6000+ Dog Names

Mountain names such as Everest and Denali are being used more frequently, but Mountain itself was unknown until Hunger Games star Jena Malone used it as a middle name for her son Ode Mountain. And really, why not? It's one of the most unique baby names in the hot nature category.

Conjures up a tweedy English country gentleman with a large paunch.

A bit pharmaceutical, not to mention hatlike.

After Leo, this is one of the most usable names in the zodiac: part ancient, part new-age, part high-tech. In the night sky, the constellation Gemini is present all year round in both hemispheres. It has been associated with twins since ancient times, and its two brightest stars are named Castor and Pollux after the twins of Greek mythology. It also has STEM connections: Project Gemini was a NASA spaceflight program before Apollo.

When you like Eric, but wish it were longer; also the name of a great early English poet.

Innogen is the Shakespearean name that never was. Most sources will tell you that Shakespeare intended to use Innogen for a character in Cymbeline, but his printer mistook the twos Ns for an M, thus inventing Imogen. This may or may not be true — Imogen seems to have existed before his time, and Shakespeare may have changed the spelling on purpose — but nevertheless, it makes for a great name story.

Loyal has history as a boy name—most popular in the late 19th century, later falling off the charts in 1948. This was back when loyalty suggested faithfulness to one's country, rather than fidelity to others. Today it would likely be interpreted as the latter.

Modern virtue names are rapidly rising in popularity—could Loyal be the next True?

Jacinth is a gemstone of the Zircon variety. The name is related to the floral Hyacinth.

Much more common on girls, but this virtue is occasionally given to boys too. It has the option of Bert(ie) as a nickname.

There are a number of towns and villages named Kula across the world, most of them in Eastern Europe and Pacific Islands. Kula is also a name of tribes in Thailand and Cambodia, Australia, and Nigeria. Although there are no Indian tribes by the name, the literal translation of the Sanskrit word kula is "tribe."

Appealing Indian and Arabic choice.

While this might look like a modern spelling of the classic Isabella, it is also the Hungarian and Polish form, pronounced with an EE sound at the beginning. A Top 50 name in Hungary and a Top 200 name in Poland, this form is also popular in Latvia.

An appealing alternative to Hayden and Hayes, perhaps in homage to Old Hollywood actress Rita Hayward.

Hodge is a medieval English nickname for Roger, which was brought to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Roger isn't ready for a comeback yet, but we'd love to see the resurgence of Hodge, which never was a common choice in the US.

A Top 100 name in Israel, where it is overwhelmingly feminine. Zohar is currently used equally between girls and boys in the US but is rising far more quickly for boys.

Truly offbeat, but just on the brink of outré.

Sweeping, romantic overtones.

Belden is a little-used surname-name that might work in this age of Belles.

Pleasant surname connected to humorist James Thurber, with a sound as happy as a baby's gurgle.

The variation of Horatio used in Aragon, Spain.