180+ posh baby names for boys and girls with origin and meanings
Olivia and Noah not quite cutting it for you? How about Crispin, Rollo or Cecily? If you like the sound of those, you’ll love our list of 180+ posh baby names.
By Laura Westerman | Last updated Apr 18, 2024
In recent years, there's been a remarkable comeback of posh baby names that evoke a sense of elegance, sophistication, grandeur and history. If you're in search of a name carries a timeless charm, we're here to help.
Theodore, Ottilie, Augustus - these are just a few examples of posh baby names that have graced the pages of history over the centuries. From Europe's medieval times to the modern world, these names have stood the test of time, making a significant impact on various cultures and societies across the globe.
Whether you're seeking a name derived from a saint, like the classic William, which means 'resolute defender', or you're drawn to the significance of a French name like Antoinette, meaning 'priceless one', or an Italian baby name like Leonardo, which means 'brave as a lion', you'll find a wealth of options that blend legacy and history with modern trends.
From classic, posh British names to unusual choices you may not have heard before, there'll be a name on our list that you’ll surely love. We've included girls', boys' and gender-neutral baby names as well as the origin and meaning of each name to help you settle on that perfect moniker for your new arrival.
What makes a baby name posh?
Traditionally, a name is considered ‘posh’ if it's used among the ‘upper class'. Yet these days, the notion of class is problematic. Take a look at names used by the British aristocracy - like the Royal Family themselves - to find posh English baby names you may like.
Don’t forget the meaning of a name, which can also influence whether it’s considered ‘posh’ or not. Ernest, for instance, means ‘resolute’, and Phillipa means ‘lover of horses’.
What is the poshest baby name?
Impossible to say, but according to Tatler’s 2017 calculations, among the poshest baby names for girls are Yseult and Xanthe. For boys, it's unique baby names like Tarquin, Xerxes and Quentin.
How we chose the top posh baby names
A list of baby names published by The Telegraph had Mumsnet users in ‘fits of laughter’ on our Talk boards. After all, have you ever met a person named Balthazar? While many of these names border on 'ridiculously posh', according to Mumsnetters, posh baby names are nevertheless becoming increasingly popular with parents.
As such, we looked at birth announcements from The Telegraph as well as the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for 2021 (released October 2022) to find the most popular posh baby names in the top 100. We then rounded out our research by heading to our own Baby Names forum for inspiration from Mumsnet parents.
Bored of popular baby names like Jack, Noah and Olivia? Whether you're inspired by the names of monarchs, saints, or even by the free-spirited olive tree, you're bound to find a unique or timeless posh baby name that resonates with you here.
Posh baby girl names
Alba - of Latin, Spanish, and Italian origin. ‘Alba’ can refer to a form of Old Occitan poetry, which describes the longing experienced by lovers as dawn approaches, wanting to hang on to night! Wow, if that’s not a unique name!
Alexandra - of Greek origin. Derived from the name Alexandros, it means 'defender of mankind'. It has been used by several queens throughout history.
Allegra - of Italian origin, meaning ‘lively’.
Amaryllis - of Greek origin, meaning ‘from the flower’. Certainly a posh name choice, dubious about real-world application.
Anastasia - of Greek origin, meaning 'resurrection' or 'rebirth'. Used by several historical figures as well as royalty, it's most notably linked to the Grand Dutchess Anastasia of Russia.
Angelica - of Latin origin, meaning 'angelic' or 'heavenly'.
Annabella - of Hebrew and Italian origin. Anna means 'grace' while Bella means 'beautiful'.
Antoinette - of French origin, meaning 'priceless'. Derived from the name Antonio. Most notably associated with Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France before the French Revolution.
Araminta - of Italian, English, Greek, and Hebrew origin, meaning ‘sweet-sounding’.
Artemis - taken from the name of the Greek goddess of the moon, hunting, and chastity.
Augusta - of Latin origin, meaning ‘great’, ‘magnificent’. We like Aggie for short!
Aurelia - of Latin origin, meaning 'golden' or 'gilded'.
Beatrix (or Beatrice) - of Latin origin, meaning ‘voyager’ or ‘blessed woman’. An inspirational choice for a child with a great imagination, much like Beatrix Potter!
Bijou - of French origin, meaning 'jewel'.
Boudicca - well well. Big boots to fill with this one. Boudicca, of Celtic origin, meaning ‘victory’, was the name of a Celtic queen who led a revolt against Roman rule in ancient Britain.
Camilla - of Latin origin, meaning 'servant of the temple'.
