This nature name hasn't escaped the hippie dippy air of others like River or Sky. 

Ax makes a somewhat threatening short form of the popular Axel, given to more than 3000 baby boys last year. It can also be used on its own, though it usually isn't. There were, however, seven baby boys named Axe in the US in 2015.

The popular single-named alternative singer (born Bek) has given this cool nature-meets-surname name a new lease of life. Another notable bearer is Beck Weathers, a Texan pathologist who survived the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, which was covered in the book and film Into Thin Air.

 Outdoorsy yet refined, Beck still sits below the radar but could follow brother Beckett up the charts.

Beck

We've seen Beatrice and Beatrix climb in popularity, along with traditional nickname Bea. And now there's Bee, giving it a buzzy nature world spin, plus a tie to popular late night TV''s Samantha Bee, not to mention Aunt Bee on the old The Andy Griffith Show TV show. Bee can theoretically be short for any <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/b">girl names starting with B</a>.

Modern, mini nickname for Rebecca, much fresher than Becca or Becky.

Blythe originated as a nickname for an upbeat person, coming from the Old English word bliðe, meaning "merry" or "cheerful." Today the homophone blithe shares the same meaning. Blythe was eventually adapted to a surname before it became a feminine given name.
 
Blythe embodies a cheerful, carefree spirit and could be the next Blair/Blaine/Blake/Brett/Britt, with the advantage that it's clearly pink. It joins other other light-hearted names for girls: Felicity, Hilary.
 Blythe is the middle name of Drew Barrymore—in her case a surname from her rich theatrical history.
 The title of the memorable Noel Coward play Blithe Spirit is taken from Shelley's poetic line, "Hail to thee, blithe Spirit"—a nice tribute to a baby Blythe.

Blythe

Bode is a short and sharp name that has been on and off the US charts since the mid-2000s. Similar to on-trend choices such as Brooks, Beau, Boone, Brody, and Bodhi, Bode suffers a little, perhaps because it might be read as the word "bode" , as in "that doesn't bode well", and because it has several acceptable pronunciations.
 
Deriving from the Germanic name Bodo, which ultimately comes from the Old German and Old Saxon elements bot and bod, Bode has a strong, commanding meaning, without feeling overbearing. It is linked to a 7th century saint, and more recently, to American skier Bode Miller - who says his name as BOE-dee. 
 
Another possible origin of Bode is from the Yoruba name Olabode, meaning "wealth returns" or any other Yoruba name ending with the bode element. In this case, it would be pronounced as bod-EE. Nigerian writer Bode Sowande and aristocratic Nigerian statesman, Chief Bode Thomas are notable bearers.
 
Given to around 200 boys in the US each year, Bode could work as an alternative to Bodhi, though the spelling Bodie is currently more familiar in both the States and the UK.

Bode

Strong, ultramasculine, and modern, Cade shot up the popularity lists around the millennium—it was as high as Number 201 in 2001—along with cousins Caden and Cale, and has drifted along in the middle of the US Top 1000 ever since. 

 Like Scarlett, Rhett, Ashley, Melanie, and Beau, Cade was worn by a character in Gone With the Wind.
There's a Cade Skywalker in the Star Wars universe, and Keith Carradine named his now-grown son Cade.

Cade

May be the most modern, stylish Catherine nickname: more unusual than Kate or Cate, with an animal and word name edge.  Cat Power is a trendy folksinger.

Clove is one of a whole tantalizing genre of spice names that might work for a boy.  Clovis could be considered a long form.

Clove

Clove is a spice name that is a tad more piquant than Saffron or Cinnamon. It might get more attention now as a member of The Hunger Games family of names.

Colm is a popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/328/irish-baby-names-for-boys">Irish name for boys</a> that could immigrate, especially with its peaceful meaning. Colm Toibin is a contemporary Irish novelist and critic, author of The Master and Brooklyn; Colm Meaney is an Irish actor. Pronunciation is two syllables instead of one, like Colin with an 'm' at the end. Colm is related to Columba, Colom, Colum, Callum, and Malcolm.

Colm

Cove is an up-and-coming nature name whose cool sound and peaceful image saw it rising for both sexes... until COVID-19 hit. It remained steady in use for boys in 2021, but actually increased for girls, although it remains a seriously rare and distinctive choice for either gender. 

Cove

Cool, solid, and often spiritual, Creed derives from the Latin word credo meaning "I believe". It appeared sporadically in the US Top 1000 back in the late 19th century, but remained only quietly used the 2000s. By 2016 it was back in the charts, and as of 2023, Creed is given to around 400 babies each year.
 
