As a boys' name, Angel has two distinct name personalities. One is as a perennial favorite Hispanic <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a>, popular in the US along with Spain, Mexico, and South America.
 
Then Buffy the Vampire Slayer brought Angel into the Anglo camp, where it's now heard more frequently, pronounced the English way. Angel entered the boys' Top 100 in 1997 and remains solidly there today.
 
Angel's popularity for girls began to wane at the same time the name took off for boys. Any child named Angel, of whatever gender or nationality, has a, well, angelic image to live up to or live down.
 Other notable male Angels: the husband in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles, a character on Dexter, and several athletes.

Angel

An ancient Roman name that has never made it into the modern world.

Annia

With mythological names rising, the handsome son of Zeus and god of medicine, music, and poetry among many other things might offer an interesting, if high-pressure, option. 
 
But if Romeo and Venus are now deemed baby-appropriate, why not Apollo? Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno might inspire some parents. And now that it's been chosen by Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, it could take off as their first son's name—Kingston—has.
 Other cool associations include NASA's Apollo program, from 1961-72, that succeeded in putting the first humans on the moon when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed their lunar module and walked on the moon's surface. There's also the historic Apollo Theatre in Harlem, on whose stage the careers of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Artetha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, the Jackson 5, and countless others were launched.

Apollo

The smooth, attractive Ariana is on the rise along with the fame of pop princess Ariana Grande. Also famous is twin spelling Arianna, which is associated with Greek-born online presence Arianna Huffington. Both Ariana and Arianna are widely used names and are equally acceptable spellings.

Ariana

The given name Athena was derived from the city name Athens, which is of uncertain origins. In Greek mythology, Athena is the name of the daughter of Zeus who was the goddess of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts, mathematics, and courage, among others. She was the great patroness-goddess of the city of Athens. In the Odyssey, Homer describes her as 'sparkling-eyed Athena.'
 Athena is a distinctive name that could appeal to enlightened parents who particularly prize intelligence. It's one of the most widely used of the ancient <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/433/goddess-baby-names">goddess names</a> that are finding such favor in the contemporary Western world.
 Athene is another version, and Athena's Roman counterpart is Minerva.
 In the Disney movie The Little Mermaid, Athena is the mother of Ariel.
 Tina Fey turned to her Greek heritage for both of her second daughter's names: Penelope Athena—and this has spurred interest in Athena, even though it's in middle place.

Athena

Aukai

High-kicking cohort of Coco, Gigi, Fifi, Kiki, et al. 

Bebe

Bloom

The lead character of the Captain America movies, played by Chris Evans, is occasionally called Cap, short for "captain," but even he has a real name. (Steve Rogers, ICYC)

This name of a touristed island in sight of Los Angeles makes an attractive and newly stylish variation on the classic Catherine or overused Caitlin. 
 Santa Catalina of Siena was, along with Saint Francis, one of the two patron saints of Italy and was a respected spiritual writer of the Church. Catalina de Aragón y Castilla is the original Spanish name of the first wife of Henry VIII, known to history as Catherine of Aragon. In a completely different vein, Catalina Aruca was a character on the sitcom My Name is Earl.

Catalina

Cecelia, with this spelling, got some recent attention as the name of Jim and Pam's baby on The Office -- and also the name of actress Jenna Fischer's newborn niece.  A spelling variation of Cecilia that has a gently old-fashioned feel and several appealing short forms, including Celia, Celie, and, as on the TV show, Cece.

Three times as many babies are given the Cecilia spelling as get the Cecelia one, though if you plan on calling your daughter Cece or Celia, Cecelia may feel like the more logical spelling.

Cecelia

Cressida is a pretty mythological and Shakespearean heroine name much better known in Britain than it is here &mdash; an imbalance the adventurous baby namer might want to correct. 
 
Although the Trojan heroine named Cressida in the tale told by Boccaccio, then Chaucer, then Shakespeare, didn't have the greatest reputation &mdash; she was faithless to Troilus and broke his heart &mdash; the name today sounds fresh, crisp and creative.
 In Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Cressida is a film director character; Cressida Cowell is the author of the popular novel series How to Train Your Dragon.

