Cool Baby Names

Attitude Names for Boys

Attitude names for boys take the idea of cool baby names one step further: they're a little bit badass, a little bit distinctive, and a lot cool.

Attitude names are cool baby names that project sass, spunk, and confidence. These cool-kid qualities may appeal for both girl and boy babies and are increasingly desirable for parents. Attitude names for girls may be inspired by amazing heroines, an unusual letter or sound, or simply a badass image, such as Luna and Scarlett.

Baby Names Everyone Thinks Are Cool

Cool baby names are a matter of opinion....sometimes. But there are baby names that most people consider cool. Here is a collection of universally-cool baby names.

Badass Baby Names

Badass baby names carry a cool, macho image that works for either gender. These badass names, such as Ace and Axel, suggest the person who rides a motorcycle and sings in a rock band, who can carry a hikers' pack but would never carry a briefcase.

Best British Boy Names

British baby boy names have a style all their own, and fashionable British names are often a step or two ahead of American baby names. Some of the hottest baby boy names in England, Scotland, and Wales are still cool and underused choices in the U.S., as seen below.

Best British Girl Names

Do British girl names have a distinct style? You bet, and often the style of British names is a step or two ahead of the style of American names.

Boy Names for Girls

Some of the coolest baby girl names are not girls' names at all but boys' names -- many of which have officially become unisex names. We're seeing more and more formerly 100% boy names being used for girls, from nicknames like Sam and Charlie (now 50-50 by gender!), to occupational or surnames such as Sawyer or McKinley to formerly masculine names such as Quincy and Jude that have become truly unisex.

Boy Names Kids Consider Cool

What are the cool boy names from the point of view of other kids? Choosing a name that other kids consider cool may be more important than one you think is cool yourself.

Cool Boy Names From Ancient Cultures

Cool boy names are the order of the day, yet why invent a unique name when there are so many ancient names -- from Rome and Byzantium, from Olde England and Germany -- that deserve to be unearthed in the interest of cool? Here's a selection of worthy ancient choices, from a range of eras and places, that make cool unique baby names for boys.

Cool Classic Boy Names — 100+ below the Top 1000

These classic boy names include choices from ancient cultures and the Bible, names sailing out of style along with those heading in. How can a name be cool and classic at the same time? It's deeply rooted in history, but it's also unusual, and these boys' names qualify on both counts.

Cool Classic Girl Names — 100+ below the Top 1000

Classic baby names are not always popular names. These classic classic girl names are also unusual, hiding below the Top 1000. For a name to be cool and classic, it has to be both out-of-the-ordinary and used over centuries, and the 100+ girls' names here qualify on both counts.

Cool Cowboy Baby Names

Cool baby names that say cowboy boots and stirrups are as hot in Brooklyn as they are in Bozeman. The romanticized image of a cowboy and all that it stands for – heroism, adventure, and dashing good-looks – has inspired parents to seek out names that embody those ideals. Names for cowboys are rugged, casual, and handsome, such as Wyatt and Luke.

Cool Girl Names

Cool girl names come from a range of sources and styles, from ancient to modern, classic to newly created.

Cool Girl Names from Ancient Cultures

There are so many ancient names for girls -- from Rome and Byzantium, from Olde England and Germany -- that deserve to be unearthed in the interest of cool. Here's a selection of worthy ancient names, from a range of eras and places.

Cool Guy Names

Many of us name babies based on who we want them to grow up to be, and all of these names nudge your son toward cool guy status. Many of us name babies based on who we want them to grow up to be, and all of these names nudge your son toward cool guy status. It’s hard to picture a man named Dash or Rhett as being anything but exceptionally rad, and that’s exactly the point.

Cool International Boy Names

Cool international boy names from Italy and Ireland, Scandinavia to the Middle East and beyond include a wide variety of choices. Some of these international names for boys, such as Cruz and Orion, are cool in the US and abroad, but many have yet to be discovered by American parents.

Cool International Girl Names

Cool international girl names from a range of cultures and countries are ripe for the picking no matter where you live. As the world becomes a smaller place, baby names for girls become more international, with names like Lucy and Jenna being swapped for Luciana and Gemma.

