Alaska's Denali National Park is the home of the highest mountain in the US, officially renamed Denali in 2014, endowing the name with a lofty feel. There were 20 boys and 55 girls given the name in 2014.

Zuma was entered in the American name lexicon when musicians Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale chose it for their son. Californians will recognize Zuma as the name of a beautiful beach in Malibu, and it's also the surname of a South African president. With the lovely meaning of peace and its place-name associations, Zuma is one of those American names that literally sprang from the earth.

Merrit is a spelling variation of the more usual Merritt.

What is so rare as a month named June? October – and November and December – are a lot rarer. Brisk and substantial, they're so much more memorable and modern than April or May. October got its name via being the eighth month in the old Roman calendar. Some related, more feminine variations are Octavia and Ottavia.

Though Davy Crockett is a childhood hero, a frontiersman, soldier, politician, congressman and prolific storyteller. But be aware that "crock" is American slang for a lot of nonsense or something broken.

More universal than Elvis...and more conventionally attractive, too. Cindy Crawford used it for her son, though it's on the rise mainly for girls. The last time Presley ranked in the Top 1000 for boys was 1903, 120 years ago. Today, it's used for girls 14 times as often as for boys, mainly because of the -ley ending.

Ezri is one of the cool new unisex names starting with E, except as a Biblical name, it's not so new. Used for both genders in Israel, in the US it's currently running five to one in favor of girls, surprisingly. Its deviation from the better known and more traditional Ezra makes it feel like one of the more truly gender neutral names.

Nani is a multicultural feminine name with origins spanning several traditions. In Hawaiian, it means 'beautiful' or 'glory,' while it can also be a shortened form of names like Danielle or Natalie in Western cultures. In Hindi and Sanskrit, Nani affectionately refers to a maternal grandmother, adding a warm familial connection. This short, melodic name has gained appeal in diverse communities for its simplicity and positive associations. The name's brevity makes it accessible across languages and cultures, while its various meaningful connections give it depth. Nani's contemporary sound fits well with modern naming trends favoring short, distinctive names with cross-cultural resonance. Its gentle tone and positive meanings contribute to its growing popularity.

Finola, the readily accessible version of some of the more problematic Gaelic versions of the name, would make a welcome addition to the stockpot of Irish girls' names.

Ezra is a Biblical name that is being rediscovered, which means its variation Ezri can't be far behind. Ezri is one of the up-and-coming unisex names starting with E, with the gender divide surprisingly running five to one in favor of girls.

Unlike the feminine Blanca, this name for some reason seems to put more emphasis on the "blank" aspect.

Jessamy and big sister Jessamine are all but unknown in the U.S., but make distinctive alternatives to overexposed Jessica, Jessie, and Jasmine.