Catinka - of German origin, meaning ‘one who is pure and chaste’.
Cecily (or Cecilia) - there will always be Cecily’s. Of Latin origin, taken from Saint Cecilia, it means ‘heaven’.
Celeste - of Latin origin, meaning 'heavenly' or 'of the sky'.
Charlotte - of French origin, derived from the name Charles, meaning 'free man'. Most notably the name of Princess Charlotte, a member of the the British Royal Family.
Clara - of Latin origin, meaning 'clear' or 'bright'.
Clementine - of French origin, meaning ‘merciful’. Clem or Clemmie for short sounds good too!
Clio (or Cleo) - of Greek origin, meaning ‘to make famous’ - for a future superstar.
Constantia (or Constantine) - of Greek origin, meaning ‘constancy’, ‘steadfastness’. A proper posh baby name choice here!
Cordelia - of English, Latin, and Celtic origin, meaning ‘daughter of the sea’. Cordelia is sure to turn heads, let’s hope she’s a good swimmer. Also, Cody is a fabulous nickname.
Cosima - derived from the Greek word for 'order'. It is also drawn from Cosmo, the fourth century saint who was martyred by his brother, Damian.
Cressida - of Greek origin, meaning ‘gold’. Shares an unfortunate namesake at the moment in Cressida Dick.
Daphne - of Greek origin, meaning ‘laurel tree’.
Delphine - of Greek and French origin, meaning ‘woman from Delphi’.
Diana - of Latin and Greek origin, meaning 'divine'. Diana was also the Roman goddess of the hunt.
Emmeline - of Germanic origin, meaning 'hardworking'.
Estella - of English and Latin origin, meaning ‘star’. We can imagine Estella taking the leading roles in school productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream!
Eugenie - a super posh choice, and the name of a member of the Royal family, as posh as they come. Eugenie is of Greek origin, meaning ‘well-born’.
Evangeline - of Greek origin, meaning 'bearer of good news'.
Fenella - of Irish origin, meaning ‘white shoulder’.
Fifi - of French and Hebrew origin, meaning 'God gives'. Typically used as a diminutive of names like Sophia and Josephine but becoming more popular as a standalone name.
Flora - of Greek and Scottish origin, meaning ‘goddess of flowers’, ‘flowers’ and ‘nature’.
Francesca - of Italian origin and the feminine form of the name Francesco, meaning 'free man'.
Florence - of Latin origin, meaning 'flourishing' and 'blossoming'.
Genevieve - of French origin, meaning 'woman of the tribe' or 'woman of the people'.
Giovanna - of Italian and Hebrew origin, meaning 'God is gracious'.
Gwendolyn - of Welsh origin, meaning 'fair brow' or 'white ring'.
Harriette - of French origin, meaning ‘ruler of the home’.
Henrietta - of Germanic origin, meaning ‘ruler of the home’.
Hero - of Greek origin, Hero was the tragic lover of Leander. It means ‘brave one of the people’.
Hermione - of Greek origin, meaning 'messenger' or 'earthly'. The feminine form of the god Hermes.
Honour (or Honor) - of English origin, meaning ‘to honour’. Honour is bound to command respect, exactly what you want in an aristocratic baby.
India - from the name of the country, taken from the name of the Indus river which runs through India, and originally comes from the Sanskrit sindhu, meaning ‘river’.
Ione - of Greek origin, meaning ‘violet’.
Isabella - of Hebrew origin, meaning 'God is my oath' or 'devoted to God'.
Jemima - of Hebrew and Arabic origin, meaning ‘dove’. In the Bible, Jemima is the eldest of the three daughters of Job.
Johanna - of Hebrew and Dutch origins, meaning ‘God is gracious’.
Juliet - of Latin origin, meaning 'youthful'. Most notably associated with the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet.
Leonora - of Greek and Italian origin, meaning ‘light’, ‘compassion’.
Lilibet - of Hebrew origin, meaning 'God is my oath'. Most notably associated with Queen Elizabeth II, whose childhood nickname was Lilibet.
Loveday - this is a posh name if ever we say one! Of Cornish origin, it means ‘day of peace’.
Lucinda - of Latin origin, meaning ‘light’.
Madeline - of French and Hebrew origin, meaning 'high tower' or 'woman from Magdala', which was a village on the Sea of Galilee.
Margot - of French and Greek origin, meaning 'pearl'. Derived from the Greek name Margarete and traditionally a nickname for Margaret.
Martha - of Latin and Aramaic origin, meaning ‘lady’.
