cool names

  1. Moxie
    • Origin:

      English slang
    • Meaning:

      "aggressive energy, know-how"
    • Description:

      Like Penn Jillette, you can have your own little brash babe.
  2. Homer
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "security, pledge"
    • Description:

      Homer is a name that has traveled from the ancient Greek scribe of the great classical epics to Bart Simpson's doltish dad, and has also become the surprise hot celebrity pick of such parents as Richard Gere (his father's name), Bill Murray, and Anne Heche. Simpsons creator Matt Groening has both a father and a son named Homer.
  3. Gallagher
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "descendant of foreign helper"
    • Description:

      Gallagher is, like so many of its genre, friendly, open, and optimistic. Some might associate it with the fraternal members of the band Oasis, Noel and Liam Gallagher.
  4. Verona
    • Origin:

      Italian place-name
    • Description:

      Verona is a scenic place-name with the added attraction of a Shakespearean connection, as in Two Gentlemen of....
  5. Vince
    • Origin:

      Short form of Vincent, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "conquering"
    • Description:

      Vince is not a short form that often stands alone on the birth certificate, the way Jack or even Joe does, but it has certain credibility as the name always used for football great Vince Lombardi. And as a diminutive for Vincent, it's a far sight better than Vinnie or Vinny or even Vin.
  6. Ellison
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Ellis"
    • Description:

      Updates Ellis -- but also has a lot of feminine potential thanks to Allison/Ellie similarity.
  7. Rin
    • Origin:

      Japanese, Korean
    • Meaning:

      "dignified, severe; jade, clear"
    • Description:

      A very popular name for girls in Japan, though it is a unisex choice. It can mean "severe, cold", but also "dignified", "ethics" and "phosphorus", depending on the kanji used. It is notably used for the Vocaloid Rin Kagamine.
  8. Yasmine
    • Origin:

      Arabic variation of Jasmine
    • Meaning:

      "jasmine flower"
    • Description:

      Any of the Y forms, which also include Yasmeen, Yasmin, and Yasmina, make this name more unusual and distinctive.
  9. Shoshana
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "lily"
    • Description:

      This is a rare and lovely form of Susannah commonly heard in Israel. Shoshana Shapiro — nicknamed Shosh — is the character played by Zosia Mamet on the hit HBO series Girls — a fact that could give the name an upward thrust.
  10. Kalel
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Khalil
    • Description:

      Kalel first entered the US Top 1000 as a one-off appearance in 2009, then reentered in 2013. It's possible that some parents see it as a spelling variant of the classic Arabic name Khalil, meaning friend. Or maybe some—Nicolas Cage, we're looking at you—were inspired by the birth name of Clark Kent, AKA Superman, Kal-El. Cage was long associated with attempts to remake a big screen story about the Man of Steel. He and wife Alice Kim gave the name to their son in 2005.
  11. Buffy
    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      Buffy was a one-time sorority girl with a roommate named Muffy, then a fearless vampire slayer, though still basically fluffy. You might think of Buffy as the feminine version of Chip or Bud -- an all-purpose nickname now buried in a mid-century time capsule.
  12. Carver
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "wood carver"
    • Description:

      Carver is an occupational name with an artistic bent, associated with wood carving predominantly, though it could also be linked to those who carve from stone, marble, ice, and pumpkins. More familiar that the equally arty Painter, but fresher than the 90s style Carter, Carver has received more interest in recent years.
  13. Elton
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "from the old town"
    • Description:

      Elton is an unassuming, lesser-used place name belonging to several towns in the British Isles, the US and Canada, and even a lake in Russia. The singer Elton John gives it a bit of extra pizzazz.
  14. Nat
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Nathan or Nathaniel
    • Description:

      Just the kind of old-fashioned nickname coming back into style.
  15. Park
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      A grassy place with trees is a nice image to attach to a name.
  16. Franco
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Francis
    • Meaning:

      "Frenchman or free man"
    • Description:

      A classic Italian name still heard in the Italian-American community. Once tainted by the association with the Spanish dictator, it's now more likely to call up actor James Franco.
  17. Storm
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      The name of one of the most powerful Marvel superheroes — and the first major black female comic book heroine — is certainly a big one to live up to! Portrayed in the live-action X-Men movies first by Halle Berry and then by Alexandra Shipp, Storm is a mutant descended from a long line of African witch-priestesses, who can bend the weather and atmosphere to her will.
  18. Reiko
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "pretty child"
    • Description:

      Dainty and doll-like.
  19. Carsten
    • Origin:

      Low German and Nordic variation of Christian
    • Description:

      This Nordic-sounding name is ripe for wider usage, especially as a fresh alternative to Christian or similar-sounding Carl.
  20. Lexus
    • Origin:

      Greek variation of a diminutive of Alexis
    • Description:

      Do you really want to name your baby after a car when there are so many other lex possibilities?

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