Names That Mean Name

Peppy is undeniably cute, but we bet that after a while the jokes aren't.

Peppy

Valiant is an inspirational word name that can work for a child of any gender, though the six babies given this name last year were all boys.

Valiant

Did you really mean to name your child Channel, as in the body of water?  Like, you know, the English Channel?  Or were you going for the last name of the French designer Chanel, with a soft "sh" sound at the beginning and the emphasis on the last syllable?  If so, we recommend sticking with the Chanel spelling.

Channel

This vivid sky blue color name is at present used mostly for boys, but it is used in such small numbers that it could easily work on any gender. Whimsical and magical, but reminiscent of more established names, such as Ocean, Elowen, Seraphine, and Celestine, Cerulean might just make more appearances in coming years.
 Made familiar to some by T.J Klune's popular novel, The House in the Cerulean Sea, the name was also fittingly chosen by fashion and lifestyle blogger Courtney Quinn — known as @colormecourtney and "queen of color". She shared the announcement on social media in 2024, and even took the time to explain her choice, noting that: Cerulean was Pantone's first ever color in the year 2000; features heavily in a favorite movie monologue from The Devil Wears Prada; gives the nicknames Rue, Leon, Sir, and Mr Blue Sky; and has both a sunny and celestial energy to it.
 Courtney Quinn sells it well and even provides both cute and grounded nicknames, so perhaps this bright and intriguing name might find its way onto more parents' lists. As for more more feminine leaning nicknames, you've got Cece, Lena, Lela, and Sky too.

Cerulean

Bluebell is one flower name that is used very quietly. Geri "Ginger Spice" Halliwell joined her former Spice Sisters in creative baby-naming with this adventurous — some might say outlandish — choice. Andie MacDowell has a granddaughter named Bluebell Coyote through her daughter Rainey Qualley.
 
So is Bluebell distinctive and charming? Or better suited to a pet? Your call.

Bluebell

Slim may be too on-the-nose for the child of two beautiful models, but it's the name Nara Pellman and Lucky Blue Smith chose for their son, Slim Easy. Smith, who has daughters named Gravity Blue and Rumble Honey, is known for choosing outrageous word names. But Slim — when pronounced as "SLEEM" — can also be a short form of the Arabic name Slimane. This origin is shared with Pellman's middle name, Aziza.
 
Slim is primarily used as a given name among Muslims, and historically has been a nickname in the US. Photographer Slim Aarons was born George Allen. Slim has been the nickname of several professional baseball players, including Slims Jones, Harriss, Love, and Sallee. Other pop cultural references include the song The Real Slim Shady by rapper Eminem and the musican Fatboy Slim.

The name also appears in John Steibeck's classic novella, Of Mice and Men, worn by the calm, skilled, and thoughtful laborer, known as "the prince of the ranch".
 
If you like Slim but don't have Arabic heritage and aren't a celeb, we'd suggest keeping it a potential nickname, perhaps for one of these <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/448/cowboy-baby-names"> cool cowboy names</a> or if you'd prefer something more direct, Solomon, Simeon , and Samuel might fit the bill.

Slim

You can call your baby "babe," but don't name her that. 

Babe

Oceania is one of the most elaborate of the trending Ocean-related names. Oceania also refers to the area of the world including Australia and neighboring islands.

Only six baby girls were named Oceania in the US last year, versus over 375 named Ocean. The Oceane version is very popular in France.

Oceania

Sir William Osler was a Canadian physician, often referred to as the "father of modern medicine". He was one of the four founders of the John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore, MD, and he also founded the History of Medicine Society at the Royal Society of Medicine, London.

Osler

A real Greek river, believe in ancient times to lead to the Underworld. It has been in (rare) use as a boy name from 2010 onwards, coinciding with the rising interest in mythological names.

Acheron

Avian name with cool nickname potential in Blue or Jay.

Bluejay

Scilla are little woodland flowers in a beautiful bright blue color. Scilla can also be a short form of Priscilla, from Prisca "ancient".

Scilla

This unusual English botanical name belongs to a minty-smelling, flowering herb (also called bishopwort), which has been used since medieval times to treat various ailments.
<br/ In the language of flowers, Betony signifies surprise, so this might make for a meaningful choice for an unexpected pregnancy.
<br/ Variant spelling Bettany (as in actor Paul Bettany, or English historian Bettany Hughes), could take this name into trendy surname-as-first-name territory.

Betony

Devoted would certainly stand out and make a statement as a first name, but could make for a cool middle name with religious undertones. 

Devoted

A new addition to the name pool in 2020, along with Kurrency.

Currency

Hickory

A pretty blue wildflower traditionally considered a universal healer and lucky charm – the name is because the sight was thought to speed travelers safely on their way.

Speedwell

Intriguing possibility if you want an animal name that's more than an animal name.

Foxen

A unisex French name that ranks in the Top 200 for boys and the Top 500 for girls there, inspired by a character with the surname Swann in Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time. As a given name, it was popularized by the 1984 film Un amour de Swann ("Swann in Love"), directed by Volker Schlöndorff.