200+ Cool Middle Names

Has a dotty, antic feel via dotty, antic Auntie Mame.

True has become an accepted first and middle name; Truth makes an even stronger statement. And with nearly 150 baby boys named Truth in the US in the most recent year counted, as many as were named Ross, the word name is edging up on the Top 1000.

With the plethora of Alexes around, Xan (and Xander) have emerged as hot new nicknames for Alexander. Xan also stands well on its own. It can be found--not surprisingly--in several computer games.

Paz, currently represented by actresses Paz Vega and Paz de la Huerts, would make a sparkling middle name choice. It originated as a title of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Peace, and is one of the names that mean peace, derived from the Latin word "pax".

Ax makes a somewhat threatening short form of the popular Axel, given to more than 3000 baby boys last year. It can also be used on its own, though it usually isn't. There were, however, seven baby boys named Axe in the US in 2015.

Wildly optimistic -- and unrealistic -- choice.

Alaska's Denali National Park is the home of the highest mountain in the US, officially renamed Denali in 2014, endowing the name with a lofty feel. There were 20 boys and 55 girls given the name in 2014.

Spunky old vaudeville era nickname name suddenly sounds new again.

Worthy sibling for Oak, Elm, Juniper, and Spruce.

This hip Parisian neighborhood name would make a delightful middle for a baby girl.

An inspirational and aspirational word name that evokes ideas of loyalty, faith, honesty, and accuracy, True is a unisex name, which is just slightly more popular for boys. Like an updated form of Trudy and Prue and with the virtuous feel of Grace, Faith, and Hope, True was given to around 200 girls in 2023.

An interesting Canadian province and city name that has some literary history as the name of a character in Dickens's Bleak House; could make a distinctive choice for parents with northern roots.

Journalist Hiawatha Bray is a singular contemporary bearer of this name of a Native-American leader immortalized in a Longfellow poem.

Nico is a fun and lively nickname, full of charm, and suitable both as a full name and a short form. Nikko is a unique spelling that currently sits just outside of the US Top 1000.

Ryatt — which may be a combination of names like Ryan and Wyatt — gives you the sound of Riot without the violent connotations. Naturally, it's almost twice as popular among baby boys than Riot, even cracking the Top 1000 in 2022.

Supermodel Shalom Harlow glamorized this name, which is heard as a greeting every day in Israel.

This evocative place-name is rising in popularity -- despite (or perhaps because of) the unfortunate association with an airplane that went missing in March 2014.

Unisex variation of Jazz or Jasper that couldn't say it more plainly. Used for their daughter by tennis couple Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi.

One of the best-known African names in the Western World because of the Somali-born model and wife of the late David Bowie.

Regal Kingsley seems like an all-boy name, but a growing number of parents have bestowed this name on a girl. Credit the ever-trendier -ley suffix.