A common name in the Muslim community, where it may be a Persian name or a variation of Ayan, a name with a timely meaning.

Aayan

The Spanish form of Amaya is both a given name and a surname, originating from the Spanish mountain and village of Amaya. In this context it means "mother city" or "the capital." Amaya can also be considered a derivation of Amaia, a Basque name meaning "the end." In Japan, Amaya is a surname.
 
Actors Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann are the parents of a young daughter named Amaya Josephine.

Amaya

While this name is a phonetic variant of Amaya and Amaia, its popularity could also stem from its similarity to names such as Aliyah and Maya.

Amiyah

An alternative spelling, found in some sources, of Arianrhod. This version lacks the fashionable "Aria" sound that is part of Arianrhod's appeal.

Aranrhod

More modern and alluring than Silver, Argenta is one of the few mineral/metal-related names.

Argenta

A shimmery ancient Roman name that could still shine today.
VARIATION: ARGENTA

Argentia

South America provides a continent of interesting, undiscovered names -- Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, and the tango-rhythmed Argentina. 

Argentina

A more distinctive alternative to Angelo. 

Argento

Argyris

An intriguing Greek name with an appealing meaning.

Argyros

This early Welsh saint's name is unusual and lovely, waiting to be discovered.  Saint Arianell was a member of the Welsh royal family who was possessed by a spirit which was exorcised by Saint Dyfrig, who became Arianell's spiritual teacher.

Arianell

Fleetwood Mac introduced the world to Rhiannon, but Arianrhod is a lesser-known woman of Welsh legend. Strap in, this is a name story! 

In the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, a medieval tale, she gives birth to the protagonist Lleu Llaw Gyffes and places a curse on him that he will never have a name or weapons unless she himself gives them to him. Later she is tricked into doing so. 

The meaning of her name has led some to speculate that she may have a connection to the moon in the distant past, though there is no firm evidence.
Her home in the tale, Caer Aranrhod (showing an alternative spelling), is nowadays a rock off the coast of north-west Wales that is visible at low tide.

Arianrhod

Spelling variant of Arianwen. Note that in Welsh, the -wyn suffix is usually masculine.

Arianwyn

Atieno is the feminine equivalent of Otieno, which is now more commonly seen as a surname in Eastern Africa.

Atieno

Ayako is a very common feminine name in Japan, where it is the name of Princess Ayako of Takamado (now Ayako Moriya), formerly of the Imperial House of Japan.

Ayako

Literally meaning "beautiful lady" in Italian, Belladonna is the name of a poisonous flower also known as nightshade. This connection gives an otherwise flowery name a darker, more dramatic edge.

Belladonna

Somewhat dashing surname, but with serious teasing potential. 

Blackburn

Blackwell

Blake -- an early unisex option -- dropped out of the Top 100 in 2017 for the first time since 1988, but remains a sophisticated choice. And yes, both conflicting meanings of Blake are accurate. It originated as a surname in England derived from a nickname. Much of its masculine image was influenced by the wealthy, silver-haired character Blake Carrington in the massively popular 80s TV series Dynasty. Rosie O'Donnell has a son named Blake.

Blake

The unisex Blake, which indeed has two conflicting meanings, has a briskly efficient image when used for a girl. 
 Though in the eighties it was seen very much as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a>, epitomized by the character of Blake Carrington, the silver-haired, powerful patriarch of the TV soap Dynasty, these days it's more apt to be associated with Blake Lively, the attractive lead of the Gossip Girl series and the film Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Blakelee

This nouveau spelling of Blakeley was one of the fastest-rising girl names outside of the Top 1000 in 2019.

Blakeley is one of the many -ley ending surnames that is being adopted as a first name, taking the 80s unisex darling Blake into the new millennium.

Blakeley

Blakeley is one of the many -ley ending surnames that is being adopted as a first name, updating the 80s darlings Blake and Ashley.

A decade or two ago, we might have stopped with Blake, but today the surname Blakely or Blakeley sounds more modern as a first name.

Blakely

Blakely, along with Blakeley, Blakelee and Blakeleigh, is one of the post-Ashley surname names that end with the lee sound so stylish today. Reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter named their daughter Blakesley. These surname-names are among the most stylish <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/501/english-names-for-girls">English names for girls</a>.

