Name Image
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All-American Names
All-American baby names come from a range of sources as diverse as the U.S. itself. There are names that carry a strong American image, such as Liberty or Landry. Native American names such as Tallulah and Dakota certainly are in the mix. Names that relate to American places, such as Sierra and Brooklyn, qualify as all-American names, as do names created here and rarely used anywhere else, from Beyonce to Blue. Names with an all-American image may also be names inspired by American heroes like Lincoln and Kennedy or names that evidence American ideals, from Indie to Apple. Here are some of the names with the most distinctly all-American image.
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Athletic Baby Names
If you're a sports fan, you may find baby name inspiration while watching a football game or a tennis match. While the legendary stars of sports history usually had regular guy names like Joe and Jimmy and Michael and Mickey (not to mention Billie Jean), some of the newer luminaries, as well as the surnames of classic athletes, offer options for baby names that go beyond the perimeters of that limited playing field.
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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. Cool attitude names include animal names like Bear and Fox, in-your-face word names like Danger and Rebel, and "I dare you to make fun of my name" names like Waldo and Thelonious. The cool, creative baby names for boys here are some that we think have swagger, sass, and attitude.
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Attitude Names for Girls
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. The cool names here are some of the best girls' names with attitude.
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Baby Names Headed for Harvard
Some baby names sound so intelligent, so serious, so destined for success that we can just see them on the Harvard acceptance letter. Here, examples of conservative cool baby names.
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Baby Names So Far In They're Out
One of the cornerstones of our work reinventing the way people look at baby names is our list of So Far In They're Out Names. These are trendy names, those that are very in today (or this decade) but are likely to be very out tomorrow. Being popular is not enough to land a name on this list: Names such as Emma and Noah, Charlotte and James may move in and out of fashion but they're hardly trendy. Names here are those that are very very in....until they're very very out.
The up side of trendy names: Kids usually like having names that help them fit in with the crowd, they're easy to understand, they're perfectly in style. The downside: They tend to move out as precipitously as they came in and to linked forever more to this era. Examples of past names that were so far in they were out include Jennifer and Jason, Jessica and Joshua, Ava and Aiden, Katelyn and Kevin. Names that are So Far In They're Out today might include: -
Baby Names Sure to Shock Grandma
The unusual and unique baby names on your list are likely to shock Grandma, especially since she probably thinks you should name the baby Helen, after her. But even if she's more open-minded than that, the following rare baby names will probably render her speechless -- which may be the effect you're after.
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Baby Names That Mean Beautiful
What would a little girl like more than a name denoting beauty? Here are some baby names that fit that bill.
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Baby Names That Mean Happy
Happiness is a wonderful meaning for a baby's name, suggesting an upbeat personality and a positive future. Names that mean happy, happiness, joy, bliss or some other upbeat feeling include ancient mythological names along with modern word names. Names with happiness-related meanings come from a range of cultures and origins. Here are some baby names that mean happy.
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Baby Names That Mean Love
Baby names that mean love hail from a range of different cultures with the unifying theme of a love -- and lovely and loving -- meaning. Names that mean love might be especially popular for babies born around Valentine's Day or conceived on a honeymoon. And for any baby, what could be a more wonderful meaning for a name than love?
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Baby Names That Mean Luck
Baby names meaning luck may not be enough on their own to bless your child with good fortune, but as they say, it couldn't hurt. Names meaning luck or lucky or fortunate include a wide range of different styles and include names with luck-related meanings as well as word-names that literally mean luck.
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Baby Names That Mean Strong
Baby names that mean strong may help arm your boy or girl for whatever lies ahead. Strength-related name meanings have become more popular to parents in recent years, as they prepare their children for challenging times. The following are baby names that include strength or power in their meaning.
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Bad Girls
It may be difficult for people on the brink of parenthood to admit this, but it's cool to be bad. It was cool when you were younger . . . and it's still going to be cool when your baby-to-be is a lot, lot older. If these Bad Girl names are too much for you, check out the list of names for Good Girls. Among the baddest, coolest baby girl names:
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Badass Baby Names
Cool baby names that qualify as badass carry a macho image yet work for babies of both genders . These names 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. They're cool names with attitude, and they kick butt in every sense of the term. The badass baby names for girls and boys include:
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Badass Princess Names
Badass princess is an image that not only appeals to contemporary little girls but to their parents when choosing a name. These girls' names are appealing not so much because of their sound or their style but because of the complicated image they convey. These are rare baby girl names that are both decidedly feminine and rooted in tradition, but are not at all conventional or conservative. They’re creative and edgy, but not invented or unorthodox like Blue or Bellamy.
