Name Nerds main

Is you baby name book all it's cracked up to be? It probably boasts that it has thousands of baby names for you to choose from (more than any other book of course), but does quantity imply quality? Exactly what are these thousands of names that are in there? It is my experience that, while it's a good thing to have a large pool of names to choose from, most names in large baby name books (or even small ones for that matter) are not always appealing. Many are very odd (like the Norse name Odd, for example), some are difficult to pronounce (I don't even know any native Gaelic speakers named Toirdhealbhach, much less American babies!), some just make you say, "HUH!?", such as Drosophila, the genus of fruit flies, and Traviata, Italian for "slut." A lot of books fill their pages with huge lists of alternative spellings for "regular" names (i.e. Jennifer, Jeniffer, Jenniffer, Jennyphur, Jenefyr etc.) Here are some names culled from various baby names books that probably few English-speaking Americans (the population that most of these books is aimed at) would bestow upon their children.

**Disclaimer** Before you start sending me heaps of nasty e-mails saying things like "We are going to name out next child Bich Anoi Kaemoxmith if it's a girl, and Ack Oral Tutu if it's a boy, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't ridicule these perfectly decent names," think about this: I am writing this with the point of view of an average English speaking American, which is the group that these baby name books are aimed at. I acknowledge that many of these names may be beautiful, popular and well-loved in other countries and languages, but most Americans would probably not choose to use them. Thus said, here are the lists!

Click here for the girls' list and here for the Boys' list.

Girls' List

Adorna Blom DiDi Fluta Issy Lubba Morta Peace Quartas Satin Terzilla Virg
Ag Bobijo Divan Fonda JaDeana Lucky My Peachie Queenation Saxe Thadine Vignette
Agape Bride Divine Fontanne Jac-E Lurling Myrrha Pearleen Queenie Saxona Thrace Violante
Aggri Brosy Dixil Fortuna Jaxine Lycoris Myrtilla Pelag Quenburga Scarlette Tibbie Viridis
Ai Brucie Docile Fredella Jawn Mab Mystee Pellinore Quest Scione Tiki Virola
Algiane C'Ceal Doll Froda Jaymylynne Madonella Narda Pen Quiterie Secunda Tippie Virtue
Aloha Camel Domino Gatha Jazz Madre Naralie Penthea Ragnborg Sharlamaine Topaza Volta
Aloys Cameo Dorita Gay Jennasee Mag Nebula Pepper Rainbeaux Shaundee Torborg Voris
Alpha Caresse Dorlisa Genie Jenniphe Maggin Neff Perfect Ralpha Shi Tourmaline Wa
