Smart and preppy, but with plenty of heart, Hartley is a surname style name that could work as an alternative to the popular Harley, Harlowe, Harper, and Hadley. Quietly used for boys throughout the 20th century, Hartley took off for girls in 2010 after both Sugar Ray singer Mark McGrath and baseball player Matt Cain used the name for their daughters.

A unisex name, Rylan plays on many popular baby names, including Ryan and Riley. For boys, the trendy Rylan is in the US Top 500, while for girls, it fell out of Top 1000 in 2023, having been a regular feature since 2009.

This habitational surname works as a modern way to honor a Carrie, Carolyn, or Caroline.

While Austin is a popular boys' name, this spelling, honoring novelist Jane, nudges the name toward gender-neutral, chosen last year for 67 baby boys and 57 girls.

A rustic yet aristocratic boy name, derived from an English surname and place name. It derives from the Old English name Hræfn and the element wic to create the cool meaning "raven's settlement".

Pembroke's brother.

A well-to-do English surname with a comedic undertone, thanks to the Griswold family of National Lampoon's Vacation.

Once an obscure, surname-inspired option, Payton (and Peyton) hiked up the charts back in the 90s, likely inspired by the football star Peyton Manning.

Naples-born Enrico Caruso was one of the greatest opera singers of all time. Recordings of his powerful singing voice are still in circulation today, nearly 100 years after his death.

A Welsh place name and surname, it derives from Cyffin or Gyffin, meaning "limit" or "confine". Notable bearers include landscape painter Kyffin Williams and racing driver Kyffin Simpson.

Stylish way to name your son after basketball great Walt -- though Walt is sounding fresh again too.

This evocative Spanish surname would make an unusual but lively choice for a girl.

Lathan is a surname recorded as relating to the towns of Layton or Latham and meaning, depending on its derivation, barn or leek farm or farm by the water. As a first name, it's reminiscent of the popular Nathan.

This variation of the surname Loeb works even better than the original as a first name, though any child named Loew will inevitably have to endure a lifetime's worth of "high and...." jokes. Other leonine options: Leopold or Lionel.

Corliss, eccentric yet well-established, has an independent and artistic air.

Holliday is a feminine given name derived from the English surname meaning 'one who dwells near a holy day.' Originally a surname used to identify someone who was born during a religious festival or holiday, it has transitioned into occasional use as a first name. The spelling with two 'l's adds a distinctive touch compared to the standard 'Holiday' form. This name carries a naturally festive, joyful association and conveys a sense of celebration. Though relatively uncommon as a first name, it gained some recognition through connections to the historical figure Doc Holliday. It appeals to parents seeking an uncommon name with positive, uplifting connotations.

This ancient Scottish surname may be pagan in origin, referring to a "holy day", but today it makes an attractive and unique Scottish name for girls. Halliday has many spelling variations and traveled throughout the British Isles and to France, where it has royal associations, and eventually to the new world. Johnny Hallyday was a French pop star.

Lander is a name that straddles two trends. It's an er-ending surname name, ala Cooper and Carter. And it's also, more subtly, a green name, in the manner of Fielder or Reed.

This regal Spanish name combines several of today's top trends: names that end in S, last names that can also be first names, royal-sounding names, and unisex options. It has a long history of use in Spain as both a surname and a given name.

Common Asian surname also works as a first, as with the singer Chan Marshall, also known as Cat Power (and born Charlyn).