| GAASH- a biblical boys' name (also a place name) meaning 'falling and rising noisily.' Your child will definitely be the only Gaash in the neighborhood! |
| GADIEL: a biblical name meaning 'god is my good fortune.' extremely rare these days, this would make a great name, fitting in with all the Gabriels and Nathaniels out there. |
| GAHAM: according to the book I have, this biblical name is pronounced 'gay ham,' which probably isn't the best sounding name in English. However, it means 'burning,' which is pretty badass. Maybe pronounce it differently? How many biblical scholars are there out there to correct you? |
| GALANG: means 'to assemble' in Indonesian. Used for boys. |
| GALATEA: dramatic name from Greek mythology. She was an alabaster statue brought to life by Aphrodite. |
| GALEN /GAY lun/: with names like Kaylin, Maylin etc. being popular, how about this name of an ancient Greek physician? |
| GALIA/GALYA: Galia is a Hebrew name meaning 'wave.' Galia/Galya can also be a diminutive form of the Russian name Galina. |
| GALINA This name is very popular in Russia. It has its traditional nickname, Galya, but you could also use others, such as Gali (Hebrew for 'wave'), or Lina. |
| GALLIO: a biblical name that apparently means 'one who lives on milk.' Kind of makes sense, since 'gala' means 'milk' in Greek. Whatever the meaning, names ending in -o are almost always cool in my book. |
| GAMALIEL: /guh MAH lee el/ an Old Testament name meaning 'god rewards with good.' It was the middle name of US president Harding. |
| GANNET: Bird names like Robin and Linnet are used for children, why not Gannet? |
| GARAB- an Old Testament personal name as well as place name that means 'scabby.' |
| GARDENIA: With Jasmine, Rose and Lily climbing the charts, why not this lovely alternative? |
| GAREB: a minor biblical figure-- this name would fit in with all the Calebs, Jareds etc. out there! Drawback: this name means 'scabrous.' |
| GARETH: an Arthurian legend name meaning 'old man.' |
| GAVIN: This formerly stuffy-sounding name is ready for a comeback. |
| GAVRILA: the equivalent of Gabrielle/Gabriela used in many languages, this is also the original Hebrew form. |
| GEMMA: Great alternative to Krystal & Jewel. What could be better than being named after a sparkling gem? |
| GENESSEE: a home-grown name, the name of several towns across the USA. Makes a nice alternative to Jennifer. It rhymes with Tennessee. |
| GENEVIEVE: A classic, elegant name. Jenna with more style. |
| GENTIAN: a beautiful, unusual flower name. |
| GENYA: with a hard G (like in 'grass' not like 'gene'), this is a nickname for the lovely Russian name Yevgyenya (the form of Eugenia). |
| GERARD: popular in many European languages, this name is almost unheard of in the USA. |
| GERDA- a no-nonsense German name, Gerda is a form of Gertrud, which means 'spear strength.' |
| GERMÁN: Pronounced /hayr MON/, this elegant Spanish name comes from the Latin meaning 'brother.' |
| GERSHON: a cool Hebrew name meaning 'exiled' or 'stranger.' |
| GHJUVAN: I'm not entirely sure how to pronounce this, but this cool-looking name is the Corsican form of John. |
| GIDEON: strong sounding and it even ends in -on for those trendy people among us. |
| GILBY: for either gender, but I think this sounds best on a boy. Cute for a child, but he could be called Gil when he got older. |
| GILES/GILLES: whether you pronounce this the French way /ZHEEL/ or the English way /JILES/, it's a creative, aristocratic sounding name. |
| GILFAETHWY /gil VYTH wee/- looking for a good Welsh name? Gthis unusual man's name has a long history in Welsh mythology. |
| GILFAETHWY: the name of a legendary Welsh hero. It is pronounced something like /gil VYTH oo ee/ |
| GILLIAN: This name is most often pronounced with a hard 'g' in the UK, and with a soft 'g' (like Jillian) in the USA. Either way, it might make a pretty alternative to Julia. |
| GILLON: A Scottish name, would make a nice alternative to Dylan. |
| GISELE: pronounced /zhee SELL/ in French, and /GEEZ uh la/ in German, this pretty old Norse name means 'noble.' |
| GIZMO- a place name in the Bible |
| GLEB: a man's name in Russian, this was the name of a 10th century saint. |
| GLYNIS: this fairly modern Welsh girls' name means 'valley.' Girls' names ending with -a are getting old [Emma, Ella, Isabella]-- time for a new ending, and -s is a nice, soft sound. |
| GODELIVA: a Spanish form of Godiva, this beautiful name is pronounced /go day LEE ba/ and means 'god's gift.' |
| GRADY/GRAYDON: classier than Brady/Braydon, these surnames would make nice unusual, first names. |
| GRANOLA: seriously. I found this name on a list of 'hippie names for girls.' I have never met anyone named Granola, but I'm sure there's someone out there! |
| GRETA:- this German short form of Margareta makes a lovely name on its own with old world charm. |
| GRETEL/ GRETL: aside from Hansel's sister and the Sound of Music, this lovely Austrian name works as both a short form of Margaret and on its own. |
| GRIM:- this name, used by Vikings means 'one who wears a mask.' It may not be for everyone, but it would work on the right kid! |
| GURO: a Norwegian short form of Gudrun, which means 'secret lore of the gods.' |
| GUTHRIE: Woody Guthrie was one of the most influential US folk singers/collectors. Guthrie is a neat surname-name') |
| GUY: short, sweet, masculine, no-nonsense... the ultimate guys' name! |
| GWAWR: /GOO-AH oor/ This name looks a little strange in English, but in Welsh, it means 'dawn' and is used for girls. |
| GWENITH: meaning 'wheat' in Welsh, this pretty girls' name is also used as a poetic word meaning 'favorite'. |
| GWYDION: In Welsh mythology, Gwydion is a shape-shifter who may have started out as a Celtic god. At any rate, it's a nice name, not too weird, but not too boring. |