Minerva - of Latin origin, meaning ‘the mind’. In mythology, Minerva was a Roman goddess of wisdom, equivalent to the Greek goddess Athena.
Natalia - of Latin origin, meaning 'birth' or 'birthday'.
Octavia - of Latin origin, meaning 'eighth'.
Odette - of French origin, meaning 'wealth' or 'prosperity'. Most notably associated with the ballet Swan Lake.
Olive - of Latin origin, referring to the olive tree.
Ophelia - of Greek origin, meaning 'help' or 'aid'.
Ottilie - of German, French, and Polish origin, meaning ‘prosperity in battle’. Look, it’s pretty posh!
Pandora - of Greek origin, meaning ‘all gifted’.
Paris - of Greek origin, meaning 'the lover'. Associated with the prince of Troy in Greek mythology and with the capital city of France.
Patience - of Latin and Old French origin, meaning ‘enduring’ or ‘forbearing’. Poetry fans will know this as the pen name of Emma May, who wrote under the pseudonym Patience Strong.
Penelope - of Greek origin, meaning 'weaver' or 'weaver of dreams'.
Peregrine - of Latin origin, meaning 'traveller' or 'pilgrim'.
Persephone - of Greek origin, meaning 'bringer of destruction'. Known in Greek mythology as the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, and Queen of the Underworld.
Philippa - of English and Greek origin, meaning ‘lover of horses’. A future horse-girl in the making!
Portia - of Latin origin, meaning 'harbour' or 'gateway'.
Rhiannon - of Welsh origin, meaning ‘Queen’, ‘Goddess of Horses’, ‘Queen of the Underworld’.
Romilly - of French and English origin, meaning ‘citizen of Rome’.
Rosamond - of German origin, meaning ‘pure rose’.
Serephina - of Hebrew origin, meaning 'fiery ones' or 'burning ones'. It has angelic connotations.
Sybil - a rather tasteful choice this one, and who doesn’t want to be named after a character from Downton! This name is of Greek origin, meaning ‘prophetess’, ‘oracle’.
Tabitha - of Aramaic origin, meaning 'deer' or 'gazelle'. The name also appears in the Bible.
Tallulah - of native American origin, meaning ‘leaping water’.
Tamsin - of Cornish origin, meaning ‘twin’.
Theodora - of Greek origin, meaning ‘divine’, ‘a gift’, or ‘gift from God’. Thea for short works well too.
Thomasina - or Aramaic origin, meaning ‘twin’.
Tiggy - a short form of Antigone. In Greek mythology, Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus.
Veronica - of Latin and Greek origin, meaning 'truth' or 'true image'.
Venetia - nothing says posh like the name Venetia! Of Latin origin, meaning ‘woman of Venice’. Vita - a super cool baby name! Of Latin origin, meaning ‘life’, Vita will be the life of the party. Bonus points if she’s named after Vita Sackville-West!
Victoria - of Latin origin, meaning 'victory'. Used by several historical figures and monarchs.
Violet - of Latin origin, meaning 'purple'. Typically associated with the flower of the same name.
Vivienne (or Vivian) - of Latin origin, meaning 'alive' or 'lively'.
Xanthe - of Greek origin, meaning 'golden', 'yellow' or 'blonde'.
What Mumsnetters say about posh baby girl names
"Love Ottilie - what a beautiful name" - Mumsnet user, twonker
"Persephone (pronounced Per-se-fo-nee) - Percy for short. I love it!" - Mumsnet user, Meggymoodle
"Octavia is the ultimate posh name" - winkle2
Posh baby boy names
93. Archibald (or Archie) - of Germanic origin, meaning 'genuine', 'precious', 'bold' and 'brave'. Most notable in modern times as the son of Harry and Megan.
94. Alastair - of Gaelic origin, meaning ‘protector’.
95. Albert - of Germanic origin, meaning 'noble' and 'bright'.
96. Algernon - of French origin and a classic posh name choice, meaning ‘with moustaches’. Theatre-lovers, this one’s for you. You’ll know it as the name of one of the main characters in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.
97. Ambrose - of Greek origin, meaning ‘Immortal’.
98. Angus - of Scottish (Gaelic) origin, meaning 'one strength' or 'one choice'.
99. Atticus - of Greek and Latin origin meaning ‘belonging to Attica’ or ‘from Athens’. An excellent choice for posh parents looking for a name to instill and enforce justice, like Aitticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird. Though his character is now being re-examined.
