Cool short form of Alexander, fresher than Alex and less trendy than Xander... for now.

The sophisticated Edmond and its nearly-identical twin Edmund are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. Parents looking for an alternative might gravitate to Edmond, a handsome classic that has both class and style.

The kind of serious old-school name that sounds appealing again; perfect for the intrepid baby namer. More commonly spelled Rosamund but highly unusual these days in either version, with fewer than 20 baby girls named Rosamund in the US last year while Rosamond didn't even register with five.

Rhythmic Welsh nickname name, derived from the Welsh royal name Iorwerth, which has sometimes been anglicized as Edward.

We love this partly for purely personal reasons, since it is one of our surnames. We used it as the middle name of a son –and it can make a good first choice too. Redmond – also found as Reamann or Raemonn – is the Irish form of the Germanic name that occurs in modern English as Raymond.

Short but spirited, Pim is in the Top 200 in The Netherlands, though it is little-known elsewhere. A diminutive of Willem (or William), it possibly emerged via its rhyme with alternative, more direct short form, Wim.

A rarely used member of the Ken- family, Kenelm has a rugged, surname-style feel. Borne by a 9th century martyr and a member of the Mercian royal family, it could make an intriguing namesake for a Kenneth, a Kendra, or a Kendrick.

For anyone seeking a more unusual version of Alexander, this is a real winner.

Lighter Latin version of Anselm.

Most Bills today are dads...or grandpas. The younger Williams are usually nicknamed Will, or called by their full names.

Elmo, like fellow Sesame Street characters Kermit and Grover, has a hard time being taken seriously. (It isn't easy being red either.)

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.

Alexei could well join the legion of Alex names popular in the US. There are countless opportunities to liven up Alexander, and Alexei (or Alexey) is one of the most straightforward and appealing.

The list of occupational boys' names continues to expand, and this is one of the latest to ride onto the range. With a hint of cowboy and Western, a sprinkle of preppy surname, an outdoorsy, nature-connected vibe, and a soft-but-strong sound, Ranger has a lot going for it. More than doubling in use over the last decade, it was given to 115 boys in 2024.

Khloe : Chloe :: Kleo : Cleo

Though most Mels are playing pinochle with Murray and Morris, there was a notable Saint Mel. He is one of the earliest Irish saints, a nephew of St. Patrick. He became a priest, then built a great monastery where he served as abbot.

Sander is a more conventional form of Zander or Xander, heard frequently on its own in Europe. It is now a Top 20 name in Norway, and is also popular in Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands. 

One of the most evenly divided unisex names these days; strong and energetic, if overused, for both genders.

The connection to Freud is a strong one, but this German name has a strong and interesting sound and great nickname potential: Ziggy, Iggy, Sim, Sid...

Ultimately derived from the Old Norse Ásmundr, Asmund is the Scandinavian and Manx form, predominantly used in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. In the case of Norway, however, it is much more popularly written as Åsmund, though Aasmund and Asmund are both used too.