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Blond Baby Names
For your little towhead, here's a selection of baby names that mean fair or blond.
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Bohemian Baby Names
Bohemian baby names carry a lot of attractive qualities. They're both creative and earthy, relaxed yet distinctive. Bohemian or hippie names may reference heroes from the arts or politics, real or imagined: think Dylan and Ophelia. Some bohemian names are antique or vintage, while others reference nature or desirable qualities such as Peace or Justice. This list includes the best bohemian names today for both girls and boys:
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Boy Names Dads Like More Than Moms
All parents bring their experiences with their own names to bear on the naming of a child, which is why dads may sometimes have stronger feelings about boy names while moms may be more sensitive around names for girls. Traditionally, dads have a preference for strong classic or he-man names for their sons, names that confer a clear measure of masculinity on a baby boy. Dads may also be more likely to favor names that reference athletes or sports, cool guys or rock gods, like the choices here.
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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 fomerly 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. Here, some boy names that can work for girls.
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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.
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Christmas Baby Names
Expecting a Christmas baby, or just want a name that connotes the magical season? Here, our collection of Christmas baby names. See our blog for even more Christmas baby names.
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Classic Baby Names with a Twist
What if you love classic baby names but want something more original? Or if you're looking to honor a relative but want to spin their classic name a bit differently? Without getting into too-crazy spelling variations or too-easy international forms, here some twists on classic baby names.
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College Baby Names
When you're on the prowl for the perfect name, anything can be an inspiration. Colleges around the country provide an endless possibilities for noteworthy baby names. Check out this list of baby names, each derived from the name of a college or university:
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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. These are the names of the guys who are good-looking but not pretty, tough but also tender, bad boys but in the best possible way. If this is your prime criteria for a name, forget name style (though many of these are stylish) and focus on names that convey the cool guy image.
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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.
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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? Not exactly. Here are some of the coolest -- at least by popular agreement -- right now.
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Coolator for Boys' Names
Cool boys' names can sometimes be made from less-than-cool ones. With a bit of ingenuity you can ramp up a name you like to a similar one that's cooler, or tone it down if you want to go in a quieter direction. Here are some examples:
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Coolator for Girls' Names
Cool girls' names can sometimes be made from less-than-cool ones. Sometimes, all you have to do is add an a to the end to bump them up several coolness levels: Natalie to Natalia, Susan to Susanna -- you get the picture. The point is that with a bit of ingenuity you can ramp up a name you like to a similar one that's cooler, or tone it down if you want to go in a quieter direction. Here are some examples:
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Cowboy Baby Names
Looking for a name that says cowboy boots and stirrups? Check out this list of cowboy baby names, many of them inspired by Westerns of the last century.
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Creative Baby Names
Creative baby names can be drawn from the worlds of art, music, design, or literature. Creative baby names for boys and girls include the following.
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Cute Baby Names
Cute baby names might be on board for your doll, your pet, your bump, or maybe even your baby. What makes a name cute? Nickname-names often qualify, as do names that end in o or the ee sound. The biggest concern: That your adorable baby will outgrow the cuteness of his or her name. But cute baby names often come complete with buttoned-up formal versions. Or...you can just embrace the cute! Here are some prime examples of cute baby names that are in style today. For more information and many more names, check out our complete guide to cute baby names.
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Cute Baby Names for Boys
Cute baby names mix up the informal and the unexpected. They're names sometimes found on pets and comic strip characters, but most of them would wear well on a real boy, too. Formal name options can make these even more wearable for the long haul. For more information and many more names, check out our complete guide to cute baby names.
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Cute Baby Names for Girls
Babies are darling, so no wonder some parents opt for the cutest of cute baby names when it comes to naming their daughters. Some of these cute names do wear well, even into adulthood. Other cute baby names might be better as nicknames for formal names - or reserved for kittens and doll babies. For more information and many more names, check out our complete guide to cute baby names.
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Dark Baby Names
Expecting a baby with dark hair, or eyes, or skin, or simply looking for a name that means (or suggests) dark or black? Consider these baby names.
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Designer Baby Names
Designer kids' clothes these days often have adorable brand names--names that would be equally stylish baby names on your own little boy or girl. Here's a selection of some of the best designer baby names from Agatha to Zella.
