Summer Baby Names

Palmer is a name that derives from the fact that pilgrims often carried palms, thus the double meaning. It's a fresher sounding twist other surname style names, such as Spencer, Carter, Porter and Parker.

A short form that is given on its own to a good number of baby girls each year — Cali has been on trend in recent years along with sister names Callie and Kali, as the popular 90s and early 2000s nickname Allie has felt less fresh.

A fun and confident choice, Holiday is a celebratory name, particularly associated with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and New Year, and with rest, leisure, and vacations more generally. Fitting for a winter baby, but totally sunny too, it comes from the Old English hāligdæg meaning "holy day" as it was originally used to mark religious festivals and celebrations.

A pretty, rarely used Greek name, Thalassa is the ancient personification of the sea, particularly the Mediterranean, who is sometimes considered the mother of Aphrodite. In 1991, a newly discovered moon of Neptune was dubbed Thalassa.

Petal is the soft and sweet-smelling name of a character in the novel and film, The Shipping News. With the rise of such flower names as Poppy and Posy, we believe Petal — down-to-earth yet romantic — has its own appealingly distinctive style.

A fragrant herbal and color name that could make a sensitive, distinctive choice.

Roque is a distinctive masculine name with Spanish and Portuguese origins, derived from the Germanic element 'hrok' meaning 'rest' or from the medieval Latin 'rocca' meaning 'rock'. In Spanish-speaking countries, it's pronounced 'ROH-keh' and carries connotations of strength and steadfastness. The name gained religious significance through Saint Roch (Roque in Spanish), a 14th-century French nobleman who ministered to plague victims. Roque has maintained consistent usage in Hispanic and Latin American cultures but remains relatively uncommon in English-speaking countries, making it an intriguing cross-cultural option. The name offers a strong, concise sound with international appeal. In chess terminology, 'roque' was once used as an alternative term for castling, adding an intellectual dimension to this name's rich cultural associations.

Evocative modern unisex choice brought into the spotlight by actress Lake Bell.

The name of the Greek goddess of youth, daughter of Zeus and Hera, is rarely used today but may be ripe for revival considering the rejuvenation of the rhyming Phoebe. We'd call it one of the Greek goddess names ripe for modern use.

Reef is an uncommon nature name with mainstream potential. Its laidback, beach-y vibe makes it a perfect choice for ocean lovers.

Lengthy, romantic Alessandro gives us the friendly and casual nickname Sandro, which works just as well as an independent name. It’s a popular international name, having ranked in Italy, France, Portugal, and Switzerland in recent years.

As opposed to the Scandinavian Soren, Sorin derives from the Romanian word for "sun", and is quite common in its native land. For literary cred, Sorin is a character in Chekhov's "The Seagull."

Unlike the other fruit names that are just coming onto the baby name menu, Peaches is an old-timey nickname previously reserved for spangled showgirls, and now would be considered an outrageous -- verging on hip -- choice. Or perhaps it was, until 2023, when it entered the UK Top 1000, not sounding too out of place beside other 2023 favorites, Honey, Blossom, Sage, Halo, and Dolly.

Junius is one of those names that's growing on us, along with many of its Roman countrymen such as Julius and Atticus. We once thought it was a combination of the least attractive elements of Junior and Julius but now we think...well, we think it's okay. Not great, but okay.

Azul is the Spanish word for "blue" and was first recorded as a baby name (for girls) in 1995. It's technically considered unisex today, although it is still much more common as a feminine name.

This name of an old Hollywood nightclub still retains a spark of glamour.

One of the rarest of the floral names, though not without some teasing potential. Peony is a historical 1948 novel by Pearl S. Buck.

A sweet little name with one of the most poetic meanings around: it means "warmth from the sun" in Welsh. Though it's among the undiscovered Welsh names, it's one that deserves wider use.

Peridot is the gem of the month of August, a vibrant green mineral, said to be good for helping people put the past behind them, and an interesting, undiscovered jewel name. It was regarded in ancient times as the symbol of the sun.

The name of this pretty Mediterranean shrub is reminiscent of popular classic Oliver, and interestingly its etymology appears to overlap too: oleander most likely derives from Greek rhododendron "rose tree", with its form successively influenced by laurea "laurel" and olea "olive tree".