Grimes and Elon Musk put this name on the map in 2022, when they revealed their daughter's name was Exa Dark Sideræl. Until that point, Dark had not been recorded as a given name, although it resembles more established names such as Mark and Lark.

Pretty French sound, but there might be a lot of "umbrella" cracks.

Although this Old Testament name is soft and delicate, it runs the risk of conjuring up the monstrous Godzilla.

Darth Vader, as in the Star Wars villain, is said to mean "dark father"

This familiar Irish surname, best known as the name of the mononamed Welsh female singer, is extremely rare as a first name in the US but could make an original Irish choice.

The th sound both softens and complicates this Melanie relative.

This sophisticated French name was used last year in the US for about ten baby boys and twice as many girls. We can see it having a much bigger future.

This genial Irish surname feels much more current than Donald.

Kerry is the name of one of the most beautiful and lush counties of Ireland was a seventies favorite. Related, updated versions might include Cerys and Keira.

This somewhat boisterous Celtic name would be at home in a noisy pub or out walking on the moors. In Scotland, it was originally a nickname for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion.

A much fresher Ty name than Tyler or Tyson.

Lúthien Tinúviel is an elf princess in J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendarium, who falls in love with a mortal human, Beren, and chooses to become mortal herself rather than to live without him. Tinúviel is a Sindarin name given to her by Beren, meaning "daughter of twilight" and therefore "nightingale".

The current wife of Donald Trump, Slovenian model Melania Knauss, brought this pretty version to the fore. Saint Melania was an heiress who freed thousands of enslaved people.

Shyam is one of the alternate names of Hindu God Krishna.

Not to be confused with the Hebrew name, Chhaya (also spelled Chaya) is a name of Indian origin, derived from Sanskrit chāyā, meaning "shadow, light, reflection". The personification of the Hindu goddess of shadow, Chhaya is a popular choice in India and is notably borne by actress Chhaya Kadam and singer Chhaya Ganguli. Malay and Indonesian names Cahaya and Cahya derive from the same root.

This fabric word name would be a one-of-a-kind.

Merel is a soundalike of Meryl and may be thought of as a variation of that name, but it's also the Dutch word for blackbird and so you can make it more stylish as one of the flock of cool new bird names, joining Wren, Lark, and Sparrow.

Sable is often associated with the Dynsaty soap opera, but it is actually a type of animal historically hunted for its fur. Sable is also used as a word for a warm, rich black color. Both associations carry hints of luxury.

Dark, woody name that's brings to mind rich panelling, beautiful colors and luxury.

Zanzibar is an island region off the coast of Tanzania. It's never been recorded as a baby name, but for those with a connection to Zanzibar, it's an intriguing and unique option chock full of zesty Zs.