inscriptions from my great-grandmother gifting the book to her daughter, and my grandmother gifting the book to my mother. I know that [name_m]Grover[/name_m] is not a Nameberry favorite, but it’s a family surname that feels a little clunky, a little spunky, and really lovely. I tried to make this list without him, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. [name_m]Edmund[/name_m] [name_m]Grover[/name_m] feels like turning a page just as much as it feels like a day of exploring the forest.
[name_m]Ephraim[/name_m] [name_m]Vincent[/name_m]
prosperous and victorious
Summary
[name_m]Ephraim[/name_m] is a family name of mine. There is אֶפְרָיִם who is one of [name_m]Jacob[/name_m]'s sons, I tought Hebrew school for a long time and we would teach blessings over the children. Male children are blessed in the name of [name_m]Ephraim[/name_m] and [name_m]Menashe[/name_m]. [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] means “victorious” which is significant to me (see [name_f]Victoria[/name_f]). [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] is an absolutely gorgeous name and feels a bit sparkly to me. I think, together, [name_m]Ephraim[/name_m] [name_m]Vincent[/name_m] has a solid connection to “the old world,” honoring history and tradition while simultaneously feeling spunky and young especially with nickname [name_u]Remy[/name_u].
[name_m]Felix[/name_m] [name_m]Lysander[/name_m]
happy liberator
Summary
[name_m]Felix[/name_m] is a name I have loved for so much of my life. I know a few Felixes yet the name doesn’t feel overdone or tired. [name_m]Felix[/name_m] is also a nod to one of my close friends and is a vague honor for the Eliots of my family. There’s the spunky X and the happy (literally) meaning. [name_m]Lysander[/name_m] was a Spartan admiral who ended the Peloponnesian War. [name_m]Felix[/name_m] [name_m]Lysander[/name_m] is timeless and brave and cheerful with dimpled grins and a steely nerve.
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m] [name_u]Eliot[/name_u] [name_u]River[/name_u]
knowledgeable, brave, and true from the beginning of life
Summary
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m] is a name that has been on my list for many years, it feels sophisticated and universal while also being soft, young, and cuddly. The Go- bit also represents a family surname. [name_u]Eliot[/name_u] has been a name in my family for generations and I know I want to use it somewhere. It started as a surname which then became a first name and then a middle name. We also have T.S. [name_u]Eliot[/name_u], “[name_u]George[/name_u] [name_u]Eliot[/name_u],” and many others. The meaning of [name_u]Eliot[/name_u] varies, but my favorite is “bravely and truly.” [name_u]River[/name_u] is also a symbolic name because there are many songs and stories featuring rivers that have been important to me or to people in my family. Additionally, rivers are natural waterways which ties back into my interests in geology, ecology, environmental science. [name_m]Hugo[/name_m] [name_u]Eliot[/name_u] [name_u]River[/name_u] is a name that makes me happy, it feels meaningful and complementary.
[name_m]Ignatius[/name_m] [name_m]Finnian[/name_m]
fiery and fair; white fire
Summary
[name_m]Ignatius[/name_m] [name_m]Finnian[/name_m] is a spark in the night, the flame of a candle waxing and waning. It’s part of being a parent to fan that “internal fire.” The driving force, the passion, the verve. [name_m]Finnian[/name_m] means white, fair. The white part of the flame is the hottest. I’m sure that by “fair” they meant light/pale, but I love the idea of having a fiery spirit full of energy and ambition while maintaining fairness, honor, and appreciation. I originally liked [name_m]Ignatius[/name_m] for the nickname [name_m]Inigo[/name_m] - my little (love) - but no nickname or maybe sometimes [name_m]Iggy[/name_m] tends to be my preference now. [name_m]Ignatius[/name_m] feels like a combination of [name_u]Southern[/name_u] wisdom and literary intrigue.
