User-created list
My ever changing favorites
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Eames
English
"son of the uncle"
An upscale surname with a nice modern design connection to the creators of the Eames chair and other midcentury furniture classics, Charles and Ray Eames.
Marin
Latin
"of the sea"
Marin is a lovely county north of San Francisco, and a lovely baby name on the rise, one which sounds more refreshing than the more familiar Marina. As a place-name, Marin is pronounced with the…
Bay
English word, Old English
"an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward; berry"
One of the most usable of the pleasant, newly adopted nature/water names (like Lake and Ocean), especially in middle position. It's gentle, slightly whimsical, but grounded by its similarity to May…
Thatcher
English occupational name
"roof thatcher"
Thatcher is an open and friendly freckle-faced surname, fresher sounding than Tyler or Taylor, that dates back to the days of thatched-roof cottages. It is catching on with modern parents—it reached…
Amory
German
"industrious"
Amory is the kind of executive-sounding surname name that became popular in the 1990s. Amory Blaine is the protagonist of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, This Side of Paradise .
Nikos
Greek, diminutive of various names beginning with the element Niko-
Attractive, approachable, and more striking Nick alternative.
Grier
Scottish, spelling variation of Greer
"alert, watchful"
The spelling variation Greer may be much more popular, but this one might appeal to fans of Bryer and Brier. Given to 18 girls (and 8 boys) in the US in a recent year, Greer is used about five times…
Ash
Diminutive of Asher, English
"ash tree"
Ash has Southern charm plus the arboreal-nature appeal. Plus your little boy will prize Ash as the name of the hero of the Pokemon cartoons. Ash can also be a dashing short form of Asher, Ashton, or…
Reef
Word name
"ridge of rock or coral on sea floor"
Reef is an uncommon nature name with mainstream potential. Its laidback, beach-y vibe makes it a perfect choice for ocean lovers. Although Reef remains well outside of the US Top 1000, it has charted…
Brier
Variation of Briar, English
"thorny patch"
Briar, but less wordy, more surname-y.
Abrielle ORyann
Bela
Czech
"white"
Since this is strictly a male name in Slavic cultures, better to stick with the "Bella" spelling here.
Sorrel
Botanical name and French
"reddish brown"
Sorrel is a gentle, amber-hued herbal and autumnal name that's used most often to describe the color of a horse. Sorrell is a variant spelling. Both make excellent names for autumn babies and can be…
Theia
Greek
"goddess, godly"
Theia is the Titan of sight and the shining light of the clear blue sky. She is the consort of Hyperion, and mother of Helios, Selene, and Eos. The name is more familiar in its Anglicized version,…
Eulalie
French form of Eulalia, Greek
"sweetly speaking"
Eulalie hasn't ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1899, but its French roots might make it more appealing to modern ears than its sister Eulalia. "Eulalie" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, and the name…
Crusoe
Literary surname
Crusoe, as in castaway hero Robinson, is a literary invention by author Daniel Defoe. In the novel, the character says his name is an Anglicization of the German Kreutznaer, which may be a place name…
Thao
Vietnamese
"good-hearted; respectful; blooming"
Thảo is a unisex, though primarily feminine, name in Vietnam.
Thatch
Thatch is a masculine name derived from the Middle English occupational surname for someone who thatched roofs with straw or reeds. It represents one of the oldest building crafts, giving the name a…
Thedric
Thedric is a masculine name with Germanic and Anglo-Saxon origins, likely derived from the Old German elements 'theud' meaning 'people' or 'race' and 'ric' meaning 'power' or 'ruler.' It can be…
Rowena
Welsh
"white spear; famous friend; fame and joy"
A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw,…