Cool Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 26 pages
of 26
Italian, feminine variation of Frederick, German
"peaceful ruler"
Federica is the Latin version of Frederica, one of those formerly stuffy female names -- think Josephine and Eleanor -- that feels fresh and elegant again. And Federica has more energy without that…
Latin, feminine form of Ambrose
"Immortal"
Ambrosia combines some of the more whimsical qualities of more popular Aurora and Isabella, with a heavenly meaning. In Greek mythology, Ambrosia was not a goddess or other figure but literally the…
Animal name or English diminutive of Beatrice, Latin
"she who brings happiness"
We've seen Beatrice and Beatrix climb in popularity, along with traditional nickname Bea. And now there's Bee, giving it a buzzy nature world spin, plus a tie to popular late night TV''s Samantha…
Hebrew or Greek
"my candle; ocean spirit"
A simple but unusual name with roots in disparate cultures, Neri appears in the Bible as a male name and is still sometimes used for boys as well as girls. The appeal of Neri are its deep roots…
English surname
"valley by the stream"
A cool, unique surname name with debated origins. Some sources say Rigden is a lost habitational name, as evidenced by a significant number of bearers in Kent, England. In this case, Rigden would…
Hebrew
"gold"
A Middle Eastern name rarely heard here, but with a certain swashbuckling charm.
Bird name
There is a whole new species of bird names open to the baby namer, from the light and feminine Lark to the sleek and powerful Falcon.
"from Sladen"
Updates Slade with surname style.
Swedish or Cornish
"fairy"
Pixie is a cute -- quite possibly too cute -- name that suddenly feels possible thanks to the craze for names that contain the letter x. Though its origin may be uncertain, a pixie is internationally…
English
"a bunch of flowers"
A sweet, nostalgic nosegay kind of name, Posy has been long fashionable in England, a country of gardeners, but this pretty bouquet-of-flowers name is still rarely heard in the US, though it could be…
Medieval variation of Esther, Persian
"star"
The disgraced heroine of The Scarlet Letter 's name, after long neglect, just might have a chance at revival, following in the wake of sister-name Esther. We've characterized her elsewhere as an…
Greek place name
"of Delphi; womb"
An interesting unisex possibility, with an air of mystery connected to the Delphic Oracle, the most important oracle in ancient Greece; it was also a major site for the worship of the god Apollo.…
Irish
"freckled, speckled"
This Irish name of a saint from the Isle of Aran also appears in myth and fantasy fiction, giving it an intriguing, mystical air. Some modern parents are attempting to update the spelling, as in the…
German
"battle"
Saint Bavo of Ghent was a nobleman who gave away his possessions and roamed Europe doing good works. He is a patron saint of several cities in Belgium and the Netherlands.
English word name
"slow, sad, songs of lamentation; a music genre of black American folk origin"
While Ivy Blue has made the color a more popular choice for girls, Blues — as in the musical style — could feel more masculine. While some may find it a sad and gloomy choice, thanks to the phrase…
English from Greek
"leaf"
Petal is the soft and sweet-smelling name of a character in the novel and film, The Shipping News . With the rise of such flower names as Poppy and Posy, we believe Petal — down-to-earth yet romantic…
Latin
"song for unaccompanied voices"
Madrigal might be a pretty and highly distinctive choice for a child of a musical family--or for the parent looking for a less conventional path to the nickname Maddie than Madeline or Madison .…
Feminine form of Justus, Latin
"just"
Justa is an ancient saints' name. Saints Justa and Rufina were martyred sisters who are today the patron saints of Seville in Spain. While Justice and Justus have caught on as names, Justa remains…
Diminutive of Fletcher, English
"arrow maker"
This snappy nickname may remind some of the 1985 Chevy Chase movie of the same name. Writer and actress Jill Kargman has a son called Fletch.
French word name
"wharf"
A name that looks intriguing and masculine on paper, but is, unfortunately, a homonym for a girl's name.
