Simple, Sleek, Cool Names

Amal is an attractive name with a wonderful meaning that has long been used in many Middle Eastern countries, especially Lebanon (and migrant communities). It is of course getting a lot more coverage now since the fame of international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney, who's singlehandedly made this one of the best-known Arabic names for girls.

Old-fangled nickname could make dot.com era short form or middle name.

A nickname name heard in Spanish-speaking cultures, might lead to "loopy" jokes here.

A modern spelling of an already modern sounding name, Kash is a spelling variant of the name Cash. Like Kairo, Karter, Karson, and Krew, that K initial gives it a very 21st century feel.

Consider this short form for your little Richard.

This color name, spelled either Gray or Grey is rapidly catching on. Actress Jenny von Oy recently called her daughter Gray Audrey.

An inspirational and aspirational word name that evokes ideas of loyalty, faith, honesty, and accuracy, True is a unisex name, which is just slightly more popular for boys. Like an updated form of Trudy and Prue and with the virtuous feel of Grace, Faith, and Hope, True was given to around 200 girls in 2023.

Great Irish middle name choice for Shakespeare lovers.

Short and curt.

An interesting and attractive bicultural choice--the Hebrew version is used for babies born in spring, when turtledoves arrive--especially as a middle.

An Anglicized form of Medb borrowed by both Shakespeare and Percy Bysshe Shelley for the of queen of the fairies. Perfect if you want something both adventurous and simple - though you could use it as a nickname for Mabel, Mirabel, Mabli, or Amabel too.

As a name, Prim is generally short for Primrose – as in the sweet younger sister of heroine Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games. But a word of warning: it also coincides with the English word "prim", meaning "disapproving, overly correct".

Bas is a fashionable name in its own right in the Netherlands, where it's been in the Top 10. Used throughout Europe, it may have a future here as a straightforward-but-charming nickname name. Baz is another, similar and more appealing possibility.

The Biblical Simon has been rediscovered and this appealing short form, an alternative to Sam, might be a way to make your Simon even more special.

Streamlined form eases pronunciation and spelling, but somehow adds a weighty element to this British favorite. It became familiar in the U.S. via musician Gram Parsons.

Unisex word and surname with an upbeat feel and a possible future as a more distinctive substitute for Grace or Page.