Ways to Bay

One of the most appealing of the newly hip occupational names, evoking sweet smells emanating from the oven. Much fresher sounding than than others that have been around for a while, like Cooper, and Carter.

Extremely amiable, open-sounding surname that's gradually being taken over by the girls.

Benaiah is an unusual Biblical choice that can get you to Ben.

The Spanish word for "berry" makes a deliciously intriguing word name possibility.

Meaning bard, this is an original choice with poetic and melodic undertones. Bard itself has also come into consideration, both names bringing to mind Shakespeare and other literary lights.

The Scottish surname Baird's most notable bearer was John Logie Baird, the Scottish engineer and inventor of the televisor, the world's first practical television system in 1926, and also the world's first fully electronic color TV tube two years later. Some might also remember puppeteers Bil and Cora Baird.

Bates is a fresh version of Bartholomew, and feels more wearable than Bart. Bates could be considered a patriotic choice for American parents - Katharine Lee Bates was an author and professor best known for penning the words to "America the Beautiful".

This ancient name is that of the hero of the epic Beowulf, which is thought to be the oldest-ever poem in English lit written in the vernacular. J. R. R. Tolkien used the poem as one of his inspirations for The Lord of the Rings.

Derived from the Scottish Gaelic bàn, meaning "white, fair". It's also a name in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Elvish language, in which it means "beautiful".

Short form of Adebayo

Baylor is a possible occupational alternative to the tired Taylor, especially for a horse lover.

Bayou? No, but it sounds the same, and since both the Indonesian name and the English word have appealing nature meanings, this is a perfect choice for the family that wants to bridge cultures.

This possible word name, which rhymes with Maia, makes an even more distinctive alternative.

If Braden and Caden, why not Baden?

French form of Urban or Urbanus, borne by eight popes.

A slow and sultry southern choice that's definitely cool for babies of either gender.

Sound-wise, Beige fits in with Sage, Gage, Boone, and Brooks, and you could argue it gives off calm, clean vibes. However, its links to total blandness and to the divisive "Beige Mom Aesthetic" mean that Beige has yet to make the US charts for boys.

An old English redhead name -- one of the few that doesn't begin with the letter r -- with references both to a famous French knight and a magical horse. Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin is a contemporary bearer of this unusual and evocative name.

This fabric word name would be a one-of-a-kind.

The real city is now known as Mumbai, but the original name is far more evocative.

Also written as Bayla, Baila is reminiscent of the Spanish word for "dance". Its meaning is debated: it may come from the Slavic root word for "white", or it may be a form of Bilhah, one of the four women who gave birth to the tribes of Israel. An offbeat approach to Bella.