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Nigel

Origin and Meaning of Nigel

The Nigel name is given to boys and originates from the English. Additional research shows the name Nigel came the Latin name Neil or Nigellus.

The meaning of Nigel is strong, it means “Champion or Black”.

Popularity

It is a strong name and the popularity of Nigel soared from the early 1820’s through 1994. It reached its peak in the early 1990’s then began a steady downward trend. In 2013 you rarely heard the name. Overall the name Nigel in England ranks 2403 out of 4685. It is not one of the top ten or one hundred names people in England use, but others still enjoy the nostalgia of the name.

Famous People Called Nigel

Famous people fitted for this strong name are Nigel John Taylor, the skilled bass player of Duran Duran. Nigel Worthington is another celebrity given this distinguished name. He is a former football player, and manager for several football teams. Nigel Stock the actor who played Dr. Watson is another example of those who carry the name with premier class and sophistication.

The name Nigel is positively portrayed in Walter Scott’s novel, The Fortunes of Nigel. However, Nigel Pargetter, from The Archers is portrayed as a dimwitted character who is satirised after his death. The meaning of Nigel varies, but still carries a strong impactful meaning.

Useful Resources

See the meaning and popularity of other boys’ names on our website.

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Jarvis

Origin and History of Jarvis

The Jarvis name is a British boy’s name that was derived from the given name Gervais, which is the French form of Gervasius, which is believed to be a Latinized form of a Germanic name, Gervas. There was a St. Gervasius of Milan. He had been a Christian martyr, and his remains were found during the 4th century. Jarvis is also used a surname. Variations of the name include Gervase, Gervis, Jarvie, Jervis, Jervois and Jervoise

Meaning of the Name

The meaning of Jarvis is believed to be “servant of the spear.” The first syllable, “ger,” means “spear,” while the second syllable is believed to come from the Celtic word “vass,” which means “servant.” Another possible meaning is “one who comes from Jervaulx,” the site of a Cistercian monastery in Northern Yorkshire. Jervaulx, which is pronounced “Jarvis,” is named for the river Ure, while the second syllable, “vaulx” means valley.

Popularity

The popularity of Jarvis is low in England in 2013. In the United States, it was fairly popular during the 1980’s and 1990’s, but declined afterwards. It has, however, shown a slight upturn in popularity in recent years.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and origin of other English boys’ names on our website.

Gavin

Origin, meaning, and use of the name Gavin

The Gavin name is said to be of several different origins. The most popular version is that it comes from the Welsh word Gwalchgwn which means “white hawk” or “white falcon”. Though the spelling has changed over time, the meaning of Gavin is still said to be those two phrases.

There are also a few non-English versions or the name including a possible Latin origin of Gavinus, which was frequently used for centuries before the Romans arrived in England. It is speculated that the Celtics may have taken the name from them.

Popularity of Gavin

The popularity of Gavin is not currently very high in England. Since the late 1980s, it has fallen out of favor. In 1984, it was ranked 55 in the top 100 names in England. In recent years, it has not been in the top 100 and is considered rare.

People with the Name

Gavin is the name of several famous people including Gavin Henson, Gavin Rossdale, Gavin Lynch, and Gavin Hastings. It is also a first name of a fictional character in the popular British romance-comedy “Gavin and Stacey” television show.

Useful Resources

  • See the meaning and popularity of other boys’ names on our website.

Dean

Meaning of the Name Dean

The name Dean is an English name a male maybe christened with as an infant. The Old English meaning is derived from a surname “denu” meaning valley for a persons living in or near a Valley. It means Law in Hebrew. It is pronounced deen.

Other Usage of the Name

Occupational name such as the Dean of the College the head of the school. Dean a senior member of a group or organization. Dean also stands for a church official, such as one in charge. Dean as a place, a valley.

Popularity

Dean is a popular boys’ name in 238th position in a census in the US in 2013. It is also often used as a middle name.