Alphonsine Chalice Doto Geranium Jestine Magnetta Neith Pette Ran Shug Traviata Wagner
Am Chamelea Drinka Glad Jewelyn Maighdlin Nellis Petal Rant-cho-wai-me Sib Trickia Walpurga
Amalbergis Chanter Drosophila Glaucopis Jinx Majesty Nelma Phalosa Rapa Signale Trinidette Wandie
Ame Chiquita Dua Glee Jo-Anie Manette Nemophila Phantasia Rastus Silence Trivia Wandis
Amorette Chlorie Duayna Goma Joannanette Mangina Nenemoosha Phil Ravine Silver Trix Warda
Ancelin Chow Duscha Grissely Juci Marine Neo Photine Reason Simba Troth Wawa
Ancelot Claramae Dustine Guda Juh Marionette Nixie Philomel Rebela Simonette Tryphena Wealthy
Angadresma Clearista Dys Gunda Jynice Marky Nordica Pieta Reef Siren Tytan Weetamoo
Anoi Cleti Earley Gusty Kaemoxmith Marvel Novella Piton Regula Smantha U Welcome
Aprilette Cleopatra Easter Gwendi Karka Marvelyn Nyx Placidia Rew Sneeuwe Uarda Welda
Argyria Clyte Eglantine Gytha Kashmir Mauve O'Neill Platona Rhode Solitaria Ulva Whoopi
Arnoldine Cola Ekko Haggi Kennis Maybull Octavie Plotina Ricadonna Sook Uno Willabelle
Artha Comfort Elata Halcyonella Kentiggerma Mead Obie Poll Rigborg Soulle Ursie Wortha
Asian Conception (not Concepción, the Spanish name) Elboa Happy Khrystalline Media Ocareena Pollyanna Rimma Spica Ut Xanthippe
Aspasia Constancy Ellitie Hebe Kissa Meingoldas Ode Porsche Robertha Spice Utica Xenelasia
Autonoe Corona Emmalei Hepzi Koko Menorah Oeberron Prane Robinette Startish Utta Xylophila
Baal Countess Encratis Hermaphrodite Korny Merrily Omega Price Roch Sturnella Vacuna Yaa
Bab Coy Engelberta Hermette Krystleleah Merta Opportuna Princessa Romaine Sunni Valborga Yedda
Bao-yo Crescent Ermentrude Hindey Kulukulutea Meta Ops Printemps Royale Swana Vale Ylla
Baptista Crispa Estra Hitty Labertha Micole Oralie Prissy Rubette Swanhilda Vangy Yow
Barbo Critta Etheljean Ho Lake Midget Orange Proba Rubelet Symbola Vanitty Yung
Barta D'Or Fanchie Hopey Lan Mill Ordrick Pruddie Rudelle Tabby Vedette Zel
Basty Dahl Fantasy Hosanna Lassie Mini Orel Prunella Ruperta Tally Vega Zenarva
Bathsheba Daralice Favor Hughette Le Mirth Ortrud Psyche Sacajawea Tangerine Velour Zenobie
Begga Dayaa Fayre Hunny Leopoldeen Mlo Ottie Publia Sanctity Tanka Velvet Zephyrine
Bee Delicia Faythe Huynh Lesbia Mocha Ouidette Pulcheria Saga Tawnie Ventura Zine
Bich Delight Fealty Ib Letha Modeste Pagett Puma Saint Te Vernole Zircona
Binney Delphi Fifine Iberia Lide Mol Palmer Puppa Salaid Teal Verta Ziz
Bird Desire Flair Idola Light Monca Paryss Purl Sale Tempa Vevay Zonne
Bittan Dhu Florida Imagina Lis Mondae Paule Pyrene Santa Templa Victoire Zore
Blenda Dicklit Floyce Indee Love Monteene Pax Qandi Sappho Tendora Victrola Zylota

