Wonderful Word Names for Babies

Winner is an uplifting word name that can work for girls or boys. It was recently chosen by rapper Nya Lee for her daughter.

Believe it or not, this was a fairly common appellation in early New England, interpreted not in the sexual sense, but more in terms of desiring salvation. In modern times, the French name Desiree, pronounced dehz-ih-ray, would be more acceptable.

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

The part of the ship that gives it stability. A short, sweet, Old Englishy type name that has gone almost completely unused so far.

One way to encourage some cheers for your little one, but not recommended.

A Puritan-virtue type name that could possibly work for a modern baby with its rhythmic four-syllable sound and admirable meaning.

A big, bold, ultra-rare virtue name. Could it follow in the footsteps of Justice and Liberty?

A very distinctive musical choice, but be aware that many people will think you've named your child Oprah.

Reminiscent of Puritan and Pilgrim name choices, Sincere is a relatively modern virtue name. Though it is predominantly used on boys - almost ten times more often - Sincere is still given to around 50 girls each year.

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.

Intriguing, when seen as a water name a la River and Ocean; less appropriate if used as a reference to the Creek tribe of Native Americans. Other downsides are its resemblance to creak, as in creaky bones or floorboards, and to unappealing words like creep and reak.

Modern virtue name, playing on the word "tough".

The lead character of the Captain America movies, played by Chris Evans, is occasionally called Cap, short for "captain," but even he has a real name. (Steve Rogers, ICYC)

Winner is a positive word name that entered the lexicon thanks to rapper Nya Lee, who chose it for her baby girl. But this name is a unisex winner with the cute nicknames Winnie or Win.

Royal names are on the rise. Along with names such as King, Prince, and Royal, why not Palace? Why not indeed.

Explorer is one occupational name destined to seek and find greater things.

Lots of parents choose nature names, but only a few choose Nature as a name each year. It is equally used for boys and girls in the USA.

Nobility names like Duke and Count seem to be forming a minitrend: actor Danny Bonaduce named his son Count Dante Jean-Michel Valentino. Beat that. Or wait: don't.

Loyalty is one of the Modern Virtue Nameson the rise for both genders, but in this case mainly girls. About 85 percent of the babies named Loyalty are female and 15 percent male, but there's no reason this upstanding name can't work equally well for both.

Fidelity is an admirable virtue, yes, but as a name it tends to sound like a financial institution. Faith, Honor, or Patience would be easier to live with than Fidelity.