International Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 21 pages
of 21
Scottish occupational name
"minstrel, poet"
Meaning bard, this is an original choice with poetic and melodic undertones. Bard itself has also come into consideration, both names bringing to mind Shakespeare and other literary lights. The…
Scottish
"the village by the pasture"
Historically interesting via the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which supported the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine.
Scottish surname
"worship place"
Best known to most as a brand of Whisky, Ballantine is a Scottish surname relating to the Celtic god Bal. It has potential as a off-the-beaten-track boys name that is still familiar. Ballantine is…
French occupational name
"beard"
This name's all-male occupational roots help it break the Barbara bonds, but still not the most inspiring surname choice.
English and Scottish
"where birches grow"
Americans may not realize Barclay is the phonetic spelling of the British Berkeley -- though both sound like old-fashioned butler names.
Irish diminutive of Finbar
Barr fits alongside other short and snappy surname-names like Fyfe, Blair and Dawe. They're off the beaten track but instantly familiar.
Scottish surname, meaning unknown
Basie is a fabulous jazz name to honor the Count, whose birth name was William, the influential pianist, organist, bandleader and composer who led his band for almost fifty years. There are lots of…
Blain is a feminine adaptation of what was traditionally a masculine name and surname of Scottish and Gaelic origin. The name derives from the Gaelic 'blàthán,' meaning 'flower' or 'blossom,' though…
Blain is a masculine name with Scottish and Gaelic origins, derived from the Gaelic surname "Bláan" or possibly from a place name meaning "field" or "plain." It's also sometimes considered a…
Irish
"yellow"
She's the bff of Blair, Blake, and Brooke who shop at Bergdorf's, Bonwits and Bendel's.
"dweller on the plain"
One of the first generation of cool surname names, now largely used for girls in the US, but still popular for boys in its native Scotland. A prominent association for Brits is former prime minister…
Blaire as a masculine name represents an interesting gender crossover from what has become more commonly used for girls in recent decades. With Scottish and Gaelic origins, Blaire derives from a…
Boise as a masculine name takes inspiration from the city of Boise, Idaho, which itself derives from the French word "boisé" meaning "wooded." This place name has occasionally been adopted as a…
Bower comes from English surname origins, derived from the Old English word 'bur,' referring to a cottage or dwelling, particularly one in a leafy enclosure or garden. Historically, it was an…
"blond"
Music legend David Bowie lends his adopted surname considerable charisma to this stylish Scottish name for girls and boys. Born David Robert Jones, he changed his name to avoid confusion with The…
"blond, yellow"
Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn put this name in play as a first name, but David Bowie (born with the considerably less marketable moniker of David Robert Jones) gave it charisma. He changed his…
Has a bit of a hayseed image, and that oy sound is tough to work with.
"white cow"
The famous Battle of the Boyne, in Ireland, vanquished the Catholic king.
"speckled, freckled"
Among the more masculine of the short unisex B names, Brice is less popular than Bryce for both sexes. There were 240 boys named Brice in the US in one recent year, versus only five girls -- and more…
Brice, much more often spelled Bryce, is an old saint's name that now has a sleek and sophisticated image—it feels elegant and efficient. Of the two spellings, Bryce is much more popular for both…
