Though associated traditionally (and fashionably) with boys, it has been used occasionally for girls as well – by Garth Brooks, Nicolas Cage, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, for example. But August is used significantly more often for girls these days than traditional feminine variations Augusta and Augustina, and makes for a fresh twist on traditional month names like April and May, as well as an updated spin on season name Autumn.

Echo, the pretty, resonant name of a legendary nymph, was the heroine of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series Dollhouse. Nick Hexum, of the band 311, named his daughter Echo Love.

Among a small shower of rain-related names, this pure version can have a cool, refreshing image.

Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name.

Sky may be a bit hippie-ish, but it's bright and sunny nonetheless. Sky rejoined the Top 1000 in 2013 after spending many years off the list. Sky was the choice of magician David Copperfield for his daughter, born in 2010.

Less than ten percent of the babies named Rhys are girls, whereas Reese is given five times more often to girls than to boys, thanks to Ms. Witherspoon. It's a sleek and attractive name, but one that benefits from two accepted spellings that help clarify its gender identity.

Like Cerulean, one of the new and unusual color names -- it's a soft grayish green -- suitable for a boy.

This 1950s Welsh bird name sounds less dated than our fifties Robin.

With related choices such as Lark and Phoenix gaining popularity, why not Sparrow? Though it's usually thought of as a female name, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden chose it for their son.

This color name, spelled either Gray or Grey is rapidly catching on. Actress Jenny von Oy recently called her daughter Gray Audrey.

One of the jewel names in use a hundred years ago, due for revival along with sisters Ruby and Pearl.

The menu of usable month names seems to expand every, well, month, with such choices as November, October, and January joining more established names like April, May, June and August. Logical November nicknames include Nova, Novi, or Ember, making this a natural (if adventurous) choice for a baby girl. November is also, obviously, one of the perfect names for November babies.

March has never been popular as a month name, possibly because of its slightly abrupt sound. But with all kinds of month (and season, day, and holiday) names, from January to December, Sunday to Easter, Winter to Midnight, coming to the fore, March is beginning to seem eminently baby-ready.

Cyan is an attractive color names, but for a girl, better go all the way to Cyane, the name of a Sicilian nymph who lived in a blue pool.

This vivid sky blue color name is at present used mostly for boys, but it is used in such small numbers that it could easily work on any gender. Whimsical and magical, but reminiscent of more established names, such as Ocean, Elowen, Seraphine, and Celestine, Cerulean might just make more appearances in coming years.

It's a place. It's a wine. It's a color. -- no wonder trend-heavy Burgundy's been discovered as a name.

Intriguing alternative that goes beyond Louisa and May, for Little Women fans.

A succinct Estonian form of classic Margaret.

An intriguing and rare variant of Alice.