Wild Word Names Parents are Actually Using

Updated September 2026

Names193

Pages10

Total Names193

Across 10 pages

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About this list

Recent years have seen bold word names rise up the US charts, with Chosen, Truce, and Halo being notable examples. There are plenty more unexpected options appearing in the stats, with all of the names featured on this list given to at least 5 American babies in a recent year. Get ready to be surprised by some of these!

The names

Showing 1–20 of 193

Saint
English word name
"saint"
Saint as a descriptive word name was first chosen by rocker Pete Wentz for his younger son (baby brother is Bronx), and now Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have catapulted the name into the celebrity…
Meadow
Nature name
Meadow's upward popularity trajectory certainly suggests that the name has transcended its connection to The Sopranos .. In the US, more than 750 baby girls were named Meadow last year, a number we…
Onyx
Word name
"gem stone; claw, nail"
Unlike Pearl and Ruby and more like Jasper, this gem name works well as a boys name. With its strong final X, it feels similar to Alex, Phoenix, Jax, and Rex, while the shiny black quality of the…
Dream
Word name, English from German
"cherished ambition or hope; thoughts and images experienced during sleep; ideal"
A whimsical and serene feeling word name, bestowed to reflect the joy and perfection parents might find in their children and the ambitions they have for them. Once a fantastical and celebrity-only…
Clover
Flower name, from Old English
"key"
Clover is a charming, perky choice if you want to move beyond hothouse blooms like Rose and Lily, and it's recently become a new celeb favorite, chosen by both Neal McDonough and Natasha Gregson…
Heaven
Word name
Among the children named Heaven are the daughters of TV personality Brooke Burke and rap singer Lil' Mo, who also has a daughter named God'iss Love. Some parents have taken to using Nevaeh…
Ledger
English surname
"people's spear; book of recordings"
Ledger, another surname-turned-first name, carries associations of the great and late Australian actor Heath Ledger. It appeared on the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2017, perhaps bolstered by…
Chosen
English word name
"one who is the object of choice or of divine favor"
Chosen is officially a baby name thanks to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who chose (can't resist) the word as the name of his newborn son. While it may inspire bad puns, Chosen is…
Halo
English, word name
Halo is a glowing word name that's both cosmic and spiritual, and with its shiny imagery and bright sounds, it was one of the fasted rising names in 2023. The word "halo" has been used in English…
Sincere
English, Word name
"honest, genuine, and heartfelt"
Reminiscent of Puritan and Pilgrim name choices, Sincere is a relatively modern virtue name that has been in the US Top 1000 since the 2000s. Derived from the Latin word sincerus meaning "pure and…
Lyric
Greek
"of the lyre; songlike; a personal, emotive poem"
Associated with poetry, pop music, and the Greek lyre, Lyric has a light and zippy sound to it and joins the likes of Melody, Harmony, Cadence, and Aria as musical names that have become baby names.…
Truce
English word name
"an agreement between opponents to stop fighting for a certain time"
With its harmonious meaning and gentle sound, Truce has joined the wave of virtuous word names that have risen up the charts in the 21st century. Reflecting a wish for peace during turbulent times,…
Royalty
English word name
"people of royal blood or status"
Royalty represents the convergence of two important trends: word names and superlative names such as Legend and King. Blending status and power with a fashion, flair, and confidence, it this longer…
Stone
Word name
Though some may find such names rather harsh and severe, increasing numbers of parents are gravitating toward this kind of flinty, steely, stony single-syllable name. Many know the name via the…
Halo
American word name
"circle of light"
Celestial and space-age, Halo is a contemporary choice that first appeared in the US stats for boys in 2008. Currently more popular for girls, it is nevertheless on the rise across the board. One on…
Rowdy
American word name
"noisy, disorderly, riotous"
Rowdy was first famously used as a given name in the television series Rawhide, with the young Clint Eastwood playing Rowdy Yates. More recently, competitive swimmer Rowdy Gaines has been featured in…
Sunday
Day name, English from Latin
"day of the Sun"
Sunday is among the most usable of the day names with its sunny first syllable, its sweet sound, and its potential to be both a sassy or a spiritual choice. The name initially made headlines in 2008…
Legacy
English word name
"the long-lasting impact of particular events that took place in the past"
One of the boastful, ultra-modern word names soaring in popularity right now. Though it's a bit more popular for girls than boys -- the "cy" ending reads a little feminine -- it's solidly unisex,…
Love
English word name
"love, fondness, attachment"
Love makes an endearing middle name, as in Jennifer Love Hewitt. However, more parents are considering Love as a first name — enough for it to enter the US charts for the first time in 2022 as one of…
Maple
English tree name from Latin
"maple tree; tree of the Acer genus"
Maple is one of those sweet-spot word names that sounds so almost name-like that it doesn't feel outlandish or strange, despite its relative newness as a given name. Just as Juniper is adjacent to…

Wild Word Names Parents are Actually Using

About this list

The names

Saint

Meadow

Onyx

Dream

Clover

Heaven

Ledger

Chosen

Halo

Sincere

Lyric

Truce

Royalty

Stone

Halo

Rowdy

Sunday

Legacy

Love

Maple