Names that sound more like words
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Names that evoke the original words to me first before the idea of a name
- Abacus
Origin:
Greek word nameDescription:
A mathematical possibility, but the odds are against it.
- Ace
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"one, unity"Description:
No longer tied to the hapless Ace Ventura, this jaunty, high-flying nickname name is starting to take flight among celebrity and other parents, with its countless positive references to doing well in tests and poker games, on the tennis court and golf course, and in the air.
- Alto
Description:
Musical choice best left to the boys, or variation of Alta.
- Amity
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"friendship"Description:
Amity--what nicer gift to give your little girl than a name that signifies friendship and harmony? This virtue name is also more rhythmic and feminine than the single-syllable Hope, Faith, and Grace.
- Anemone
Origin:
Flower name; GreekMeaning:
"daughter of the wind"Description:
Anemone is a floral name that relates to the ancient Greek myth of the famous love story of Aphrodite and Adonis, in which Aphrodite transforms her wounded lover's blood into a flower, the crimson anemone, whose blossoms are opened by the wind — accounting for its other name, windflower.
- April
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"to open"Description:
Once the most popular month names, April has been overtaken by June (for girls) and August (for boys), as well as the charmingly old-fashioned May. Literary reference: the heroine of the book and movie Revolutionary Road, and there have been Aprils on Parks and Recreation, Glee, and The Vampire Diaries. Trivia note: comedian Ralphie May named his daughter April June May.
- Aria
Origin:
Italian and HebrewMeaning:
"air; song or melody; lion"Description:
Aria is a multi-cultural name with two extremely popular versions: this more word-like one along with Arya, the spelling used for the feisty young heroine of Game of Thrones. There were about 6400 baby girls named Aria in the US last year alog with 2400 named Arya, which counted together places the name in the Top 10.
- Arizona
Origin:
Place-name from Papago IndianMeaning:
"little springs"Description:
We usually think of place-names as a modern invention, but in fact Arizona ranked on the US Top 1000 from its inception in 1880 until 1911, when it vanished below the surface. It peaked at Number 510 in 1882, before Arizona became a state. One notorious vintage bearer: criminal "Ma" Barker, born Arizona Clark.
- August
Origin:
German form of Latin AugustusMeaning:
"great, magnificent"Description:
The name August is at its highest point since the 1890s, when it ranked among the Top 100 boy names in the US. And deservedly so, given its great meaning, historic roots, and cool nicknames.
- Autumn
Origin:
Season nameDescription:
Crisp and colorful, Autumn is the most popular season name now -- the only one in the Top 100 in recent years -- with Autumn's coolness only surpassed by Winter. Jennifer Love Hewitt named her daughter Autumn James.
- Bay
Origin:
English word, Old EnglishMeaning:
"an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward; berry"Description:
Like River and Lake, a cool, refreshing modern water-related choice. This name is also associated with bay leaves, the bay laurel, the contemporary term of endearment, "bae", and the Old English word beġ meaning "berry"
- Blaze
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"fire"Description:
Originally a form of the saint's name Blaise, though now more likely to be a hot word name used for both sexes, though heavily weighted toward the boys. It has been in the boys' Top 1000 since the year 2000.
br>On the pop culture side of things, Blaze Bayley is a singer and musician who has been connected to the bands Wolfsbane and Iron Maiden.
- Breaker
Origin:
English word nameDescription:
One of the aggressive new boys' names, ala Tracker and Heller, that have become fashionable among parents who are courting trouble.
- Case
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
A brisk and unconventional name that could be a style stand-in for confederates Casey, Chase, Cale, and Cade.
- Cash
Origin:
Word name; also diminutive of CassiusMeaning:
"hollow"Description:
With the popular 'ash' sound and a contemporary feel, Cash is a widely used name in the US. Used occasionally before the 2000s, Cash really took off in 2003, following the death of American musical legend, Johnny Cash.
- Chance
Origin:
French variation of ChaunceyDescription:
Once a cavalier Mississippi gambler type name, Chance has entered the mainstream since being endorsed by such celebrity dads as Larry King and Paul Hogan. Chance the Rapper has also boosted the name's popularity.
- Charity
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"charity"Description:
Charity is one of the Big Three abstract virtue names, along with Hope and Faith, though far less widely used than the others. But as Faith, Grace and Hope grow more common, some parents are beginning to look at the more unusual three-syllable choices like Verity, Amity, Clarity and Charity, which sound much fresher and also have that pleasingly rhythmic 'y'-ending sound.
- Chase
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"to hunt"Description:
Chase, with its sleek and ultraprosperous aura, is redolent of the worlds of high finance and international banking. Chase has been well used during the last few decades, seen as a character on 24 and on several young-audience shows.
- China
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
Long before the current place-name craze, a pair of the more daring pop singers of the Age of Aquarius picked this name for their daughters. Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick used the conventional spelling, the Mamas and the Papas's Michelle Phillips went further afield with Chynna (of the group Wilson Phillips).
- Christmas
Origin:
English word nameDescription:
Christmas is a day name long and quietly used as a name for babies born at Christmas. Prettier and more modern than Noel or Noelle.