| HADIL: this soft-sounding Arabic girls' name means 'cooing of doves.' |
| HADLEY: meaning 'heather field,' this name could be used for either a boy or a girl. |
| HAFSA: This unusual name means either 'brooding hen' or 'young lioness' in Arabic. This was the name of the daughter of Umar, the second caliph, and a wife of Muhammad. |
| HALA: this beautiful Arabic girl's name means 'a halo around the moon.' |
| HALCYON: the Greek word for 'kingfisher', a handsome bird; can easily be shortened to Hal |
| HAMISH: /HAY mish/- the architypal Scottish name, it also means 'homey' in Yiddish. |
| HANK: the world could use a few more kids named Hank. Not Henry; there are enough of those. Just Hank. |
| HARBONA: who wouldn't want to be named after a eunuch servant mentioned once in the Old Testament? Especially when the name means 'donkey-driver'! |
| HARISH: means 'lord of monkeys' in Sanskrit. Another name of the god Vishnu. |
| HARRIET: This formerly stuffy name is becoming cutting-edge again. Who can resist the adorable nickname Hattie? |
| HARRY: Harry Potter has made this 'old guy' name sound young again. |
| HARSH: 46 boys were named this in 1999. I suspect it's a foreign name (maybe a form of the Sanskrit Harish?), but in English, if you want a no-nonsense name--this is it! |
| HAVILAH: Hebrew, 'stretch of sand' Place name in the bible. |
| HAWKEN/HAWKINS: with all the surnames being used as first names out there, why not this one? |
| HAZEL: more unusual than Heather or Holly, this pretty botanical name is ripe for a comeback. |
| HAZZALELPONI: looking for an unusual biblical name for a girl? Here you go! This name means 'coming shadows.' |
| HEBE - short but sweet, and with good mythological history behind it |
| HECTOR: a classical Greek name used in many European languages. It doesn't get much manlier than this. |
| HELENA: this pretty latinate form of Helen is overdue for a comeback. |
| HENNING: this is lovely, old-fashioned Swedish name, short for Henrik or Johannes. |
| HENRIETTA: a nice, old-fashioned girls' name. Netty, Hetty and Hattie make lovely nicknames. |
| HENRY This royal name is becoming hip again, after years of being an 'old guy' name. Hank is kind of a dorky nickname that might suit the right, daring child. |
| HERMIONE: Harry Potter did wonders for bringing this beautiful, classic name into the public sphere. |
| HERO: In shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, Hero is the name of the beautiful young love interest. |
| HERSHEL: this soft Yiddish name comes from the Hebrew word for 'deer.' Heshel and Heshi are other forms. |
| HESTER: This old-fashioned name will be tomorrow's Emma and Hannah. Just wait. |
| HESTIA/ESTIA: The name of the ancient Greek goddess of the hearth. |
| HIERONYMUS: made famous by the painter Bosch, this name is a latin form of Jerome. |
| HILARIO/Ilario pronounced /ee LAHR ee o/, this Spanish name means 'cheerful.' Ilario is the Italian form. |
| HIPPOLYTA /hip POL lit a/- used by Shakespeare in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' This unusual name comes from Ancient Greek meaning 'freer of horses.' |
| HJALMAR-/H'YALL mahr/ from Old Norse meaning 'helmeted warrior,' this is definitely un unusual name in the USA. |
| HOBART: If you like the nickname Bart, but think Bartholemew is too long, Hobart works. |
| HOLGER: (with a hard 'g')- a good no-nonsense Viking name meaning 'powerful with a spear.' |
| HOLLAND: for either gender, this gentle place name evoking images of windmills and tulips, sounds serious, yet simple. |
| HONESTY: a nice virtue. This name was used by the Puritans, but unlike Grace and Faith, never caught on with the population at large. |
| HONORÉ: Used for boys, this is the French form of the Latin Honoratus, which means 'honor.' |
| HROTHGAR: Used in 'Beowulf,' the modern form of this Anglo-Saxon name is Roger. Hrothgar sounds much cooler! |
| HUGO: be the first on your block to resurrect this historic boys' name! |
| HUMILITY: another name used by the Pilgrims. What better way to ensure that your daughter will grow up to be a diva than name her Humility? |
| HUMPHREY: brings to mind Humphrey Bogart. An eccentric classic that would work well today. |
| HYACINTH: this was a man's name in Greek mythology, and in medieval Europe. However, it has been used for girls since the Victorian era when flower names became fashionable for girls. |
| IAGO: this is a nifty old Spanish form of James. Forget the Shakespearean character; this is a cool name! |
| IANTHE: a soft, quiet name meaning 'violet' in Greek. It was the name of the poet Shelley's daughter . |
| ICHBOD: I can guarantee that no other kid in Ichabod's school would have the same name! |
| IDA: 'sweet as apple cider' as the old song goes. A pretty old name ready for a comeback. |
| IDAN, EDAN /ee DON/ in Hebrew, this modern boys' name means 'era; time.' |
| IDRIS: Pronounced /ID riss/, in Welsh, this name means 'impulsive; enthusiastic lord.' Pronounced /ID rees/, in Arabic, it is the name of a Muslim prophet, and means 'to teach the lesson.' Either way it's a pretty cool name. |
| IDRIYA: this modern Israeli name means 'duck' in Hebrew. |
| IGNACIO: A Spanish form of Ignatius, which means 'fire.' Iggy is a cute nickname. |
| ILINA: this pretty name means 'possessing intelligence' in Sanskrit. Pretty AND has a cool meaning! |
| ILO: This was the name of the wife of Henry Agard Wallace, Vice President under Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I can't find any information on the name, but it sounds cool! |
| ILONA: meaning 'oak tree,' this is a beautiful modern Hebrew name. |
| ILSE: If you pronounce it /EEL sa/ it's a lovely name with European flair. |
| ILYA: the Russian form of Elijah, this name would be an unusual, soft-sounding, and somewhat exotic choice. |
