Coolest Baby Names That Aren't Really Names
- Cricket
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
Nickname name from the era of Father Knows Best, though we can see it making something of a comeback, a la Clover and Pippa. Cricket has new potential especially since it has recently been chosen by Busy Philipps. Still, it's one of the quirkier girl names starting with C.
- Cadence
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"rhythm, beat"Description:
The musical word name Cadence, seemed to come out of nowhere to zoom up the charts; it rose over 700 spots between 2002 and 2004, and showed up in the Top 200 in 2007. It's gone down in the popular names list since then, though. Some might see it as a feminine relative of the popular Caden. Kadence and Kaydence are also rising.
- Oak
Origin:
English tree nameMeaning:
"tree from the genus Quercus"Description:
Oak, a symbol of solidity, strength, and longevity, is joining Cedar and Pine as a viable name, one that would work especially well in the middle.
- Creed
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"I believe; statement of belief"Description:
Cool, solid, and often spiritual, Creed derives from the Latin word credo meaning "I believe". It appeared sporadically in the US Top 1000 back in the late 19th century, but remained only quietly used the 2000s. By 2016 it was back in the charts, and as of 2023, Creed is given to around 400 babies each year.
- Posey
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"a bunch of flowers"Description:
Posey is fashionable in England, a country of gardeners, but this pretty bouquet-of-flowers name is only starting to be heard here.
- Reign
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"rule"Description:
Reign is one of a new, ahem, kingdom of word names that suggest a high-born child, joining Royal, Lorde, Titan, Saint, King, Princess, and Noble. We predicted this kind of defining name to be the Number 1 baby name trend of 2015...two weeks before Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick named their third child, a boy, Reign. Reign is as appropriate for girls as for boys. The female version is often spelled Rain -- or Raine or Rayne -- though that makes is more nature and less royal word name. Reign entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.
- Saint
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"saint"Description:
Saint as a descriptive word name was first chosen by rocker Pete Wentz for his younger son (baby brother is Bronx), and now Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have catapulted the name into the celebrity stratosphere by choosing it for their baby boy. The couple called their baby "Saint" throughout the pregnancy because his conception had been so difficult. Saint was named in our predictions for the top baby name trends of 2015, on descriptive word names which also include Royal and Noble, King and Rogue. Saint is moving beyond the group of names that are only celebrity baby names and into the general lexicon.
- Ridge
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"an elevated body part or structure"Description:
Ridge may be the quintessential daytime drama name, but it's still better than most. This is one word name rising rapidly through the ranks, reentering the US Top 1000 in 2015 for the first time since 1989.
- Emerald
Origin:
Gem name; PersianMeaning:
"green"Description:
Emerald is the intriguing color and jewel name of the deep green stone treasured as far back as ancient Egypt — it's supposed to open one's heart to wisdom and to love and be good for strengthening relationships — which could make for an interesting, unusual name, particularly with the popularity of so many Em-starting names.
- Legend
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"hero or fable"Description:
Legend joins cousins Story, Saga and Fable in the baby name pantheon of narrative words. Unlike Story and Fable, however, Legend comes with additional weight, being used for fame ("living legend") and to denote a person who is fantastic "what a legend"). Who can live up to that?
- Hale
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"someone who lives in a hollow"Description:
This name projects a sense of well-being - hale and hearty - is unusual but accessible, with a clear simple sound, and a worthy namesake, Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale, as an added bonus.
- Birch
Origin:
Tree nameDescription:
Birch is a rarely used nature name that calls to mind the lovely image of the tall, strong but graceful white-barked tree.
- Tuesday
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"Tiu's Day,"Description:
When actress Susan Ker Weld changed her name to Tuesday, she opened up a whole calendar of possibilities. This was decades before the arrival of Sunday Rose Urban.
- Moon
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
The original oddball celebrity baby name, via Frank Zappa's daughter Moon Unit, who claims she's always liked it.
- Dove
Origin:
Color and nature nameMeaning:
"dove, a bird"Description:
Subtle but clear unisex way to signal peace, especially in middle place.
- Halo
Origin:
English, word nameDescription:
Halo is a glowing word name that's both cosmic and spiritual, and with its shiny imagery and bright sounds, it was one of the fasted rising names in 2023.
- Dune
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"sand hill"Description:
Dune is a name of several layers. It's a modern nature name, like Ocean, Bay and Reef, although rarer, conjuring up images of breezy sand dunes on summer beach days.
- Fable
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Inventive name for the child of a writer.
- Sailor
Origin:
Occupational nameDescription:
Supermodel Christie Brinkley launched an entire name genre when she picked this breezy occupational name for her daughter in 1998, and it has become more prevalent in recent decades. The Saylor version, which you might consider a spelling spin or a surname-name, is now among the Top 500 names for girls, given to three times as many baby girls as the Sailor spelling. Counted together, Saylor and Sailor were used for about 1000 baby girls in one recent year in the US, versus about 100 boys.
- Ranger
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"forest guardian"Description:
The list of occupational boys' names continues to expand, and this is one of the latest to ride onto the range. With a hint of cowboy and Western, a sprinkle of preppy surname, an outdoorsy, nature-connected vibe, and a soft-but-strong sound, Ranger has a lot going for it. More than doubling in use over the last decade, it was given to around 120 boys in 2023.