Historic and Vintage Names · Cool Baby Names
Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
Modern invented name
Combination of popular sounds from names like Aviana and Clara.
Irish surname, related to the sea
A merry surname cousin of Kerrigan, could make a lively choice for a happy little girl.
Welsh
"loveable"
Mabli is the sweet Welsh variant of Mabel, first used at the beginning of the 20th-century making it a relatively modern choice. Cute but energetic with the appeal of other Welsh names like Cadi and…
Invented name, Scottish surname, diminutive of Katherine
"of the red earth; pure"
Like a blend of vintage-style Edie and popular Katie, Keedie is either an invented name, a variant of the Scottish surname Keddy, or possibly a short form of Katherine. In the case of Soprano singer…
Irish
"little dog"
An unusual, energetic surname choice that would make a good Madison alternative. Madigan was a typical police detective series of the 1970s, starring Richard Widmark.
English and Scottish occupational name
"metalworker"
If you're tired of Oliver, you might consider this energetic three-syllable surname instead, so you could have a little Tolly instead of an Ollie. Tolliver is a not-too-obvious occupational Scottish…
American
"independent, nonconformist"
If you love the cowboy feel, the surname charm, and the Top Gun association that come with the currently popular Maverick but want to keep hold of the free-spirited and unconventional energy its…
Color and nature name
Even among the range of blue names on the current baby naming palette -- Blue itself, Azure, Cerulean, Teal, Aqua, Cyan, Indigo -- Cobalt remains the most unusual, not to mention the most masculine.
Dutch, German, Romanian, English
"of the forest"
Modern form of Latin Silvanus, and an appealing -ian ending option if Julian or Adrian feel too popular for you.
English
"happy, friendly"
The surname of enterprising journalist Nellie Bly and poet Robert Bly makes a simple, modern, and upbeat sounding choice for either a boy or a girl.
Swedish
"little devoted one"
A sweet and sparky modern Swedish name, derived from the word for "little" plus the suffix vi , which may mean "devoted, dedicated". An intriguing alternative to the popular Lily family of names.
"born in victory"
Sibry or Sibree were used as personal names in medieval times and are also surnames. Obscure but accessible, this name has real modern possibilities.
Invented name, combination of Lili and Guinevere
"lily + white shadow, white wave"
This romantic, ethereal name sounds straight out of Arthurian legend but is in fact a modern hybrid of Guinevere and Lili. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter Lilibet — her own name inspired by…
English, combination of Leo and Theodore
"gift of god + lion"
Popular Leo meets popular Theodore in this seamless compound name, that could be interpreted as meaning "lion's gift" or "god gifted lion". Borne by a character in the 2016 movie, Zootopia , it has…
Hebrew
"my motion; my rest, repose"
A modern Hebrew compound name, blending the popular Noah/Noa with the name Hebrew name Li to mean either "my motion" or "my rest and repose" depending on which form of Noah you take as the first…
English surname from French
"caterer"
An old surname which was originally given to a person in charge of buying groceries for the manor house, this is now most famously associated with American novelist Willa Cather. A nice option for…
"son of Kit; son of Christopher"
A surname-style name which could work as a contemporary route to nickname Kit or as a modern way to honor a Christopher, Christian, Christina, or similar. Meaning "son of Kit" or "son of…
American invented name
"heather field"
Combining "Hez", a short form of Heather, and the -ley suffix meaning "field, clearing", Hezly is a modern invented name that has yet to catch on. US Olympic gymnast Hezly Rivera might change that…
Literary invented name
Suzanne Collins invented this name for a District 12 tribute — Maysilee Donner — who is mentioned in The Hunger Games trilogy and is a main character in the prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping . It may…
Diminutive of Mae
Maeby sprang into the modern consciousness via the cult TV favorite Arrested Development , in which the appealing teen character Maeby's name is a nickname for Mae. It's also a homonym for Maybe,…