By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 755 pages
of 755
English
"son of Anne"
Anson has always been rare, though you might think of actor Anson Williams, best known for playing Potsie Weber on 1970s sitcom Happy Days . As a direct result of the show's popularity, Anson charted…
Spelling variation of Bentley
This car name is made even worse by the trendy -ee suffix. If you've got your heart set on this name, consider going with the original spelling.
"rocky water"
A cool, rugged sounding name, Calder is connected to an ancient Scottish clan, an English village, and a Scottish River, along with the sculptor Alexander Calder, who invented the mobile (as in,…
"hilltop town"
Like many names that have strong political connotations, the attractiveness of the name Clinton will be affected by your world-view. But, taking politics out of the equation, Clinton has a lovely…
Greek from Latin
"dragon"
For as long as we all shall live, Harry Potter's sneering nemesis.
Basque
"handsome"
This is one Basque name that is very transferable to the American context — and it has a great meaning, too. The feminine version is Eider or Ederne.
Edson is a masculine name of English origin, meaning "son of Edward" or "Edward's son." The name gained international recognition through the Brazilian soccer legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento,…
Spelling variation of Frederick, German
"peaceful ruler"
Fredrick is one of the streamlined versions of Frederick, a solid classic boys' name on the brink of rediscovery. Fredrick was given to about 100 baby boys in the US last year, versus about 600 for…
Jahir is a masculine name with Arabic and Hebrew roots. In Arabic, it means 'shining,' 'brilliant,' or 'visible,' coming from the root word related to clarity and prominence. In some cultures, it's…
Modern invented name
What do you call it when you're acting like a Kyle? Kylin'.
English, spelling variation of Leland
"meadow land"
An alternate spelling of Leland, Leeland may appeal to sports-loving parents due to former NFL player Leeland McElroy.
Hebrew
"gladness, joy"
A celebratory choice with a bright sound, Simcha is also used as a word to describe Jewish festivities and joyful occasions such as a wedding or a Bar Mitzvah.
German
"determined fame"
The visibility of actor Wilmer (That 70s Show) Valderrama has highlighted this name, but it's not likely to spread because of its similarity to the feminine (and dated) Wilma.
Elaboration of Dion publicized by the football and baseball star Deion Sanders -- aka Neon Deion.
Turkish
"very rare"
This popular Turkish name has a very on-trend sound and is familiar to English speakers thanks to Orson Scott Card’s sci-fi novel Ender’s Game . The book has recently been turned into a movie,…
Slavic variation of John Latin
"God is gracious; Jove-like, majestic"
Jovan, the name of the supreme Roman deity, seems more extraterrestrial now -- and it's also firmly attached to a perfume label. Some parents may see it as a variation of Giovanni, the Italian for…
English from Latin
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"
Lawrence is the dominant spelling in the US, but in the UK Laurence and Lawrence are given in almost equal numbers each year, often with the adorable nickname Laurie or Lawrie. British actor Sir…
Nyaire ilikely emerged as a creative variation of names like Nyair or Nyier, possibly inspired by similar-sounding African or invented names. The name has a melodic quality with its flowing syllables…
German variation of Oscar
Oskar is to Oscar as Jakob is to Jacob: more distinctive and continental.
Akai is a masculine name with diverse cultural origins. In Japanese, it means 'red' and is derived from the word '赤い' (akai), symbolizing passion, energy, and vitality. The name also appears in…
