Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 46 pages
of 46
English word name
"cardinal direction of north"
A lot of attention was drawn to this name when Kim Kardashian and Kanye West announced it as the name of their baby daughter, making it instantly unisex. North is a word name that's long been used,…
Striker is one of the new gang of boys' names that have two syllables, end in -er, spring from words, and have a macho, even aggressive meaning and image. Other examples include Breaker, Heller, and…
Word name, Greek
"manifestation, striking appearance"
Spiritual in multiple senses of the word, Epiphany has been given to a handful of girls since the late 1980s, peaking in 1988 when it was given to 55 babies, following the release of the movie Angel…
Word name
Unisex word and surname with an upbeat feel and a possible future as a more distinctive substitute for Grace or Page.
Swedish or Cornish
"fairy"
Pixie is a cute -- quite possibly too cute -- name that suddenly feels possible thanks to the craze for names that contain the letter x. Though its origin may be uncertain, a pixie is internationally…
Fruit name
British-born novelist Plum Sykes has taken this rich, fruity name out of the produce section and put it into the baby name basket. It's more appealing than Apple, more presentable than Peaches. The…
English
"peacock"
Hip new middle-name choice, conjuring up the gothic tales of Edgar Allan, and current single-named pop singer Poe. As a first name, it's radically underused, given last year in the US to only five…
English occupational name
"bailiff, sheriff, local official"
Chosen by aviators Charles and Anne Lindbergh for their daughter, Reeve could work as a distinctive alternative to Reese. While it is currently more popular for boys, nine girls received the name in…
"Rose" names are big right now, as are spiritual names , so this rare option could fit the bill for Catholic parents looking for an overtly religious choice. The Rosary is a form of prayer in the…
In 2014, six little girls in the US were given the name Starlit. Starlit has a sweeter meaning than the similar Starlet, and a better ring than Starlight.
"one who wins"
Winner is a positive word name that entered the lexicon thanks to rapper Nya Lee, who chose it for her baby girl. But this name is a unisex winner with the cute nicknames Winnie or Win.
English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
Although she declared her independence as far back as the reign of Elizabeth I — Good Queen Bess, Bess now sounds less passé than Beth or Betsy.
Word name, English from Hindi
"fine, downy wool"
Cashmere is soft, luxurious — and way out of the ordinary. One of the unique names found in The Hunger Games series, you might be surprised to learn that this fabric name has been appearing in the US…
"valley"
An early unisex nature name that has been surpassed by others, Dale is still a simple, sylvan and serene option. Most of Dale's recent best known bearers – father and son race drivers Dale Earnhart,…
"day"
A bright and optimistic middle name choice.
Otherworldly. The word -- which connote a spirit-like lightness and perfection -- originally referred to objects that were literally from the "ether," the uppermost region of space. The modern,…
Greek
"demi-god"
Despite the possibility of gender confusion, the Hero in Greek myth was a woman. Myleene Klass got that when she chose Hero for her daughter, and Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson used it as their…
"fate"
The next Destiny? Kismet seems like it might be fated for increased use.
Lyric is a name given to over 1000 boys and girls each year in the US. Could the more feminine Lyrical (given to only 20 girls each year) become more popular as parents look to find less common…
A name that's appeared out of thin air, in the same vein as such mystical favorites as Destiny and Nevaeh.