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Exotic Lite Baby Names
Maybe you want an exotic name for your baby....but not too exotic. Something international, yet recognizable to most Americans. Your category? Could be the Exotic Lite baby names here, from a range of cultures.
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Feminine Girl Names
If you like decidedly feminine girl names, consider this collection of names with (usually) soft sounds, (often) vowel endings, and (always) a decidedly sweet, dainty image. Of course, girls' names can also be strong, powerful, wise, and all these other positive qualities that can apply to both genders, but these girls' names have an overarching feminine image.
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Film Noir Baby Names
Baby names drawn from film noir or "black film," the genre of Hollywood crime dramas that capture the suspenseful happenings of private eyes in distinct black and white form, tend to be dramatic and rooted in an earlier era. Here, our collection of film noir baby names.
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Geek Chic Names for Boys
Cool names for boys come in all shapes and flavors. There are some baby names that, like thick black-rimmed glasses and heavy oxfords, are so uncool they're cool. Here are some geek chic baby names for boys.
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Geek Chic Names for Girls
Cool names for girls come in all shapes and flavors. There are some baby names that, like thick black-rimmed glasses and heavy oxfords, are so uncool they're cool. Here are some geek chic names for girls.
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Geeks Forever
Some baby names just seem irredeemably geeky, on a permanent no list for the modern child. The baby names here qualify for now on the boys' side -- though we've learned in the world of baby naming, to paraphrase Heidi Klum, one day you're out, and the next day you may be very very in.
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Geezer Names for Girls
Blame it on Sidney. This name, which conjures up images of thick glasses, a snowfall of dandruff on shoulders, and plaid polyester pants pulled up to the sternum, sounds (strangely enough) nothing less than charming, nothing short of cool when applied to a little girl. And so too can the other geezer names here. Caution: Most of these names should not be bestowed on a boy. The world is not yet ready for another generation of male Seymours and Sheldons, although keep in mind that among the hottest boys' names in the UK now are Harvey and Leon.
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Girls' Names With Gravity
For many parents, girls' names (and boys' names too) should carry more than an attractive sound and appealing image; they should have real history behind them. These names relate to a range of impressive personages, real and imagined, and also have both breadth and depth in terms of the meaning they convey. Inspired by a fascinating discussion on our forums, here are some girls' names with history and weight.
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Girly Girl Baby Names
Girly girl baby names -- the most elaborately feminine of baby names -- have become newly fashionable. Here are some super feminine baby names for your own girly girl.
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Good Girls
Bad Girl names are hot, but Good Girl names -- sweet, innocent, feminine baby girl names -- are too. If these are too angelic for you, consult the Bad Girl collection.
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Gothic Baby Names
Gothic baby names relate to the culture that combines horror with romanticism. Gothic can refer to the medieval or the modern; Gothic style encompasses music and architecture, literature and fashion. Here are some names that, for a range of reasons, might be considered Gothic. Baby appropriate? In a dark sort of way....
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Halloween Baby Names
Halloween baby names reference the holiday and all things spooky. Would you really want to choose one of these baby names for a child born on or near Halloween? Debatable. But those who are into celebrating the holiday may want to adopt their own Halloween name from this collection of names of ghostly or witchy people, characters, and things.
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Handsome Baby Names
Baby names that mean handsome can help your little boy's self-image. Good-looking baby names for boys include:
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High-Energy Baby Names
These baby names are a rollicking group to choose from if you want an energetic-sounding child.
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Hipster Baby 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).
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Inspirational Baby Names
Baby names with inspirational meanings or from spiritual sources strike an uplifting chord. Inspirational baby names include:
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Literary Baby Names
Literary names, drawn from the characters in books for both adults and children as well as from the names of well-loved authors, are gaining in popularity. Literary names we are hearing more of these days include the following. For a more complete collection, check out our lists of Literary Names for Girls and Literary Names for Boys.
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Midcentury Baby Names
Midcentury furniture may be in, but midcentury baby names, not so much. These are the names of the Baby Boomers, new or about-to-be grandmas and grandpas of today, and their names feel middle-aged to young parents. Wait a generation or two, and given the hundred year rule, you might look for these midcentury names to make a comeback as baby names in the 2040s and 2050s.
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Mystical Names
Mystical names summon figures of mythology and legend, of magic and mystery. The mystical names here hail from a range of different cultures and stories. Click on individual names for more information on what makes them mystical!
