Word Names Nerd Names By Romy Marylou Amber

Rain

Nature name

Mostly feminine, though "Office" star Rainn Wilson gives it a slight masculine twist. You might also use this as a short form of Raines.

Rainy

English word name

"rainy"

In Colonial America, Rainy was commonly used among enslaved people of both genders. The practice of giving children names that relate to their birth — such as the day, weather, or time — is common in…

Rebel

Word name

"rebel"

Asking for trouble. Rebel Wilson is female, but this name is truly gender neutral, though hardly neutral in any other way. Rebel is undoubtedly one of the edgiest boys' names starting with the letter…

Red

Color name

Fiery but slight middle name choice; much more apt to be a redhead's nickname.

Royalty

American word name

Royalty is a super-hot name for girls, but there's no reason it can't be used for boys too. In fact it is, but only about 5 percent of the time, making it one of those unisex names whose usage is…

Ruby

Hebrew

"behold, a son"

Ruby could be a short form of the Biblical name Reuben and especially its streamlined form, Ruben. As a gemstone name, it's currently enjoying a fresh boom of popularity for girls – nearing the US…

Safari

African word name from Swahili

"journey"

In the US this is likely to conjure zebras, lions and elephants on the Serengeti, but its original meaning "journey" broadens its wearability. Safari is a name common in Africa for babies born while…