Cool Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
Male variation of Calixta or Latin
"chalice"
Calix is once-obscure name that is starting to see some use in the US, where 62 baby boys were named Calix in 2024. An indirect influence is the actress Calista Flockhart, who introduced Americans to…
English; French, from Polish
"destroyer of peace"
Casimir, a traditional name of Polish kings, could do quite well these days as we see the rise of Caspian, Cassius, Castiel, et. al. Like Leopold and Laszlo, Casimir is strong and worth considering…
English
"stag"
Hart could be the hero of a romantic novel, but on the other hand, it's short, straightforward, and strong sounding. The most famous bearer of the name was tragic poet Hart (born Harold) Crane, but…
"son of Morris"
Morrison is one of the more uncommon patronymics; it could be used to honor an ancestral Morris, or one of the well-known surnamed Morrisons: Toni, Jim or Van.
Yiddish variation of Eliezer or Lazarus
"God helps"
Lazer has some biblical cred as a form of Eliezer, Eleazar, or Lazarus, all relatives, and it's also a modern bad boy name a la Ranger and Breaker. Our recommendation would be to use one of the…
Greek mythology name
"wrathful"
The name of the brave, resourceful hero of Homer's epic saga, Odysseus is associated with hatching the Trojan Horse plot, and with his long and challenging journey home to his kingdom. Possibly…
English occupational name
"guard, watchman"
Until recently Ward was, like Wally, a Cleaver name, but today's parents are seeing it as a cooler nickname for Edward than Eddie, and are also beginning to use it on its own.
Topographical name or short form of Clifford or Clifton
Cliff is a familiar, timeless short form -- never too popular, yet widely known -- that you might also think of as a geographical name ala Vale or Field.
"priest's cottage"
Prescott is one of several distinguished, upper-crusty surnames beginning with P. There are several historical surnamed Prescotts, including William, a Massachusetts Minuteman and commander at the…
Japanese or Choctaw
"carp; panther"
The Koi is a variety of carp especially popular in ornamental gardens in Japan, where they are a symbol of good fortune. In Buddhist culture, the koi is associated with courage. Being one letter away…
Latin
"of the Tiber"
The name of an important ancient Roman emperor, Tiberius might sound a bit heavy for a modern boy to carry, but with the rise of Atticus, Tiberius and brothers begin to feel more baby-friendly, much…
"valley of the Welsh"
Walden is a recent entrant to the en-ending boys' names trend, a name that summons up placid images of Thoreau's two-year stay contemplating nature near Walden Pond. A quite different image came into…
Word name
Branch is an attractive name with associations both with trees and with branching out into brave new worlds. Baseball's Branch (born Wesley, with Branch as his middle name) Rickey broke the color…
Hungarian
"glorious ruler"
The Hungarian classic Laszlo, with its zippy 'z' middle and energetic 'o' ending, has become something of a hipster option, beginning to be considered by cutting-edge parents. A name with a royal…
Irish
"red-haired warrior"
Clancy, one of the original crossover Irish surname names, is as energetic and appealing as ever — full of moxie, more distinctive than Casey, and also one of the less obvious of the red-headed…
"stony town"
Seems to stand at attention and salute.
"desires peace"
Wilfred is one of those Old Man Names that still sounds fusty in the US but is fashionable in the UK. It comes with readymade short forms Will, Wilf, or Fred and might make an adventurous alternative…
"red-head"
Rufus is a rumpled, redheaded (it was the nickname for red-haired King William) ancient Roman name popular with saints and singers (e.g. Rufus Wainwright); now, Rufus is on the cutting edge of cool.…
Irish variation of Raymond
"wise protector"
We love this partly for purely personal reasons, since it is one of our surnames. We used it as the middle name of a son –and it can make a good first choice too. Redmond – also found as Reamann or…
"one who lives near a grove of trees"
Forget the furry blue Muppet, forget corpulent President Cleveland (not too difficult), and consider this name anew. We think it's spunky, a little funky, and well worth a second look, similar in…
