Kip's List of Soft Neutral Names

A short but strong biblical name with multicultural appeal, Asa is enjoying new visibility thanks to hot young actor Asa Butterfield of Hugo fame.

As trendy as the chic Colorado ski resort and film festival, Aspen is fast becoming more popular for girls than for boys, but this nature name would work equally well for either.

Azure is a colorful choice for a blue-eyed child, recently chosen by Elon Musk for his daughter. Currently, Azure is used for American baby girls and boys in equal numbers. Among other blue-toned color name possibilities: Indigo, Cerulean, and Blue itself.

If not for Motown founder Berry Gordy, this name would now be totally in the girl group.

Among the coolest of the cool color names, particularly popular with celebs as a unisex middle name.

Clove is one of a whole tantalizing genre of spice names that might work for a boy. Clovis could be considered a long form.

Originally a short form of Odell, a place name turned surname that hails from England.

Subtle but clear unisex way to signal peace, especially in middle place.

Early is a word-turned-name, pleasantly suggesting the start of a bright new day. Of the new word and day names, Early is one of the best.

If you like names that are not really names -- some say, the wave of the future -- Harbor has an attractive sound as well as an appealing meaning and image.

Hollis is a surname name used quietly for both sexes. At last count, it was given to 212 baby boys and 129 baby girls in the US. It has notable connections for both sexes. On the boys' side, Hollis Thompson is a professional basketball player and Hollis Watkins is a Civil Rights activist in Mississippi. Hollis is an outsized favorite for girls in South Carolina, where Pete Hollis was a community folk hero. For girls, it makes Holly more buttoned-up and distinctive.

Variant spelling of Indy

Ira is one of the shortest, non-biblical sounding Old Testament names, belonging to one of King David's thirty 'mighty warriors.' It was widely used in the US from the 1880s to the early 1930s (it was Number 57 on the Social Security list in 1881), but fell off completely in 1993. Although Ira is also a retirement-account acronym, it's back on the table for those seeking a short biblical name for their sons, and reentered the US Top 1000 in 2016. A musical namesake is lyricist Ira Gershwin (born Israel), a literary one is Ira Levin, and there are two prominent Iras hosting NPR radio shows.

Extremely attractive color name chosen by some African-American families for its reference to the West African Ivory Coast; more commonly used for girls.

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 saint Brother Juniper, a follower of Saint Francis renowned for his generosity. Blessed Junipero Serra, who founded the first of the California Missions, took his name from the earlier Saint Juniper.

Actor Kit Harington, aka the dreamy Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, has given this nickname-name new style and appeal for boys. Actress Jodie Foster used it for her son.

Evocative modern unisex choice brought into the spotlight by actress Lake Bell.

Lane is a recent hit name, that could be used for either gender, but is much more popular for boys. It's a surname that projects the pleasant picture of narrow, tree-lined country roads.