[name_m]Ivo[/name_m] [name_m]Dimitri[/name_m]
the harvest’s longevity and regeneration
Summary
[name_m]Ivo[/name_m] [name_m]Dimitri[/name_m] is a crisp, light, and strong. [name_m]Ivo[/name_m] feels lively and energetic while being reminiscent of a rainy day reading under a blanket. I’m always looking for ways to honor my mom and her name/a variant were the priestesses of [name_u]Demeter[/name_u]. There is an ancient Greek story about said name taking suffering away from mothers giving birth and choosing the souls that would be born.
[name_u]Lionel[/name_u] [name_u]Augustine[/name_u]
magnificent young lion; great courage
Summary
[name_u]Lionel[/name_u] [name_u]Augustine[/name_u] feels very contrasting in a beautiful way. The sounds are soft and a bit lyrical while [name_m]Lion[/name_m] is in the name and [name_u]Augustine[/name_u] means magnificient and has so much history behind it. [name_u]Lionel[/name_u] goes along with the [name_m]Leos[/name_m] just fine while pulling away from the pack with a sound all his own. [name_u]Augustine[/name_u] brings to mind images of marble columns and operatic performances, but [name_u]August[/name_u]'s popularity brings it down to earth. Plus I have an [name_u]August[/name_u] birthday. [name_u]Lionel[/name_u] [name_u]Augustine[/name_u] is theatrical while still being youthful, full to the brim with stories of the past but still with a clean slate to be anyone.
[name_m]Lucian[/name_m] [name_u]Solstice[/name_u]
the light of new beginnings
Summary
[name_m]Lucian[/name_m] [name_u]Solstice[/name_u] represents so much of what I want to impart in a name. [name_m]Lucian[/name_m]'s meaning of light for the bright happiness that a baby - a person with a blank slate to become anyone - encapsulates. Solstices are peaks and troughs, but more importantly they are new starts to a pattern that repeats but is never exactly the same. [name_m]Even[/name_m] without the meaning, this combo just feels light pure light. The sun reflecting off of snow, rainbow makers, beach days, and bright eyes. [name_m]Lucian[/name_m] honors a few [name_m]Luc[/name_m]-s in my family, not to mention other “light” related relatives.
[name_u]Peregrine[/name_u] [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m]
traveling sun; victorious travelers on a journey to a holy place under the sun
Summary
[name_u]Peregrine[/name_u] [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] is a newer edition to my list, but one that I’ve fallen utterly and hopelessly in love with. It started as a way to get “[name_u]Percy[/name_u]” while still using [name_u]Peregrine[/name_u], but the more I think about this combo the more it ingrains itself in me. [name_u]Peregrine[/name_u] is a historical name for pilgrims or travelers while [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] means “sun.” The meaning that put me over the edge is that falcons (as in peregrine falcons) represent victory which, if you read my write up on [name_f]Victoria[/name_f], is an important love of mine. The traveling sun meaning, to me, is about how life keeps changing and moving and bringing us along with it through the warmth and light of the sun. The meaning also has an underlying feeling of “I’ve searched for you, I’ve waited for you, I’ve wanted you” which is exactly how I feel about my future child. I’ll have waited many days of light and many seasons of weather to greet them.
[name_m]Philip[/name_m] [name_m]Aurelius[/name_m]
golden freedom
Summary
[name_m]Philip[/name_m] came to me in a dream and has been on my list ever since. I love the idea of [name_u]Pip[/name_u] or [name_u]Pippin[/name_u] as a family nickname and I think that the name [name_m]Philip[/name_m] could follow him anywhere. [name_m]Aurelius[/name_m] is one of my all time favorite names, it’s meaning of gold is important to me as it symbolizes so much: love, light, victory, that warmth and happiness that you can feel in your bones.
