UK Baby Names

Alaska's second most populous city makes a baby name with a preppy, even aristocratic, flavor.

Easy (Ezekiel) Rawlins is the hard-boiled detective created by Walter Mosley.

Try Simon. Or Homer.

Surname from a landscape feature, associated with author Gore Vidal and Bill Clinton's Vice President Al Gore. Its alternative meaning - as in gory - may explain why it's never made it into the charts.

Belden is a little-used surname-name that might work in this age of Belles.

Has diverse links to a Groucho Marx character, a bouncing ball, and late performance artist Spalding Gray.

Some definite downsides: Massive, Messy.

Almost exclusively associated with opera diva Leontyne Price. If you want to use the suddenly-stylish Leontyne, we'd recommend the French Leontine spelling.

Barker may be appealing to parents looking for a name with many layers - not only does it share a meaning with the more common Shepherd and Tanner, it also brings to mind the bark of a tree, making this a surreptitious choice for nature enthusiasts.

Possibility for fans of science fiction writer Ray.

Associated with archetypal folksinger Pete Seeger.

Strong, friendly surname choice, à la Bailey.

This rarely heard name pares down all the ultrafeminine Dan names to one that's much more powerful, for both boys and girls.

We'll have our sherry in the parlor, please, Bainbridge.

This name stems from an Irish word meaning sullen, but in the Isle of Man is used to refer to sullen weather, rather than sullen people (hence the tempest meaning). It's a cute and spunky name that could easily work outside Manx circles.

Upper-crusty hotelish surname.