Names I adore to the moon and back

Austin

English, shortened form of Augustine, Latin

"great, magnificent"

Austin is one of the most attractive city names for babies , with an appealing southwestern feel and place-name panache. Austin has been an Anglo-Saxon surname and a first name since medieval times.…

Jasper

Persian

"bringer of treasure"

Jasper originated as a variation of the Latin Gaspar, which ultimately derived from the Persian word ganzabara , meaning "bringer of treasure." As a given name, Jasper’s etymology is unrelated to…

Nathaniel

Hebrew

"gift of God"

Nathaniel was derived from the Hebrew name Netan’el, meaning "gift of God," composed of the elements natan , meaning "to give," and ’el , in reference to God. The name is featured several times in…

Arlo

Irish or English

"between two hills"

Quirky cool Arlo is now well and truly back. Last year it broke into the US Top 200 boy names and consistently ranks among the most popular boy names on Nameberry. Along with its Irish and English…

Jett

Mineral or word name

Short, sharp, and cool, Jett is a contemporary choice that connotes both gemstones and jet engines. Rarely used before the 90s, John Travolta, and then George Lucas, helped to put the name on the map…

Cole

English

"swarthy, coal black"

Cole -- a short name that embodies a lot of richness and depth -- has long been associated with the great songwriter Cole Porter. It's quite popular in Scotland. Old King Cole -- which refers to a…

Victor

Latin

"conqueror"

Victor is one of the earliest Christian names, borne (as Vittorio) by several saints and popes, symbolizing Christ's victory over death. It has been quietly in the Top 200 since 1880, but just…

Javier

Spanish variation of Xavier, Basque

"new house"

One of the most popular Spanish names for boys in the US, Javier is embodied for many Americans in the magnetic persona of Spanish-born Oscar-nominated actor Javier Bardem. While off its peak in the…

Jax

Modern invented name, English

"God is Gracious"

With its cool -X ending, Jax is an update on the classic nickname Jack, likely inspired by the rise of Jackson. It garnered attention in the US thanks to the game, Mortal Kombat II back in the '90s,…

Baylor

English occupational surname

"one who delivers goods"

Baylor's 2014 ascension to the US Top 1000 for boys is probably thanks to its fashionable two-syllable, r-ending, occupational surname feel. Think of it as Taylor with a twist. Baylor is also the…

Iker

Basque

"visitation"

Long an extremely popular name in Spain, Iker (usually pronounced EE-kuhr in the English speaking world) is the rare Basque name that's starting to make it big in the States also, thanks to soccer…

Remy

French from Latin

"oarsman"

Remy is one of the hottest names today for both boys and girls, sometimes spelled Remi. . It entered the popularity list in 2009 and has quickly become one of the fastest-rising names on the list.…

Kane

Celtic

"warrior"

A name of multiple identities: a somewhat soap-operatic single-syllable surname, a homonym for the biblical bad boy Cain, and, when found in Japan and Hawaii, it transforms into the two syllable…

Damon

English variation of Damian

Damon is a name with a strong, pleasing aura (much like the persona of Matt D.) and extremely positive ancient associations. From the classical myth, Damon and Pythias have become symbols of true…