Dean’s roots are in the English culture though many other countries like America use the name Dean when naming their child.

Famous People with the Name

Famous people that are the name Dean is Dean Martin an American actor and singer. American Secretaries of State, statesman Dean Acheson and Dean Rusk. Dean Torrence American musician who was part of the rock band and Jan and Dean.
Dean nickname can be Dino such as Dean Martin often used in his career as an entertainer.

Useful Resources

  • Discover the meaning and popularity of other boys’ names on our website.

Arnold

Meaning of the Name Arnold

The name Arnold is very distinguished and it dates back many years. The meaning of Arnold is quite fascinating. It is an ancient name of Germanic origin meaning “eagle power” or sometimes translated as “strong as an eagle”. It is composed of actually two Germanic words, the word “arn” meaning “eagle” and “wald” meaning “rule or power”.

Origin of the Name

The Normans brought the name to England during a time period some say was after the Norman Conquest in roughly the 12th century. After the name’s arrival in England it dropped in usage until the 19th century when the popularity of Arnold picked up again. The name Arnold is ranked 946th out of popular names to give children, which means it is used quite frequently. Roughly 570,800 people of the world are estimated to have the name today. Interestingly enough, Arnold has also been recorded as a surname dating back to 1711.

Popularity

Arnold was not registered in the top 100 baby names in England in 2013.

Famous People with the First Name Arnold

The distinguished meaning of the name has inspired many parents to give the name to their children. Many famous people have the Arnold name including the actor and politician Arnold Scwartzenegger, Arnold Rothstein (New York gangster) and the great golfer Arnold Palmer.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other English boys’ names on our website.

Rufus

Origins of the Name Rufus

The Rufus name has existed in England for centuries as a boys name. The meaning of Rufus originally derives from the ancient Latin language spoken by the Romans. They invaded the British Isle during the days of Julius Caesar and eventually some Romans settled in England.

The popularity of Rufus dates from at least the Roman era.

Meaning of Rufus

The Rufus name means “red” or “red haired.” Despite the ancient meaning of Rufus, the name today can apply to children with any colour of hair. The popularity of Rufus as a name declined somewhat recently, but you will still find the Rufus name in wide use in many countries, including the British Isles.

The meaning of Rufus probably applied when English people referred to King William II as “William Rufus.” The favorite son of William the Conqueror was known to possess red hair.

Popularity

Since that period, the popularity of Rufus as a name fluctuated greatly. Today Rufus is the 266th most popular British boys name. However, many famous Englishmen still claim the name.

Famous People with the Name Rufus

Rufus Wainwright singer, songwriter, and composer
Rufus Wainwright singer, songwriter, and composer

They include the comedian Rufus Jones, the actor Rufus Sewell, the soccer player Rufus Brevett and even the fictional character of Harry Potter story fame, Rufus Scrimgeour.

Rufus Wainwright is a singer, songwriter and composer who has written songs for movies including ‘Brokeback Mountain’, ‘Moulin Rouge’ and ‘Shrek’.

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Neil

The Meaning of the Name Neil

Neil is a strong boy’s name with a lot of meaning and power. The Neil name is from the Gaelic name, Niall. The meaning of Neil means champion. People with the great name of Neil are usually adventurous and like to beat to the sound of their own drum, while making exciting plans for their lives. If they do fail, they keep trying and never give up. These type of people do not take failure lightly which is why the champion meaning really fits them well. It is a very strong and powerful boy’s name that is appropriate as they grow up.

Original Origin of the Name

The name was actually adapted by the Vikings in Ireland but was originally “Njal”. The Vikings brought the name Neil to England where it gained in popularity. In 2013 Neil was not in the top 100 boys names in England.

Neil Armstrong is one of the most famous people out there with this name and is looked up to by many. After he became more popular, the name popularity of Neil has also risen. Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk the moon.

Useful Resources

  • Discover the meaning and popularity of other boys’ names on our website.

