Long boy names
A name qualifies here if it runs to eight letters or more, or to three syllables or more — whichever it reaches first, since the two measures often disagree. Krzysztof is nine letters and only two beats; Demetrius is nine letters and four.
- Alexanderal-ig-ZAN-derGreek
Defender of men. Nine letters that survived Macedon, Rome and every century since.
- TheodoreTHEE-uh-dorGreek
Gift of God. Eight letters, three syllables, and #4 in the country.
- Sebastianse-BAS-chunLatin
Venerable, revered; from the city of Sebaste in Asia Minor.
- ChristopherKRIS-tuh-furGreek
Bearer of Christ — the saint who carried the child across the river.
- Leonardolay-oh-NAR-dohItalian
Brave as a lion; lion-strong. Four syllables that never sound heavy in Italian.
- Emilianoeh-mee-lee-AH-noSpanish
Of the Aemilius family; the Roman clan name is traditionally linked to aemulus, rival.
- Maximilianomahk-see-mee-LYAH-nohSpanish
The greatest. Eleven letters, five syllables, and a ready-made Max.
- Bartholomewbar-THOL-uh-myooAramaic
Son of Talmai — a patronymic rather than a description. One of the twelve apostles.
- Nathanielnuh-THAN-yulHebrew
God has given. Nine letters that contract to three syllables in ordinary speech.
- Zachariahzak-uh-RYE-uhHebrew
Yahweh has remembered. The fuller, older-sounding cousin of Zachary.
- SolomonSOL-uh-munHebrew
Peace, peaceable — built on the same root as shalom.
- PeregrinePERR-uh-grinLatin
Traveller, pilgrim, one from abroad. The falcon took the word later.
- Augustineaw-GUS-tinLatin
Venerable, majestic, worthy of honour. Two saints and a great deal of theology.
- Demetriusdih-MEE-tree-usGreek
Devoted to Demeter, goddess of grain and harvest.
- ThaddeusTHAD-ee-usGreek
Uncertain — no derivation is secure, which has not slowed the name down.
- FinneganFIN-uh-gunIrish
Descendant of Fionnagán, the little fair one. Three syllables with a bounce.
- SullivanSUL-ih-vunIrish
Traditionally read as dark-eyed, or one-eyed. A clan surname turned first name.
- Llewelynhlew-EL-inWelsh
Usually read through llyw, leader, though the etymology is genuinely open.
- Taliesintal-YES-inWelsh
Radiant brow — tâl, forehead, plus iesin, shining. The sixth-century poet.
- Volodymyrvo-lo-DIH-mihrUkrainian
Great ruler; ruler of the world. Nine letters, four syllables, no wasted ones.
- KrzysztofKSHISH-tofPolish
Christ-bearer — the Polish Christopher, compressed into two syllables.
- Olusegunoh-loo-SHEH-goonYoruba
The Lord conquers — literally, the Lord defeats the war.
The nickname is the real decision
A long first name is two names: the one on the certificate and the one people actually say forty times a day. You do not get to pick the second one alone. Theodore comes back as Theo or Teddy, Alexander as Alex, Xander or Al, Christopher as Chris or Kit, Nathaniel as Nate. Test the short forms before you commit to the long one, because a nursery, a football coach and a grandmother will each pick a different one and at least one of those will stick. If every abbreviation makes you wince, the full name is not safe — it will be shortened anyway. Our nicknames guide covers which short forms travel and which stay in the family.
Length in print and length in speech are separate problems, and they come apart constantly. Krzysztof is nine letters and two beats. Nathaniel is nine letters and, in most American mouths, three. Some names on this list have no obvious clipping at all and that is its own kind of decision: Peregrine goes to Perry, Taliesin to Tal, Olusegun to Segun in Nigeria, Volodymyr to Volodya or Vova in Ukrainian — short forms a school register in Ohio will not supply on its own. Long names are not fringe, incidentally: five of the current U.S. top 30 run to eight letters or more, Theodore at #4 among them. If the surname is also long, put a one-syllable middle name between them and let the middle name do the breathing.