Boys' List

Abboid Birdsey Dalrymple Fayette Harty Jock Loron Munny Pain Purdy Senior Toole
Ack Birtle Dandy Feri Hashish Johathe Lothario Murdock Painter Purvance Septimus Torkel
Ad Black Dang Festus Hazard Joop Loyal Mwla Pall Quaashie Severance Traylor
Adelbold Bland Datus Fifi Haze Jovita Lucretius Mynne Park Quartus Sextus Trimountain
Ado Bliss Deems Finis Hebe Jupp Ludger Nala Parley Querard Shady Trumble
Aeolus Bonar Demosthenes Fitzclarence Heine Junior Lumen Naldo Parmalee Quercus Shafter Tryg
Agni Bookie Demp Fleming Hendy Jur Lung Nam Parmenius Quilisma Shangobunni Tug
Agnus Boot Dent Flip Herminius Kaiser Lunt Nappy Pate Quirinus Sharkey Tung
Ahab Bord Devine Flo Hermy Keb Lut Narcissus Patrocles Quixote Shep Tut
Ajax Bothe Dingbang Flobert Hi Keira Lymphoid Nard Patsy Rabbi Shet Tutu
Alaa Brainard Dinko Floss Hiawatha Kemp Mace Narve Pax Radd Shy Tyee
Alf Branch Dixie Folker Hieronymous Kenakuk Maginbert Nav Peabody Ranger Siffre Tyke
Algy Brew Dob Fonzie Hippolytus Key Major Nazareth Pelex Rangle Sigismundus Ubald
Alpha Briny Dole Foy Ho Kidd Maksymilian Needham Pell Ransom Sigma Uno
Alpine Brutus Dong Frang Hod King Mallett Nemo Penn Rapho Sim Ur
Ambler Bucko Doter Freeborn Hodge Kinman Manchester Neptune Penrod Rapier Sincero Uranus
Anis Bunker Dove Frick Honestus Kiyiyah Manchu Newby Peopeo Hihhih Ras Sing Urban
Anstruther Burden Drud Frid Hoover Klah Manger Nike Peopeo Moxmox Rathbone Skeeter Vail
Anty Butcher Dude Gal Hop Knight Mango Nil Peppi Redpath Skegg Vald
Apollo Camp Dukie Gall Hophne Kong Mangold Nimrod Perc Regulus Skippie Valu
Arche Cappi Dutch Gardette Hortensius Koopnee Manly Ninus Pervis Restore Socrates Van Dyke
Archobaldo Car Dwinelle Garibaldi Howe Korb Manville Nnamdi Petter Rice Solve Vedie
Ardillo Cataline Dyke Garland Hu Kub Maolbheannachta Noby Peveril Rilus Son Ventura
Argyle Challenger Earn Gayelord Hube Kunz March Noll Phao Rochester Spangler Vihs
Armistice Chancellor Eb Gelasius Hud Kyubong Marcy Nova Philander Rockle Spash Viking
Armour Charlemagne Ebert Generoso Humps Laddie Markcuss Nugent Photius Rollo Spear Virginius
Asbrand Chevy Eeshakonee Gib Hunt Lahpeealoot Marmaduke Numps Pickford Romain Speed Wace
Ashfrod Chik Ega Giffy Hurlbut Lap Mars Odalric Pierrepont Rover Spurgeon Webley
Atholl Cicero Egide Gig Hyacinth

Laverock

Marsh Odd Pilgrim Roxbury Spyke Welfare
Axe Clendenning Elder Gildo Hyde Lay Marvell Odic Pinky Rube Sting Whistler
Balbo Clerk Elix Glad Ib Lefty Mayne Odion Pista Ruff Stoke Whitelaw
Balder Cleve Elworthy Glade Ibald Leger Mellon Odinus Pitt Rugby Strephon Wit
Bannister Cloud Ensign Goda Ide Lepeet Hessemdooks Melva Odolf Placyd Rumleigh Syena Wlodzimierz
Barn Clyph Erigene Godine Ikey Letchworth Mentor Og Plantagenet Rust Tacitus Worth
Bartholomaus Coffie Esculapius Grosvenor Ince Like Mergus Oghe Platon Rye Taffy Wythe
Base Collie Essex Guernsey Increase Lindo Merryman Oh-oh-e-sa-to-who Plaudo Sad Tancred Xanthine
Bat Cola Euclid Grenville Ing Link Methushelach OJ Poldo Salmon Tarn Xychus
Beachy Columbus Eugenius Gur Inen Toxxouke Linux Miner Oley Polk Salvo Tartan Xylon
Belva Constant Eustache Guybert Ion Lion Mithra On Pollux Sambo Teller Yancy
Bendix Converse Ewhen Gytha Ionel Lister Modesto Oral Polo Savy Temple Yarb
Bent Cotton Eyre Hagbert Iye Lithium Mogue Orestes Pompey Saw Tennis Yo
Beppo Coventry Fairchild Haggy Ja Lnard Mojag Orji Pony Sax Thane Yule
Beta Creed Falco Halex Jada Lobo Mongo Opie Primus Say Thong Zdzislaw
Beveridge Crepin Fane Halfdan Jamesie Lock Montreal O'Reilly Prince Scipio Thorpe Zelator
Bick Crispo Far Hall Januarius Long More Oslac Probert Scorpio Tibble Zenith
Bily Crites Fark Ham Jemmy Looney Morehead Otte Proctor Seaforth Tiffany Zo
Binky Cunibert Farmer Hamo Jermyn Lootah Moss Oystein Proteus Seb Tirey Zoroaster
Bion Dalieass Farquy Hardie Jex Lord Motley Oz Prudent Secundo Toirdhealbhach Zurr