| IMANI: this beautiful name means 'faith' in Swahili. |
| IMANI: This lovely name is Swahili for 'faith.' Imani also means 'at this time' in Nahuatl. |
| INARA: the name of a clever Hittite goddess-- she was a protector of wild animals. |
| INARI: this is the name of a Shinto god in Japanese. |
| INDAH: a lovely Indonesian girls' name meaning 'beautiful.' |
| INGA/INGRID: a pair of lovely, serene-sounding Scandinavian names. |
| INGMAR: brings to mind its most famous bearer, the Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman-- A subtly masculine name. |
| IOLANA: /ee oh LAH na/ - this pretty Hawaiian girls' name means 'to soar.' |
| IPHIGENIA: /if uh jen NYE a/ this pretty name from Greek mythology is definitely uncommon. |
| IRINA: This name is very popular in Russia, where it is a form of Irene. |
| IRIS: Unlike Rose and Lily, Iris is one flower name that hasn't hit the mainstream again yet. In Greek mythology, Iris was the messenger of the gods, who traveled from Mt. Olympus to earth on the rainbow. |
| IRISA: /EE ree sa/ a beautiful Slavic form of Iris |
| ISAI: /ee sah ee/ - this name means 'music; melody' in Tamil (spoken in India & Sri Lanka). |
| ISKENDER: This is the Turkish form of Alexander. It sounds cool and exotic to English-speakers without being weird or unpronounceable. |
| ISLA: Scottish, comes from the island of Scotland called Islay. Pronounced EYE-la (like Island) |
| ISOLDE/ISEULT: an Arthurian name with lots of class. |
| ISTVÁN: /EESHT von/- the hungarian form of Stephen. Very unusual outside Hungary! |
| IVY: this lovely vine was first coined as a name in the nature-name happy Victorian era. An ancient symbol of fertility (ivy stays green all year round), this name is definitely ready for a comeback. |
| IXCHEL- the name of the Mayan goddess of the earth, moon, and medicine, this name means 'rainbow woman.' |
| IXORA: the name of a pretty red flower. Its name comes from the Portuguese for Iswara, the name of a Malabar deity who was often offered these flowers. |
| IXTAB: the Mayan goddess of suicide. Mayans believed suicide brought you to heaven, so it was considered a blessing. Ixtab is often pictured with a rope around her neck. |
| JABEZ: A nice, old-fashioned Old Testament name that sounds funky today. How many kids do you know have names that end in Z? |
| JACIÁN: The Spanish form of Jason, this would make a nice alternative. Pronounced /hah see AHN/ |
| JAGDISH: a nice Sanskrit name meaning, 'ruler of the world. |
| JAGO: a Cornish form of Jacob. It's energetic on its own, or as a nickname. |
| JAMIE: for a boy, this is a sweet nickname for James. Forget Jim, call him Jamie. |
| JAMILA /jah MEE la/: this lovely name means 'beautiful' in Arabic. |
| JAMIROQUAI: In 1996 at least one baby boy was named this and many got it as a middle name. The band supposedly created this name from Jam (i.e., jam session) + iroquai, a word based on the Iroquois nation. |
| JANAKI Pronounced /JON uh kee/, this beautiful name is used by Seeta, wife of the Hindu god Rama. |
| JANINA: Pretty and she could be called Nina for short. |
| JANO: an Armenian boys' name meaning 'the soul, which is beloved.' Short and sweet, but with the spunky -o ending adding energy. |
| JANSEN: 'nice shooting, Jansen.' a good name for Star Wars geeks everywhere. |
| JANUARY: the name of this month was derived from Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, endings, doorways, halls, and other transitions. Hey, if April, May, August and June can be names, why not January? |
| JARETH: you may remember this as the name of the Goblin King (played by David Bowie) in Labyrinth. An unusual, but not too freakish choice. |
| JARO: a short, sweet, peppy boys' name. Rhymes with Arrow. |
| JAROMIR/YAROMIR: this lovely slavic name combines the words 'radiant' and 'peace.' |
| JARRET: Unusual, yet not weird. This is a nice, masculine name that would work well for a child or adult. |
| JARU: this was my favorite boys' name when I was 12. I thought I made it up, but I'm sure it exists in some language somewhere. It is pronounced /JAH roo/. |
| JARVIS: a nice, unusual name that's ready for a comeback. |
| JASIONE /yas ee OH ney/ - Tired of Rose, Lily, and Jasmine? Jasione is the name of a pretty wildflower found in Europe and parts of Asia and North Africa. It would make a lovely, offbeat name. |
| JAVAN: an Old Testament name meaning 'Greece.' Sometimes this name is used to refer to Greece as well. |
| JAYAN: a Sanskrit boys' name meaning 'victorious.' Would be right at home with all the Jasons, Jacob, Jayden, Jaylens etc. |
| JAYANT/ JAYANTI: these are masculine and feminine versions of a sanskrit name meaning 'victorious.' |
| JEREMIAH: Less common than Jeremy, this is a nice Biblical classic. |
| JERKO- ok, probably not the best name to give an English-speaking kid, but in Croatian, this is a diminutive form of Jerome. |
| JERSEY: an island off the coast of England. A type of cow. A US state. A type of pullover. A darn cute name! |
| JERUSHA: An unusual biblical name. |
| JESSAMY: perhaps derived from the medieval form of the word 'jasmine', this is a lovely girls' name. |
| JETHRO- the father-in-law of Moses in the Old Testament, Jethro means 'abundance' or 'excess.' An offbeat name today, Jet might make a cute pet form. |
| JOACHIM: this biblical name is used in just about every single European language except English. |
| JOAN: once extremely popular, this English feminine form of John has been relegated to the 'unfashionable' pile. We think it still has a lot of life left (but not the nickname Joanie!) |
| JOCKUM: this is a Danish form of Joachim. It sounds a bit funny in English, but that's part of its charm. |
| JOELY: this modern name could be the feminine of Joel (biblical; 'Yahweh is good') or it could be a variant spelling of Jolie. Either way, it's feminine and sassy. |
