A bright and bouncy micro name, far rarer than Mia or Gia.

This could make a hauntingly evocative name for an American child, striking the perfect balance of the unusual and the familiar. Imara's meaning adds further appeal placing it among the special class of girl names that mean strong, brave, or powerful.

Gerda is one of two things: a modern, Latinized form of the Old Norse name Gerd or a feminine form of the masculine German name, also Gerd. Not currently in style, it has a strong, ancient sounding feeling.

This male relative of the Emily family was borne by two Greek saints, one a fourth century martyr who destroyed pagan images and the other a ninth century bishop. Variations include Emilios and Aemilios. The Latin Aemilius, from the ancient family name, may be unrelated.

This substitute spelling of Riley has been popular with parents for a decade. Rylee entered the charts in 1994, and is solidly within the Top 200 for the last 2 decades. Ryleigh is another spelling that has gained significant popularity.

Rock definitely has a macho image, if a somewhat caricatured one, ala The Rock. But with the rise of word names and also of tough guy names, Rock feels more plausible than it did a generation ago.

With Azariah and Azriel in the Top 1000, and Ezra, Josiah, and Isaiah in the Top 100, it makes sense that this lesser known Hebrew choice is being revived in the US. Most likely deriving from Uzziah or Azaziah, Azaiah, it was a fast rising choice in 2024 when it rose more than 350 places, entering the Top 1000 for the first time.

This unique one-syllable name was added to the mix by Mariel Hemingway for her now grown model/actress daughter; it could make a distinctive middle name or Bree substitute.

In the Quran, Eyad (and names with similar roots like Iyad and Ayad) refers to a person/entity that strengthens another. Eyad is one of the modern Arabic names for boys.

The name of two Biblical figures, one a supporter of St. Paul and the other a Corinthian ruler. Virtually unknown in the U.S. but used in the form Sosthene in modern France.

Dark, woody name that's brings to mind rich panelling, beautiful colors and luxury.

A distinctive and unusual choice, Vail may stem from the Latin, French, and Spanish valor and valeur, denoting worth, merit, and value: a perfect meaning for a baby. There is the possibility however that it also stems from the French vailliant, giving it the additional meaning of "brave, sturdy".

Has an old-time country feeling, perhaps due to Ma Rainey, considered the "Mother of the Blues". This is the most popular spelling of the name, given to about 50 girls last year, with half as many called Rainy and a quarter named Rainie, the spelling used by Andie MacDowell for her now-grown daughter.

Last name occasionally used as a first, can be seen as a Lance Armstrong athlete-hero name.

Unfortunate identification with an army of rats in the movie of the same name.

Some parents are hoping to bestow good karma on their children with this name, derived from the Sanskrit word for "fate". Associated with the Hindu and Buddhist belief that someone's actions in this life (and their previous ones) decide their future existences, it is more informally used in the Western world to refer to good or bad luck.

If you want a pan-Scandinavian name with energy and style that could have been a winner, if not for the sound-alike water filtration company Brita.

A Turkish word name on the rise in its native country.

Drawn from old record books, Kiah is an antiquated nickname that feels perfectly appropriate for modern times -- maybe more so than father name Hezekiah.

Associated with Reynard the cunning fox in medieval European animal tales. Reynard can make an unusual yet historic choice for a modern boy, a modern day Richard or Robert.