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Names All Your Friends Will Think Are Cool
There are certain cool baby names all but guaranteed to charm and impress your friends. Just don't let it influence you unduly.
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Names No Boy May Be Cool Enough For
You have to be pretty damn cool to name your kid Elmer, 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 Elmer when you play Little League. You're not the one who's going to have to introduce yourself as Elmer to girls at parties. In fact, if you think it's so cool, maybe you should change your own name to Elmer rather than laying it on a poor little kid. The point: While we can appreciate the contrarian cool inherent in these clunky names, we fear that few children at this point in time are cool enough actually to live with them.
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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. In fact, if you think it's so cool, maybe you should change your own name to Hortense rather than laying it on a poor little kid. The point: While we can appreciate the contrarian cool inherent in these clunky names, we fear that few children at this point in time are cool enough actually to live with them.
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Names with Royal Meanings
By names with royal meanings, we don't mean actual royal baby names, such as George and Charlotte, but names that mean king, prince, queen, even royal. Choosing a baby name with a royal meaning is one of the many positive ways you can give your child a name to live up to. Some choices if you want to give your child a royal baby name, but subtle-y.
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New Baby Names on the Rise
These new baby names have only recently been born, but are rising through baby names popularity lists and we predict will be used more frequently in the future. The new baby names to pay attention to include the following.
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New Year's Baby Names
The start of a new year brings with it a sense of fresh beginnings, a new dawn dawning, and hopes for the future. Here are some baby names from various cultures whose meanings reflect those feelings, especially appropriate for a baby born near the start of a new year.
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Offbeat Baby Names
Offbeat baby names are those that are just a little bit quirky, a tiny bit unusual, off the beaten track. Here are some offbeat baby names you might want to consider today.
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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. We've tried to make this list inclusive, pulling in all types of Old Lady Names. For more on the If you're interested in learning even more about these kinds of vintage names check out our original blog on Old Lady Names for more commentary and ideas.
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Old Man Names
Old man names like Max and Sam and Henry have been used for babies for so long now that they no longer sound like old man names. But don't worry, there are plenty more where those came from. To qualify as a cool old man name, a name has to feel both classic and slightly moth-eaten, like the perfect vintage suit. Here are the names for boys we consider Old Man Names.
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Old People Names
Old people names -- or rather, #oldpeoplenames -- is a Twitter phenomenon, whereby people contribute their ideas of which baby names are, you guessed it, old people names. Some of the ideas that pop up on Twitter, from Marvin to Myrtle, are good ones, while others miss the mark. True old people names still carry the whiff of the nursing home, even if they're newly considered fit for babies.
Here, the names we consider Old People Names.
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Patriotic Baby Names
Baby names with a patriotic flavor honor the land of the free and the home of the brave. Whether you're having a fourth of July baby, or you're just a proud American, here is a list of patriotic baby names sure to pay tribute to America.
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Pixar Baby Names
Pixar has a knack for developing characters you can't help but love, Mike Wazowski anyone? Not only does Pixar create some unforgettable characters, but Pixar names can be lovable as baby names too! Here's a list of some of the more interesting character names from Pixar films:
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Popular Unisex Baby Names
Unisex baby names, names used for both girls and boys, have become increasingly popular over the past generation. Most unisex names lean at least slightly towards one gender or the other, though there are some names that feel unisex but are really used nearly exclusively for girls or boys: Addison and Madison are examples of popular names for girls that may have started out as boys' names and moved into the unisex category, but are now squarely on the girls' side. The names on this list are given to at least 10 percent of the minority sex and rank among the most popular gender neutral names today.
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Powerful Boy Names
Powerful boy names might be those that literally mean power or strength or those that simply sound macho: Rock is an exaggerated example. If you're looking for a decidedly powerful name for your baby boy, consider these boys' names that have strong or powerful in the meaning or give the impression of conventional masculinity. For more on this topic, see our blog on names that mean strength.
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Pretty Girl Names
Pretty girl names are pretty -- attractive, feminine, sometimes frilly -- in themselves. They also conjure the image of a pretty girl. And some of these names literally mean pretty or beautiful. While prettiness may ultimately be in the eye (and ear) of the beholder, we think these names say Pretty Girl. To go in a slightly different direction, we've also got a list of Cute Names for Girls.