Cool Midcentury Baby Names

Cool baby names from the middle of the 20th century are coming into style on the heels of midcentury houses and furniture. True, some baby names popular from the 1940s through the 60s may feel like dowdy, overplayed Baby Boomer names just heading into retirement and not due back in style for another generation or two. But some cool guy and girl midcentury names, with their sleek lines and no-nonsense feel, are starting to feel fresh again to the adventurous baby namer.

Cool Middle Names

Hello, cool middle names, and bye-bye to the bland connectives of generations past, the ubiquitous Ann that almost sounded like and, because the middle name has now taken on a much more active part in the naming process. It's a place to honor the family, be creative or whimsical, use a name you're not quite brave enough to try as a first. Here, some cool names that are perfect for middle place, mostly for girls but a handful for boys. Or explore beyond cool with our master list of more than 900 middle names of all kinds.

Cool Saints' Names for Babies

Saints' names can go way beyond the traditional Anne or Francis. If you're naming your child following Catholic tradition or just looking for a cool name that comes attached to a worthy namesake, consider these out-of-the-box saints' names.

Cool Unique Unisex Names

Unisex baby names are both popular and stylish, true, but there are also hundreds of cool names that work equally well for boys and girls. Along with Nico and True, other cool unique unisex names ranking in the US Top 1000 include River, Justice, Bowie, and Scout. Other cool unique baby names used more for both boys and girls include Story, Indigo, and Royal. Here, some of our favorite unique baby names that are gender neutral.

Cool Vintage Baby Names

Vintage baby names are very cool these days....and cool vintage names are very Nameberry. So does that mean that all vintage baby names are cool names? Not exactly. Elmer and Eunice are certainly vintage, but they don’t possess that cool-factor. We’ll take Emmett and Elsie instead.

Coolest Baby Names That Aren't Really Names

The coolest baby names sometimes aren't names at all, as the mostly unisex baby names on this list attest. There are an uncountable number of words turned cool baby names, beyond the scope of any one source. The only limits are your reference books, your imagination, and your taste. Here are some of the coolest and most evocative of the group.

Favorite Names on Nameberry

Nameberry visitors are more intelligent and sophisticated and have more style than the average baby namer -- of course we do -- and the names we love often become future favorites on the official popularity lists. Many of the baby names beloved on Nameberry are also popular among the rest of the country, but the names here are loved significantly more on Nameberry. These Nameberry favorite baby names are destined for more widespread appreciation.

Geek Chic Names for Boys

Cool names for boys come in all shapes, sizes and styles. There are some evergreen classic boys' names which never go out of style: think traditional mainstays of the US (and UK, NZ, and Austalian) Top 100 boy names, like James, William, and Joseph. Other cool boys' names — like thick black-rimmed spectacles and heavy oxfords — are so out they're in. These are the clunky, old-school vintage boys' names that are starting to feel fresh, funky and a little bit daring, but still rooted in tradition.

Geek Chic Names for Girls

Cool names for girls come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. There are some evergreen classic girls' names which — like the little black dress — never go out of style: think traditional mainstays of the US (and UK, NZ, and Australia) popularity charts, like Elizabeth, Katherine, and Hannah. Other cool girls' names — like thick black-rimmed spectacles and heavy oxfords — are so out they're in. These are the clunky, old-school vintage girls' names that are starting to feel fresh, funky and a little bit daring, but still rooted in tradition.

Hipster Baby Names

Hipster baby names are names that are favored by hip, stylish parents, none of whom want to be accused of using hipster names for their children. That makes hipster names a moving target -- as soon as a name becomes identifiably hipster, hip parents start to avoid it. What qualities are shared by hipster names? They're usually conventional names but not popular ones. They might be quirky and edgy but may also have deep roots. Old-fashioned nickname-names often strike a hipster vibe, as do mythological names and boys' names used for girls. The letters O, Q, X, and Z are often found in hipster names. The hipster baby names most often heard around Brooklyn, Austin and Madison these days (though we can't resist pointing out that the names Brooklyn, Austin and Madison are nowhere among them).

