Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames · Cool Baby Names
200+ Cool Middle Names
Across 11 pages
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Shalom
Hebrew
"peace"
Supermodel Shalom Harlow glamorized this name, which is heard as a greeting every day in Israel.
Shea
Irish
"the stately, dauntless one"
The short but solid Irish surname Shea works well for both genders thanks to its soft, succinct sound. The traditional Irish form is Séaghdha, though it could also be used as a short form of Séamus,…
Snow
English word name
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,…
Solange
French
"solemn"
This is a soft, soignée French girls' name that has become familiar here via singer Solange Knowles, younger sister of Beyonce. It is also the name of a martyred ninth century saint, a poor…
Steel
Word name
Hard and shiny, Steel projects an image that's smooth, macho...and cold to the touch.
Story
English word name
"an account of incidents or events"
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…
Taj
Arabic
"crown"
Taj is a cool-sounding name reflecting the magnificence of the seventeenth-century Indian Taj Mahal, chosen by Aerosmith's Steven Tyler for his son. The musician known as Taj Mahal was born Henry…
Teal
Bird and color name
Teal is one of the prettiest and most straightforward of the new color names -- an ideal middle name choice.
Thelonious
Latinized variation of German Tielo or Till
"people"
One of the coolest of names, thanks to legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Sphere Monk, who inherited this Latin-sounding German name from his father. It has been used very sparingly since the 1960's,…
True
English word name
"true"
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…
Truth
English word name
"the state of being the case"
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…
Urban
Latin
"of the city"
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…
Una
Latin, Irish, or Old Norse
"one; lamb; happy"
In an epic poem, the personification of truth, beauty, and unity; this ancient name is popular in several European countries but less common in the US. The Oona spelling is slightly more popular but…
Ulysses
Latin variation of Odysseus, Greek
"wrathful"
Ulysses is one of the few U boys' names anyone knows -- with heavy links to the Homeric hero of The Odyssey , the eighteenth US president Ulysses Grant, and the James Joyce novel -- all of which…
Wiley
Scottish, German, English
"resolute protection; from Wylye; clearing of willows"
Wiley may be considered a variation of Wylie, a Scottish diminutive of strong, classic William. As such, it may work an appealing way to honor a Bill, Will, or William, or as an alternative to…
Wild
Word name
Asking for trouble.
Wilder
Word name and surname
"wild, untamed, uncontrolled"
The name Wilder is still used more than 90 percent of the time for boys, but it's being used quietly for girls too. with 50 receiving the name in a recent year. Along with the rest of the Wild and…
Wolf
Animal name or diminutive of Wolfgang, German
" traveling wolf"
Wolf is a name with a split personality. It can be seen as one of the fierce animal names, like Fox and Bear and Puma, with a touch of the werewolf, or it can be viewed as a quieter, Wolf Blitzer…
Xan
Diminutive of Alexander
"defending men"
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.
Zen
Japanese, form of Buddhism
Parents searching for a simple, peaceful name may be attracted to this one.