Jasper

Origin of the Name Jasper

The Jasper name is a boy’s name that has Persian roots. It occurs in multiple countries and has many variant spellings including Casper, Gaspar, Jesper and Kasper. According to legend, one of the Three Wise Men or Magi who visited the baby Jesus was named Gaspar.

Meaning of Jasper

The meaning of Jasper is “treasurer.” It has been used as a proper name in English-speaking countries since the Middle Ages.

Famous People with the Name

Famous people named Jasper include Jasper Fforde, the British novelist and Jasper “Jack” Daniels, the founder of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey distillery. Jasper Conran the famous English fashion designer and Jasper Carrot the comedian from Bristol.

Popularity

The popularity of Jasper is fairly low in England. According to the government’s 2013 records, it is not one of the top 100 boys’ names. Those same records, however, do show that its popularity is slowly and steadily increasing.

Jasper fell out of fashion in the US during the latter half of the 20th century, but has begun making a comeback. It is still not one of the top 100 boys’ names. Jasper (or its variants) are among the top 100 boys’ names in Australia, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

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Francis

History and Meaning of Francis

St. Francis of Assisi was one of the first men to use the name, with the patron saint of animals father giving him the title as a way of celebrating the trading contracts he had built with the French people. The Latin meaning of Francis is Frenchman, a meaning derived from the Latin word Franciscus. This is not the only meaning of Francis, with many who choose the name doing so for its more common meaning of free.

Popularity of the Name Francis

Although Francis was not one of the 100 most popular baby names in England in 2013, the Francis name does remain popular and is heard amongst many celebrities and famous people. The popularity of Francis is often put down to the biblical use of the name, with St. Francis of Assisi just one of the famous saints known to have used the moniker.

Famous People Called Francis

The Francis name has been given to a large number of famous people over the years, including English explorer and maritime hero Sir Francis Drake and American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald whose F stands for Francis. More modern users of the name include Hollywood movie director Francis Ford Coppola and Pope Francis.

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Kenneth

History of the Name Kenneth

The Kenneth name today functions as both a surname and a popular boy’s first name. Although the origins of the name remain contested, the meaning of Kenneth as a word drawn from the Celtic language strongly suggests ancient use of the name in the British Isle.

The Kenneth name: Origins

Both Ireland and Scotland lay claim to the Kenneth name, which may derive from two Gaelic terms “coinneach” (comely) or “caoineach” (handsome). In Scotland, Kenneth remains closely associated with the MacKenzie surname.

Yet two Old Irish Gaelic terms also tie the meaning of Kenneth to Monaghan in Ireland, where it may be connected to the surnames MacKenna, McKenna, Makenna, Mikenna and Macenna. In Irish, Kenneth translates to “beloved of Aodh.” Aodh was an ancient Celtic god of fire.

Pronunciation

People in England pronounced these Gaelic words as “Kenneth” or “Kenith.”

Variations in the Name

Pet forms of the name include Ken and Kenny.

The popularity of Kenneth today

The first name Kenneth is well known through the celebrity of Irish film star Kenneth Branagh, American documentary film maker Ken Burns,  English Comedian Kenneth Williams and Scottish author Kenneth Grahame. Today, the name Kenneth reportedly ranks 136th in popularity in the United States, however in England it is not in the top 100 baby boys’ names (2013). The popularity of Kenneth seems assured for many years into the future!

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other English boys’ names like Kenneth.

Forrest

Origin of the Forrest Name

Both a first name and surname, the name is derived from 13th-century England, meaning “dweller or worker of the forest.” There have been several variations of the name, including Forest, Forrester, and even Foster.

Meaning of Forrest

Contemporary English definitions of the first name Forrest mean “woodlands” or “of the woods.”

Popularity of Forrest

The name Forrest was used most between the years of 1899-1925; however, it spiked in popularity in 1994 after the release of the movie “Forrest Gump.” In 2013, this name ranked 841st amongst the most used U.S. baby names. In England, it is not in the top 100  (in 2013).