Blakesley is the name of a village in England, also sometimes found as a surname along with Blakely and Blakeley, turned into a first name for their daughter by reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter. Blakesley joins other -ley ending names -- Hadley, Finley -- as one of the most popular forms of <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">unisex names</a> with a girlish spin.

Blakesley

Variant of Blake, borne by the great jazz drummer Art Blakey.

Blakey

Blaque is a clever -- or should we say qlever -- spelling variation of either the androgynous surname-name Blake, as in Gossip Girl Lively, or Black, as in the color name.  Either way, we prefer the original.  Blaque -- an acronym for believing life achieving quest unity everything -- was also a late 90s R & B group and some people may choose the name Blaque to symbolize those qualities.

Blaque

Blaque is a clever -- or should we say qlever -- spelling variation of either the androgynous surname-name Blake, as in Gossip Girl, Lively, or Black, as in the color name. Either way, we prefer the original. Blaque -- an acronym for believing life achieving quest unity everything -- was also a late '90s R & B group and some people may choose the name Blaque to symbolize those qualities.

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.

Caliban

Carey is a surname name that works equally well on babies of all genders - Jazz great Carey Bell and motorcross champion Carey Hart are just two examples of how handsome this name can be for a boy.

Carey

Variously spelled trendy name in the 1970s that hasn't even been in the Top 1000 in a decade. 

This shimmering name belongs to an elf in Lord of the Rings. She was the daughter of Galadriel, the wife of Elrond, and the mother of Arwen.

Celebrían

Popular name in Israel, worth considering for a dark-haired daughter with a bit of a bohemian cast. 

Charna

Ciar

Ciara is very popular in Ireland, more familiar here as the Anglicized Kiera or Keira. The uninitiated will tend to pronounce Ciara as the Italian Chiara, a form of Claire—kee-AHR-a or even see-AHR-a, like the American singer-songwriter Ciara. In the US, Ciara peaked in 2005, when it was the Number 150 name; it's since fallen down to Number 882.

Ciara

Extremely popular in Ireland, Ciaran is also well used in England and is beginning to be adopted by parents in the U.S., though usually via the more American-friendly Kieran spelling. The Irish spelling is, however, becoming more familiar on this side of the Atlantic, due to the rising popularity of Belfast-born actor Ciaran Hinds.
 Although it was the name of twenty-six saints in Ireland, Ciaran was not used as a secular name there until the 1950s.

Ciaran

Long popular in Ireland and England, Ciarán is the name of Ireland's first-born saint and twenty-five other saints. While this is the authentic Irish spelling, it is more familiar in the US in the Anglicized Kieran spelling.

Ciarán

Cole -- a short name that embodies a lot of richness and depth -- has long been associated with the great songwriter Cole Porter. It's quite popular in Scotland.
 Old King Cole -- which refers to a real British king -- is familiar to all kids. Cole was the name of the child in The Sixth Sense and was also the name of -- sorry -- the notorious outlaw Cole Younger, who was born Thomas Coleman.

Cole

Colton is a trendy two-syllable choice, with the popular 'on/en' ending.
 Colton jumped onto the popularity list in 1982 at Number 806. Then, in 1988, the hunky character Colton Shore was introduced on the soap opera General Hospital, and the name began to zoom up the list. Coincidence or contributing factor?
 Another attractive namesake is Teen Wolf heartthrob Colton Haynes. Short form Colt has been used by a couple of celebs.

Colton

Cronan

Delicate ballerina name with grace, charm, and heft courtesy of Jane Austen's Mr. 

Darcy

This name shares sounds with Keagan and Teagan, but has its own roots in Irish culture. Freestyle Motocross rider Brian Deegan may be partly responsible for this name's entrance into the US Top 1000.

Deegan

This laid-back Irish family name has been well-used for girls in recent decades. It would work equally well - and feel fresher - on a boy.

Delaney

Delaney has been a popular Irish surname name for a couple of decades, projecting buoyant enthusiasm plus a feminine feel. 

Delaney might also relate to the variations of Elaine that have grown in popularity in recent years, from Elena to Elaina to Alayna and especially Lainey or Laney, which might also be short forms of Delaney.

Denarius

An Irish surname — the Anglicized form of O’Duibhgeannáin — that would make a one-of-a-kind first name, unless you count the character in Wes Anderson's first film, Bottle Rocket. For fans of the auteur, perhaps Dignan is a better name for a pet — it may be extra appropriate to use the nickname Diggy.

