6000+ Dog Names

Babs is an old-fashioned nickname for Barbara, itself an old-fashioned name that was hugely popular in the 20th century but that's not (yet) on its way back in. If you really want a vintage-y nickname name with a lot of attitude that bucks the current friends, go for Babs instead of Betty or Bea.

With the current taste for last names first, this sounds a lot cooler than Shawn; it also has creative connections to the great Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, novelist Irwin Shaw, and Big Band Era clarinetist/bandleader and one-time Ava Gardner husband Artie Shaw.

Though it sounds like a modern invention, Champ actually has a long history as a first name. It hit the Top 1000 several times just before and after the turn of the 20th Century.

The name of the character in Edmund Spenser's "The Faerie Queene" whom the poet intended as a representation of Queen Elizabeth I. While it will no doubt thrill your daughter's English professor, the addition of the "Bel" to already great Phoebe is on the fussy side.

Diminutive of Dillon

This is a Spanish variation of Maximilian that has begun to gain some popularity. It has a luxurious feel -- maybe it's the suggestion of "millions"? -- but this is one of those Spanish baby names that come with Anglicized nicknames that can make it work across cultures.

'Q' names are hot, and this is an intriguing fruit name that could be used for a girl or boy. The quince often appears in Greek myth, in tales of Aphrodite, Paris and Atalanta. Can also be a nickname for Quincy.

Madalyn is a variant of the French name Madeleine — one of several which have graced the US top 1000 in recent years.

While some sources assign the place-name the romantic meaning "beautiful daughter of the stars," the Virginia region itself says the name is of uncertain Native American origin with many possible but no definitive meaning. No matter: Shenandoah is a lovely name that's rare but usable.

Well, parents are naming their children Eden and Heaven...so why not?

Armas is an antiquated Finnish word with a loving meaning and a straightforward spelling and pronunciation. A rare name with potential.

Sprightly and engaging nickname for human, full name for pet. Author Jojo Moyes and dancer/singer Jojo Sliwa have propelled the name into the public eye.

Yuta Okkotsu is a major character in the anime series Jujutsu Kaisen. The kanji used in the Japanese manga give his name the meaning "grief," in reference to the loss of his dear childhood friend, Rika. In practice, men who bear this name use the kanji meaning "gentle."

This surname-name oozes Southern charm; nevertheless, its most famous bearer was a New Englander, Rhode Island senator Claiborne de Borda Pell, who sponsored education legislation leading to the much beloved Pell scholarship programme. That connection alone instills this name with intellect as well as style.

Zuleika is a high-wire act of a name that might appeal to the intrepid baby namer, Like most 'Z'-starting girls' names, it projects a cool, strong aura, as exemplified by the character in Max Beerbohm's satirical 1910 novel, Zuleika Dobson, a heroine so gorgeous that the entire student body of Oxford University committed collective suicide at the sight of her.

Visually similar to Jack and Jacob, but with a refreshing Nordic origin and literally ice-cool meaning.

One of those casual down-home names last popular in the 1960s.

A very common boys' name in South Asia, with a strong meaning. Some are bound to pronounce it AJ, as in Soprano.

An Emily or Emma substitute that may be prettier and more classic as Emmeline or Emeline.

Fans of writer Paul Auster might consider this a worthy alternative to the trendy Austin.