Gender? Who's That?
- Beau
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"handsome"Description:
Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau has been on the Social Security list non-stop since 1969.
- Leif
Origin:
Swedish; Danish; NorwegianMeaning:
"heir, descendant"Description:
Leif is one of the most recognizable Scandinavian names, thanks to Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson, and is still one of the best, with a pleasant aural association with the word leaf.
- Echo
Origin:
Greek mythology nameMeaning:
"echo or sound"Description:
Although this is traditionally seen as a female name, via the classical mythological nymph who pined away for Narcissus until all that remained of her was a disembodied voice — it can also be used for boys. Remember that old song, 'Little sir echo, how do you do?'
- Briar
Origin:
Nature name, English word nameMeaning:
"a thorny patch"Description:
This word name entered the US Top 1000 for both genders in 2015, though it premiered a little higher for girls. There are still more baby girls named Briar than baby boys -- 594 vs. 361 in 2021 -- but it's rising in popularity for both. Briar fits the trend for nature names, and it also offers a fresh option for honoring a Brian.
- Aster
Origin:
English from GreekMeaning:
"star"Description:
The name of the Aster flower, named by the English, was derived from the Greek word for star. Like many floral names, Aster is much more popular among baby girls.
- Moss
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"descendant of Moses"Description:
This evocative green nature name, heard much more frequently as a surname, is associated with playwright Moss Hart (born Robert), who co-wrote (with George S. Kaufman) such enduring Broadway comedies as The Man Who Came to Dinner and You Can't Take it With You.
- Newt
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"a small salamander"Description:
Rarely used on its own and irrevocably tied to former House Speaker Gingrich -- who was christened Newton.
- Crow
Origin:
Bird nameDescription:
From Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, the story of a boy named Kafka -- crow in Czech.
- Solstice
Origin:
English from LatinMeaning:
"when the sun stands still"Description:
Solstice graduated from word to official first name when author Lionel Shriver used it for a character in her novel Big Brother. But of course, there were people named Solstice before: 16 baby girls were given the name in the US in 2021, and it was last on the charts for boys in 2018, when six baby boys got the name.
- Lotus
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"lotus flower"Description:
The lotus is a meaningful symbol in many East Asian cultures, where it symbolizes purity, enlightenment, and rebirth. As a name, it's much more common among baby girls, but a small number of boys are named Lotus each year.
- Leaf
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
The nature boy version of the Scandinavian Leif, which actually means "heir". In the creative-naming Phoenix family, Leaf is the former name of the actor we know as Joaquin.
- Robbie
Origin:
Diminutive of Robert, English from GermanMeaning:
"bright fame"Description:
This short form of Robert was borne by famous figures from Robbie Williams to Robbie Coltrane to Robbie Robertson. At one point, Robbie was the cool new Bobby, but now Robbie is cool only for girls.
- Cricket
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
Typically used for girls, but Disney Channel show Big City Greens made it wearable for boys as well.
- Birch
Origin:
Tree nameDescription:
Birch is a rarely used nature name that calls to mind the lovely image of the tall, strong but graceful white-barked tree.
- Fennel
Origin:
Vegetable and herb nameDescription:
In the garden of herb names, Rosemary and Basil are perennials and Sage is a new upshoot, but Fennel is a real rarity. The aniseed-tasting plant, used to add flavor to dishes around the world, gets its name from the Latin word feniculum, meaning "little hay".
- Ghost
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
With word names, almost anything goes. But maybe not Ghost, unless you're naming a white dog.
- Robbin
Description:
Robbin is a unisex name that functions primarily as a masculine name in American usage, though it appears as a feminine name in some contexts. It originated as a medieval diminutive of Robert (from Germanic elements meaning 'fame' and 'bright') or Robin (which became associated with the red-breasted bird). The doubled 'b' spelling variant emerged as a distinctive alternative to the more common 'Robin.' Robbin enjoyed modest popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century, particularly the 1950s-1970s, but has declined since then. For boys, it presents a softer alternative to Robert while maintaining masculine associations. The name carries a friendly, approachable quality and benefits from familiar cultural references like Robin Hood. In contemporary usage, Robbin might be chosen to honor family members named Robert while updating the traditional form, offering a name that balances familiarity with relative uniqueness.
- Aspen
- Ambrosia
- Bug