Dignan

This Celtic surname is familiar but barely used at all as a first name.

Dinsmore

Fresh choice that could pick up where Dylan and Logan left off. 

Dolan

This genial Irish surname feels much more current than Donald. 

Donahue

Donnelly is among the more appealing Irish surname names, less well used than Donovan. Related options include the place name Donegal and the mythological god name Donegan.


Donnelly

Makes Donna into a cool twenty-first-century unisex Irish surname. 

One of the first of the appealing Irish surnames to take off in this country, this <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a> has long outgrown its "Mellow Yellow" association, which came via the single from a sixties singer-songwriter named Donovan. 
 Donovan was Scottish-born Donovan Leitch, whose name was probably inspired by his father Donald's. He proved to be an adventurous, celestial namer himself--three of his children are Astrella Celeste, Oriole Nebula and Ione Skye.
 Another potential namesake is retired pro bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb.
 Donovan was in the USA Top 1000 as early as 1900.
 Related options are surname Donegan and place name Donegal.

Donovan

A common Irish surname that's seldom heard as a first name, but has an appealing meaning.

Dooley

Doolish (known as Douglas in English) is the largest town in the Isle of Man. The name is though to derive from a Celtic word "Duboglassio" which means "black river".

Doolish

Doon

Photographer Diane Arbus named her daughter Doon, inspired by the sand dunes she walked among when pregnant. Used this way, Doon might be considered a nature name, a refashioning of the word dune. 

But Doon might also stem from the familiar Scottish surname Dunn or Dunne, which means brown or dark, originally used for a dark-haired person.

Heard in the Scottish highlands, and much more in tune with the present times than the dated Douglas &mdash; for which it could make a perfect tribute name. Dougal was the Scottish nickname for invading dark-haired Danish Vikings, just as Fingal was given to the blonder Norwegians.
 Dougray, as in actor Dougray Scott, is a similarly appealing choice.

Dougal

Dougie is one of those names that spotlights the huge gulf that can exist between US and UK naming trends. In England and Wales, Dougie is a trendy nickname-name, ranking all the way up at Number 315. 

In the US, on the other hand, Dougie was used for a grand total of zero baby boys last year. Same thing for short form Doug. Only the father name Douglas ranks in the US Top 1000.

Dougie

Douglas, and more particularly its nickname, Doug, had a real romantic swagger in the 1950s and 1960s dating back to swashbuckling Douglas Fairbanks, but today is more likely to conjure up your mom's prom date. Originally a Celtic river name, it became attached to a powerful Scottish clan, renowned for their strength and courage. In its earliest incarnation, Douglas was used equally for girls and boys.
 Douglas has been on the popularity list for as long as US records have been kept, for a considerable period in the Top 100, often used to honor World War II General Douglas MacArthur.

Douglas

Now a mostly-male name, in its earliest incarnation Douglas was used equally for girls and boys and could certainly make a comeback as one of the new <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/79/boy-names-for-girls">boy names for girls"</a>.

Compact, to-the-point surname name. Bear in mind the stock-market association - it may be a bit much with the last name Jones.

Doyle

Obscure and quirky, but not without some appeal. 

Duald

With Galway and Ireland in play as names (not to mention Shannon and Kerry), there's no reason this one can't work, too. 

Dublin

The city name Dublin ultimately derived from Irish elements dubh, meaning "dark," and lind, "pool." The dark pool in question was a tidal pool behind Dublin Castle.
 
As a baby name, Dublin is a rare but evocative choice.

This familiar Irish surname, best known as the name of the mononamed Welsh female singer, is extremely rare as a first name in the US but could make an original Irish choice.

Duffy

This Irish surname packs a lot of attitude, projecting an image of spunk and sass. The Welsh singer Duffy, born Aimee Anne Duffy, is best known for her songs Mercy and Warwick Avenue.

Duncan is jaunty, confident, and open, a Scottish <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/453/royal-baby-names">royal name</a> that's brimming with friendly charm and makes it into our golden circle of names that are neither too popular nor too strange. Popularity aside, Duncan is one of the most classic <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/473/scottish-names-for-boys">Scottish names for boys</a>. 
 From a surname based on a clan name, Duncan was the name of a Scottish saint and two early Kings of the Scots. The beneficent Duncan I, who lived in the eleventh century, was immortalized in Shakespeare's Macbeth. 
 The brave and handsome Major Duncan Heyward is one of the main characters in James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans. Other cultural references include Duncan Idaho, the only character to appear in all of Frank Herbert's Dune novels; Duncan MacLeod, the immortal protagonist of Highlander; one of Garp's sons in The World According to Garp; and singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik.
 David Bowie's son Zowie changed his name first to Joey and then finally to Duncan.
 
