Birthday Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
Irish and Scottish
"son of Gerald"
Made famous by F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald Kennedy; still works best as a middle name.
Anglicized form of Greek Zenon, related to Zeus, king of the gods
Zeno, the name of two ancient philosophers, has a muscular dynamism that's lightened by its cheerful final vowel, resulting in a kind of offbeat sci-fi feel. Zeno of Citium was the founder of the…
French occupational name
"a merchant"
Mercer is an attractive possibility which is an occupational name that doesn't sound like one. Mercer and its cool, sophisticated short form Merce project a super creative image via their artistic…
Color name
Among the coolest of the cool color names, particularly popular with celebs as a unisex middle name. While most famous as the name of Beyonce and Jay-Z's daughter Blue Ivy, more than 60 percent of…
English, Amharic
"star"
A fresh addition to the botanical name lists, Aster has in fact been in use since the 1910s, albeit quietly and sporadically. It began taking off for girls in the late 2000s, coinciding with comedian…
Xhosa
"glory"
No, this name is not an homage to Grease! Zuko is a Xhosa (Zulu) boys' name meaning glory. In a world of Zekes, Zaks and Zanes, Zuko could make a refreshing choice for parents looking for something…
Nature name
Like Sky and Sunshine, this fluffy name from the hippie 1970s has floated back onto the naming radar. It's similarity of Clyde and Claude help to ground it.
Irish
"small shoe"
Brogan is a cheerful Irish surname that would fit right in with the Logans and Br-starting names now trendy for boys. It's been on the pop list for the past three years, though it's sliding again.…
English occupational name
"wheel maker"
Wheeler is one of the most energetic of the newly stylish occupational names, all those 'e's giving it a friendly, freewheeling sound. Wheeler has some historical cred via the nineteenth Vice…
Hindi
"blue semiprecious stone, bird"
Interesting multi-cultural option.
Latin
"integrity"
Verena is pleasant but old-fashioned. Whether that's the outdated kind of old-fashioned or the so-out-it's-in-again kind is your call. St. Verena was a third century nurse; Verena Tarrant is a…
English
"greenish blue color"
Cyan is a highly unusual blue-green color name, a classmate of Celadon and Cerulean. It does come with the homey nickname Cy.
Kazakh, Persian, and Hindi
"pomegranate flower"
Anara is a name that strikes a perfect balance between simple and unusual. It's easy to understand and pronounce for a Westerner, and yet it's highly distinctive, used for only 24 girls in the US in…
Wright is a masculine name that originated as an English occupational surname referring to a craftsman or builder—specifically a woodworker or carpenter (from the Old English "wyrhta," meaning…
Greek
"man of Cyprus"
With a long and noble history -- Cyprian was one of the great Christian Latin writers -- this could make a highly unusual but meaningful choice. Cyprian has been in use since medieval times,…
Redding is an uncommon masculine name with English origins, primarily derived from a surname and place name. It historically referred to someone from the town of Reading in Berkshire, England, whose…
Clio is the name of the ancient Greek mythological muse of history and heroic poetry, one that is rich with modern charm and would make an intriguing choice, especially thanks to its dynamic…
Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Norse, "new day"
"new day"
If you're looking for a name with Scandinavian roots, Dagny makes a strong and appealing import. Derived from Old Norse, it means "new day", perfect for a girl born around New Year's or the change of…
Japanese; Finnish
"born in the autumn; ancestor"
A name known in several cultures, also through animated book character Tiger Aki. Finnish author Aki Ollikainen is another notable bearer.
Wyoming place-name, French
"canopy of leafy boughs"
Swaggering western place-name with a lot of cowboy bravado and panache.
