Wonderful Word Names for Babies

Name that makes a dramatic musical statement.

This cosmological name has a zippy feel that might work well for the galactic parent looking for the perfect name for their own little star.

Nobility names like Duke and Count seem to be forming a minitrend: actor Danny Bonaduce named his son Count Dante Jean-Michel Valentino. Beat that. Or wait: don't.

Like Justice and Peace, this word name makes a very strong statement. Ving Rhames chose it for his boy.

This old-time name for a sofa would not be comfortable as a baby name.

Doctor is an honorific used as a name, somewhat like names such as Bishop, King, and Princess. Banned in New Zealand, Doctor can lead to the kind of confusion you may feel would be only positive for your child -- a bona fide Doctor before he even gets to kindergarten. At its zenith in 1884, Doctor was used for 12 boys, but last year it didn't even clear the five-baby minimum to make it onto the Social Security extended list.

Brother for Heaven or Nevaeh.

Adventurous word choice, but still quite a burden for a child to bear.

A particularly opulent way to get to the nickname Lux (or Luxe), Luxury was included in our trends report for 2023 and shot to the head of Nameberry's popularity list. Because our list is based on page views, being Number 1 tends to be a self-perpetuating status, so Luxury is getting perhaps more credit as a baby name than it deserves.

Spirited and sassy, Lively could be a feminine leaning counterpart to the trending boy name Wilder. A modern virtue of sorts, it has more energy that Patience, Prudence, and Temperance, and is far less popular than Hope or Grace.

Glimmer is shimmery but a little too showy, as is Glitter, a character on a TV sitcom-- while Glimmer appears in The Hunger Games.

Infinity is a name that could have a long, bright future ahead of it, with its bold meaning and fashionable sound. It's an awful lot of name to pull off, but if Destiny can do it...

A brisk and unconventional name that could be a style stand-in for confederates Casey, Chase, Cale, and Cade.

Snowdrop is a delicate nature-inspired feminine name derived from the early-blooming white flower that often emerges while snow still covers the ground. This botanical name symbolizes hope, purity, and resilience as snowdrops are among the first flowers to bloom at winter's end. Though uncommon as a given name, Snowdrop belongs to the category of modern flower and nature names that have gained popularity in recent decades. The name carries a whimsical, ethereal quality that appeals to parents drawn to nature-themed names. Snowdrop combines the purity associations of snow with the gentle beauty of a small flower, creating a name that's both distinctive and meaningful.

Bright is a rare yet intriguing word name used for a female character in Ann Patchett's novel The Dutch House.

In 2014, six little girls in the US were given the name Starlit. Starlit has a sweeter meaning than the similar Starlet, and a better ring than Starlight.

If you like such uplifting New Age word names as Peace and Justice, the evocative and pretty Imagine should definitely be on your short list.

Winner is an uplifting word name that can work for girls or boys. It was recently chosen by rapper Nya Lee for her daughter.

Trey or Trip or even Deuce, yes; Deux is tougher.

To most Australians and New Zealanders, using the name Anzac might feel sacrilegious now, as the ANZAC story has become interwoven with national identity. But Anzac was used as a name for both boys and girls on both sides of the Tasman Sea in the aftermath of the First World War. It was often used in combination with other names associated with battles or military leaders - for example Dardanella Anzac and Verdun Anzac (both girls) and Winston Anzac and Anzac Kitchener (boys).