| JOLYON: a medieval form of Julian. A nice-sounding, unusual choice. |
| JONAS: A Greek form of the Hebrew Jonah ('dove'), Jonas is more unusual. |
| JONTY: this is a really cute and unusual (at least in the USA) nickname for Jonathan. |
| JOPLIN: whether you're a fan of Janis or Scott, this surname makes a spunky, musical-sounding name. |
| JORAM: meaning 'God is exalted,' this is a name found on several Old Testament kings. |
| JORINDA: I remember reading a fairy tale about a little girl named Jorinda and her brother Joringel. I've liked the name ever since. |
| JORIS: pronounced /YOR is/, this is a Frisian form of George. |
| JORY: a Cornish form of George. |
| JORY: this ambigender name is cute and energetic on either a boy or a girl. |
| JOSEPHINE: a beautiful, classic feminine name. |
| JOSETTE: a very cute French feminine form of Joseph. Josie is an adorable short form. |
| JOSEY: for a boy, like the Clint Eastwood movie 'the Outlaw Josey Wales.' Josey was actually a common nickname for Joseph in previous eras. |
| JOSS: this name was used for boys in medieval England, but now many girls use it as a short form of Jocelyn. Jocelyn itself was used exclusively for boys in previous eras. |
| JOTHAM- this rare Old Testament name means 'Jehovah is perfect.' |
| JUBAL: anglicization of the Hebrew name YUVAL, meaning possibly 'stream,' or 'ram's horn,' this Old Testament figure was credited as the inventor of the musical instrument. |
| JUDAH: a nice, underused Old Testament name. |
| JUDE: This is a nice, old-fashioned, underused (in the USA) name. Unfortunately, a child named Jude would have to get used to hearing 'Hey Jude!' a lot in life. |
| JUDSON: an unusual alternative to Justin, Jud makes a cute nickname. |
| JULES: French form of Julius, makes an upbeat, old-fashioned choice. |
| JUNE: brings to mind lovely warm days-- a nice old-fashioned name in need of rescuing from the stuffy closet. |
| JUNO: Roman name of the goddess Hera, this would make a spunky choice. It was also used to 'translate' the Irish name Una in past centuries. |
| KAEDE: /kah eh deh/ this lovely Japanese girls' name means 'maple leaf.' |
| KAI: Popular in Germany, this name (pronounced /KYE/) might make a good alternative to Kyle/Ty/Skylar. |
| KAILUA: /kah ee LOO a/ a city in Hawaii that would make a lovely name. |
| KAISER: a K name that fits right in with Kyler, Ryder etc. and friends. He could always use the cool nickname Kai. |
| KALANI - in Hawaiian, this pretty name means 'heavenly sky.' |
| KALIYA: (kah LEE a) a nice alternative to the Kaylee/Kayla continuum |
| KALYANI: This beautiful Sanskrit name isn't used much in the USA. |
| KAMALA: meaning 'lotus flower,' this name is used for both girls and boys in India. (pron. something like /KAHM ah la/) |
| KAMANDA: a male name of a 'rishi' (seer) in Hinduism. |
| KAMYA: a beautiful Hindu name meaning 'capable.' |
| KANYA: this pretty girls' name means 'girl' in Thai. |
| KANYA: This pretty name means 'girl' in Thai. Tanya and Sonia are already well-used, Kanya sounds like a modern update. |
| KARIZA: Pronounced /kah REE za/ , this name is zippy, yet exotic sounding. |
| KARUNA: meaning 'merciful' in Sanskrit, this is a beautiful, feminine name. |
| KATIA (also spelled KATYA, KATJA, KAATJE etc.): no matter how you spell it, this is a lovely form of Katherine/Katarina that is used in many European countries. |
| KATIUSHKA/KATYUSHKA: /cot YOUSH ka/ sick of Katelyn/Katherine/Kathleen? Here's an alternative! |
| KATRIEL: a lovely, masculine Hebrew name meaning, 'crown of the lord.' |
| KATSURA- the name of a tree native to Japan, this was also the name of the part-cyborg daughter of the mad scientist in 'Terror of Mechagodzilla.' |
| KATTO: /KAH to/ this boys' name is given to the second born of twins among both the Runyankore and Rootoro of Uganda. |
| KAVERI: one of the 7 sacred rivers in India. |
| KAVI: a lovely Sanskrit boys' name meaning 'poet.' |
| KEELIN: an Irish name meaning 'fair and slender.' A nice, authentic alternative to the Katelyn/Kaylin continuum |
| KELLAN/KELLIN: modern-sounding and unisex, without sounding too contrived. |
| KELYN: /KEL un/ Cornish for 'holly,' this name could be seen as a more updated-sounding version of Kelly. |
| KENZA: This beautiful name is from Arabic meaning 'treasure.' A Kenza would fit right in amongst all the Mackenzie/Kenzie/Mckenna/Kennas out there. |
| KERENSA: this lovely Cornish name is said to mean 'love.' |
| KERR: a Scottish surname that would make a good first name. It's not so far off of other Scottish surnames used as first names, such as Keith and Kirk |
| KETURAH: pronounced keh-TOOR-ah, this beautiful name is biblical but uncommon. |
| KEYNA: /KAY na/ a Cornish name meaning 'beautiful.' The name of a 6th century Cornish saint. |
| KHADIJAH: This beautiful Arabic name means 'premature child.' The name of the Prophet Muhammad's first wife, she was the first convert to Islam. She was also the mother of all of his children. Khadijah is probably best known for being the character Queen Latifah plays on Living Single. |
| KHRSROVITOUKHD: In Armenian, this means 'daughter of renown' and was the name of an Armenian saint. A child named this would *definitely* be the only one in her school with that name! |
| KHURSHID: in Iranian, this name is used for both boys and girls. It is a modern form of an ancient name meaning 'shining sun.' |
| KILIAN: underused Irish name, for those sick of Conor and Aidan. |
| KIMIA/KEEMIA: according to one site I found, this girls' name means 'philosopher's stone; alchemy' in Persian/Dari. Nifty meaning and a pretty-sounding name as well! |
| KINGA: /KEEN ga/ a pretty Polish girls' name, Kinga started out as a diminutive form of the rather unwieldy Kunigunde. |
