By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 76 pages
of 76
Irish
"red-haired warrior"
Clancy, one of the original crossover Irish surname names, is as energetic and appealing as ever — full of moxie, more distinctive than Casey, and also one of the less obvious of the red-headed…
Anglo-Saxon from French
"pledge of peace"
In the US, this spelling is less common than mid-century favorite Jeffrey, and it has faded from popularity faster. This more British spelling is the usual form for historical figures like Geoffrey…
Ky is a modern minimalist masculine name with multiple possible origins. As a standalone name, it may be derived from the Irish 'Caodhain' (meaning 'little battle') or can function as a shortened…
Gaelic
"son of Aodh"
McKay is the Anglicized form of Mac Aodha, meaning "son of Aodh" in Gaelic. Aodh is the origin of names such as Aidan and Hugh, making McKay a subtle way to honor people with those names.
Zay is a concise masculine name with multiple potential origins. It may function as a shortened form of longer names such as Isaiah, Zachariah, Xavier, or Zayn. In Arabic, 'Zay' is the name of a…
Amay is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins. In Indian contexts, it can derive from Sanskrit, meaning 'immortal' or 'without limits,' conveying a sense of boundlessness or eternal…
English, Irish
"black, dark"
Cary Grant's debonair image has stood the test of time: he is still rated as one of the most handsome and admired men in Hollywood. Charming, succinct, and witty, Cary (also spelled Carey) was a…
Word name
Extremely attractive color name chosen by some African-American families for its reference to the West African Ivory Coast; more commonly used for girls.
Scottish
"son of the fair hero"
New Presidential name, if you're ready to move beyond Lincoln and Jefferson. At the turn of the last century, during the original McKinley's heyday, as a first name it almost reached the Top 100.
Samy is a masculine name with multicultural origins, functioning as a variant spelling of Sammy or Sami. It can be a diminutive of Samuel (Hebrew for 'God has heard') or a transliteration of سامي…
English
"ridge farm"
Rigby is a rather stiff British surname, which might call to mind the Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" or, from the recent past, Cathy Rigby, the first American woman to win a medal in World Gymnastics…
Arjunreddy is a masculine name of Indian origin, primarily found in South Indian communities. It combines 'Arjun,' the name of the legendary archer and warrior from the Hindu epic Mahabharata…
Anglicized variation of Welsh Dewi, nickname of Dafydd
"beloved"
Not heard since the 1980s, Dewey shot into the Top 20 in 1898 thanks to the popularity of Spanish-American War naval hero Admiral George Dewey. Dewey has subtle links to his Welsh roots and relation…
Donny is a masculine name most commonly used as a diminutive of Donald, which derives from the Scottish Gaelic name Dòmhnall, meaning "world ruler" or "world mighty." The name gained significant…
English or Gaelic surname
"descendent of the champion"
Rooney is one of many bouncy Irish surnames that could make an agreeable first, once tied to Mickey Rooney (who was actually born Joseph Yule) in his young and spunky Andy Hardy period. Young "Girl…
American word name
Royalty is a super-hot name for girls, but there's no reason it can't be used for boys too. In fact it is, but only about 5 percent of the time, making it one of those unisex names whose usage is…
"rye clearing; courageous"
An alternative spelling of the popular Riley, this name was once in the UK Top 300, though now lingers in the 900s. Riley is much more popular both there and everywhere else.
French
"of Thracia"
Almost always a girl's name now.
"dweller near the ash tree meadow"
It may have peaked at #1 for girls in 1991 and 1992 in the US, but Ashley actually has a long history as a male given name, as evidenced by the sensitive Ashley Wilkes in Gone With the Wind . It's…
Ilay is a masculine name with Scottish and Hebrew origins. In its Scottish context, it likely derives from Islay, the famous Hebridean island known for its whisky production and natural beauty. In…