Cressida

Cyrus is one of those surprising names that have always ranked among the Top 1000 boy names in the US. On an upward trend since the mid-90s, Cyrus now sits in that comfortable place between too popular and too unusual.
 
Long popular in the Iranian community, this name of the founder of the Persian Empire has had a more down-home, corncob pipe-smoking image for most Americans in the past, but today it's one of those antique names that sounds fresh again. 
 The powerful Cyrus the Great was the fifth century B.C. Persian leader who conquered Babylon to establish his empire. He is noted in the Old Testament as freeing the Jewish captives in Babylonia and permitting them to return to their homelands. Since his name is mentioned in the Old Testament, it was fashionable with the Puritans.
 Cyrus McCormick was the inventor of the reaper, and Cyrus Vance was Secretary of State under Jimmy Carter. The name is also associated these days with singer Miley Cyrus. Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy named their baby boy Cyrus, and there have been Cyruses on Gossip Girl, Law & Order and Scandal.
Ciro is the catchy Italian version.

Cyrus

Court

Darius is a historic name via Emperor Darius the Great, a key figure in ancient Persian history, and several other Persian kings. His name today has an appealingly artistic image, which might well be found on a concert program or gallery announcement. 
 Among its cultural inspirations is composer Darius Milhaud. Journalist Christiane Amanpour, who was raised in Tehran, named her son Darius.

Darius

Actress Daryl Hannah made this a girls' name in theory, though in the most recent year counted, about 75 baby boys in the US were named Daryl...and zero baby girls.

Daryl

Destinee

Domonique

Old-fangled nickname could make dot.com era short form or middle name. 

Deice

Gabriella is the feminine form of Gabriel, a name derived from the Hebrew Gavri’el. Gavri’el is composed of the elements gever, meaning "strong," and ’el, referring to God. Gabriella is used among a variety of cultures in the US, including Italian Americans, Latinos, and in the Jewish community. Gabriela is the Spanish spelling.
 
Gabriella has been on the U.S. Top 1000 list since 1984, entering the Top 100 in 2000, while the single 'l' spelling rank is also somewhat popular. It also riding on a wave of popularity in Canada and Australia.
 Gabriella was a major character on High School Musical, and real life namesakes include poet Gabriela Mistral and tennis champ Gabriela Sabatini. The French version is Gabrielle.

Gabriella

GENESIS
With the sounds of Jennifer and Alexis, and the vibes of Eden and Serenity, Genesis is a Biblical inspired choice that has been popular in the US since the 2000’s. 
Derived from Greek, Genesis means “birth” or “origin” and is the name of the first book in the Bible, describing the creation of the world, the fall of Adam and Eve, and Noah and the flood. 
This association could give the name a strong, powerful, and significant feeling, and may work for parents who want a Biblical name, but dislike the well-worn classics, such as Sarah or Mary. 
Alternatively, it does have the secular connotations of simply meaning the beginning of something, which may appeal to anyone hoping for a fresh start or a new chapter. 
Don’t be fooled into thinking the name is a hidden gem, however. Or rather, don’t, if you happen to live in the US. Genesis has ranked in the Top 1000 since 1988 and entered the Top 100 in the late 2000’s, where it has remained ever since. 
Peaking at #55 in 2013, Genesis is given to over 3000 girls every year, and to more than 200 boys, putting it on par with the likes of Sophie, Audrey, and Claire. 
Outside of the US though, Genesis is only popular in Chile and Mexico, meaning across the rest of the globe, it still holds sway as an unexpected option, or an update on Jennifer or Genevieve. 
Notable bearers include American actress Genesis Rodriguez and Bermudian singer and actress, Genesis Lynea. Viola Davis has a daughter named Genesis, and fans of rock music may associate it with the band of the same name. 
With its distinctive but familiar sounds, Genesis is a popular choice among Christian parents who want a non-traditional baby name. It fits in perfectly with other more contemporary Biblical choices, like Eden, Nevaeh, or Delilah, and seems set to stay in the Top US 100 for now? 
Is there something you love about Genesis but want to explore other options (or just avoid nickname Gen)? You could try Journey, Dove, Amity, Damaris, or Anastasia.