| KIRA: from a Persian word meaning, perhaps, 'sun.' It's the feminine form of Cyrus. It's fairly common in Russia |
| KIYA: pronounced /KEE yah/, this was the name of King Tut's mother. |
| KLEMENS: this is the Polish form of Clement; the pet form is KLIMKO. Used for boys. |
| KNAR: An Armenian girls' name that means 'harp.' A familiar form is KNARIG. |
| KSENIA: This Russian form of Xenia is an exotic, unusual, modern-sounding name. |
| KYALIGONZA /k'yal ee GONE za/: a name from Uganda which means 'man of god.' |
| KYLLIKKI: I think this is pronounced something like /KOO lee kee/. It's a Finnish woman's name that comes from an ancient saga. |
| LACHLAN: this Scottish surname is becoming really trendy for boys in Australia, though it's practically unheard of in the USA. |
| LAETITIA: /lay TEE tsee uh/ or /leh TISH a/ an aristocratic English name that's fairly unknown in the USA. It means 'happiness' in Latin. Letty is a cute short form. |
| LALA: this pretty name means 'tulip' in Bulgarian. |
| LALAZAR: used in Persian and Armenian for boys, it means 'garden of tulips.' |
| LALITA: this lovely Sanskrit name means 'playful; charming.' It's similar to Lolita, but without the literary stigma attached! |
| LANA: Early 20th century vixen-esque names like Lola, Lulu and Stella are all the rage in certain circles. Lana is certainly ready for a comeback in this vein! |
| LANARIA- this isn't actually a name, it's the Latin word for 'wool worker.' Hey, I think it's pretty-- why not? |
| LANGSTON: Surnames are being used as first names all over the place now. This is a nice southern-sounding name. |
| LAURIE: For a boy, with a namesake in <i>Little Women</i>, this would be adorable. |
| LAVANYA: in Sanskrit, this means 'beauty; loveliness.' |
| LAVERNA: the Roman goddess of thieves and imposters. Would make a bold, unusual choice! |
| LAVINIA: a Roman name full of Victorian charm. Ready for a comeback. |
| LAZLO: a Hungarian form of Vladislav meaning 'rules with glory', this old-world chic name has the cool nickname Laz. |
| LEDA: Although the name will probably forever attached to the Greek myth, Leda is a beautiful, simple name. |
| LEDA: Despite the mythological character, this name would make a beautiful, unusual choice. |
| LEILANI: this beautiful name means 'heavenly flowers' in Hawaiian. |
| LEMON- as in the Blues master Blind Lemon Jefferson-- Believe it or not, Lemon was not an uncommon name for men in the USA (esp. southern states) in the late 1800s-early 1900s. |
| LENNOX: Names with X's in them just always sound cool. This name fits in with both surname and place name trends as well. |
| LEO Meaning 'lion' in Latin, this spunky name was used by popes. |
| LEOFWINE: this Anglo-Saxon boys' name has the lovely meaning of 'dear, beloved friend.' |
| LEONIE: popular for baby girls in Germany, this pretty European name would work well with English-speaking children as well. |
| LEONOR/LIANOR: Used in medieval Portugual, and modern-day Spanish speaking countries, this is a beautiful classic. |
| LEOPOLD: the name of W.A. Mozart's dad, Leo makes a spunky nickname. |
| LEROY: it means 'the king.' Enough said! |
| LESTER: a long-forgotten 'stuffy' name, this one is ready for a comeback. When it comes to nicknames, Les is more! (har har) |
| LETTICE: this is really a name. Seriously. It's actually pronounced /leh TEECE/ and is a medieval English form of the Latin name Laetitia, which means 'happiness.' |
| LEV: coming from a word meaning 'lion' in Latin, this Russian name is often anglicized Leo (it was Leo Tolstoy's name). It also means 'heart' in Hebrew. |
| LIADAN: This beautiful, ancient Irish name means 'grey lady.'. |
| LIESE: /LEE za/ a German short form of Elisabeth, would work as a nice alternative to Lisa/Alisa etc. |
| LIETTE: This pretty French name was popular in Québèc in the 60s, but unheard of in the USA. |
| LILAC: an underused flower name |
| LINDEN: The name of a tree, this would make a nice name for either gender. |
| LINNET: a type of songbird. A beautiful name. |
| LINO: The Italian, Spanish, Galician, Portuguese and Esperanto form of Linus. Short, easy to say and pronounce, a little Lino would fit right in with all the Leos and Liams on the block! |
| LINUS: a mythological Greek musician and a pope, this name is pretty unused in the USA. With 'old guy' names like Oscar and Oliver climbing the charts, Linus will be right at home! A plus, for Linux users as well. |
| LIOR, LIORA: a beautiful modern Hebrew girls' name meaning 'light.' |
| LIRIA: a rare Spanish name meaning 'lyre'- the ancient Greek stringed instrument. |
| LIRIOPE: A fountain-nymph, and the mother of Narcissus in Greek mythology, this is also a species of Asian flower. |
| LISE: a form of Elisabeth, this would make a more Eurocentric and unusual alternative to Lisa. |
| LISELOTTE: /leez uh LOTT ah/-- a German name combining 'Lis' from 'Elisabeth' and 'lotte' from 'charlotte.' Lottie and Lise are nice diminutives. Lilo is another one. |
| LISETTE: This French pet form of Elisabeth may sound out-of-date because of it's 'ette' ending, but we think this a a soft, pretty underused name. It is most popular among Spanish speaking populations in the USA, where it is also found in the spellings Liset, Liseth, etc. |
| LIV: This simple, dynamic name is Swedish for 'life.' It can be used by itself or as a short form of Olivia or Livia. |
| LIYANDA- in the language of the Nguni people in southern Africa, this name means 'the nation is growing.' |
| LOAMMI: in Hebrew, this means 'not my people.' It was used in the Old Testament as a symbolic name for Israel before it was reconciled with God. |
| LOKI: the mischievous Norse god would make a cool, unusual choice. |
| LOLLY: an old pet form of Laura. You know Mollys, Pollys and Hollys, why not Lolly? |
