Bengal Cat Names

This inventive spelling of Graycen was among the fastest-risers of the year in 2019. It hit a peak in 2020, and dropped for both genders in 2021.

A more distinctive alternative to Angelo.

Unusual two-syllable choice with a real pronunciation challenge.

This kind of plainspoken nature name (think River and Sunshine) may still carry a whiff of the hippie, but this one has a nice, airy feel.

Wylie is one Celtic surname with as much appeal for girls as for boys. Wylie is ripe for spelling variations: Wiley is as appropriate as Wylie but when you spell it Wylei, as Corey Parker did for his son, you're getting into yooneek naming territory.

While the most famous Dusty, Dusty Springfield, might be female, Dusty as a boys' name is derived directly from Dustin. And there are about twice as many baby boys named Dusty as baby girls -- 33 to 14 last year, so a fairly rare name for either sex.

Ancient martyr name that sounds totally modern, but perhaps too close to rumor.

Striking and glamorous, though perhaps just plain Zara is intriguing enough.

Simple and sweet name for a son that feels on-trend in this era of Kai.

Mosley, former best known as the surname of author Walter, has been put in play as a first name for girls by football great Peyton Manning, who used the name for his twin daughter, sister of Marshall. Alternate spellings are Moseley and Mosely and the first syllable rhymes with Rose.

Thebe is the name of more than one daughter of Zeus, according to some myths, and is also the name of a moon of Jupiter. Thebe rhymes with Phoebe and may appeal to lovers of that name.

Though it has never charted in the United States, this frilly name has the elements some brave, modern namers might find attractive—namely, the initial O and the -ia suffix.

Form of Ottilia

Also related to the word for wolf, this name has a first syllable that's not appealing to the American ear. Better ic-ending choices: Dominic, Frederic, Eric.

We've had Apples, Plums, Peaches, Cherries, and Berries added to the fruit basket: you could be the first to pick a Tangerine.

Hurricane is a storm, but it's also an American name, thanks to rising tennis star Hurricane Black -- whose sister's name is Tornado. There's no reason this tempestuous choice can't work for boys too, inasfar as the name can work for any child. As a name, Hurricane is definitely original and attention-getting, but is it a name you'd want to carry around for life?

Spanish and Romanian form of Ottilia or Odilia

Trivia is considered the first epithet of Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting, fertility, and the moon. The name is derived from the Latin word trivium, meaning "triple way," which refers to the goddess's protection of crossroads. Today, of course, Trivia would likely be interpreted as an English word name referencing obscure facts.

The Turkish name for the Danube River. Tuna is technically a unisex name in Turkey, yet it is more common among boys.

This booming word name has been used every year since 1988, yet at most was given to 30 baby boys in a single year. But with names like Thunder, all it takes is one celebrity to bring it to the mainstream, and Usain Bolt could be the guy. He welcomed a son named Thunder (yes, Thunder Bolt) in 2021, twin to Saint Leo and brother to Olympia Lightning.