Wonderful Word Names for Babies

Gruff is a name that gets used on a handful of boys each year, in both the US and the UK.

An unassuming virtue, that is also a surname name.

Chosen by one musician, Todd Rundgren, for his son, but unlikely to be emulated by others.

Along the same lines as Fable or Madrigal, Parable is a cute choice for literary families. It might also be considered as a pseudo-biblical name, given the fame of the Biblical parables.

Anyone who's seen "The Book of Mormon" or visited Utah knows this as the title taken by male Mormon missionaries during their term of service. We'd advise anyone who lives somewhere with any significant Mormon population to avoid it for that reason.

As a name, a bit too p. c.

Undoubtedly there's a parent out there who sees this as the ultimate cool name. It's anything but.

With the rising use of Eugenie and Eulalia, could literary Euphony make a debut? It certainly has a pleasant meaning and is euphonic itself.

The Puritans used it as a virtue name -- but today it would just be considered weird: silence is no longer golden.

Similar in look to Reverie, Revere is far-less dreamy. Connoting both the meaning (to admire or esteem) and the US Revoluntionary War patriot, Revere could make an interesting choice for a boy or a girl, and will likely appeal especially to those with Massachusetts connections.

If Story and Poet and Sonnet can be names that work as well for girls as for boys, why not Ode?

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

Cool and casual, a la humorist Ring (born Ringgold. ) Lardner.

North and West are easier on the ear, but this works fine if it has some significance for your family. Could be lengthened to Easton.

A lot to handle, but it does give a sense of openness, joy, and awe.

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

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.

All names connected with royalty have become increasingly popular in recent years, and King variation Kyng is no exception. Some parents may feel that the Kyng spelling makes it more of a name and less of a royal title, but both names sound the same and have identical meanings, so why endlessly complicate spelling and pronunciation?

This name, a spin on the word alchemy, has a magical quality.