| LOMAN/LONAN: a couple of old Irish names--Loman was the nephew of St. Patrick, Loman means 'blackbird.' |
| LORCAN: this Irish name means either 'little fierce one' or 'little silent one.' It was the name of a medieval saint. |
| LORIMER: an occupational surname for someone who made spurs, Lorimer is a melodic-sounding name that would fit in with all the Taylors, Tylers and Harpers out there. |
| LORIS: yes, it's a kind of adorable prosimian found mainly in SW Asia. It's also an Italian diminutive of Lorenzo. I've met a couple of American women with this name (born in the 1930s-40s), it's probably a modern coinage there, based on Laura + Doris. |
| LORNA: this literary name was invented by the Scottish author R.D. Blackmore for his novel 'Lorna Doone'. |
| LOTTIE: old-fashioned nickname-names are all the rage in certain circles these days (Millie, Lulu, Maggie). Alone or short for Charlotte, why not Lottie? |
| LOUISA: After a couple of generations of slumber, Louisa is probably ready to replace the now wheezier sounding Louise. |
| LOVEDAY: an old-fashioned English name with good connotations |
| LUCAN: an Irish place name, a little Lucan would feel right at home with all the Lukes and Lucases out there. |
| LUCASTA: according to one book I have, this name is 'deemed too poetical for everyday use.' I kind of like it, though! |
| LUCIAN: A serene, old-fashioned name meaning 'light'. |
| LUCIENNE: I predict that Lucy will be the next Emily-- this lovely French name makes a distinguished long form. |
| LUCIFER: Unappreciated! Unloved! Scorned and shunned for its darker connections while its sweetness and light go unseen! C'mon, this name rocks. And it's fun to tell people you plan to name your child Lucifer. |
| LUCINE: sick of Lucy? Use Lucine, a lovely Armenian name meaning 'moon.' |
| LUKA: This is the Slavic form of Lucas/Luke. It may sound feminine because of the 'a' ending to English-speaking ears, but it is a masculine name. One downside that Suzanne Vega song. People tell me that they automatically associate this name with domestic violence because of the song! |
| LUMÍRA, LUMIRKA- This pretty Czech name is a feminine form of Lubomir, a Slavic name meaning 'love and peace.' Lumirka and Mirka are diminutive forms. |
| LUNARIA- coming from Latin 'luna' meaning 'moon,' Lunaria is a genus of flowering plants (some in the family are commonly called Moonwort, Money Plant and honesty). This would make a pretty name, maybe for a character in a fantasy novel. |
| LUPIN: a lovely blue wildflower. With all the other flower names out there (Lily, Daisy, Rose), why not? |
| LURANDA: I found this name belonging to an ancestor in my family tree in the 1800s. It has a sort of down-home charm to it. It's definitely unusual. |
| LYCASTE- the name of the beautiful daughter of Priam, the last king of Troy, this name lives on as a genus of orchids. |
| LYSSA- This seemingly innocuous girls' name actually means 'insanity.' Be the first parent on the block with a daughter named after the ancient Greek spirit of mad fury and rabies! |
| MABYOKO- in Zulu, this name means 'brain.' |
| MACARIO: this masculine Spanish name comes from a Greek word meaning 'blessed; fortunate.' |
| MADOC: The name of a legendary Welsh prince. |
| MAEKE /mah eh keh/ - this lovely name means 'the cold of space' in the Maori language. |
| MAGNUS: Want a masculine name? Forget Hunter, Gunnar and Wayne. Magnus is where it's AT! |
| MAHIYA- in Sanskrit, this lovely girls' name means 'joynousness or happiness.' |
| MAIRSAILÌ: /MAR shal ee/ The Scottish Gaelic form of Marcela, this is a pretty, unusual name. |
| MAISIE: a cute nickname for Margaret, Mary, or anything else you can think of. |
| MAISIE: this started out as a pet form of Mary, it would be cute on its own. |
| MALACHY: pronounced /MAL uh kee/, this old Irish name is spelled Maelsheachlainn in Gaelic. You'd probably want to go with Malachy! Mal is a great nickname. |
| MALIE: /mah LEE ay/ - this lovely girls' name means 'calm' in Hawaiian. |
| MALIK: This nice Arabic name is getting more popular, but still not hugely so. |
| MANO: in Hawaiian, this name means 'shark' and is also a word for a passionate lover. |
| MANON - This is a popular name in France and in Germany. It is a pet form of Marie. |
| MARANTHA/MARANTA: from Amaranthe/Amarantha, the name of a beautiful flower whose beauty, according to Greek mythology, never fades. |
| MARCELA: This pretty name is a Spanish feminine form of Marcel. It comes from Mars, the Greek god of war. In the forms Marcella and Marcelina, these were the names of Catholic saints. |
| MARCH: /MARKH/ in Welsh, this is a boys' name stemming from the word for 'horse.' |
| MARCO: An Italian form of Mark, this name has a lot of energy with its 'o' ending. It might make a more unusual alternative to Mark. |
| MARCUS: A nice, more usual name than Mark. This name has a lot of history and class. |
| MAREN: used in Germany and other European countries, this pretty name would fit in with all the Karens and Sharons. |
| MARINA: This name is most often used in Russia, although it is Latin in origin. It is a feminine form of Marinus, which may be related to the Latin marinus meaning 'of the sea.' |
| MARIO: The quintissential Italian name, this classic name is ready for wider use. |
| MARIS: used occasionally by Catholics as a shortening of 'Stella Maris' ('star of the sea' in Latin), this is a nice, unusual name. |
| MARIUS: stemming from Mars, the Roman god of war, this classic name was used in 'Les Miserables.' It's currently popular in several European countries. |
| MARJOLEIN: the French form of the herb marjoram, this name is used in several European languages, but virtually unknown in English. |
| MARLO: sick of Maggie, Peggy, and Meg? Marlo makes a spunky, unusual nickname for Margaret. |