Duncan peaked int he late 90s and has been a downfall since, even falling out of the Top 1000 in 2021 — but made a reappearance in 2022.

Duncan

A two-syllable surname feel puts this name of an important English saint in the running -- though it could sound like a confused cross between Duncan and Dustin. 

Dunstan

An unusual and appealing Scottish family name that would work as well for a girl as a boy.

Durie

Influencer Nara Smith called out Dusk as one of the names she likes but won't be using, which is probably the reason you're here. Dusk is a totally unique baby name, given to fewer than five children last year.

Dusk

A modern Welsh name that will be misunderstood as Irene. 

Eirian

Perky Cherokee boy name with a great meaning. Foxes symbolize cleverness and playfulness in Cherokee culture.

Enoli

Eos -- that's pronounced with a short e like eros without the r -- is the Greek Titan of the dawn. Any ancient name with a sleek modern feel has definite revival possibilities. Eos could be an inventive way to honor grandma Dawn. 
 
Eos is also a Welsh bird name that is occasionally given to girls in Wales — pleasingly the nightingale, so this name covers both morning and night.

A dramatic nature-inspired possibility for either sex.

Equinox

Lovers of Esme might also like this beautiful Turkish name, with its mysterious meaning. The last syllable sounds like "rye".

Esmeray

This lovely Top 100 Turkish name is related to the Arabic Asra or Isra.

Esra

Fiḍḍa al-Nūbīyya was a significant Islamic figure best known for being the maid of Fatima al-Zahra — the Prophet Muhammad's daughter. Fiḍḍa famously spoke in Quranic verses for over 20 years. 

Fidda

Common name in Japan, would have alcoholic allusions here. 

Most parents would find this old Roman name pretentious compared to the more accessible Adrian, but some history buffs just might want to commemorate the enlightened emperor. 

Hadrian

Familiar via Harry, but much more worldly. 

Hari

Hazen is a variation of the Dutch surname Hasin, which has two separate origins. The first is as a nickname for Haso, a Germanic given name derived from haswa, meaning "gray" or "black." Hasin was also a variation of Haas, a Dutch and German surname meaning "hare."
 
Parents today are turning to Hazen as an alternative to Hayes, which has risen rapidly up the charts in recent years.

Hazen

An androgynous alternative to Hazel, an American favorite that continues to rise.
 
Hazen is a variation of the Dutch surname Hasin, which has two separate origins. The first is as a nickname for Haso, a Germanic given name derived from haswa, meaning "gray" or "black." Hasin was also a variation of Haas, a Dutch and German surname meaning "hare."

Like a large proportion of traditional Hawaiian names, Hoku can be used for both girls and boys.

Hoku

A spirited name with major cross-cultural significance. In addition to its celestial meaning in Hawaiian, it means "rhyme" in Finnish and "congratulations" in Japanese.

One of a handful of Cherokee names meaning "black fox," along with Enoli and Inola.

Inali

One of three Cherokee names with the same meaning, along with Inali and Enoli, both male names.

Inola

Isra is a gender-neutral Arabic name. The name of a chapter of the Quran, it refers to the Prophet's journey from Mecca to Jerusalem.

Isra

Israh which is also spelled Isra is a gender-neutral Muslim name.

Israh

The Basque name, meaning shadow, has the virtue of having both an interesting meaning and an obvious pronunciation.

Itzal

Jumana

Kali is a popular girls' name in the US with dark origins: She is the Hindu goddess of death and destruction, though we'd wager many parents see the name as simply a respelling of Callie.

About 30 baby boys were named Kali last year, making it one of the few boys' names that started as a female name and is now being adopted for boys.

Kali

alyshadragonfriend's list "Black Night And Shadowy Names" of 210 great name ideas: Aayan - Zilla!

Black Night And Shadowy Names

Names that mean and/or are associated with the color black, night, darkness, the moon, and all other things that conjure up an image of the night. Bonus: Some names that are associated with the color silver and other dark colors.