Differentish and not too differentish names

Most of the inspiration for these names come from nature, places, emotions, virtues, French, Portuguese, and Gaelic backgrounds.
  1. Zephyr
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "west wind"
    • Description:

      If you're looking for a name that's light and breezy, this could be it. A name from mythology: Zephyrus/Zephyr was the Greek god of the west wind, and with its similarity in sound to the likes of Stefan or Seth, its zippy Z initial and cool Y, it is primed to rise up the US charts.
  2. Piper
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "one who plays the pipes or flute"
    • Description:

      Piper's rising popularity for girls makes it an unlikely masculine choice.
  3. Faith
    • Origin:

      Virtue name
    • Description:

      Faith is one of the most straightforward of the virtue names popularized by the Puritans in the seventeenth century, many parents still choosing it as an indicator of their religious conviction. Faith peaked in 2002 at Number 48.
  4. Sapphire
    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Greek, and Latin jewel name
    • Meaning:

      "blue"
    • Description:

      Sapphire goes waaaaay beyond Ruby and Pearl. This September birthstone, occasionally used a century ago, might be worth a reappraisal, perhaps as a Sophie/Sophia alternative. Sapphire is the pseudonym of Romona Lofton, who wrote the book Push, which was turned into the movie Precious. Sapphire entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, and is proving to be one of the freshest gem names for girls. Another intriguing variation is the lovely Sapphira.
  5. Coco
    • Origin:

      French and Spanish nickname name
    • Description:

      The most famous male Coco was Britain's beloved Coco the Clown, whose proper name was Nicolai. An adorable informal pet name not recommended for the birth certificate.