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Prince Names
The prince names here are those chosen by royal families around the world for their little boys over the past decade or so. Your idea of prince names can be expanded to include those used over past generations -- Charles and Andrew, say -- and to extend to fictional princes such as Phillip or...well, maybe not Charming. Some of the real little princes have three or four middle names. For more details, see our blog on prince names.
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Princess Names
The princess names for girls here are those chosen by royal families around the world over the past decade or so. Your idea of princess names can be expanded to include those used over past generations -- Anne and Elizabeth and even Diana, say -- and to extend to fictional princesses such as Ariel and Aurora. Many of the real little princesses have three or four middle names.
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Redhead Baby Names
Expecting a little redhead? Here are some baby names that mean red or redhead.
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Relaxed Baby Boy Names
These are baby boy names that are casual, laid back and friendly.
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Rock Star Baby Names
These rock and roll baby names are sure to bring out the star in your little one. Inspired by the rockers themselves, or the subjects of their songs (Jude, Layla, and Roxanne for instance), these names are the most edgy, interesting, or relevant of the rock star choices.
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Romantic Baby Names for Girls
There has been an upturn in the use of romantic baby names for girls in recent years -- think Isabella and Sophia. Some of these romantic baby names are classic, some are popular, but we're also including several names here that are more unusual. Here's a list of girls' names that have a romantic image and feel.
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Royal Baby Names
Royal baby names are those used by royal families in recent years. The royal names here include those used by British royal parents as well as those from other countries throughout Europe, including Spain, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Many of the names of contemporary royal children have been used by royal families over the centuries, while some are newcomers to the royal name lexicon. Royal baby names include:
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Rustic Baby Names
Rustic names with that down-home country feeling can be drawn from nature names, Western names, earthy names -- many different sources. Names we'd call rustic include both classic and unique baby names, from Levi to Leaf, Hazel to Huck. Think golden afternoons, winding country roads, worn fences and simple pleasures. If your preference is for plain-feeling, rustic choices, take a look at this list.
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Short & Strong Girl Names
Looking for girl names that are unfussy and straightforward? Here are some choice baby girl names that are both short and strong. If you're having a boy, check out our post on strong boy names
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Soap Opera Baby Names
Baby names from soap operas, inspired by melodramatic characters, often appear on the popularity charts. If you're expecting a dramatic little one, a "soap" name may be right up your alley. Soap opera writers tend to choose names some may consider a bit over the top.
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Southern Baby Names
There's something about the South that says charm, hospitality and courtesy. This list of Dixie baby names may inspire a choice for your southern belle or gentleman.
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Space Baby Names
There are cool star names like Uma and Bono, and then there are the even more extreme astronomical star and constellation names, which might appeal to parents looking for baby names that are unique and celestial -- in other words, a heavenly name. Some stellar ideas:
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Spiritual Baby Names
Spiritual baby names suggest qualities we'd all like our children to aspire to and fit our new definition of cool. While they seem as if they can work for both genders, most spiritual baby names have been veering toward the feminine side. A few, such as Trinity, Destiny, Sky, and Genesis, are already staples on the girls' popularity lists. Here, some spiritual names that might be right for your baby.
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Stylish L Baby Names
L is the letter that lends style to almost any name that contains it these days, whether at the beginning, in the middle, or -- most fashionably of all -- in a couple of different places. Also stylish are baby names that not only contain the letter L but its sound, as in Ella and Elliot. Here, fashionable baby names made all the lovelier by the letter L.
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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:
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Urban Prairie Names
Urban Prairie is the hottest new style on the fashion runways, and one that translates perfectly to baby names. These names are a little bit city and a little bit country, sophisticated yet artless, traditional yet edgy, so far out they're very very in.
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Victorian Royal Baby Names
Queen Victoria named six of nine children after either herself or her husband Prince Albert, making the royal baby names from the 19th and early 20th centuries a cozy bunch. The full list of royal names from the Victorian era includes:
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Yupster Baby Names for Boys
Yupsters -- a blend of yuppies and hipsters -- prefer baby names that are to the left of the most popular list but far to the right of most choices on this site. The Yupster Baby Names are classic as well as cool, embodying style along with history. The only problem is that you may hear them far more than you want to in the years to come.
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Yupster Baby Names for Girls
Yupsters -- a blend of yuppies and hipsters -- prefer baby names that are to the left of the most popular list but far to the right of most choices on this site. The Yupster Baby Names are classic as well as cool, embodying style along with history. The only problem is that you may hear them far more than you want to in the years to come.
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