| MARMADUKE: anglicized version of the Irish Mael Maedeóg ('servant of St. Madog'), a kid with this distinguished-sounding name could always go by Duke. |
| MARZANNA: the Slavic goddess of death and winter, she was also known as MORENA and MORA. She rode a broom and enjoyed sneaking into peoples' homes at night to eat their children. All associations aside, Marzanna is kind of a pretty name, as are Morena and Mora! |
| MATEO: Spanish form of Matthew, a nice alternative. |
| MATTHIAS: a nice biblical name, a good alternative to the hyper-popular Matthew. |
| MAUD(e): plain, simple, old-fashioned. This medieval English form of Matilda is ready for a comeback. |
| MAXIMO: Latin for 'greatest'-- he could always go by Max, if he thought it was too weird.' |
| MEILIN /may LIN/: Chinese names can be spelled using different characters and thus may have several different meanings. One of the meanings of this pretty name is 'plum jade.' |
| MELANIA: more exotic sounding than Melanie, this Latin form would make a more unusual choice. |
| MELATI: this lovely name means 'jasmine flower' in Indonesian. |
| MELIA: (meh LEE ah) a nymph in Greek mythology. A cool name that would fit in with the Kaliyas and Aliyas of the world. |
| MELVIN: be the first one on your block to bring this one back! |
| MERCER: a good surname-name, this is softer than some of the others out there. Used for either a girl or a boy, you could use the short forms Mercy or Murray. |
| MERCY: An unusual, virtuous choice. |
| MERIC: /mer EEK/ a pretty Occitan name (spoken in S. France & NE Spain). It's short for AIMERIC /iy mer EEK/ and means 'beloved.' It corresponds to the name Aimée (Amy) |
| MERIWETHER: originally a medieval English nickname for a person with sunny disposition, this survives as a surname. It would make a sunny unusual choice! |
| MERSENDIS/MERSENDA - This lovely name was popular in the Occitan region in the 13th century. It's a diminutive of Aimersende/Ermessinde, which possibly means 'complete strength.' |
| MERSEY: the river that runs through Liverpool, England. Might be a cute name for the right Beatles fan. |
| MICAIAH: a Hebrew name meaning 'who is like Yahweh?'. The more usual form is Micah, but this one, pronounced 'mee KYE a' would fit in with all the mc-names (McKenzie, McKenna etc.) out there. |
| MIELA: an Esperanto (!) name meaning 'honey-sweet.' Be the only parents on the block to have a little Esperanto-named girl! |
| MILDA- This lovely name was the name of a Lithuanian love goddess. People keep looking for long names from which they can derive the diminutive Millie, why not Milda? |
| MILICA: /meel EET sa/ in Slavic, this name means 'gracious.' Almost unheard of in English speaking countries, this pretty alternative to Melissa could be anglicized Militza. |
| MILLARAY: this lovely girls' name means 'golden flower' in Mapuche, an indigenous language spoken in parts of Chile and Argentina. |
| MILO: This short, spunky name might make a nice alternative (or a nickname) for the hyper-popular Michael. |
| MILTON: An old fogey name now, but could be the hot name of tomorrow! Brings to mind the poet. |
| MIMI - as a nickname or on its own, Mimi is one of those sassy old names that has a lot of life left. |
| MIREIA: Pronounced /mee RAY a/, this beautiful literary Spanish name means 'to admire.' |
| MIREK- Used in Czech, this boys' name is a pet form of Miroslav. |
| MIRKO: this is a Croatian pet form of Miroslav. It is an upbeat unusual choice in English-speaking places. |
| MIRSADA: pronounced /mir SAH da/, this pretty Croatian name is almost unheard of in English-speaking countries. |
| MISK- This unusual girls' name means 'musk' in Arabic, according to one souce I found. |
| MITZI: German pet form of Maria; this name is adorable, although it's currently more popular for small dogs than for humans. |
| MIYUKI: This Japanese name means 'beautiful happiness.' |
| MIZUKI: this lovely Japanese girls' name can mean 'beauty of the moon.' |
| MOE: Forget Jeb, Jack, and Ben. If you want a short name, Moe is it! |
| MOLA: from a Cornish place name possibly meaning 'a blackbird.' |
| MORANA: meaning 'death,' this is the name of the Slavic goddess of winter and death. |
| MORAY: Scottish place name, would make a nice name, despite the eel connotations |
| MORDECHAI /MORDECAI: like many names in the Old Testament, this one is of Persian origin, meaning 'devotee of the god Marduk.' |
| MORFORWEN- this unusual name means 'mermaid' in Welsh. |
| MORIA: this name of a mountain range in Middle Earth would work well for Tolkien fanatics who don't want to scar their kids for life with names like Eowyn and Aragorn! |
| MORIEN- in Welsh, this boys' name means 'born of the sea.' |
| MORRIS: it reminds me of big orange cats and 60's sports cars. |
| MORRISSEY: sure, it's a little dramatic, but it fits right in with all the Morgans and other surnames out there. |
| MORTIMER: this name brings to mind Victorian gentlemen with handlebar moustaches. Thought it comes from a French name with the literal meaning of 'dead sea,' it still has a 'stiff-upper-lip' take-charge quality to it. |
| MORVEN: definitely unusual, slightly romantic and dramatic. |
| MORWENNA: an old Cornish saint's name. |
| MOSES: this name is not used enough. MO and MOSE are awesome nicknames; this name needs to be brought back! |
| MUGAMBA: /moo GAHM ba/ a boys' name in Runyoro (Uganda) which is given to people who talk to much. |
| MUGAMBA: according to one book I have, this is a Runyoro name (from Uganda) meaning 'talks too much.' |
| MURDOCH: From a Gaelic name meaning 'mariner,' this would make an offbeat choice |
| MUSAAZI: /moo SAH zee/ in Luganda (Uganda), this boys' name means 'joker; one who makes jokes.; |
| MYRTICE: so far out of style, it's almost chic. This name will definitely stand out among the Ashleys and Madisons of the world. |