Famous People with the Name

Although often used as a surname, the following are celebrities with the first name Forrest:

  • Forrest Gump: Fictional, 1968 book character that was portrayed by Tom Hanks in the movie by the same name.
  • Forrest Richard “Dickey” Betts: Guitarist, singer, and songwriter who ranked #58 in the Rolling Stone’s list of the greatest guitarists of all time, mainly for his work in The Allman Brothers Band.
  • Forrest Griffin: Mixed martial artist and member of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Hall of Fame.

Useful Resources

  • See other popular and not so popular English boys’ names here

Mike

Mike Boy’s Name Meaning and Origin

The name Mike is a long established name that has been prevalent in Britain for centuries and is normally consider to be the pet form of the name Michael. The meaning of Mike is derived from Hebrew, and it means “Who is like God?”. In Hebrew the name is questioning, and is meant to show the humility of a person who is named Mike. Despite this, the name is also heavily associated with the archangel Michael who is considered to be a very powerful and revered Angel.

Popularity

The popularity of Mike is not very high on its own. The Mike name is not in the top hundred most popular English boys’ names (in 2013), but the longer version of the name Michael is much more popular. The name Michael has long be ranked in the top hundred boy names is Britain, and the name has been in the top five most popular American names for the entirety of the twentieth century.

Famous People Called Mike

The Mike name has been held by a number of famous and well-respected individuals. Mike Oldfield is an English musician who has been performing since the 1970’s. Mike Jackson was a high ranked British intelligence general during World War Two, and served long enough to see service in the Balkans. Mike Myers is an actor who starred in such films as Shrek, Wayne’s World, and the Austin Powers series.

Useful Resources

  • See our comprehensive list of boys’ names on our website.
  • See the English name Michael

Morris

Origin of the Name Morris

Morris can be a surname and a given name. Morris was always used more as a surname than a first name, although some used the name as a given name. Morris was first introduced in Great Britain during the Norman Conquest in 1066 but was not recorded until 1176.

Meaning of Morris

Morris is an Anglican version of the French version of Maurice. It means son of More. The meaning of Morris also means dark skinned or moorish.

Popularity of Morris

Ever since the 1880s, Morris has fluctuated in and out of popularity until the middle 1990s when it hit the 1000s and did not recover.

Morris in England

There are many people and things named Morris. In England, there is a folk dance called a Morris Dance. Morris Beckman, writer, was born in 1921 in Hackney, London, England. Although he had written articles in five publications, he only wrote one novel, “Ocean Skies and Lost Cargos,” in 1944. Morris Harvey was a film actor who lived from 1877 to 1944. He has made 34 films in a span of 13 years, ending with “Old Mother Riley Overseas” in 1943.

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keith

 Meaning of Keith

The name Keith is of Scottish origin but popular in English speaking countries. It’s considered by many to be a name of masculinity. In Scotland, Keith is used to refer to a woodsy or forest like place.

The name Keith has been given to babies from as far back as the 19th century. Keith name has been called manly, strong, and well respected. People call the name powerful because the sound of it just carries a sense of masculinity.

Popularity of Keith

In 2013, Keith was ranked the in the top 100 boys names in England however it was 394th most popular baby name in the United States.

Famous People with 1st Name Keith

Here are some of the most well known celebrities with the 1st name Keith,

  • Keith Richards- Famous British guitar player, well known for being part of the British rock band The Rolling Stones.
  • Keith Lemon- Fictional character portrayed by English comedian Leigh Francis. Made appearances in shows like “Lemon La Vida Loca” and “Through The Keyhole”.
  • Keith Floyd- British celebrity cook and television personality, known for hosting cooking shows on the popular TV network BBC.

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Nicholas

Origin and Meaning of Nicholas

Nicholas is a boy’s first name and it can also be a surname as in the case of the famous golfer Jack Nicholas.

