Baby boy #2

Rhett

English from Dutch

"advice"

Rhett has been more tied to Gone with the Wind than even Scarlett, but now we're hearing rumblings of its finding new and independent favor among parents, perhaps emboldened by the growing popularity…

Finn

Irish, Scandinavian, Norse

"fair, white; from Finland"

Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as…

Soren

Danish, Norwegian

"stern"

This gentle Scandinavian name, soft and sensitive, is being discovered in a major way by parents in the US. It's most closely identified with the nineteenth century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, but…

Chaim

Hebrew

"life"

A name that feels both lively and serious, Chaim was once more familiar as Hyman or Hymie. Now, the original form is on the rise, ranking in the Top 700 in the US, the Top 30 in Israel, and the Top…

Dax

French place-name

The appealingly energetic Dax, with its trendy X-ending, re-entered the Top 1000 in 2007. Its somewhat sci-fi vibe emanates from his appearance as a fictional being in the Star Trek universe, seen on…

Flynn

Irish

"descendant of the red-haired one"

Flynn, a charming Irish surname, is still used only quietly, despite its easygoing, casual cowboy charm, unlike Finn which is a star of this genre. Flynn was the choice of Orlando Bloom and Miranda…

Zev

Hebrew

"wolf"

Zev is a short, simple, animal name that may relate to the Old Testament Ze'ev -- except he was a villainous character.

Khalid

Arabic

"immortal, everlasting"

Khalid has flirted with the Top 1000 for several decades now, climbing back on in 2015 after more than a decade's absence. Its return could be in part because of the popularity of snapchat…

Zahavi

Hebrew

"gold"

A Middle Eastern name rarely heard here, but with a certain swashbuckling charm.

Zade

Modern invented name or variation of Zayd, Arabic

"increase, growth"

You might think of this as the zesty brother of Cade and Slade. Or Zade might appeal to you as an anglicized spelling of the Arabic Zayd or Zaid, the name of an enslaved man that Muhammad adopted as…

Zalman

Variation of Solomon

"peace"

More familiar now via its Salman form, thanks to author Rushdie; this is an unusual biblical alternative.

Zephyr

Greek

"west wind"

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…

Zevi

Hebrew

"gazelle, roebuck"

Zevi is an alternative transcription of the Hebrew name Zvi or Tzvi, the latter of which is a Top 100 pick in Israel. It's a cool, sharp-sounding name which would make for a great distinctive…

Xerxes

Persian

"hero among heroes"

The two X's may be a challenge for even the most intrepid baby namer. Xerxes was the name of two early kings of Persia and the Handel opera Serse or Xerxes is loosely based on Xerxes I.

Thor

Norse and Scandinavian

"thunder"

Thor, the powerful name of the Norse god of thunder, strength and rain, would make a bold statement. Long a comic book staple, Thor has now invaded the big screen, and could land on birth…

Bram

Dutch variation of Abraham, Hebrew

"father of multitudes"

Bram has an unusual measure of character and charm for a one-syllable name; it started as a hipper-than-Abe diminutive of the biblical Abraham, but is also an independent Irish and Dutch name, made…

Tarquin

Latin, Roman clan name

One of the few ancient Roman names that doesn't end in us, the rarely heard Tarquin has a decidedly creative, even dramatic flair, which could appeal to the parent looking for a strikingly original…

Talib

Arabic

"seeker of knowledge"

Talib is a North African name with an admirable meaning, associated with rapper Talib Kweli.