| MYRTLE: a beautiful purple flower with evergreen, trailing vines. This name will someday replace Rose and Lily as the flower name of choice. |
| NABIL: meaning 'noble' in Arabic, this masculine name is fairly unusual in the USA. |
| NADIA: A pet form of the Russian name meaning 'hope,' this is a lovely name. |
| NANDA: a Sanskrit boys' name with a lovely meaning- 'joy.' |
| NANJALA: /non JAH la/- this girls name means 'born during a famine' in Lugisu (Uganda). |
| NARVA- the name of the largest reservoir in Estonia. Hey, I knew a Marva once, why not Narva for a name? |
| NASTEHO- there are several girls named this every year in the USA. According to one source it means 'to advise' in Somali. |
| NAURU- this is a country in Micronesia that I had never heard of until today. Place names are trendy right now, your child might be the only kid on the block named after an island in the South Pacific! |
| NAYELI : this pretty girls' name has been well-used by Spanish speakers, but hasn't travelled into other territories. It means 'I love you' in Zapotec. |
| NAYILA, NAHILA, NA'ILA: a lovely Arabic name meaning 'to attain one's desires or goals.' |
| NAYIRI: for a boy or a girl, this comes from the ancient name of Armenia. |
| NAYIRI: this is an ancient name for Armenia, which is used for girls today. It means, roughly, 'land of canyons.' |
| NAZELI: an unusual Armenian girls' name meaning 'pretty.' |
| NAZLI: this lovely girls' name means 'delicate; beautiful' in Arabic. |
| NEDA: (nee-da) the name of a nymph who took care of the infant Zeus in Greek mythology. |
| NELL: As a nickname for Penelope, Eleanor, or anything else, Nell is strong enough to also stand on its own. |
| NELLA, AGNELLA, ANIELLA: This is an -ella name that gives the cute nicknames Nell and Nellie. |
| NEPENTHE- not really a name, but is an ancient Greek medicine for sorrow. Nobody is exactly sure what it was made from, but it is apparently the first anti-depressant! |
| NERGÜI: Can't think of a name? This Mongolian name means 'no name.' It is one of the names with a seemingly negative connotation given to a child born to a couple after a previous child has died. Giving unpleasant names, it was thought, will confuse the spirits so they will leave the new baby alone. |
| NERISSA- unlike Jessica, Olivia and Miranda, this Shakespeare-created name hasn't really caught on. Shakespeare coined this name for a character in 'The Merchant of Venice,' and probably based it on the name of the Greek sea god Nereus. |
| NERISSA: another name coined by Shakespeare-- used by a minor character in The Merchant of Venice. Much more silvery and smooth than similar names Vanessa, Marissa etc. |
| NESTOR: A classical Greek name used by Spanish speakers, Nestor is a nice, unusual name that's ready for wider use. |
| NETRI: meaning 'guide; leader,' this is another name for the Hindu goddess Laxmi. |
| NGAIRE/NYREE: a Maori name that's cool enough to jump continents. |
| NIA: pronounced nee-uh. It's a welsh name, the welsh form of the Irish Niamh and it means bright, light. |
| NIALL/NEAL/NEIL: all these are pronounced the same, Niall being the original Irish Gaelic spelling. This is a nice simple, classic name that has never been overused enough to sound outdated. |
| NICANDRO: a name used by Spanish speakers that comes from a Greek name meaning 'man of victory.' Used often during the middle ages, Nicandro would make a good alternative to Nicholas, Alexander, or Andrew. |
| NICO: for a boy or a girl, this unusual name has a lot of charm. Use it as an offbeat nickname for Nicholas or Nicole. |
| NICODEMUS: a nice, old-fashioned biblical name. More unusual the the now hyper-popular Nicholas. |
| NIKOLAI: Russian form of Nicholas, this would make a funky alternative. Kolya is a nice pet form. |
| NILES: like Miles, but know too many little yuppie kids with the name? Niles is your answer! |
| NINA: This short, spunky, yet feminine name would make a great nickname for a variety of things (Katarina, Antonina etc) |
| NINEL: a Russian name invented because it is 'Lenin' spelled backwards. |
| NINETTA: want a super-feminine name? This Italian gem is a pet form of Nina. |
| NIRAN: in Thai, this boys' name means 'eternal.' |
| NIXON: OK, Nixon maybe wasn't the greatest president on earth, but his last name fits right in with all the Nicholases & Jacksons out there. Nix is a cool, energetic nickname. |
| NKUNDA: /'NKOON da/ this Runyakore (spoken in Uganda) boys' name means 'I love those who hate me.' |
| NNENNA: in Igbo (Nigerian language), this name means 'father's mother' and is often given to girls who are thought to be reincarnations of their paternal grandmothers. |
| NOAM: it sounds like /NO uhm/, not like 'gnome'! This modern Hebrew name means 'delight; joy; pleasantness.' |
| NOBLE: used for either a man or a woman, this 'virtue' name sounds strong and modern. |
| NOEL: as a man's name, Noel rhymes with 'foal.' A nice, underused name in the USA, Noel might make a good alternative to more popular names like Noah and Cole. |
| NOELANI: means 'Beautiful one from Heaven'-Hawaiian |
| NORBERT: so out-of-date-sounding it's almost funky for that reason alone! It was the name of an 11th century saint who founded the order of Norbertians (also known as Premonstratensians). I am so not kidding about this. |
| NUNZIO: OK, it may be a stereotypical mobster name… but I think this zippy Italian name has a lot of life. It comes from 'annunziata' referring to the Anunciation (when the angel announced to the BVM she was pregnant). |
| NYDIA- coined by British author Edward Bulter-Lytton for his novel 'The Last Days of Pompeii,' this pretty name is used for a blind flower seller. |
| NYSSA: This pretty Greek name would make a good alternative to Alyssa/Melissa. |
