By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Word and comic book name
Flash Gordon makes this a superhero name, but Flash might just appeal to modern parents looking for one of the new active boys' names, ala Ace and Breaker and Ranger. We'd recommend something more…
Word name
"free"
One of the classic hippie word names. In the 1970s, actors Barbara Hershey and David Carradine gave this name to their son...who later changed it to Tom.
Place-name
"gather"
Not long ago, the name of this central African republic was firmly in place-name territory and not seen as baby appropriate. But those boundaries are moving so quickly that all kinds of place-names…
English
"outgoing, sociable"
English word name
Christmas is a day name long and quietly used as a name for babies born at Christmas . Prettier and more modern than Noel or Noelle.
"arouse; set on fire"
Kindle is riding on the coattails of Kendall and co with its on-trend sounds. As a word, it has an inspirational meaning, but its secondary modern-day meaning — as an Amazon brand of tablets — gives…
Undoubtedly there's a parent out there who sees this as the ultimate cool name. It's anything but.
"a famous person"
The ultimate aspirational word name.
Nature name
Olympic athlete Usain Bolt introduced this unusual and electric nature name to the lexicon when he chose it for his daughter's middle name: Olympia Lightning Bolt. Now there's a name with layers of…
Place name
The sidekick in a John Wayne western.
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,…
Irish
"devotee of Maedoc"
One of the ultimate teasable names, an Irish saint's name now associated with the oversized comic-strip dog. Scottish adventurer Bear (born Edward) Grylls took up the challenge when he used it for…
A paradox is a statement that while seeming true contradicts itself. With the less-than-pleasant "Doxy" as an obvious nickname, Paradox is perhaps a better name for a cat than a baby.
Color name
The singer known as Pink (born Alecia) brought this hue onto the name-possibility palette, especially as a middle choice. Could Pink be the next Blue?
English from Greek
"to attempt, attack"
Pirate is best known as one of the middle names of pop sensation Billie Eilish, who was born Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell. In a 2017 BBC interview, she revealed, "Pirate was going to be my…
The Shakespearean Portia may be a real name, but Porsche is now and forever a car, not a little girl.
New, fast, cool, and chosen by director Robert Rodriguez, whose other sons are Rebel, Rocket, and Rogue, all somewhat risky options. Lara Bingle and Sam Worthington are also parents to sons named…
Word name or nickname
Boo may have started out as a nickname for the male character Arthur "Boo" Radley in To Kill A Mockingbird and these days may be closely associated with another male Boo, the "world's cutest dog" or…
Chosen by one musician, Todd Rundgren, for his son, but unlikely to be emulated by others.
"rainbow"
Modern respelling of Rainbow
