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Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames · Cool Baby Names

200+ Cool Middle Names

Pamela Redmond

By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026

Names204

Pages11

Total Names204

Across 11 pages

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Showing 181–200 of 204

Matisse
French surname
Though it's close to the German and French form of Matthew, Mathis, this name of the great artist can work as well for girls.
March
English word name
"month name"
Along with August, March is one of the month names perfectly suited to boys. This brisk single-syllable name – which derives from the name of Mars, the Roman god of war – is worth considering as…
Mauve
French
"violet-colored"
Mauve is an offbeat color name whose soft and sentimental Victorian spirit is conveyed by the name. One of the newer color names like Blue, Gray and Plum that are increasingly being used as novel…
Panda
Animal name
"bamboo eater"
Panda, welcome to the baby name menagerie! Panda is an adorable animal name (after an adorable animal) that is sure to be both very rare and very cute. In Skins there was a character called Panda,…
Meridian
Latin
"midday / pinnacle"
In geography, a meridian is a line drawn around the curve of the Earth between the North and South Poles. The term comes from Latin meridianus, meaning "pertaining to midday", and the association…
Quebec
Place-name
An interesting Canadian province and city name that has some literary history as the name of a character in Dickens's Bleak House ; could make a distinctive choice for parents with northern roots.
Puck
Literary name
Puck was Shakespeare's mischievous pixie who'a had a few television incarnations in more recent years. A popular name in The Netherlands but nowhere else, from what we can tell. We love Puck for its…
Muse
Greek mythology name
Remember, the Muse is passive: someone else's inspiration.
Calamity
English word name
Although this name literally means disaster, the use of Calamity as a descriptor of Martha Jane Cannery, aka Calamity Jane, was meant to signal that she was a good person to have in troubled times.…
Bonanza
Word name
Wildly optimistic -- and unrealistic -- choice.
Neal
Irish
"cloud"
An Irish classic for boys that has a streamlined, surnamey, unisex appeal in this spelling.
Xan
Diminutive of Alexander
"defending men"
With the plethora of Alexes around, Xan (and Xander) have emerged as hot new nicknames for Alexander. Xan also stands well on its own. It can be found--not surprisingly--in several computer games.
Pine
Nature name
Worthy sibling for Oak, Elm, Juniper, and Spruce.
Ax
Word name or short form of Axel
Ax makes a somewhat threatening short form of the popular Axel, given to more than 3000 baby boys last year. It can also be used on its own, though it usually isn't. There were, however, seven baby…
Finesse
English from French, word name
"Saturday Night Live" cast member Finesse Mitchell often mocks his own and similar names when portraying the character Starkeisha on the show.
Anouk
Dutch and French variation of Anna
"grace"
Anouk, made famous by French actress Anouk Aimée, is a singular name with a lovely sound and a Bohemian feel. Anouk Aimée was born as Francoise, but adopted the first name of the character she played…
Grove
Nature name
"grove of trees"
Fresh, evocative choice.
Hiawatha
Iroquois
"he makes rivers"
Journalist Hiawatha Bray is a singular contemporary bearer of this name of a Native-American leader immortalized in a Longfellow poem.
Ry
Short form of Ryder or Rylan; spelling variation of Rye
Musician Ry Cooder brought this short form into the lexicon -- his full name is Ryland -- and it feels more familiar now that more Ry- beginning names such as Ryder and Riley are, ahem, riding up the…
Dove
Color and nature name
"dove, a bird"
Subtle but clear unisex way to signal peace, especially in middle place.