Arctic Baby Names

Taiga has two origins. As a word name derived from Turkic languages via Russian, it refers to the snow forest of the Arctic regions, making it an evocative nature name.

Really offbeat, upbeat multi-cultural name with light sound and meaning. Valo might make a more unique spin on Milo.

Nature names like Ocean and River are flowing back into favor, especially with nature lovers and green-oriented parents. In 2024, it was given to 483 boys and 325 girls, making this a unisex favorite in the US, while in the UK, it is considerably more popular for girls.

State name Alaska stems from an Aleutian word for the land mass itself. The number of baby girls named Alaska has doubled in the past five years, and is sure to continue increasing as more place names are annexed as baby names. Wilder but as habitable as Dakota or Cheyenne, Alaska is a girls' name choice for the future.

One of the fierce new animal names new to name lists, helped by its strong x-ending.

There's definitely a cold front of names for winter babies moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure, evocative -- and magical. A haunting middle name choice.

Ocean is a nature name that comes right out and states its meaning and association. Full of power and depth, Ocean is one of the fastest-rising baby names for both girls and boys, making the US Top 1000 for both genders in 2021. Oceane, the version that's trendy in France, was used for only 11 baby girls in the US in the same year. Ocean-lovers who want to be less obvious can choose such subtler names that mean ocean as Jennifer or Marissa, but coming right out and using Ocean is a perfectly valid way to go.

With the recent arrival of fruit names like Apple and Plum, this more traditional example, symbolic of fertility, might rise in popularity. Photographer Berry Berenson was born Berinthia.

A handsome, spruced-up post-Bruce tree name.

An eider is a sea duck with extra soft feathers as well as a Basque name with a lovely meaning. Eider is one of the fastest-rising boys' names below the Top 1000. Though theoretically unisex, no baby girls were given the name in 2024.

Nature names are often associated with Spring and Summer, but Glacier is ideal for a winter baby.

Stella Maris ("star of the sea") is an historic title for the Virgin Mary, in use since at least the early medieval period. Although it actually arose from a scribal error in the etymology of the name Mary, it came to be seen as symbolic of Mary's role as "guiding star" on the way to Christ. Under this name, the Virgin Mary is believed to intercede as a guide and protector of seafarers in particular, and many coastal churches are named Stella Maris or Star of the Sea.

A sleek yet friendly name of Finnish and Estonian origin, Talvi is familiar in Finland, Estonia, and Sweden, but rare in English speaking countries. It comes from the Finnish talvi or Estonian talv, meaning "winter", making this an unexpected name to celebrate the colder seasons, to honor someone born in the winter months, or to give to a Christmas baby.

This offbeat botanical name boasts the trendy Ever sound and a cool wintery vibe. Evergreen was only given to a handful of baby girls in recent years, but would work just as well for a boy.

Obsolete Swanhild gives way to oh-so-modern Swan, joining the flock of newly fashionable bird names such as Wren and Lark. In France, the Swann spelling is fashionable for both sexes. But Swan carries an image of grace, though perhaps also a bit of languor. It's a lovely and original name, right for our times.

It's a bear, it's an island, it's (almost) a camera. It's starting to catch some parents' eyes as a wild, adventurous name. The largest proportion of boys named Kodiak is in Washington State.

Ivory was last popular a hundred years ago. In 2013, it finally began to regain some momentum in the female rankings, reentering the Top 1000, while 2024 saw it jump up the charts again by over 100 places, making it a To 500 name.

If not for Motown founder Berry Gordy, this name would now be totally in the girl group.

Among the first wave of word names used in the hippie era, it actually is a legitimate girl's name with a lot of luster.