Nicholas, is a name that was once much more popular, than in current times. The Nicholas name derives from two Greek words (Nike and laos).

In Greek, the meaning of Nicholas is, Victory of the people. So, it’s a wonder, why more parents aren’t naming their sons Nicholas.

Popularity

Nicholas was not in the top 100 baby boys’ names in England in 2013. The popularity of the name Nicholas needs to be increased. The Christmas holiday’s greatest icon is Santa Claus.

Famous People with the Name

Santa Claus’s last name is Nicholas. Hence, the reason we call him old Saint Nick. If the father of Christmas’s name is Nicholas, then that must suggest Nicholas is a wonderful name.

Some famous people named Nicholas have done some amazing things. In more modern times, the author Nicholas Sparks has written many acclaimed novels. One novel in particular, the Notebook, garnered Nicholas Sparks major fame. So, why don’t we increase the use of this once popular name. The next time someone has a son, be sure to recommend the name Nicholas.

Useful Resources

  • See the meaning and popularity of other boys’ names on our website

Roger

Overview of the Boy’s Name Roger

  • Meaning: famous spear
  • Popularity: Not in top 100 baby boys’ names in England

What Does the Name Roger Mean?

The Roger name does have a different meaning in most every country. The English meaning of Roger is Famed spear, renowned spearman. During the World War 2 era the name Roger had very positive associations. Military personnel used this name to actually mean “Received and understood.” The name also meant A-ok. The name Roger does indeed have a history.

Introduced to England

After the Norman Conquest of 1066 the name Roger was introduced to England. The popularity of Roger was high. There were nicknames with the Roger name such as Dodge and Hodge.

Popularity

The name Roger may be an all-time favourite name. In the year 1945 the name was ranked at 22nd position. The popularity has since fallen and in the year 2012 it was rated as ranked at 566th. This name was also very popular during the Middle Ages.

Famous People Called Roger

  • Roger Banister – An English runner who was the 1st person to break the 4 minute mile
  • Roger Moore – An English actor who’s most notable role was James Bond
  • Roger Water – A musician who was the co-founder of the band Pink Floyd

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Albert

Meaning of the Boy’s Name Albert

The Albert name is a masculine name that has derived from the words “noble” and “bright” in German.

There are also many nicknames for this name, including Albie, Bert, Burt, Elbert, Berty and Al.

Popularity

The popularity of Albert became quite popular in Great Britain in 1840 from the Great Prince Albert. The name’s popularity became even more popular in England in the year 2013 where it reached 94th position.

People with the Name Albert

There are quite a few fictional characters in tv shows and movies that share this name:
Albert from the 1977 film Suspiria, Albert in the Josie and the Pussycayts comics, Albert Hinkley in the Pixar film “Cars”, Albert Heinrich in Cyborg 009 and Al in the Disney Pixar film “Toy Story”.

When it comes to famous people, there are many famous people, as well as well-known fictional characters that share this name.

These people include Albert Camus who is a French philosopher, Albert Shepherd, an American rapper, Albert Pujols, a Dominican-American Basketball player, Albert Ellis who is an American psychologist, Albert Hammond Jr., the guitarists from the band The Stroke, Albert Wesker, a fictional character from the Resident Evil series, Albert Franklin, a fictional character in the film “Bogus, Albert Ingalls from the TV show “Little House on the Prairie”, Albert “Bertie” Highmore who is the brother of Freddie Highmore and Albert Hillsborough who is a character in the book series “GONE” by Michael Grant.

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Ronnie

Meaning and Origin of Ronnie

Ronnie can be a male, female and an affectionate pet name. For the pet names, the male form of Ronnie is Ronald and the female form is Veronica. The Ronnie name means mighty counsellor and/or ruler.

Popularity of the Boy’s Name Ronnie

The popularity of Ronnie is not currently very popular in England as a baby’s name and it did not make the top 100 most popular baby names in 2013.