Genesis

Game

Simple and down-to-earth, but would probably work best as a middle name. 

Hill

Jago is a dashing alternative to overused favorite Jacob. 

Jago

With its upbeat Slavic/Scandinavian air, it has the most potential of all the Jan names. 

Janica

Jade

Cute name but be warned: Kali is the Hindu goddess of destruction, the fierce side of the goddess Devi. 

But many parents don't know or don't care about Kali's dark side and see the name simply as a respelling of Callie. It might also be a short form of such names as the Greek Kalista, the Arabic Kalila, or the Indian Kalinda.

Kali

Kaylene

King is a name that sends a mixed message. While some might think of it as more fitting for a canine, others see it as a strong name with offbeat style and a full court of rich associations, from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Elvis. 

King Vidor was an important early Hollywood director; King Camp Gillette invented the safety razor.

If it's <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/505/names-with-royal-meanings">king names</a> you're after that aren't King itself, see our list of Names with Royal Meanings or other lists and blogs on royal names.

King

Kirone

In baby name limbo along with Ronni, Connie, and Bonnie. 

Loni

Lysa

Leiloni

Mara is the evocative ancient root of Mary, appearing in the Book of Ruth, in which Naomi, devastated after the death of her two sons, says "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara." It's one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/m">girl names starting with M</a> that both fits in and stands out.
 Mara is a multicultural name, also a Kiswahili word meaning "a time," and could be conceived as a geographical name, being a river flowing through Kenya and Tanzania.
 As a child actress, Mara Wilson played leading roles in Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire.

Mara

If Sam can make it as a girl's name, why not Max? Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's eldest daughter Maxima goes by Max, but you could also use it as a short form for Maxine, Maximilienne or even Margaux.

Maxx

Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting up the charts for the past half century but has never been TOO popular.
 
Miles is a favorite of celebrity baby namers, given to their sons by Elisabeth Shue, Mayim Bialik, Larenz Tate, Joan Cusack and Lionel Ritchie. It also makes a great honor name for all the Grandpa Michaels out there.
 Miles was the name of the first translator of the Bible into English--the English monk Miles Coverdale, which is also the name of a character in Hawthorne's The Blithedale Romance. Miles Hendon figures in Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper, and Miles was one of the young children in Henry James's The Turn of the Screw. Miles--or Myles--Standish was the leader of the Pilgrim fathers.
 Miles has also been a favorite movie and TV character name from the days of Murphy Brown to 24 and Avatar.

Miles

Mirari

Mabilene

Meeki

A lot of attention was drawn to this name when Kim Kardashian and Kanye West announced it as the name of their baby daughter, making it instantly unisex.
 North is a word name that's long been used, albeit very quietly, a name with a certain purity and strength. It's a good choice if you're from, say, Wisconsin or Maine, love winter or are an avid skier, or if you just want a name that's both very familiar and very unusual.
 North is just one of several cool names with a directional slant-others are West, Weston, and Easton.
 A young Elijah Wood played the title character in the 1994 film North.

North

Nickolette

Oliviana

The first famous Paris was a mythological prince of incredible beauty. The most recent was media darling Paris Hilton, inspirer of a generation of baby-girl namesakes. But since Pierce Brosnan and other celebs have continued to use it for their sons, the name retains some masculine identity. For girls, it jumped from #464 to #412 in the past year alone. 

Paris

One of the most familiar — if not stereotypical — Gallic names. Pierre was a Top 5 name in France from the 19th century through 1940 and is now on a steady decline in its native land. In the US, Pierre was most common in the 1980s but it has never cracked the Top 300.
 
Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr welcomed a son named Pierre in 2024, which may boost its profile.

