Short and futuristic names

One of the more unusual of the current crop of strong, single-syllable boys' names, evoking the images of both old-fashioned blackboards and modern stepping-stones and countertops.

An Irish surname-name that's used almost exclusively for girls these days.

There's definitely a cold front of names for winter babies moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure, evocative -- and magical. A haunting middle name choice.

Solo is a singular word name with special meaning for Star Wars fans. Equally appropriate for girls and boys, it works especially well in the middle.

Many parents are seeking a strong name--well there's no denying that Strong fits that bill.

A simple and appealing unisex Korean name with many possible meanings, depending on the hanja characters used. Coincides with the English word "sun", which is a nice bonus.

Rose and Briar are popular, and Hawthorn is cool – so why not the equally prickly Thorn? Add an E to give it a surnamey spin.

With the first name True receiving a Kardashian dose of popularity for girls, Truth is gaining in visibility too. Though its still more popular for boys two to one, the truth is that the name works equally well for both genders -- but may inspire a lot of puns.

The onetime star of "Northern Exposure" named his daughter Tu Morrow. Think about it.

A minimalist choice, Uz is the Biblical home of Job. It's also the name of a character in the Bible, the father of Aram and the grandson of Shem, as is Uzziah. Uz is one of those names that could go either way depending on the personality of your child: super-cool or scuzzy. Proceed with caution.

This modern virtue name gives a nod to ancient chivalry and could also work as an updated form of the classic Victor. A bold choice, but one that an increasing number of parents have been making in the last decade.

Vibrant and vital noun name chosen by actress Shawnee Smith for her daughter.

No low self-esteem for this kid, or so his parents hope.

Wren, a lilting songbird name, could be the next Robin. Wren entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2012 and is among the new wave of popular English names for girls.

Wren may not be as time-honored a bird name choice as Robin or even Lark, but it's more fashionable and fresh, with a gentle and earthy vibe.

Wynn is an attractive Welsh name, originally male but now also used for girls outside of Wales. The authentic feminine version would be Gwen, which derives from the same very productive gwyn element, making it a relative of all Welsh names ending -wyn or -wen, as well as the Irish Fin- names.

Extreme cool possibilities in either of these modern categories, like a postmodern Linc.