Famous People with the name

Ronnie Barker is part of “The Order Of The British Empire.” Barker is also an English actor, comedian and a writer. He is well known for his roles on multiple British comedy TV series. After trying acting he decided to perform comedy roles. Barker finally retired from acting and decided to open an antique shop.

Ronnie O’Sullivan is a Professional English Snooker Player. He is very well known for his playing style as being “rapid.” Around 17 Ronnie won “The 1993 UK Championship” and became the youngest player in history to win a “professional ranking.”

Ronnie Biggs was a English robber who was well known in the “1963 Great Train Robbery.” Biggs lived for 36 years as a escapee after breaking out of prison in 1965. Biggs returned to the UK in 2001 and spent 7 years in prison. His health declined and he died in 2013.

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Nathaniel

Nathaniel – Meaning and Origin

Nathaniel is a male name with a Biblical origin and it means “Gift of God”. The name has multiple common short names like Nat and Nati however the most popular variation is Nathan.

Popularity

Nathaniel was not in the 100 most popular popular baby boys’s name in England in 2013.

Famous People called Nathaniel

  • Nathanael (disciple of Jesus) has the meaning of “God has Given”. Nathanael was a person who recognised Jesus as “The Son of God” and/or “The King of Israel”. Being a follower of Jesus, Nathanael has only been mentioned in Chapters 1 and 21 in the Gospel of John.
  • Nathaniel Parker, known as Nat Parker, is an English actor. He had played as a detective inspector in the crime series held on BBC as “The Inspector Lynley Mysteries.” Parker is most known for his role in this TV show. During an interview in 2007, Parker had talked about how he got his “big” break in 1988 and has continued as an actor.
  • Nathaniel Clyne is an English football player that plays for the Southampton football team as a right-back. In 2008 Clyne made his appearance for the Crystal Palace and scored his first game of the 2014-15 for the Southampton team.

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Rupert

Origin of The Name Rupert

The name Rupert was introduced in the 17th century by Prince Rupert of the Rhine. Prince Rupert was a military commander and nephew to Charles 1. Prince Rupert had been the commander of his uncles calvary in the English Civil War.

Rupert comes from the German origin of Robert.

The meaning of Rupert

Rupert means Bright Fame.

How to Pronounce Rupert?

The proper pronoun-citation to the Rupert name is, ROO-part.

Popularity

The name Rupert was the 136th most popular baby boy’s name in England in 2016. This name has grown in popularity year on year from 2008

Famous People with the First Name Rupert

The Actor Rupert Grint
The Actor Rupert Grint

The list below shows some of the famous people who have the name Rupert.

  • Rupert the bear – a character in the Express newspapers in the 1920′ now famous in his own rights.
  • Rupert Grind, an English actor who played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter Films.
  • English Actor, Rupert Young
  • English Actor that played the roll of Ron Weasley in Harry Potter, Rupert Grint
  • British WWW poet, Rupert Brock
  • Survivor contestant, Rupert Boneham
  • English Actor, Rupert Graves
  • Rupert Murdoch – the Australian businessman.

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Martin

Origin & Popularity of the Name Martin

One of the more popular names in the English language historically is Martin. Martin is a name that allows individuals to use a firm masculine name for their baby boy. Martin has historically been a popular English name but it is not the most popular this year and not in the top 100. It is one of the names that has often been popular however. The Martin name is one of the names that is used at least some of the time. It is one of the options you may need when naming your child. Make sure you are getting the name options you are looking forward to and finding and using Martin may be one of the names you wish to use.

Meaning of the Name

Martin in terms of its literal translation means of the Roman God or warlike.

Famous People Called Martin

Famous people with the name include Martin Luther King, Martin Lewis the financial journalist and Martin Scorcese the actor. The popularity of Martin has waned in the last 100 years. Undoubtedly a major influence on the name was Martin Luther the great German theologian

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Rex

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