Hayden – a formerly obscure name that's risen to huge popularity – has dipped in this year's ratings. Though Hayden is among the most distinctive of the bunch, it gets lost in the crowd of Jaidens, Bradens, Aidans, and endless variations. Associated with Hayden Christensen, of Star Wars fame.

This phonetic Anglicization of the Irish name Eithne was made familiar by the single-named Irish singer and composer. St. Eithne was the daughter of a king and an early Irish convert to Christianity.

One of many Irish and Scottish surnames starting with Mac and Mc that also feel usable as given names, McCoy has a jaunty and energetic sound. The name entered the US Top 1000 in 2020, and was given to around 220 boys in the US in a recent year, along with 6 girls.

Originally a form of the saint's name Blaise, though now more likely to be a hot word name used for both sexes, though heavily weighted toward the boys. It has been in the boys' Top 1000 since the year 2000. On the pop culture side of things, Blaze Bayley is a singer and musician who has been connected to the bands Wolfsbane and Iron Maiden.

Sure, Arson is a crime, but anecdotally, many of the parents who choose this name do so because Arson = "our son."

A Japanese name with real firepower, Kasai could be a name that's going places. It's a well-kept secret — for now — but it is nevertheless on the rise as parents search for alternatives to names like Kai and co. Given to just 8 boys in 2013, in a more recent count, it was given to 63, reflecting the interest in international gems.

Conley has a contemporary surname feel but is actually vintage in its usage. It was used as a masculine given name through the 1940s and peaked in 1905 at Number 709. Ready for revival? Definitely.

Egan's likeness to the word eager gives this Irish surname a ready-to-please, effervescent energy, and it would make an appropriate substitute for the overused Aidan.

Fintan is an ancient Irish saints' name that in legend is also the name of the only person to survive The Flood. Popular in modern Ireland, Fintan is ripe for export to the US where it is rarely used but could make an excellent long form for the stylish Finn.

Tanwyn is a modern Welsh name that can work for either sex depending on the spelling -- wyn is the traditional boys' spelling, while wen as in Tanwen is the girls' version.

Famous bearers include surfer Tanwyn Travers and the hero of a Victorian Welsh legend titled Envy Burns Itself.

Aodh, the name of the Celtic sun god meaning "fire", was common in early Scotland. It's also the origin of the wildly popular Irish name Aidan (originally Aodhán). Its pronunciation varies depending on region: AY or EE are Irish pronunciations, and in Scotland it's closer to UH, and has been Anglicized as Hugh.

In many minds this one belongs to Barbie, but with such positive meanings and international connections, can Ken make the transition to usability again?

An Ethiopian place-name and multicultural diminutive for many names, including the Slavic Tatiana and the Spanish Cayetana. Tana is also a rare Frisian name, meaning "thought", as well as a masculine name meaning "sweetheart" in the Turkic Karachay-Balkar language.

Tanwen is a far more singular and colorful alternative to Bronwen.

This soundalike for the famous volcano, Mount Etna, is a fiery Irish choice that could be perfect for a red-haired baby girl.

A hot name, though perhaps not in the sense you want for your baby. About 20 times as many boys as girls were named Blaze in one recent year, perhaps because it can be seen as a spelling variation of the classic male saint's name Blaise.

Nuri might be a nickname for the place name Nuria, popular in Spain and Portugal as a honorific for the Virgin Mary. Nuri is also a usually-masculine name heard in the Middle East, but to the Western ear it might work for girls or boys.

This cross-cultural name is a spelling variant of two different popular names: the Irish Aidan and the Hebrew Idan. While Idan is a Top 100 choice in Israel, Aidan - and Aiden - in a number of English speaking countries. Pleasingly simple and concise, Edan may however be mistaken for Eden.

Part Constance, part Finley, Conley is a contemporary sounding surname choice that has been used for boys since the early 20th century. An anglicized form of the Irish name Conleth, it began to be used for girls in the late 90s, and a recent year saw it given to around 40 girls and 60 boys.

Simple yet unusual (to non-Iranians) is an excellent combination for a name, which the fiery Azar embodies perfectly.