Wonderful Word Names for Babies

New, fast, cool, and chosen by director Robert Rodriguez, whose other sons are Rebel, Rocket, and Rogue, all somewhat risky options.

Though some forward-looking parents are now choosing wood-related names like Oak, Pine, and Ash, this generic option would be even more avant garde.

Fluttery and flighty. But there are a couple of names that mean butterfly you might consider, such as Yara and Farasha.

Better for a perfume.

An early day name worthy of consideration today for someone seeking a truly unusual name.

Used in France as a male name, this would make an appealing and unusual choice, as would two other Gallic month names, Avril and Mai.

Evocative word name that's refreshingly straightforward. Overtones of Christianity and penalty. More subtle option: Cruz.

Seinfeld's George threatened to name his future child Seven, and then singer Erykah Badu actually did it.

Acre feels at home with other modern, fresh word names like Rumor, Snow and Ace. But with the feeling of wide open spaces and nature, Acre also offers a softer, earthier tone that will appeal to those seeking a unique name with a distinctly Americana feel.

Prince rose to its highest ranking in a century in 2015, and the tragic death of its most famous bearer in April 2016 propelled it even higher. The Purple Rain legend isn't its only tie to pop royalty: Michael Jackson chose it for not one but two of his sons. Royal names such as King and Prince, once thought of as canine, have begun to be used by human non-royals for their sons.

Spiritual word names are becoming more and more popular – think Peace, Bodhi, Zen and Psalm – and Spirit is among the rarer options, given to a couple dozen baby girls each year in the US. It's the name of the horse in the kids' TV show Spirit.

I'm sure the parents of the six little girls named Sundae in the US last year were thinking, "well, if Nicole Kidman can use Sunday..." In this case, we think the day of the week spelling is preferable to the dessert spelling.

If Erykah Badu can name her son Seven, why can't you name your daughter (or son) this? Eleven has recently gotten a lot of attention via the character on the TV show Stranger Things.

Name that enjoyed some popularity early in the 20th century but now is locked in another, ahem, era.

This old-fashioned word for poetry has some antiquated charm but doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

Astrological name retains a hippielike Age of Aquarius feel.

The mythical daughter of Eros and Psyche becomes a modern-sounding word name. Danger: could be seen as X-rated.

Brother for Heaven or Nevaeh.

Spacey.

Diehard World War II buffs may be interested in this name as a reference to American combat medic Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector to be awarded the metal of honor. But it carries a host of negative connotations in the U.K., especially in Scotland, related to laziness and the shirking of work.