330+ Nonbinary Names
- Bryn
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"hill"Description:
Bryn is an up-and-coming gentle, yet substantial, Welsh name that would also be effective in the middle spot. In Wales it's a traditional boys' name, but it's far more popular for girls now in the US.
- Ellery
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"island with elder trees; descendant of Hilary; cheerful, happy"Description:
In the past few years Ellery has gone from middle-aged male detective -- from old school fictional hero Ellery Queen -- to a plausible girls' name, a la Hillary.
- Blue
Origin:
Color nameDescription:
Blue suddenly came into the spotlight, as the unusual color name chosen by Beyonce and Jay-Z for their baby girl Blue Ivy. Blue is also a starbaby middle name du jour, used for both sexes in different spellings and forms, from John Travolta and Kelly Preston's Ella Bleu to Alicia Silverstone's Bear Blu. Dave 'The Edge' Evans named his daughter Blue Angel back in 1989.
- Demi
Origin:
Diminutive of Demetria or GreekMeaning:
"half"Description:
Demi appeared in the US as a baby name thanks to a single celebrity, actress Demi Moore, who put it on the Top 1000 throughout the 1990s. As her star faded, so did the visibility of the name, though now it is rising again on its own steam. It's popular in Europe, too, especially in The Netherlands. Demi may be that unusual name that's launched by a celebrity and then maintains its visibility all by itself.
- Finch
Origin:
English word and nature nameMeaning:
"to swindle"Description:
It feels like Finch should be a modern bird name that's as popular as Wren or Lark, but that's not the case - so it's one to consider if you're looking for a nature name that's familiar but rare.
- Lowen
Origin:
CornishMeaning:
"joy"Description:
Could Lowen be the next Owen? This Cornish name certainly has the right sounds to be an American hit, and is rising dramatically for both boys and girls.
- Royal
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"royal"Description:
Word names may not be gendered in English, but Royal was used mostly for boys—as in Wes Anderson's anti-hero Royal Tennenbaum—until Lil' Kim named her daughter Royal. And why not? It's got a rich sound and a meaning fit for a rap princess....or prince. This puts a new spin on royal baby names.
- Zuri
Origin:
KiswahiliMeaning:
"good, beautiful"Description:
Zuri migrated, at least to American sensibilities, to the feminine side when an Ohio zoo used it for a female giraffe. For either gender, Zuri is an attractive name with the usual Z-initial zest.
- Moss
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"descendant of Moses"Description:
This evocative green nature name, heard much more frequently as a surname, is associated with playwright Moss Hart (born Robert), who co-wrote (with George S. Kaufman) such enduring Broadway comedies as The Man Who Came to Dinner and You Can't Take it With You.
- Dakota
Origin:
Place-name; SiouxMeaning:
"friendly one"Description:
An early and still one of the most popular unisex names, also a place name and name of a Native American people in the northern Mississippi valley, which makes it a controversial baby name choice. While the popularity of Dakota is trending downward for both genders, it's one of those rare genuinely gender-neutral names that is used for nearly equal numbers of boys and girls.
- Storm
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Windswept and dramatic, but perhaps asking for trouble. Quite popular in Denmark and Sweden, where it derives from Stromr, which is a fairly common surname. Storm Thorgerson is a famous bearer of the name - he designed iconic album covers for Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, the Cranberries, Anthrax, and Pink Floyd.
- Wynn
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"fair, blessed"Description:
Wynn or Wyn is a Welsh male name deriving from the very productive gwyn element, which forms part of all Welsh names ending -wyn or -wen, as well as the Gwen names and the Irish Fin- names. Wynn is a soft and gentle yet sturdy choice which feels quietly timeless and charming.
- Quill
Origin:
Irish, diminutive of Quillan or Quiller; also English word nameDescription:
Quill is a unique possibility for the child of writers -- even if they do use computers rather than pens; could also serve as a rhyming tribute to an ancestor named Gil, Phil, or Bill (or Jill).
- Poe
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"peacock"Description:
An evocative unisex one-syllable name, Poe is most distinguished by its literary reference. Edgar Allan Poe was an influential American author and poet, credited with inventing the genres of detective and science fiction, which might provide inspiration for parents who are fans. And now its choice as the name of the hero played by Oscar Isaac in the new Star Wars movie is sure to catapult it from literary choice to major favorite.
- Hart
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"stag"Description:
Hart could be the hero of a romantic novel, but on the other hand, it's short, straightforward, and strong sounding. The most famous bearer of the name was tragic poet Hart (born Harold) Crane, but it also has musical cred via Lorenz Hart, of the classic Rodgers & Hart songwriting duo and a literary tie to playwright Moss Hart.
- Azure
Origin:
English color nameMeaning:
"sky blue"Description:
Azure is a colorful gender-neutral choice, currently used equally for baby girls and boys in the US. It refers to a specific shade of blue seen in a cloudless sky. Elon Musk recently revealed Azure to be the name of his daughter with Shivon Zilis, twin sister to Strider. While X and Y didn't stand a chance at greater popularity, parents may be inspired to use the name Azure following this celebrity endorsement.
- Zen
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"meditation"Description:
A spiritual word name used by actor Zoe Saldana for her son as well as more recently Nick Cannon and Alyssa Scott for their late son. Zen has been trending in recent years along with other spiritual names such as Bodhi and Zion, and recently entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2022.
- Jude
Origin:
Latin diminutive of Judith or variation of Judah, HebrewMeaning:
"praised"Description:
Jude may be a popular boys' name, thanks to Jude Law, but boyish nicknames for girls - like Frankie and Teddy - are on trend and Jude is also a new way to spin Judy or Judith. It's long been used quietly for girls as well as boys, and may start to pick up steam.
- Kelly
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"war"Description:
A predominantly male name in the US until the late 1950s, the name continued to rise for both sexes for both sexes for a further decade, before starting to decline for boys. Despite dropping out of the boys' Top 1000 in 2002, Kelly retains a rugged Irish charm.
- Lou
Origin:
Diminutive of Louis or Lewis, French and GermanMeaning:
"renowned warrior"Description:
Lou, all by itself, is become fashionable for girls, which usually makes a name LESS fashionable for boys. But Lou, like Bill or Jim, is rarely used on its own for boys anyway. (You wouldn't name a boy Frederick Lou the way that girls are named Mary Lou or, in the case of Keri Russell's new baby, Willa Lou.) Long form Louis is getting cool again and, with the Lewis spelling, is the Number 2 name in Scotland.