Exodus is one of the contemporary Christian names on the rise for both boys and girls. Only five baby girls were named Exodus in the most recent year counted, versus 45 baby boys, perhaps because the -us ending is usually found in ancient masculine names, such as Atticus, Thaddeus, and Cassius. But as a word name with no traditional gender associations, it can go either way.

A Puritanical virtue name and also a place name, belonging to the state capital of Rhode Island and several other towns and cities in the US.

A multicultural choice with a range of meanings, this name boomed in the 1940s and 50s thanks to the glamorous singer Risë (pronounced REE-sa) Stevens, who inherited her name from her Norwegian grandmother. In this case, it is a short form of Regitze, ultimately from the Germanic name, Richiza, relating to might and strength.

Cruz might be a sister for Concepcion and Corazon, although its masculine side was emphasized when the high profile David Beckhams chose it for their son.

Blessed and Blessing are two new entrants in the word name and virtue name categories, gaining popularity for both boys and girls.

With its sharp Z initial and similar sound to Ryan, Zion has shot up the charts in singer Lauryn Hill used it for her son in 1997. Following on in its footsteps, spelling variant Zyon entered the Top 1000 in 2019 and was given to around 270 babies in a recent year.

A warm and positive English word name, used by the Puritans for both sexes but now given to only around a dozen baby girls each year.

Mount Sinai is a place sacred to the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions, the mountain on which Moses received the Ten Commandments. Sinai is also the name of the peninsula where Mount Sinai is located.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus appears to two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus after his death, burial and resurrection.

The second book of the Bible provides a dramatic name that's more distinct than Genesis and simpler than Leviticus.

Transferred from the geographical name, Jerusalem is a sacred city in many religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is given to around a dozen babies of each sex per year in the US.

With the first name True receiving a Kardashian dose of popularity for girls, Truth is gaining in visibility too. Though its still more popular for boys two to one, the truth is that the name works equally well for both genders -- but may inspire a lot of puns.

Palmer is a Top 300 choice in the US for girls and has more recently been on the rise for boys, but what about the shorter form, Palm? A spiritual name, a word name, and a nature name, it comes from the Latin palma meaning "palm tree" or referring to the palm of the hand.

Surprisingly, one of the fastest-rising names for girls.

This newly-minted gender neutral word name has a spiritual and creative feel. It was given to 6 baby girls and 13 boys in 2021.

A modern word and virtue name which first appeared on the US baby name charts in 2013, when it was given to 6 boys. Usage peaked in 2019, with 18 boys and seven baby girls, no doubt thanks to the enigmatic Credence Barebone from the Fantastic Beasts film franchise.