[name_m]Raphael[/name_m] [name_m]Crane[/name_m]
healing with time, gathering strength as we go
Summary
[name_m]Raphael[/name_m] is very special as an angel - רָפָאֵל - I love the nickname options Raffie, [name_m]Raff[/name_m], [name_u]Rafe[/name_u] and the “healing” meaning. [name_m]Crane[/name_m] is a sound alike to one of my family member’s name as well as being a nature reference. Together, [name_m]Raphael[/name_m] [name_m]Crane[/name_m] is a reference to generational stories with the vigor and life to be beautiful and meaningful today. I’ve found that cranes represent time so together the name becomes a reference to things getting better, light coming through the cracks, and perseverance.
[name_u]Rudy[/name_u] [name_m]Alasdair[/name_m]
loyal counsel of defense
Summary
[name_u]Rudy[/name_u] [name_m]Alasdair[/name_m] is bright and exciting and a little clunky. I’ve had Rudolfs/Rudolphs in the family so it’s a nod to personal history as well as a zippy nickname name. I like the sound/visualization of “dare” in [name_m]Alasdair[/name_m] as in daring, brave. [name_m]Alasdair[/name_m] means defending men showing the values of caring for others, especially those who cannot defend themselves. [name_u]Rudy[/name_u] means counsel of wolves, but I’ve found that wolves symbolize loyalty which I love. [name_u]Rudy[/name_u] [name_m]Alasdair[/name_m] is one who would speak up, stay true to himself, and still be very youthful with infectious joy.
[name_u]Valentine[/name_u] [name_m]Caius[/name_m]
rejoice for strength and health
Summary
[name_u]Valentine[/name_u] is a very joyful name for me. I love the meaning of strength and health, [name_m]Caius[/name_m] is a great balance with a crisp sound and a lovely meaning (rejoice!). [name_u]Valentine[/name_u] [name_m]Caius[/name_m] is hot chocolate with loads of marshmallows. I don’t think [name_u]Valentine[/name_u] needs a nickname but I like that [name_u]Lenny[/name_u] or even [name_m]Lenin[/name_m]/Lennon is available. It has rarity and mystique while still being a name that most everyone can say and pronounce with ease. [name_u]Valentine[/name_u] is also the name of a sunflower, an asteroid, and the surname of a few different writers, musicians, and scientists.
[name_u]Vesper[/name_u] [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m]
immortal evening star
Summary
There’s no doubt that [name_u]Vesper[/name_u] [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] is a real shining star for me. In mythology, [name_u]Vesper[/name_u] is the [name_m]Roman[/name_m] equivalent of [name_m]Hesperus[/name_m] - son of [name_f]Eos[/name_f]/Aurora, goddess of dawn and said to be the father of [name_f]Alcyone[/name_f]/Halcyone/Ceryx, which has given us halcyon days despite tragedy, and Daedalion, a strong warrior who is featured in Metamorphoses. If that’s not enough, VSEPR (valence shell electron pair repulsion) theory is a model used in chemistry. So [name_u]Vesper[/name_u] fulfills my love for literature/history/mythology as well as a nod to my love of/future in science. I struggled a bit to find a middle name, before falling for [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] which feels like sitting next to a crackling fireplace. [name_u]Vesper[/name_u] [name_m]Ambrose[/name_m] is stargazing, bright eyes, rainboots, tangled fingers, stripes and chunky knits, loud laughs, cheeky grins, weekend adventures, and cozy days.
[name_m]Viggo[/name_m] [name_u]Constantine[/name_u]
steadfast in war
Summary
[name_m]Viggo[/name_m] [name_u]Constantine[/name_u] is a very present, solid name. I love that [name_m]Viggo[/name_m] brings imagery of Scandinavia with fjords and puffins and the sea while [name_u]Constantine[/name_u] has this warm, brave feeling of sepia tones and cobblestone streets. I’m a big fan of that V sound and I imagine a [name_m]Viggo[/name_m] being bouncy, fun-loving, and exuberant. Reminds me of rainy beach days but in a good way if that makes sense? Trying to jump the waves while the storm makes them too big, sand absolutely everywhere, laughing while yelling to be heard over the noise, running back absolutely drenched, drying off with warm towels.
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