By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 755 pages
of 755
English
"elder tree forest"
The "el-" sound is red-hot these days, and a myriad of place names and surnames give this name a wealth of possible namesakes. The main drawback is its kinship to the name of the hero of the Legally…
Variation of Hendrik, Dutch and Scandinavian
"estate ruler"
Unless you're a gin aficionado, we prefer Hendrik. Or better yet, Henrik.
Arabic
"generous; steed"
A common Arabic name also spelt Jaouad, Javad or Javadd (the middle name of One Direction band member Zayn Malik).
Spelling variation of Jacob
No, adding a Y does not do enough to separate this name from the ever-popular Jacob.
Variation of Cason
As far as variations of Cason go, Kaisyn is relatively rare.
Spelling variation of Carson
"son of the marsh-dwellers"
Carson is finally beginning to fall slightly after a nearly 2-decade reign of popularity, and we suspect its many spelling variations will follow suit.
Basque and Scandinavian variation of Michael
"who is like God"
A Basque and Scandinavian form of Michael, pronounced MEE-kel. In the US, it is sometimes chosen as a modern alternative spelling of Michael.
Japanese
"beauty, flow, lapis lazuli"
While Rumi has received attention in the contemporary US as the name of Beyonce and Jay-Z's young daughter, it's most famously the name of a (male)13th century Muslim mystic and poet. The most famous…
Colston is a masculine name of English origin derived from the Old English elements 'col' (coal or charcoal) and 'tun' (settlement or town), meaning 'coal town' or 'from the coal settlement.' This…
Italian, English, Greek
"order, beauty, universe"
With a touch of celestial power, a hint of clunky charm, and the totally cool -o ending, Cosmo may well be finally shaking itself free of both the Seinfeld association (which made it a punchline of a…
Scottish
"handsome, fair of face"
Irvin is an Old Man name that has an uncertain future. Losing the final g in Irving makes the name slightly less dated -- but just slightly. There's something about the 'erv' sound that makes Irvin…
French variation of James and Jacob
"supplanter"
Regal and ancient feeling, Jacques has been declining in popularity in its native France, but in the UK, it saw a surprising revival in 2022. Jumping from somewhere around the #2500 mark straight to…
"rock spring"
This would be an intriguing choice for an illustrator's child, thanks to Norman Rockwell and Rockwell Kent. But most babies called Rockwell today are named after Porter Rockwell, a companion of…
Zaidyn is a modern American name with Arabic roots. It's a variant spelling of Zayden, which derives from the Arabic name Zayd, meaning 'increase' or 'abundance.' This contemporary spelling with the…
"bow hill"
An English surname and place name, typically referring to someone who lives by or at the top of a hill, Bowden has similar sounds to other popular choices like Bodhi and Brody, or to Rowdy and Howie,…
Hussain is a masculine name of Arabic origin, a variant of Hassan, meaning 'handsome' or 'good.' The name holds particularly deep significance in Islamic tradition as it was the name of Prophet…
Variation of Ishana, Izaan, or Ezan, Hindi, Arabic
"commanding, ruling, owning; submission, call to prayer"
Izhaan is a multicultural choice with its origins in Hindi, Sanskrit, Arabic, and Urdu. As a Hindi name, it is associated with Ishana, the three eyed Hindu guardian and god of the northeast, often…
Jasir is a masculine name with Arabic origins, meaning 'brave,' 'courageous,' or 'bold.' The name carries strong positive connotations of valor and fortitude in Arabic-speaking cultures. Jasir has…
Word name
Journey is one of the hot new spiritual names . Although Journey was given in 2015 to over 1100 baby girls and fewer than 100 baby boys, it's more visible on the celebrity baby scene as a boys' name:…
Latin
"just"
More unusual than Justin, less word-like than Justice, this New Testament name could make an intriguing choice. After being off the popularity lists from 1904 to 1993, it is now being used in steady…