100. Aubrey - of Germanic origin, meaning 'elf ruler'.
101. Augustus - of Latin origin, meaning ‘majestic’, ‘venerable’.
102. Balthazar - if you want posh, you’ve got it with this one. Of Greek and Hebrew origin, meaning ‘God protects the King’.
103. Barclay - of Scottish origin, meaning 'clearing where birch trees dwell' or 'birch tree meadow'.
104. Barnaby - of Cornish descent, meaning ‘son of consolation’.
105. Bartholomew - of Hebrew origin, meaning ‘son’.
106. Basil - this is where things get funny with posh names. Of Greek origin, Basil means ‘royal’ or ‘kingly’. One poster on mumsnet said ‘there’s a reason why you don’t see a lot of Basil’s running around.’
107. Beaumont - of French origin, meaning ‘beautiful hill’. Monty for short is a posh classic!
108. Bertram - of German origin, meaning ‘bright’ and ‘raven’.
109. Caleb - of Hebrew origin, meaning 'faithful' and 'whole-hearted'.
110. Caspar - of Persian origin, meaning ‘master of the treasure’. A unique choice, not too popular, but a staunch posh name classic nonetheless.
111. Cecil - of Latin origin, meaning ‘blind’.
112. Charles - of Germanic origin, meaning 'free man'. Most notably associated with King Charles.
113. Chester - of Latin origin, meaning 'camp' or 'fortress'.
114. Clement - of Latin origin, meaning 'mild', 'gentle' or 'merciful'.
115. Cosmo - of Greek and Italian origin, meaning ‘son of the Universe’.
116. Crispin - of Latin origin, meaning 'curly-haired'.
117. Digby - one of those posh names that works equally well for dogs and humans. Digby is of Old Norse origin, ‘meaning town by the ditch’.
118. Edgar - of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning ‘spear carrier’.
119. Edward - of Old English origin, meaning 'wealthy guardian'.
120. Edwin - of Old English origin, meaning 'rich friend'.
121. Ernest - of English origin, meaning ‘resolute’, ‘serious’ - pretty straightforward really. Bonus points for Earnie for short! And of course, the literary heritage of Earnest Hemingway.
122. Ezra - of Hebrew origin, meaning 'help' or 'helper'. Also has strong Biblical connotations.
123. Felix - of Latin origin, meaning 'fortunate', 'lucky' or 'happy'.
124. Ferdinand - of Old English origin, meaning ‘adventurous voyager’, ‘peaceful venture’. A great choice for theatre lovers too, being the name of the young prince Shakespeare's Tempest.
125. Fitzjohn - of Anglo-Norman descent, meaning ‘son of John’.
126. Frances - of Latin origin, meaning 'from France' or 'Frenchman'. Associated with French culture and heritage.
127. Frederick - of German origin, meaning 'peaceful ruler'.
128. Giles - of Greek origin, meaning ‘shield bearer’ or ‘young goat’. It’s a sweet choice!
129. Hamish - the Scottish version of James, meaning ‘supplanter’.
130. Hector - of Greek origin, meaning ‘steadfast’.
131. Henry - of Germanic origin, meaning 'house/home ruler'.
132. Horatio - derived from the Roman name, Horatius, and also having Shakespearean echoes, this one is a great choice for a lover of history and literature alike! It means ‘timekeeper’.
133. Hugo - of Germanic origin, meaning 'mind' or 'intellect'.
134. Humphrey - of English and German origin, meaning ‘peaceful’, ‘helpful’.
135. Ignatius - of Greek origin, meaning ‘ardent’.
136. Ivor - of Scandinavian origin, meaning ‘yew’ or ‘bow’. Did anyone else watch Ivor the Engine? If so, you’ll agree with us in thinking this is a lovely choice.
137. Jago - it’s posh but it works. Jago, of Cornish and Hebrew origin, means ‘supplanter’.
138. Jasper - of Persian origin, meaning 'treasurer'. Also a type of semi-precious gemstone.
139. Jonty - a diminutive of the name Jonathan derived from the Hebrew Yonathan meaning: ‘God has given' or 'God is gracious'.
140. Julius (or Julian) - of Roman origin, meaning 'youth' or 'youthful'.
141. Laurent - of Latin origin, meaning 'victorious' or 'crowned with laurel'.
142. Leonidas - of Greek origin, meaning 'son of a lion'.
143. Leopold - the modern form of the Germanic name, Luitbald, meaning ‘brave’.
144. Llewellyn - of Welsh origin, meaning 'like a lion'.
145. Ludo - a quirky short form of the suave Ludovic, this one means ‘famous’.
146. Luther - of Germanic origin, meaning 'soldier of the people' or 'renowned warrior'.
147. Magnus - Scandinavian, Scottish, and Latin, origins, meaning ‘great’. Currently famous because of chess grandmaster, Magnus Carlsen.
