Power Names/Fantasy

The friendly and sporty feeling Nolan blends some of the best qualities of other popular boy names. With the gentle but energetic sounds of Noah, a hint of the classic Nicholas, and the cool, surname-style vibe of Greyson or Colton, it makes for a familiar and grounded choice.

Nolwenn is popular in Wales but would be a very adventurous choice in the US. Though with the increased visibility of names like Arwen, thanks to Lord of the Rings, it may not feel as odd going forward as it might have a generation ago. Other, similar ideas: Olwen, Anwen, Bronwen, Rowena.

Very rarely used, could provide a distinctive alternative to Lydia.

Whether you take this as a female form of the mythical wanderer's name Odysseus or a spin on the place name Odessa makes a huge difference. But both names have that potential playground problem of the initial Od- syllable, as in odor.

Oisin is one of the most popular Irish baby names in its native land, though largely unknown in the US. The original Oisin was the mythological son of Finn McCool and Sadb, the goddess who was changed into a deer. A legendary war hero and poet, Oisin had a name that is also reminiscent in sound of the ocean. Pronounced correctly, this name has an attractive sheen.

Mellow and musical.

With its relation to Mount Olympus, home of the Greek gods, and to the Olympic games, this name has an athletic, goddess-like aura, making it the perfect Olivia substitute.

Omaira is an intriguing Middle Eastern possibility.

Onika is the birth name of Trinidad and Togago-born celebrity Nicki Minaj.

Unlike Pearl and Ruby and more like Jasper, this gem name works well as a boys name. With its strong final X, it feels similar to Alex, Phoenix, Jax, and Rex, while the shiny black quality of the stone feels reminiscent of Orion. Chosen by musician Iggy Azalea for her son in 2020, it has accelerated up the charts and now sits just outside the Top 300.

Opal is on the verge of a repolishing, following other jewel names like Ruby and Pearl. A Top 100 name during the first two decades of the twentieth century, the opalescent Opal has a good chance of coming back as another O-initial option.

Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in the US Top 300, could Ophelia one day become the next Olivia or Amelia?

Though this name properly takes an accent over the first e, most Americans would probably have trouble pronouncing it with French elan.

A pretty, feminissima name, more distinctive than Cynthia. George Bernard Shaw used it for a character in his play The Apple Cart, about which it is said 'Orinthia is a name full of magic for me.'

Orleanna was the young heroine of Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible.

Name of the legendary ancient Greek poet and musician — whose music was so beautiful it made trees dance and rivers stop to listen — would provide a child with a challenging but indelible identity.

Osiris is the name of Egyptian mythology god-king who died and was reborn every year. Emerging from centuries of obscurity, Osiris has several ingredients for success in the modern world: Roots in ancient myth, an uplifting meaning, an s ending and the cute nickname Os or Oz.

Clad in armor. But while this name may have been forbiddingly antiquated not that long ago, the connection to the trendy nickname Os or Oz makes it a real possibility.