Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames · Cool Baby Names
200+ Cool Middle Names
Across 11 pages
of 11
Iman
Arabic
"faith"
One of the best-known African names in the Western World because of the Somali-born model and wife of the late David Bowie.
Huckleberry
Word name and literary name
Everybody knows Huckleberry Finn, the Mark Twain character named, Twain said, for the 19th century slang term for "humble." A few modern parents have put it on a birth certificate, including "Man Vs.…
Hosanna
Hebrew
"deliver us"
In the New Testament, Hosanna was exclaimed by those around Jesus when he first entered Jerusalem, making this an exuberant and spiritual choice. A possible alternative for Susanna or Hannah, it was…
Hiawatha
Iroquois
"he makes rivers"
Journalist Hiawatha Bray is a singular contemporary bearer of this name of a Native-American leader immortalized in a Longfellow poem.
Havana
Taíno place-name
Politics aside, the Cuban capital is one of the most rhythmic of place-names. The question is: can politics be put aside?
Grove
Nature name
"grove of trees"
Fresh, evocative choice.
Gray
Color name, also diminutive of Grayson
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…
Blue
Color name
Blue suddenly came into the spotlight, as the unusual color name chosen by Beyonce and Jay-Z for their baby girl Blue Ivy. Blue is also a starbaby middle name du jour, used for both sexes in…
Atlas
Greek
"bearer of the heavens"
While Atlas is a decidedly male god and this name is in the US Top 300 for boys, it is used for an increasingly significant number of baby girls in the US. And undeniably, it's a name that imparts…
Gianni
Italian
"God is gracious"
Traditionally a masculine Italian boy name, a diminutive to Giovanni, equivalent to Johnny, it has started to be used for girls in the US, with nearly 200 being given this appellation in 2024. While…
Claude
French from Latin
"lame; enclosure"
Claude is a soft-spoken French name that conjures up the pastel colors of Monet and harmonies of Debussy. In France, it is used for girls as well, in fact in the Tracy Chevalier novel Lady and the…
Frost
English
"freezing"
Long heard as a last name, as in venerable poet Robert, U.K. talk show host David, British actress Sadie and old Jack Frost, Frost has suddenly entered the scene as a possible first, along with other…
Ciel
French
"sky"
This simple yet evocative French word name was chosen for her daughter by model Niki Taylor. While Ciel may be pronounced in French with two syllables, many will pronounce it as "seal" and there may…
Birch
Tree name
Birch is a rarely used nature name that calls to mind the lovely image of the tall, strong but graceful white-barked tree. The best known bearer of the name is former high-ranking Democratic Senator…
Maize
English
"corn"
One of the more unusual nature names , Maize is given to a dozen or so boys and girls each year and is almost completely unisex in terms of usage. It could also be short for Maisie/Maizie.…
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. Currently more popular for girls in the US, it was in the Top 1000 for boys between 2007 and 2020.…
Fleur
French
"flower"
Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur…
Lyle
Scottish and English from French
"someone who lives on an island"
Though it's used far more often for boys, Lyle has a lot in common with today's trending girl names that share the double L sound: Lila, Layla, and Lola. With its cool island related meaning, derived…
Finesse
English from French, word name
"Saturday Night Live" cast member Finesse Mitchell often mocks his own and similar names when portraying the character Starkeisha on the show.
Chan
Cambodian
"sweet smelling tree"
Whether it's an Asian surname-name or short for Channing, has a sound and feel that's both simple and stand-out.