148. Maximilian - of Latin and Basque origin, meaning ‘greatest’.
149. Merlin - of Anglo-Saxon and Welsh origin, meaning ‘Small falcon’.
150. Montague - of French origin, meaning 'pointed hill' or 'pointed mountain'.
151. Montgomery - of French origin, meaning ‘mountain belonging to the ruler’.
152. Mungo - of Gaelic origin, meaning ‘much loved’. Most notably associated with the Montague family in Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet.
153. Octavius - of Latin origin, meaning 'eighth'.
154. Orlando - of Germanic origin, meaning ‘famous land’.
155. Orson - of Old English origin, meaning 'bear cub'.
156. Oscar - of Old English origin, meaning 'God spear' or 'deer-lover'.
157. Parker - of Old English origin, meaning 'park keeper'.
158. Penrose - of Welsh origin, meaning ‘top the heath.’
159. Percival - of French and Latin origin, meaning ‘pierce the valley’.
160. Percy - of French and Latin origin, meaning ‘pierce the vale’. Percy is an adorable and unique choice!
161. Phineas - of Hebrew origin, meaning 'oracle' or 'dark-skinned'.
162. Piers - of English and Greek origin, meaning 'rock'.
163. Quentin (or Quincy) - of Latin origin, meaning 'fifth'.
164. Rafe - of Welsh and English origin, ‘wolf counsel’.
165. Rafferty - on a similar note, though this one has Irish origins, and means ‘prosperity wielder’.
166. Ranulph - of Nordic origin, meaning ‘wolf’, ‘decision-maker’, ‘decisive’, ‘advice’.
167. Rex - it’s adorable, ok? It just works. Rex is of Latin origin, meaning ‘king’.
168. Rollo - of English and Danish origin, a shortened form of Roland, meaning ‘famed wolf’.
169. Rufus - of Latin origin, meaning 'red' or 'red-haired'.
170. Rupert - of Germanic origin, meaning 'fame' and 'shining/bright'.
171. Sebastian - of Latin origin, meaning 'vulnerable' or 'revered'.
172. Spencer - a super posh name for a baby boy, Spencer is of recent notoriety thanks to Made In Chelsea’s dodgy lothario, Spencer Matthews. But the name itself means ‘steward’.
173. St John - a name that came to England in the 11th century wave of migration that was set off by the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the saint bearing the ancient given name John. Look, if you’ve read Jane Eyre then you definitely won’t want to name your child this, otherwise go right ahead!
174. Tarquin - of Roman origin, meaning 'ruler'.
175. Theodore (or Theo) - of Greek origin, meaning 'gift of God'.
176. Titus - of Latin origin, meaning 'fire' or 'title of honour'.
177. Tobias - of Hebrew origin, meaning 'God is good'.
178. Valentine - of Italian origin, meaning ‘strong’ and ‘healthy’.
179. Vincent - of Latin origin, meaning 'prevailing' or 'conquering'.
180. Wilfred - of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning ‘bringer of peace’.
181. William - of Germanic origin, meaning 'resolute protector'.
182. Xavier - of Arabic origin, meaning 'new house'.
What Mumsnetters say about posh baby boy names
"I think for me the quintessential ones which spring to mind are Tarquin/Quentin/Rupert for a boy" - Mumsnet user, Edenember
"William is quite classless, but at the same time is the most used name for the 'posh' under 5s I know personally and that really makes sense" - Mumsnet user, PetraRabbit
"Tarquin is the poshest name of all time" - Mumsnet user, bitliketonyhares
How to choose a posh baby name
For more unusual baby name inspiration or opinions on your baby name ideas, head on over to our Baby Names Talk forum. Or get weekly insight into your pregnancy and baby's development with our Pregnancy newsletter.
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About the author
Laura Westerman is an editor, writer and Deputy Head of Editorial Content at Mumsnet, overseeing the website's baby and pregnancy content. She is mum to a one-year-old.
With over seven years' experience as a full-time editor and a passion for SEO, Laura has written extensively on everything from parenting to travel, but likes nothing more than researching the best and most unique baby names, as well as their fascinating origins, to help parents decide on the perfect moniker for their new arrival.