Cool Colours

  1. Beryl
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "sea-green jewel"
    • Description:

      Dated British favorite that never caught on in this country, where Jade remains the green gem of choice. Interesting namesakes: British writer Beryl Bainbridge and British aviatrix Beryl Markham.
  2. Cyan
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "greenish blue color"
    • Description:

      Cyan is a highly unusual blue-green color name, a classmate of Celadon and Cerulean. It does come with the homey nickname Cy.
  3. Viridian
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "blue green color"
    • Description:

      Unusual and beautiful blue green color and name possibility, a la Cerulean.
  4. Ivory
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "hard, white material from the tusks and teeth of animals; pale, white"
    • Description:

      Ivory was last popular a hundred years ago. In 2013, it finally began to regain some momentum in the female rankings, reentering the Top 1000, while 2024 saw it jump up the charts again by over 100 places, making it a To 500 name.
  5. Crisanta
    • Origin:

      Spanish from Greek
    • Meaning:

      "golden flower, chrysanthemum"
    • Description:

      Crisanta, while not related to Christine, would make a pretty and highly unusual alternative to that tried-and-true name. Because of its relationship to the chrysanthemum, the flower of the month of November, it's one of the recommended names for Scorpio babies as well as names for November babies. Crisanta might also give you a fresh route to nicknames like Cris, Crissy, or Cristie.
  6. Sorrel
    • Origin:

      Botanical name and French
    • Meaning:

      "reddish brown"
    • Description:

      A fragrant herbal and color name that could make a sensitive, distinctive choice.
  7. Topaz
    • Origin:

      Greek gem name
    • Description:

      As a name, Topaz is a quietly used option, with a distinctive ending and a sleek but sassy feel. As a golden gemstone, it is said to have energizing properties and bring good luck to those who wear it. It is also the the birthstone for November, making it an ideal choice for a spirited November baby.
  8. Oriol
    • Origin:

      Catalan
    • Meaning:

      "golden"
    • Description:

      Intriguing name that's a Top 100 choice in Spain and virtually unknown outside that country. But has definitely possibilities for the adventurous baby namer.
  9. Aneirin
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "very golden or noble"
    • Description:

      Aneirin is the original form of the more common Aneurin (which was a mistaken spelling used after the 17th Century). Aneirin was one of the first great Welsh poets who flourished in the 6th Century. He was said to be the Prince of Bards.
  10. Viridiana
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "green"
    • Description:

      Viridiana is a frillier version of the medieval name Viridis, meaning green. Viridiana briefly made it into the top 1000 in the US in the 1990s.
  11. Celadon
    • Origin:

      Color name
    • Meaning:

      "grayish green"
    • Description:

      Like Cerulean, one of the new and unusual color names -- it's a soft grayish green -- suitable for a boy.
  12. Ochre
    • Origin:

      Greek, English
    • Meaning:

      "pale yellow"
    • Description:

      Ochre is an exceedingly rare name, found only a few times since the nineteenth century, and not showing up in any current data. Yet it means much the same thing as popular Sienna (another clay coloured with iron oxide) and sounds similar to fashionable Oakley. A strong earthy nature name that is both unusual and evocative.
  13. Mauve
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "violet-colored"
    • Description:

      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 middle names, Mauve has the added benefit of being similar to stylish Maeve and classic Maude.
  14. Alani
    • Origin:

      Hawaiian
    • Meaning:

      "orange tree"
    • Description:

      One of those names you may not even be aware of if you haven't been paying attention to recent naming trends, Alani was given to more than 700 baby girls in the US in one recent year, to be the second most popular feminization of Alan after Alana. It's certainly the most modern-sounding female version of Alan.
  15. Omaira
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "long life; red"
    • Description:

      Omaira is an intriguing Middle Eastern possibility.
  16. Iola
    • Origin:

      Greek or Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "violet; beautiful lady"
    • Description:

      Isla is hot, Iona is cool – maybe it's time Iola got a second look? Last heard from on Carol Burnett's Mama's Family show, Iola feels like just the sort of uncommon, vowel-rich, vintage name that should be ripe for rediscovery.
  17. Blane
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "yellow"
    • Description:

      Blane is the attractive surname name of an important seventh-century Scottish saint, but is in danger of sounding slightly feminine and soap opera-ish.
  18. Caliban
    • Origin:

      Romanian
    • Meaning:

      "black"
    • Description:

      In Shakespeare's The Tempest, Caliban is the name of the deformed son of a witch: not the greatest literary reference for a child. But Caliban does have an appealing international-yet-accessible feel and a rhythmic sound. As long as nobody knows its origin, it might make a great name for a boy or even a girl.
  19. Garnet
    • Origin:

      Jewel name, for the French
    • Meaning:

      "pomegranate"
    • Description:

      One of the jewel names in use a hundred years ago, for both boys and girls, due for revival along with sisters Ruby and Pearl. But interestingly, Garnet means pomegranate, the fruit who shares a deep red color with the jewel.
  20. Midori
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "green; beautiful bird"
    • Description:

      In Japan, color names are used to symbolize human qualities, and the green hues of Midori name are said to represent fame. While it is a unisex choice in its native Japan, Midori is predominantly used on girls.

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