Cool Unique Unisex Names

Americans use Asani for their sons and daughters, but it originated as a Swahili masculine given name. With its bold meaning and popular -i ending, it was one of the fastest rising gender-neutral names in 2023, given to exactly the same number of girls and boys.

Cool goddess name, but you might need to brace yourself for lots of sneaker jokes, depending on where you live.

The name of one of the branches of the Great Sioux Nation has a very namelike sound, but is not used as a name by the Lakota people themselves, and could be seen as appropriative.

In geography, a meridian is a line drawn around the curve of the Earth between the North and South Poles. The term comes from Latin meridianus, meaning "pertaining to midday", and the association with midday has led to the word gaining an added figurative meaning of "pinnacle; culmination".

An unusual name which feels familiar, thanks to its similarity to other names containing the Hebrew element el "God", like Daniel and Gabriel. It was originally a masculine name, but is now used for both sexes.

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.

Gio is a cute, more androgynous variation of Gia that could work well as a nickname for names such as Giovanna, Giordana, or Giorgia. It was chosen by Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo for their daughter in 2018.

Though it was derived from a feminine name, Kamari is more popular among baby boys in the US. However, with the rise of unisex Amari on the girl's charts, Kamari is feeling stylish as well.

Not quite a nature name and not quite a surname — whatever Laken is or isn't, we know it's definitely a name to watch.

While Austin is a popular boys' name, this spelling, honoring novelist Jane, nudges the name toward gender-neutral, chosen last year for 67 baby boys and 57 girls.

Lexington is trending as a unisex name, used just about evenly for the genders. For Americans, it's got a patriotic feel, given the importance of Lexington, Massachusetts in the Revolutionary War. Lexington, Kentucky, in horse country, is another well-known city with the name. Short form Lex is user friendly.

This African name, which derives from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria, is used for both girls and boys -- but in the US, its most notable bearer is (male) artist Kehinde Wiley. Wiley, who paints brown- and black-skinned people in the style of European Old Masters, was born in Los Angeles of an African-American mother and a Yoruba father and was also a twin, thus his name. An attractive and creative choice for either gender.

Modern parents tend to reject Puritan names, but Noble was a Puritan favorite worth revival. Integrity and generosity are attractive qualities in anyone, so it's apparent why parents are starting to notice Noble once again, along with other virtue names like Wisdom and Loyal.

Another animated Irish surname, this one with jazzy ties to the immortal "Dean of American Jive," Cab Calloway.

Edgy German capital with definite possibilities as a baby name.

Jagger, made famous as the surname of Rolling Stone Mick, gets an entry in the girls' column thanks to Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross, who chose it for their daughter. For either gender, this name rocks...but a bit jaggedly. Currently, there are nearly 20 times as many baby boys than girls are given the name Jagger. That balance may shift, making Jagger a more truly gender neutral name.

Painter is among the most creative choices in this very fashionable category of names, with a particularly pleasant sound. Whereas most occupational names conjure up physical labor, this one feels like a gateway to the arts.

Kazumi can be used both as a masculine and feminine name. It is related to names like Kazuko, Kazuo and Kazuki.

Mako is a name used for both genders in Japan, most notably for the granddaughter of the emperor who chose to leave the Royal Family to marry a commoner. It's a simple name that translates easily to English-speaking cultures, though many will try to pronounce the first syllable with a long a. Mako also means "shark" in Maori, and is the name of two shark species.