Towns in Missouri

Hurley is a possibility as a unisex surname-name ending with the "lee" sound. It is perhaps most associated with British actress Elizabeth Hurley, and is much rarer than Harley, because the "ur" sound is currently out of fashion (and the word "hurl" may put some off).

Iberia, the name of the Spanish-Portuguese peninsula, makes an attractive, unusual first name.

Jackson is one of those names that's much more popular than you think, coming in near the top of our annual Playground Analysis, which ranks names by grouping all their spellings together. Last year, nearly 17,000 baby boys were named Jackson -- along Jaxon, Jaxson, Jaxxon, Jaxen, Jaxyn, Jaxsen, and Jaxsyn -- which counted together makes it the Number 3 boys' name.

Jasper originated as a variation of the Latin Gaspar, which ultimately derived from the Persian word ganzabara, meaning "bringer of treasure." As a given name, Jasper’s etymology is unrelated to that of the gemstone, which comes from a Semitic word meaning "speckled stone." Jasper is the usual English form for one of the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the infant Christ according to medieval tradition and appears in the Bible as a reference to the stone itself in Revelations 4:3.

Jennings is a common English surname that originated as a patronymic for the child of someone named Jen, a short form of John.

Used as a first name for a handful of girls every year, Joplin could be seen as a distant cousin of other -lin names, like Caitlin, Brooklyn and Braelynn. We think it works even better as a musical middle name possibility for fans of Janis... or Scott. Both great connections — albeit very different from one another.

Joseph is one of the most classic names in American nomenclature, popular with parents from many ethnic backgrounds and having dual-religious appeal.

Kearney is a masculine name of Irish origin derived from the Gaelic 'Ó Ceithearnaigh' or 'Ó Cearnaigh,' meaning 'warlike' or 'victorious.' Originally a surname associated with County Mayo in Ireland, Kearney has transitioned to occasional first-name use. The name carries historical significance in Irish culture and has been preserved through generations of Irish diaspora. As a first name, Kearney remains uncommon, lending it distinction and uniqueness. It embodies strength and determination while maintaining its Celtic heritage. The name has a professional sound that ages well from childhood to adulthood. Those named Kearney might appreciate the name's rich cultural background and relative rarity, setting them apart in most social and professional settings.

Kennett is a masculine name with English origins, derived from the place name Kennett, which refers to a river in England. The river name is believed to come from the Celtic term meaning 'boundary water.' As a surname-turned-first-name, Kennett has an aristocratic, refined quality. While less common than the variant Kenneth, Kennett maintains the same strong, classic appeal with a slightly more distinctive edge. The name has never been among the most popular choices but appeals to parents seeking a traditional yet uncommon name with historical roots. Kennett projects reliability and steadfastness while offering the friendly nickname options of Ken or Kenny.

Chosen for their first son by musical couple Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, this Jamaican place and elegant British surname also boasts the more regal yet user-friendly short form, King.

While it may sound a little dated, Lamar is a name that has never been outside the US Top 1000, but it is in danger of falling off the list.

Lamonte is a masculine given name that combines the prefix "La-" (meaning "the" in French and Spanish) with "monte," which derives from Latin and Romance languages meaning "mountain." The name may have evolved as a variant spelling of Lamont, which has Scottish origins as a surname derived from the Old Norse elements "logmaðr" (lawman) and the French "mont." Lamonte has appeared in U.S. naming records throughout the 20th century, with more consistent usage beginning in the 1960s. The name exhibits the common pattern of adding prefixes to existing names or terms to create distinctive variations. While not among the most common names, Lamonte has maintained steady usage and offers a sophisticated sound with its French-influenced pronunciation.

British place-name unlikely to evoke much passion in any baby namer.

We've seen babies with Texas city names like Austin, Houston and Dallas--, why not the unexplored Laredo, which has a lot of cowboy charisma? Laredo might make for a more modern and creative namesake for an Uncle Lawrence/Larry--as could the related Laramie.

Appealing way, à la Dawson, to honor an ancestral Lawrence. Lawson is also an English pop rock band. Lawson has history or use that dates far back, but it fell off of the charts in 1950. The name resurfaced in 2001 and has been climbing since. Lawson has that surname feel and -son suffix that parents are loving in recent years.

Less common than other virtue names, Liberty is nonetheless a name with a long American heritage.

Lincoln cracked the Top 50 for boys' names for the first time in 2016, more than 150 years after the death of its most famous bearer. This is especially remarkable because, as crazy as it seems now, Lincoln was deeply out of fashion as recently as the late 90s, consistently hovering near the bottom of the Top 1000.