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Nameberry's Favorite Word Names

  1. Urban

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "of the city"

    • Description:

      Urban was not an uncommon name through the 1930s (rising as high as Number 435), having been attached to several saints and early popes, but it has completely disappeared from the landscape--both urban and rural. Yet in this era of word name appreciation and trend for 'an'-ending boys' names, we're thinking it might be ready for a return.
  2. Fawn

    • Origin:

      Nature name

    • Meaning:

      "a young deer"

    • Description:

      The doe-eyed Fawn is as gentle and soft as the baby deer it represents. And much like that baby deer, it carries with it the potential of new life. Fawn was featured at the bottom of the Top 1000 throughout the '60s and '70s — around the same time that Bambi came into play. But unlike Bambi, Fawn maintains relevance in the 21st century, thanks to its warmth and ties to the natural world. We would love to meet more baby girls named Fawn.
  3. Maven

    • Origin:

      Word name or Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "one who understands"

    • Description:

      In English, the word 'maven' refers to an expert or connoisseur, someone who possesses deep knowledge. Comedian Tracy Morgan brought this name into the spotlight when he chose it for his daughter, Maven Sonae, in 2013. Now, over 100 newborn girls in the US are given this name each year.
  4. Flint

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "born near outcrop of flint"

    • Description:

      Flint is one of the new macho names on the rise today, part old-school tough guy, part rebel. You won't find a tougher, steelier-sounding name; it's part of a genre on the rise along with cousins Slate, Stone and Steel.
  5. Ebony

    • Origin:

      English

    • Description:

      An attractive and now underused nature name belonging to a tree whose wood is prized for its dark color and dense texture, which shines when polished. Ebony joined the most popular girl names list in the US in the early 1970s, peaked in 1982 at #132, and dropped back below the Top 1000 in 2006.
  6. Ember

    • Description:

      Ember is traditionally a unisex name that has been increasingly used for both boys and girls, though it's somewhat more common for females. Derived from the English word for a small, glowing piece of coal or wood in a dying fire, Ember evokes warmth, light, and enduring energy. The name gained popularity in the early 21st century as part of the trend toward nature-inspired names. For boys, it carries connotations of strength and subtle power. Ember also has connections to the ancient calendar month name 'September' (though etymologically distinct). Its short, two-syllable structure makes it straightforward yet distinctive, with a contemporary feel despite its ancient word origins.

  7. Jinx

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Meaning:

      "spell, curse, bringer of bad luck"

    • Description:

      Jinx, a James Bond heroine name has an ominous meaning but kinetic energy. In the film "Die Another Day," the actual first name of the character played by Halle Berry is Giacinta. It could therefore be a playful nickname to Ginevra, Jessica, Genevieve, Gianna, Josephine, or Georgina, or a bold choice for those wanting some sparky and witchy.
  8. Art

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Arthur

    • Meaning:

      "noble one; bear man"

    • Description:

      Though short and brisk, no nickname name could have a more creative image. Comic actor Chris O'Dowd named his son Art, as in his native Ireland it's used as a name on its own, separate from Arthur., coming from an ancient word for ""a bear,"" and used in the sense of ""outstanding warrior"" or ""champion."" A pagan High King of Ireland, Art’s rule was so honest that two angels hovered over him in battle.
  9. Gray

    • Origin:

      Color name, also diminutive of Grayson

    • Description:

      The girls have Violet and Scarlet and Ruby and Rose, but for the boys there's a much more limited palette of color names. Gray (or Grey), is one exception, which could make for a soft and evocative--if slightly somber-- choice, especially in the middle. Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney recently named their son Leo Grey.
  10. Snow

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Description:

      There's definitely a cold front of names for winter babies moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure, evocative -- and magical. A haunting middle name choice.
  11. Arrow

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Description:

      Words are not always easy to translate into baby names, but the implications of being straight and swift lend this one great potential as a name. It also has the popular o-sound ending, which brings it further into the realm of possibility. Rising rock star Aja Volkman pulled a gender switch when she named her daughter Arrow Eve.
  12. Story

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "an account of incidents or events"

    • Description:

      An imaginative choice with an uptempo Cory/Rory/Tori sound, perfect for the child of a writer — or anyone with a good story to tell. Story has been finding some appreciation among celebs like Minnie Driver and others as a middle name. This is just one of the literary word names that have recently entered the realm of possibility, such as Fable, Sonnet and Poem.
  13. Quill

    • Origin:

      Irish, diminutive of Quillan or Quiller; also English word name

    • Meaning:

      "lion, scribe, writer with a quill pen"

    • Description:

      Quill is a unique possibility for the child of writers -- even if they do use computers rather than pens; could also serve as a rhyming tribute to an ancestor named Gil, Phil, or Bill (or Jill).
  14. Moss

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "descendant of Moses"

    • Description:

      This evocative green nature name, heard much more frequently as a surname, is associated with playwright Moss Hart (born Robert), who co-wrote (with George S. Kaufman) such enduring Broadway comedies as The Man Who Came to Dinner and You Can't Take it With You.
  15. Eleven

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "eleven"

    • Description:

      If Erykah Badu can name her son Seven, why can't you name your daughter (or son) this? Eleven has recently gotten a lot of attention via the character on the TV show Stranger Things.
  16. Azure

    • Origin:

      English color name, Persian

    • Meaning:

      "sky blue; lapis lazuli"

    • Description:

      Azure is a colorful gender-neutral choice, currently used equally for baby girls and boys in the US. It refers to a specific shade of blue seen in a cloudless sky. Elon Musk revealed Azure to be the name of his daughter with Shivon Zilis, twin sister to Strider.
  17. Rip

    • Origin:

      Dutch

    • Meaning:

      "strength, might"

    • Description:

      The name of Rip Van Winkle – and Rip (born Elmore) Torn – will probably never be ready for further consumption, if only because of the implications of R. I. P. The only thing that could save it is Rip Wheeler, the handsome ranch foreman on the soapy Western Yellowstone.
  18. Blossom

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "to bloom"

    • Description:

      Now that parents have picked virtually every name in the garden, from the common Rose to the captivating Zinnia, some are reconsidering the old, more generic names like Flora and Posy and Blossom — which was last in favor in the 1920s and still has a Floradora showgirl aura.
  19. Echo

    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name

    • Meaning:

      "echo or sound"

    • Description:

      Echo, the pretty, resonant name of a legendary nymph, was the heroine of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series Dollhouse. Nick Hexum, of the band 311, named his daughter Echo Love.
  20. Sunny

    • Origin:

      Nickname name

    • Description:

      Upbeat nickname-name that can't help but make you smile, along with its soundalike Sonny.