Birthday Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
Greek mythology name
"cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker"
These days, some may think of Hermes as an upscale brand name like Chanel and Porsche (spelled as Hermès), or a strange choice thanks to the parcel delivery company. However, with names from Greek…
Latin, meaning unknown
Remus is one of the legendary twins who, with brother Romulus, founded Rome. An unusual yet classic name for the extremely adventurous who can put aside the stereotyped image of Uncle Remus. Though…
Latin
"citizen of Rome"
He was the original Roman, Remus's twin and a founder of Rome. But parents attracted to this name are advised to read the legend first. Romulus does have some less than savory characteristics,…
Nature name
"hawk, a bird"
Animal names are on the rise, especially more of the aggressive Hawk-Fox-Wolf variety than cute little Bunnys or Robins, and Hawk is a prime example. Hawk is more commonly heard as a surname,…
Spice name
"orange-yellow color; a type of crocus"
Spice names are increasingly appealing to the senses of prospective parents; this one, belonging to a precious spice derived from the crocus has a vaguely orange-scented-incense sixties feel. English…
"twins"
Astrological sign with enough rhythm to make a plausible astral name.
Hindi
"pearl"
Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza is popularizing this one.
Gale for boys is more a storm name than a short form of Abigail. Since Gale has resurfaced as the name of Liam Hemsworth's daring character in The Hunger Games , it has new force for boys.
"yellow, blond"
Flavius is an ancient Roman family name associated with a dynasty of emperors. It has an appealingly flavorful first syllable, and is the name of a stylist in the Hunger Games series. Earlier…
Japanese or Korean
"sky; conch shell"
A simple and pretty multicultural name: as a Japanese name, it's unisex and means "sky"; as a Korean name, it's feminine and means "conch shell".
"sparrow, a bird"
With related choices such as Lark and Phoenix gaining popularity, why not Sparrow? Though it's usually thought of as a female name, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden chose it for their son.
English, contracted form of Thomasina
"twin"
Tamsin is an offbeat name occasionally heard in Britain and just waiting to be discovered here. U.K. actress Tamsin Greig is a star of the show Episodes , Tamsin Olivier is the daughter of Joan…
Arabic
"unique, precious pearl"
Farida is a Muslim name more distinctive than the Americanized Farah/Farrah.
French, a semiprecious stone, or variation of Agatha
Though it's French, most Americans would pronounce it as the stone.
Diminutive of Thomas, Aramaic
This Medieval diminutive of the classic Thomas has a slight playful air and a sweet feel to it, but also fits in with surname-style choices like Lincoln and Collins. Yet to feature in the US stats,…
Short form of Theresa, English, Greek, or Cornish
"to harvest; third"
While Tessa is now preferred, this slightly sharper diminutive of Theresa was the more familiar option in the early 20th-century. It enjoyed a brief return to the US charts in the 60s and 70s but is…
Filipino
"rain"
Ulan is a gentle, intriguing nature name used in the Philippines, though it might also be a Kazakh name meaning "young man", a Ghanaian name referring to a first born twin, or a Russian name, from…
Irish
"swift"
Popular in Ireland, though not as popular as its spelling variant Eimear, Emer is a mythological name, associated with the legendary wife of the warrior hero Cuchulainn. She was said to possess the…
"violet"
Viola has plenty of positive elements going for it: the rhythm of the musical instrument, the association with the flower, the trending 'Vi' beginning and its leading role in Shakespeare's Twelfth…
English
"Woden's day"
Made famous by the iconic and macabre character Wednesday Addams, this name has the spooky and Halloween-inspired feel that some parents might be looking for. The character has appeared in various…
