Wonderful Word Names for Babies

Perhaps too spicy for some, but this is a popular Gaelic surname that might appeal for those looking to honor a family branch or to fans of legendary British comedian Tim Curry.

Often used in connection with poetry, Imagery has potential as an unusual name. Perhaps you'll get a daydreamer with this one.

An unusual kind of place-name, going beyond a country, state, or city, it was used by actress Elisabeth Shue as a middle name for her daughter Stella.

Yes, there are lots of kids out there named Princess, Duke, Earl, and King – but you don't necessarily want yours to be one of them.

In the Capability Brown vein -- not a choice to be made lightly.

While Hill reads as a nickname for Hillary, adding an S puts it in the same category as plural nature names like Rivers and Brooks. It also softens the name's image: one hill is an obstacle, but many together form a lovely landscape. Hills are also a recurring image and metaphor in both the New and Old Testament.

Why beat around the bush with a name like Elvis or Axl when you can come right out and name your baby Rocker? Your grandma will be scandalized, but teenage Rocker will kiss your feet.

Upstanding to a fault.

An offbeat word name referring to the speed of a piece of music.

In literary circles, this name will be immediately recognized as a reference to the poetic stanza; outside such circles, this name may cause confusion for names like Coltrane or Cobain.

Warm and open, but way too much teasing potential.

Remarkable Pettibone was a self-important housekeeper in James Fenimore Cooper's The Pioneers. Such names were not uncommon in early America, with such choices as Remember and Experience showing up in the records along with Puritan virtue names such as Chastity and Patience.

Chosen by one musician, Todd Rundgren, for his son, but unlikely to be emulated by others.

Sarah Palin and husband Todd, creative baby-namers, named their oldest son Track because of their love for running.

Cool, musical modern choice, especially as a middle name.

Smooth and evocative, but not very namelike.

Sure it makes a big statement, but if you can call your child Wren, Robin or Falcon, why not also Hummingbird? This pint-sized jewel of a bird is a lovely connotation for the baby that's full of energy and spirit.

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).

The term Quarto comes to us from the Latin for "four", but it is used as a term in literature to describe a book from the early days of printing that was a particular size. An obscure and potentially intriguing choice for arcane, book-loving parents.

Wildly optimistic, and unrealistic, choice.