Pierre

The fact that this Spanish classic, which honors the Virgin Mary, does not end in the conventional letter 'a' gives it a special sense of strength, elegance, and style, making it a worthy choice.
 The name originated in the legend of the miracle of the Virgin Mary's appearance over a marble pillar. It also is an allusion to her as a pillar of the church.
 Pilar is remembered as the valiant heroine of Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Pilar

Promise is one of those word names with an uplifting meaning that is making inroads as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' name</a>, like sisters Dream and Serenity. How promising is Promise as a first name? Our try at cleverness illustrates perhaps the biggest problem with naming your baby girl Promise: It will be difficult for people to resist making bad puns on the name. We promise (argh) you'll be tired of hearing them well before your baby Promise's first birthday.

Promise

Queen has seen a revival in recent times, reaching its record high in 2018 with 280 births — it has remained steady since then. Previously, Queen saw a peak in the 1920s, but its origins go back even further than that. Queen was a noted name among enslaved people in America, along with other royal choices such as Duke, Squire, and Prince.

Queen

After entering the Top 1000 in 2009, Raelyn has climbed the charts. It's ridden the coattails of Raelynn (which remains more popular), but also may be benefiting from the rise of Brooklyn. The use of -Lyn and -Lynn suffixes has grown in recent years, even as the name Lynn itself languishes.

Raelyn

A pan-European short form often used as a name in its own right, Rina is sister to names like Mina and Lena, popular at the end of the 19th century and showing their pretty if slight faces again.  In the Netherlands, Rina itself is sometimes shortened to Rineke, as Tina may become Tineke.

Rina

One of the more subtle occupational surnames, Sayer is a pleasant, open, last-name-first name, particularly apt for a family of woodworkers -- or writers. Some parents are beginning to consider Sayer as a less popular alternative to Sawyer, which it may be a variation of, or a separate occupational name for someone who recited poetry and news, or even another occupational name an for assayer, who tested metals or tasted food.
 The most well known surnamed Sayer is the British singer Leo Sayer.

Sayer

Peaceful, calm, and untroubled: these are qualities parents may be hoping for, either on their parenting journey or in their child’s life. The name Serenity encapsulates these hopes, conjuring up a sense of balance, composure, and ease. 
A virtue name of Latin origin, Serenity means “peaceful” or “tranquil.” The pretty, melodic sounds reflect that, but it isn’t a meek or retiring name; it has plenty of flair too and a hint of breezy confidence. 
Used occasionally from the 70’s onwards, Serenity entered the US Top 1000 in 1997, and by 2009, it was in the Top 100, where it has stayed ever since. 
While recent years have seen it begin to drop back down the charts, it has fared better than its once popular virtue cousins, Destiny and Trinity. Given to nearly 3000 girls every year, it remains in the Top 100 for now. 
Notable pop culture references for Serenity include a character in the Sailor Moon franchise and the title of the 2005 movie spinoff of the TV show, Firefly. 
If you like the vibes of Serenity but worry about the expectations it brings with it (or just concerned it will guarantee that your child is the least tranquil child to ever exist), then you could consider the less wordy and more international variant, Serena. 
You could also take a look at <a href=“https://nameberry.com/list/411/baby-names-that-mean-peace”>names that mean peace</a> but aren’t in your face about it, such as Irina, Shiloh, or Fenna.

Serenity

An imaginative choice with an uptempo Cory/Rory/Tori sound, perfect for the child of a writer &mdash; or anyone with a good story to tell. Story has been finding some appreciation among celebs like Minnie Driver and others as a middle name. This is just one of the literary word names that have recently entered the realm of possibility, such as Fable, Sonnet and Poem.


Story

Seeki

Siaren

South

Occasionally heard in the 1920s and 30s, along with siblings Bina and Mina; Vienna would be a more modern choice. 

Vina

White

Xendalia

Zenia

Zeus

lukeingram's list "Futuristic Names" of 65 great name ideas: Angel - Zeus!

Futuristic Names

A blast into the future with some new and unusual names and some classic common names with a twist!