Magical Names

The mother goddess Ishtar (also called, or identified with, Ashtoreth, Ashtoret, Astarte and Inanna) was worshipped by the Assyrians and Babylonians as the goddess of love, war, justice and fertility. While the original meaning is unknown, the name possibly derives from "Attar" meaning the morning star. She has been equated with the Greek Aphrodite.

Heavenly, the word that's become a name, has been flirting with the bottom of the Top 1000 for a handful of years now. Heaven and cousins like Nevaeh have been well-used so adding the popular -ly suffix, ala Everly, seems like a natural progression.

Sovereign is one of those names only a celebrity could introduce, much like Saint or Sir who came before it. It was actually football player Cam Newton who first used the name for his daughter, Sovereign-Dior Cambella (sister to Camidas, Cashmere, and Chosen) in 2017. But more notably, it's the name Usher chose for his baby girl, Sovereign Bo, in 2020.

Zuly is the spunky short form of Zulma, and is commonly used on its own, often in the Latino community.

St Cadoc was an early Welsh churchman, who gave his name to several villages in Wales, and according to his Life knew King Arthur. Less popular than other C__C names like Cormac and Cedric, Cadoc would be an almost unique, but easy-to-pronouce choice.

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.

Generally used in conjunction with another name to form a religious phrase -- for instance the daughter of rapper DMX is called Praise Mary Ella.

For basketball fans, in honor of Magic Johnson. Or anyone who believes in magic.

Like Justice and Peace, this word name makes a very strong statement. Ving Rhames chose it for his boy.

Power is one of the new crop -- Justice, Liberty, Peace -- of strong, clear-cut, declarative choices, though this one carries more assertiveness than virtue.

Alternative to Princess or Queenie.

Nefertari Meritmut was the first and favorite wife of pharoah Ramesses II "the Great". She was highly educated and undertook important diplomatic work on behalf of her husband, corresponding with other prominent figures and even making speeches.

Although still small in numbers, children named Legendary have increased dramatically over the years. It's one of the ultimate aspirational word names. Nick Cannon and Bre Tiesi used it for their son in 2022.

Might have a shot as a name, à la Genesis and Destiny, if it weren't for yet another perfume connection.

Krishna is the name of the supreme Hindu god that is still considered secular enough for mortal children and is often found in Hindu families, for both boys and girls.

Epic feels like it could be the boys' version of Saga. Epic poetry tells some of our most celebrated stories - from Beowulf and the Odyssey, to the Divine Comedy and Paradise Lost. Despite being short, Epic is a lot of name, so it might be a choice for an adventurous middle name.

The name of the Hindu elephant-headed god of success and wisdom, son of Shiva and Parvati.

Fortitude is the kind of virtue name the Puritans favored, but would not be easy for a modern boy to carry. Stick with something a little simpler than Fortitude, like Justice or True.

Fierce, bold, and very evocative, Warrior is not a name for the faint of heart. It's the latest in a slew of Magic Names, chosen for their incantatory power, added to the baby name lexicon. Parents may hope a name like Warrior will protect their child from some of the hardships of the world.

Legacy is proof that any attractive-sounding word can be turned into a name, and this one has the added attractions of an inspirational meaning and a cool creative namesake -- hot young artist Legacy Russell.