In English, a fen is a wetland fed by surface and/or groundwater. In Dutch and Frisian, it's a traditional diminutive of names containing the element frid, meaning "peace". Either way, Fen makes a fresh alternative to fashionable Finn.

Director Ridley Scott and actress Daisy Ridley made this surname-style name familiar, and with its outdoorsy meaning and rugged yet preppy sound, it could blend in with Oakley, Reid, Riley, and Ridge. Some parents might be put of by the first syllable (as in, "get rid of" or "horrid" or "riddles"), but since Scarlett (scar), Colton (cult), and Titus all rank in the Top 400, it could still work for those looking for a standout last-name first name.

Armani is catching on along with other brand names, and this one is among the most gender-neutral — sitting in the Top 500 for both boys and girls. Its similarity to the likes of rising stars Amari, Arlo, and Amias, along with the more classic Arthur and Giovanni helps it feel more "name-y" than "brand-y".

Cove is an up-and-coming nature name whose cool sound and peaceful image saw it rising for both sexes until COVID-19 hit. It decreased slightly for boys in 2020 and remained steading in 2021, but it has actually increased for girls, although it remains a seriously rare and distinctive choice.

Dusty first became popular as a girl's name thanks to singer Dusty Springfield - born Mary. She used her childhood nickname professionally, and many parents embraced Dusty as a name for their daughters, especially in the 1970s.

An exceedingly friendly every-guy nickname that could rise alongside the likes of Ike, Sid, and Ned.

Frey is the handsome Norse fertility god, a worthy namesake. Frey remains rare in the US even as the similar Freya picks up in popularity.

A kestrel is a bird of prey. It has good potential as a strong girls' name, similar to Falcon for boys.

A surname-style name with a flowing sound and an easy-going feel, Callaway derives from the French place name, Caillouet-Orgeville, which ultimately comes from the Norman word for "pebble". Also spelled as Calloway, it is alternatively seen as a variation of the Scottish Galloway meaning "place of the foreign Gaels".

Paz is an appealing Spanish name meaning "peace", derived from the Latin "pax". It's usually feminine in Spanish, but could also make an interesting literary choice for a boy, honoring the writer Octavio Paz.

Jules is one of the adorable boyish nicknames newly fashionable for girls. It's rarer than Billie, with a cool and casual feel. It's use in the popular TV series Euphoria - where the character of Jules Vaughn was portrayed by Hunter Schafer - brought this name into the spotlight.

Puck, the mischievous sprite of Shakespeare, is a unisex name given more often to girls in The Netherlands and is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus, discovered in 1985 and named Puck for the Shakespearean figure.

This unusual surname name has been made famous by Pretty Little Liars actress Troian Bellisario. Troian is a family name on her father's maternal side, possibly meaning "of Troy", but more likely deriving from a Slavic name meaning "triad; trinity".

Upper crust-y surname Sheridan gains some energy when used for a girl.

Like Silver, a shimmering metallic color name, that may lean too dazzling for some, but more grounded for others, thanks to its similarity of Alden, Auden, Elden and Gordon. Given to 100 babies in a recent year, Golden is currently a gender neutral choice.

Inventive name for the child of a writer.

Isla is a contemporary gem, so why not Isle? As an English word name, it takes you straight to the literal definition — a small island — which could have an appealing, aspirational ring to it, for those wanting to raise independent children.

The nature boy version of the Scandinavian Leif, which actually means "heir". In the creative-naming Phoenix family, Leaf is the former name of the actor we know as Joaquin.

Tempest is one of those names that could go either way. Cool, evocative modern word name? Or asking for trouble? Your call, but if you decide the former image is dominant, be warned that some people will see it as the latter.

From Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, the story of a boy named Kafka -- crow in Czech.