Hipster British Baby Names for Boys

Hipster British baby names for boys feel fresher and funkier than the classic royal names most often associated with the British Isles. These quirky British boy names are popular — though, naturally, not *too* popular! — with hipster parents from London to Liverpool. There are some clear trends to be seen here: lively -o and -ee ending sounds are big with the Brits, old man chic is most definitely in, and nicknames as given names are everywhere. If you're looking for a great British baby boy name beyond James or George, you'll find a wealth of wonderful options in this list — no matter whether your taste leans more toward Milo or Marmaduke!

Hipster British Baby Names for Girls

Hipster British baby names for girls are an exotic and eclectic bunch! From sweet vintage nicknames like Peggy and Posy, to elaborate choices like Pandora and Pollyanna, the Brits are renowned for bestowing quirky baby girl names on their daughters. All of these beautiful British girl names have serious style cred in London right now, but they hit the hipster sweet spot in terms of popularity — none rank in the Top 100 baby girl names in England & Wales, and most sit much lower down the list. If you're looking for a cool British girl name beyond Emma or Elizabeth, here are some of our favorite hipster picks!

Modern Hero Baby Names

Modern hero baby names send a powerful message about your values and the qualities you hope your child will one day embody. They might be inspired by stars of screen or sports or literature or politics. Modern hero names may also honor heroes and heroines of the past who still inspire us today, such as Eleanor Roosevelt or Duke Ellington.

Names All Your Friends Will Think Are Cool

Cool baby names can be cool for a number of reasons: they might contain fashionable sounds, like V, X or Z; they might have a cool pop culture connection, such as Kylo and Idris; or they might just be a little bit edgy and hipster, such as Rex and Vesper.

Names No Girl May Be Cool Enough For

You have to be pretty darn cool to name your kid Hortense, cool in that I-like-it-and-I-don't-care-what-the-world-thinks kind of way. Except you're not the one who's going to have to deal with having the name Hortense when you play soccer. You're not the one who's going to have to introduce yourself as Hortense to boys at parties.

Old Lady Names

Old lady names are cool by virtue of their very disdain for fashion. These kind of old school girls' names are connected to tradition rather than modernity and gloss. What gets confusing is whether stylish vintage names like Adeline or Cora really qualify as Old Lady Names anymore, or if a name needs to be a bit dusty and unfashionable to qualify as Old Lady.

Too-Cool Baby Names

Maybe you can't be too rich or too thin, but if you're a baby name, it just may be possible to be too cool. While the line of what constitutes a too-cool baby name seems to get redrawn every day, these choices will probably be on the wrong side of it for a long time to come:

Unique Baby Names: Unusual and Rare

Unique baby names are literally one-of-a-kind, but unique names may also mean names that are unusual and rare, with individual flair.

Unique Girl Names: Unusual and Rare

Unique girl names come in many varieties, from ancient to modern, traditional to invented. The best 2020 unique names for girls are those unusual and rare choices that have deep roots, are attractive, and can fit into contemporary life.

Unusual Baby Names

Unusual baby names come from a range of categories, from ethnic names to place names to word names to surnames used as first names. The best unusual names are distinctive without being strange, seem unique yet are also easy to understand. Of the thousands of unusual baby names on Nameberry, here are some of our favorites.

Vintage Nicknames for Girls

There's a group of vintage nicknames for girls that were used in the distant past and are all but forgotten now. The following might be worth a fresh look. Check our larger Nicknames for Girls list for more choices. And if it's adorable you're after, check out this list of cute baby names, which includes lots of nickname-names.

Wonderful Word Names

Word names -- basically, words used as names -- are a growing class as parents rush to find truly unique baby names for their children. While you'll find word names among nature names and day names and occupational names and color names and spiritual names, most of those collected on this list don't fit neatly into any category. You'll find even more word names in our lists of Nature Names, Place Names, and many other lists in the category Nature, Place, and Word Names. Finally, a word on gender: English words are not gendered and so most of these word names can work for both boys and girls, even if we have only one gender noted here.

X Factor Baby Names

The letter X seems to all by itself create cool baby names. Some of the best baby names with the X factor: