Junius is one of those names that's growing on us, along with many of its Roman countrymen such as Julius and Atticus. We once thought it was a combination of the least attractive elements of Junior and Julius but now we think...well, we think it's okay. Not great, but okay.

A saintly surname that is used steadily for boys and occasionally for girls, mainly by Catholic parents. The Polish Franciscan priest St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe offered himself in place of another who was sentenced to death in Auschwitz, and was canonized for his martyrdom.

We've seen Beatrice and Beatrix climb in popularity, along with traditional nickname Bea. And now there's Bee, giving it a buzzy nature world spin, plus a tie to popular late night TV''s Samantha Bee, not to mention Aunt Bee on the old The Andy Griffith Show TV show. Bee can theoretically be short for any girl names starting with B.

Palmer is a name that derives from the fact that pilgrims often carried palms, thus the double meaning. It's a fresher sounding twist other surname style names, such as Spencer, Carter, Porter and Parker.

Woods is a nature name that is a cousin to the stylish Brooks and Forest, evoking the entire world of trees. Sometimes used as a diminutive of Woodrow or Edward, Woods is rugged and outdoorsy, with a preppy surname-style feel too.

African-American and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth was born as Isabelle into enslavement. She adopted her new name when she began traveling and preaching abolition in 1843. Sojourner is a heroine name that may, with the rise of spiritual word names such as Journey and Genesis, finally be ready for prime time.

Mythological water spirit with the more common spelling of Ondine, heroine of an Edith Wharton novel.

Arbor is a quirky nature name with holiday vibes.

Petal is the soft and sweet-smelling name of a character in the novel and film, The Shipping News. With the rise of such flower names as Poppy and Posy, we believe Petal — down-to-earth yet romantic — has its own appealingly distinctive style.

If Rose and even Primrose feel too mainstream for you, this underused floral name — belonging to a perennial shrub with bright pink flowers — might fit the bill.

A bit too bad-boy (think bars, beer, Harley) for us, as well as being the name of a grain.

When British rocker Steven Patrick Morrissey decided to use his last name alone, it became a viable option for baby namers, a lot cooler than Morris or Maurice, with the nice three-syllable lilt of of such other Irish surnames as Finnegan and Flanagan. It can also be spelled Morrisey.

A surprisingly wearable floral name for a boy.

This unisex Israeli name, which rhymes with ball, is sure to receive more serious international attention now that actress Gal Gadot is the new Wonder Woman.

Bleuenn is virtually unknown in the English-speaking world, while in France, it is a rare choice, given to a handful of girls. Bleuenn's origins are in Brittany, in the north of France, and it's likely related to the Welsh Blodwen or Blodeuyn meaning "white flowers".

Girasol is a Spanish nature name, meaning "sunflower." As sun-related names — such as Soleil, Sol, and Sunny — heat up, we may see more of Girasol.

Solstice graduated from word to official first name when author Lionel Shriver used it for a character in her novel Big Brother. But of course, there were people named Solstice before: 16 baby girls were given the name in the US in 2021, and it was last on the charts for boys in 2018, when six baby boys got the name.

One for the truly adventurous baby namers, or perhaps an unexpected middle name to liven up a more traditional first. But on trend short form Bo does make it feel a little more accessible.

Pretty and unconventional floral option so called because their beautiful blooms generally last only a day.

This evocative name of a dramatic tropical Indian fig tree is ready to move west.