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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Boys names with a historical/classical leaning

68 replies

Salacia · 26/01/2024 12:30

Starting to think about potential baby names now I’m in my second trimester (had a difficult time getting here so it doesn’t quite seem real yet! Trying to be cautiously optimistic).

DH and I both share a love of history (pretty much any period but particularly Ancient Rome and medieval Europe) and I’ve always thought it would be a bit of a source of inspiration for names.

Girls names aren’t an issue - lots of ideas (Livia, Julia, Theodora, Octavia, Joan, Matilda, Eleanor, Rosalind, Emmeline etc etc) but for boys names the names are either rather generic (Henry, William, John etc) or a bit too out there (especially as DH went to a public school and is very keen to avoid any of the stereotypically posh classical names - certainly no Ptolemy (we’re both in agreement there!)).

I like Felix, Rufus, Marcus, Alban - any other suggestions for names in a similar style?

OP posts:
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DiamondSnake · 28/01/2024 20:57

Oh and

Caspian

DiamondSnake · 28/01/2024 20:51

I have known boys and men called

Warwick
Tiberius (nn Tibbi)
Dimitri
Magnus
Lysander
Loris
Thorsten

And my dad wanted to call my brother Themistocles.

Gaggley · 28/01/2024 20:41

Leopold
Nelson
Napoleon
Confucius
Homer
Merlin
Leviticus

or male forms of the female names that you like, e.g. Jonas, Theodore, Octavius.

Parri · 28/01/2024 19:55

Roland, Thaddeus x

DuchessOfSausage · 28/01/2024 12:52

Kentigern was known as Mungo

wibdib · 28/01/2024 12:46

I used to know someone called Kentigern which having just looked it up, seems like it’s old Celtic with links to Glasgow but shortens easily to Ken or Kent or Tig.
I’ve also known a Warwick he’d probably be in his 60s now and was always known as Warwick, his name never seemed to be shortened.
Also know a much younger Atticus - there seem to be a few of them around now, think it’s a lovely name and Atti is a cute nickname.
I loved Ptolemy (nn Tolli or Pete) but dh wouldn’t let me!
Horatio, Benedict and Magnus are others that I like from your list/similar to it.

good luck finding a few names you love - and be prepared for meeting your new little boy and instantly knowing that [previously chosen name] isn’t right for him and that you need something completely different!

Saraswati · 28/01/2024 12:13

Fellow classicist here! My son is called Rex, always my favourite boys name, strong and easy to spell! He loves it. I also liked Magnus (Gus for shirt). My husband wouldn't consider Augustus!!

FatherOfSeven · 28/01/2024 11:48

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Doone22 · 28/01/2024 10:14

Adam

thegruffalosmaw · 28/01/2024 09:06

Roman is an increasingly popular boys name.
There's Julius, Augustus, Troy...
Alexander (the great), Jude (Judas), Arthur (Sword in Stone)....

Diamondskulls · 28/01/2024 08:46

I loved the name Percy James for our son but my husband said no, so we went with Ezekiel James instead, Octavia was our girls name too!

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 27/01/2024 16:11

Ceolwulf? Offa?

A lot of the Saxon names are not very attractive written down, but they sound a lot nicer than they look.

Aelthred will just get called 'Ethel' for short.

RosesAndHellebores · 27/01/2024 16:08

Merlin
Josslin
Tristan
Edmund
Hercules
Julian
Hadrian
Hagrid
Anthony
Alexander
Osrick
Gawain

Nicebloomers · 27/01/2024 15:58

loads of great suggestions. A few extra.. (apologies for any repeats)

Roman (very literal!)
Basil (massively underused IMO)
Augustus
Jovian
Atticus
Rufus
Florian

Alban is a stand out from your list.

thegreylady · 27/01/2024 13:04

Ptolemy (Tolly) I know one just in his teens now never been teased as far as I know. I also know a Hereward with a sister called Elfrida.

Bbq1 · 27/01/2024 12:52

Raiden
Constantine

nameXname · 27/01/2024 12:48

Edwin, Edgar, Edmund, Cedric, Dunstan, Godwin, Osbert/Oswin, Siward (Shakespearean rather than Saxon), Swithin, Wulfstan, Wulfric, Wyndham

I also like Clement, Ludovic, Gregory, Jervis/Jarvis/Gervase, Roland, Tancred, Fabian, Corentin, Alban, Anselm, Ferdinand, Augustin, Bertrand/Bertram....

Salacia · 27/01/2024 09:13

lightelmqueen · 26/01/2024 16:58

We seriously considered Leofric for our son. Love the name. In the end we went for a different name inspired by that period.

Other names I love:
Lucian
Lucius
Remus
Marcus

I like Leofric - would love to know what other names from that period you had on your list!

OP posts:
Salacia · 27/01/2024 09:11

OldBeyondMyYears · 26/01/2024 18:59

I know a lovely little boy named Warwick...I've taught for 30 years and he's the only one in all that time I've ever come across ❤️

Thanks for sharing! I always think it’s really lovely when teachers share the names/children that have stood out!

Unfortunately Warwick makes me think of sticky ends (quite a few Earls of Warwick ended up having violent deaths or were involved in the deaths of others - I know that’s just history but my brain just goes to a head on a stick…)

OP posts:
Salacia · 27/01/2024 09:05

theduchessofspork · 26/01/2024 21:13

I think a lot of once posh names don’t read that way anymore

I like Marcus and it’s less popular than a lot of your other ones

Magnus
Gawain
Justin
Julius
Caius
Hector
Laurence
Alberic
Tristram
Atticus

Edited

That’s probably true - think DH is just scarred from his school days! I really like Alberic from your list.

OP posts:
theduchessofspork · 26/01/2024 21:13

I think a lot of once posh names don’t read that way anymore

I like Marcus and it’s less popular than a lot of your other ones

Magnus
Gawain
Justin
Julius
Caius
Hector
Laurence
Alberic
Tristram
Atticus

OldBeyondMyYears · 26/01/2024 18:59

I know a lovely little boy named Warwick...I've taught for 30 years and he's the only one in all that time I've ever come across ❤️

lightelmqueen · 26/01/2024 16:58

We seriously considered Leofric for our son. Love the name. In the end we went for a different name inspired by that period.

Other names I love:
Lucian
Lucius
Remus
Marcus

marshmallowfinder · 26/01/2024 16:43

Adam, Toby, Jasper, Caspian, Jasper, Herbert, Seymour, Lucian, Luca.

BlueChampagne · 26/01/2024 16:37

Conrad
Aidan
Caedmon
Remus
Edgar
Harold

I like Marcus too (in fact it's DS's middle name)

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