Amy is expecting her second baby -- a brother for her daughter Persephone.
Amy writes: "We have a daughter named Persephone and we are expecting a boy and struggling with names. We tend to call our daughter Persy most of the time. I like the classical reference but the male greek mythology names seem too foreign and tricky to spell. Having already suffered many spelling/pronunciation issues with Persephone we want to steer away from complicated spellings for our second!
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A classical name that is easy to spell and pronounce; uncommon but not wacky. Let's see...
Alban – The first British saint answered to Alban. It may be from the Roman cognomen Albanus "from Alba Longa" but quite likely, it actually represents an ancient Celtic name. It is fashionable in France currently, but only #974 here currently.
-ander – Some of the most accessible and stylish Ancient Greek names end in -ander, from the root aner meaning "man". There's Evander -- a character in the Trojan War -- which means "good man"; Leander "lion of a man", the tragic mythical hero, and Lysander "liberated man/liberator of men", a famous 5th-century BC Spartan general and naval commander.
Blaise – Both a Roman and Old English name, famously borne by the 4th-century healer who was later canonised. The name also appears in Arthurian legend. It ranks at #1506.
Cassian – A stately Roman name which was borne by a renowned scholar and no fewer than six early saints. It is uncommon in use (at #731) but perfectly accessible. Cassius (#293) is a more common variation made famous thanks to Muhammad Ali.
Cyrus – The likes of Cosmo, Atlas and Atticus on your list, leads me to kingly Cyrus (ranking at #707). The name is the Greek form of an Ancient Persian name, borne by emperors such as Cyrus the Great, and used in Classical Greece and Rome.
Finnian – A distinguished Irish name borne by several early saints that sports a dapper vibe. It ranks at #1083.
Hector – Heroic Hector is a staple of Greek mythology and yet there is nothing wacky about it. In fact, it's pretty darn cute and comfy despite its upright exterior. It currently ranks at #264.
Inigo – With so many stylish -o ending names on your list, Inigo I feel deserves a mention. It is the English form of the Spanish Íñigo, which was the birth name of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, for whom the famous architect Inigo Jones was named for. It ranks at #1369.
Ivo – For the same reasons, Ivo (at #974) is on this list also. Not uncommon among Norman knights in the Middle Ages and borne by the patron saint of Brittany who was known as "Advocate of the Poor."
Leonidas – Strong, powerful and unforgettable. Leonidas was once borne by the famous Spartan general and now, thanks to 300, it is a widely recognised name. This can be seen in its rise from 12 births in 2006 to 75 in 2019 (ranking #518). Leon or Leo can be used as nicknames.
Linus – A Greek mythology name, borne by a son of Apollo and later came to be used in Antiquity. This was the name of the second pope after Saint Peter. It is rare at #2488 but familiar thanks to the Peanuts comic strip.
Magnus – An epic Roman name borne by kings which ranks at #403.
Orlando – This familiar Italian form of Roland has plenty of Shakespearean style and could also boast Rollo as a nickname. It ranks at #678.
Quentin – An early medieval French form of the Latin Quintanus which was brought to Britain by the Normans. It ranks at #592.
Sander – Alexander is a quintessential Ancient Greek name, but, at #21, far too common for your criteria. Sander, a Dutch, Danish and Norwegian short form, has all of Alexander's style but without the popularity.
Silas – A companion of Saint Paul whose name was possibly short for the Latin Silvanus "of the forest" or else the Hebrew Saul "asked for". It ranks at #642.
Soren – The Scandinavian form of the Latin Severinus which ranks at #952.
Theron – Meaning "hunter" in Greek, Theron was borne by a 5th-century BC Greek city-state leader Theron of Acragas, whose Olympic feats in the chariot race were celebrated by Pindar, and also by a character mentioned in Virgil's Aeneid.
Tristan – An ancient Celtic name famously borne by the great Arthurian hero. It ranks at #213.
Xavier – A stylish name, used thanks to Spanish missionary Francis Xavier and has since been borne by poets, explorers and philosophers. It ranks at #223.
