Names That Mean Marsh

Carson is one of the most long-running popular androgynous baby names, with a dash of the Wild West via the legendary Missouri frontiersman Kit Carson. Dating back to when it was the name of Nancy Drew's Dad, Carson is still steadily in the Top 200 baby names.

A fen is an English marshland, and Fenn came into use as a habitational surname for a person who dwelt near one. Now, it's a rarely used first name too, a handsome alternative to Finn.

Very popular surname choice — it's in the Boys' Top 100 — beginning to catch on for girls. First female association: novelist Carson McCullers.

No, not Ben (you'll say a million times), not Van -- Venn. John Venn was a British logician and philosopher famous for introducing the Venn diagram, which is used in several fields, including logic, statistics, and computer science.

Fenton is the kind of surname name that's starting to sound almost like a normal first name these days. While it made a brief appearance on the Top 1000 in the late 1800s, today it's distinctive but in step with the times. And Fen as a nickname is undeniably cute -- a Ben of the future.

This rare but meaningful name is bestowed upon the children of Boston Red Sox fans in honor of their home ballpark, Fenway Park. Fenway Park is the oldest in the MLB. It was named after the neighborhood in which it is located, Fenway-Kenmore.

Can't help thinking of a donkey.

A contemporary, feminized variation of Carson.

This hip Parisian neighborhood name would make a delightful middle for a baby girl.

A fen is an English marshland, and Fenn came into use as a habitational surname for a person who dwelt near one. Could be a fresh alternative to Fern or Gwen.

In Greek mythology, a surname of Athena and an epithet of Europa.

Buoyant but lightweight.

The Y ending gives Carson a feminine spin. Carsyn is used for girls more than 70% of the time.