By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 12 pages
of 12
Word name
Toni Morrison, a master of character naming, coined this one for the best friend of hero Milkman Dead in Song of Solomon . Definitely a cool choice, with a twang.
Irish
"glutton"
Gulliver is an obscure Gaelic surname known almost solely through its literary Travels until actor Gary Oldman used it for his son, instantly transforming it into a lively option. British actors…
French
"pancake"
Feminine variation of Galen, Greek
"calm"
Galene is a minor goddess of Greek mythology, representing the calm seas. She is also sometimes referred to as Galatea.
English diminutive of Augusta, Latin
"great, magnificent"
Gussie fits the growing trend of boyish nicknames for girls - alongside Charlie and Frankie. But Gussie is a bit fussy — try Gus.
Greek
"healer, calm"
The final n makes this choice infinitely more modern than Gail.
Scottish
"windy place"
Guthrie, folk singer Woody's last name, makes a perfectly fine first choice for a girl. Names such as Guthrie that have no gendered history can make true nonbinary names.
English word name
An out-of-this-world choice, literally.
"milk; gift"
A seldom used name invented by J.R.R. Tolkien for Lord of the Rings, this boys' name makes good use of the 'Gal' prefix and 'Dor' suffix to craft an appealing and unique alternative to Theodore.
French form of the Italian Gaetano
"of Gaeta"
It's unusual, but that may be its best feature.
Welsh variation of William
"resolute protection"
The Welsh version of William is almost unheard-of across, but it's fairly straightforward and could make a good heritage choice or alternative honor name.
If you want to go waaaaay beyond William, consider this Welsh form, which can also be spelled Gwilym, Gwilim, or Gwillym.
Variation of Gaynor, Welsh
"white and smooth"
A strong, classic, simple name that has nonetheless never been overexposed.
Tibetan
"ocean"
Gyatso is a highly meaningful name in Tibetan Buddhism. It is added to the name of each Dalai Lama — the current one is Tenzin Gyatso. It is a translation of the title Dalai, which means "ocean" or…
English slang word
In addition to being the term for a job performing music, Gig has been used as a name, as in onetime actor Gig Young--who was born Byron but took his stage name from a character he played.
French form of the Latin Gabinus
"of Gabium"
Fans of the classic French film actor Jean Gabin might want to consider this one. Gabin is also a harmonica-playing character in the manga and anime series "Mirmo!"
Because that's what your child is—a gift.
Modern invented name
Gidget was the surfer girl who started it all. She was the subject of six novels by Frederick Kohner, and the 1959 film in which she made her theatrical debut, starring Sandra Dee, helped make…
French surname
Pronounced GHEED, this surname of Nobel Prizewinning novelist Andre could make a smooth, sleek middle name choice.
"blond boy"
Transformation of the stolid Gilbert into an animated surname name.
