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Isolde
Welsh, German
"ice ruler"
Sleek, sharp, and soulful, Isolde is the German form of Iseult, the fabled lover of Tristan in the Arthurian romances. First appearing in the 12th-century, the name was fairly popular in the form of…
Ithaca
Place-name, Latin, Greek
"island"
The island home of Odysseus, the name of a real-life Greek island, and the New York city site of Cornell University, Ithaca feels like a scholarly and distinctive choice. Pronounced as ith-uh-kuh, it…
Jacaranda
Spanish, Portuguese, Tupi-Guarani flower name
"fragrant"
Distinctive and charming nature name that blends elements of Jacqueline and Amanda.
Jacquenette
Jacquenette is a feminine name of French origin, functioning as an elaborate diminutive form of Jacqueline, which itself is the feminine version of Jacques (the French form of James). The name…
Jeannot
Jeannot is a charming masculine French diminutive of Jean (the French equivalent of John). The '-ot' suffix traditionally indicates affection or endearment in French naming customs. The name…
Jemima
Hebrew
"dove; daytime"
Jemima, the name of a strong and beautiful Biblical daughter of Job, has long been among the chicest choices of aristocratic Brits, and has since shifted to be used more generally too, replacing…
Jessamine
English from Persian
"jasmine"
Jessamine, a charming name occasionally heard in England, is just beginning to be appreciated in the U.S. as a possible successor to all the Jess names of the past. It's also spelled Jessamyn, as in…
Jezebel
Hebrew
"not exalted"
Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab in the Hebrew Book of Kings, has long had a bad girl reputation. But in the modern secular world, this is somewhat mitigated by the feminist perspective of her as a…
Jolyon
Medieval form of Julian
"youthful"
Galsworthy used this for "The Forsyte Saga," but in modern real life Julian would work better.
Joplin
English surname
"son of Job"
Used as a first name for a handful of girls every year, Joplin could be seen as a distant cousin of other -lin names, like Caitlin, Brooklyn and Braelynn. We think it works even better as a musical…
Juniper
English from Latin tree name
"young"
Juniper is a nature name that we really like. While it's trendiest for girls -- about 2500 baby girls were named Juniper in 2022 versus 34 baby boys -- the most notable Juniper in history was the…
Karsyn
Spelling variation of Carson
A surname-style name with a contemporary spelling, Karsyn is a unisex name that has been on and off the charts for boys since 2018. As of 2023, it's back in the US Top 1000 and given to more than 200…
Kelby
English
"dweller at the farm by the stream"
This British last-name-first-name could make a more masculine alternative to Shelby.
Kelwyn
Kelwyn is a distinctive masculine name with Celtic influences, potentially derived from elements meaning 'slender' and 'white' or 'fair.' It combines the modern feel of names beginning with 'Kel'…
Keturah
Hebrew
"incense"
Keturah, the Old Testament name of Abraham's second wife, is a possibility for anyone seeking a truly unusual and interesting biblical name; certainly a lot more distinctive than that of Abraham's…
Khandalyce
Modern invented name
This interesting name has unfortunately risen to attention through the tragic murder case of little Khandalyce Stevenson. Probably needs some time before it can be used without these sad connections.
Lakelan
Lakelan is a masculine name that appears to be a variation of Lachlan, a name with Scottish Gaelic origins meaning 'land of lakes' or 'from the fjord land.' This alternate spelling gives the name a…
Laken
Variation of Lake, English
Not quite a nature name and not quite a surname — whatever Laken is or isn't, we know it's definitely a name to watch.
Lalage
Greek
"to chatter"
An interesting name despite the pronunciation challenge. It has literary roots, both in the classical poetry of Horace, and as a character in John Fowles' The French Lieutenant's Woman . Appealing…
Lancelot
French
"servant"
In Arthurian legend, Lancelot was one of the most dashing of the Knights of the Round Table who eventually had an affair with Queen Guinevere: it makes for a romantic story-- but perhaps overly…