Referring to any set of beliefs and principles that someone follows, the word Creed is often associated with religion, specifically with a formal declaration of Christian belief. It could therefore be considered a modern Christian baby name, joining the likes of Messiah, Saint, Psalm, Chosen and Cruz - though it could easily be secular too.
 
Creed likely got a bump up the charts from the seventh movie in the Rocky series, called simply Creed, while others may be familiar with it thanks to Creed Bratton on the popular television show The Office.

Creed

Intriguing, when seen as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/10/water-baby-names">water name</a> a la River and Ocean, but too close to cultural appropriate if used as a reference to the Creek tribe of Native Americans. Another downside is its resemblance to creak, as in creaky bones or floorboards, and to unappealing words like creep and creak.

Creek

The appealingly energetic Dax, with its trendy X-ending, re-entered the Top 1000 in 2007. Its somewhat sci-fi vibe emanates from his appearance as a fictional being in the Star Trek universe, seen on the TV show "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." The Power Rangers character Dax Lo was the Blue Ranger.
 In real life, actor Dax Shepard hosts the popular podcast Armchair Expert and played the TV character of Crosby Braverman on "Parenthood." His parents named him for the protagonist of the best-selling Harold Robbins novel, The Adventurers-- Dax Xenos.
 Dax is also a French community famous as a spa.
 Dax is unlikely to become popular in Australia, sounding too much like the word dacks, which means boys' underwear.

Fierce meaning, gentle image. This name is very common in Israel, where an endearing pet form is Dubi.

Subtle but clear unisex way to signal peace, especially in middle place. 

Dove

An early African-American name, along with variation Eartha.

Earth

Inventive name for the child of a writer. 

Fable

One of the evocative new <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/329/nature-baby-names">nature names</a> with a simple, stylish feel.

Glade

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.
 Hart would make an interesting middle name choice--with heart.

Hart

Like Harbor, one of the new generation of word names with appealing meanings, though (female) memoirist Haven Kimmel has tipped it decidedly toward the girls' side.

There are now more than ten female babies named Haven for every boy. But Haven is an equally appealing name for a baby of any gender.

Haven

Hoke is a surname name with a Southern feel, thanks to Morgan Freeman's character in the Oscar-winning movie Driving Miss Daisy. Parents may have passed this name by because of the similarity to hokey and hokum, slang for exaggerated or contrived. But there's at least one distinguished bearer: Chicago journalist Hoke Norris, famous for his coverage of the Civil Rights movement.

Hoke

Ib, though it sounds insubstantial here, is actually a pretty common name in Denmark.

Io may be one of the slightest names in the book, but there aren't many two-letter names with as much substance as this Greek mythological example.  Io, a name used for the largest moon of Jupiter, was in classic myth raped by Zeus and escaped from him by changing herself into a cow. 

Jax is the Dex-Jex-Pax type of x-ending cool -- possibly too cool -- variation of Jack or nickname for Jaxon or Jackson.
 Jax was a soap opera character name way back when; most recently he's been seen as Jackson "Jax" Teller, the central character on Sons of Anarchy, the national president of the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club.

Decidedly offbeat name that combines jauntiness with that uber-cool X, and would certainly set your son up for life outside the mainstream.

Has an almost comical enthusiastic feel that may not translate to this culture. 

Joop

A simple and charismatic Chinese and Korean name, also spelled Joon.

Knox is an old Scottish surname that Brad Pitt (whose great-great-grandfather was named Hal Knox Hillhouse) and Angelina Jolie took out of the back cupboard, dusted off, and elevated to coolness--to the point where it entered the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular baby names</a> list in 2009. Knox now ranks among the most influential <a href="https://nameberry.com/fameberry">celebrity baby names</a>.
 With Knox, the Jolie-Pitts established their own tradition: instead of their sons bearing the same first inital, they share the final letter 'x'--Maddox, Pax and Knox-- as well as a final 'n' for their <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a>. It's celebrity shine has made the formerly obscure Knox one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/473/scottish-names-for-boys">Scottish names for boys</a>. 
 The surname Knox dates back at least to the thirteenth century, and John Knox was the priest who brought about the Reformation in Scotland.

Knox

In one recent year there were 60 baby girls in the US named Lark....and only eight baby boys. But there's no reason this bird name can't also be masculine, especially given that Robin is making a comeback for boys and Sparrow is a notable starbaby boy (he's Nicole Richie and Joel Madden's son).

If you need further convincing Girl Names for Boys was one of our hottest <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/baby-name-trends-2024">baby name trends</a> of the year.

Lark

A shimmering day name, with a bit of hippie residue. 

Light

The fame of actress and Aerosmith daughter Liv Tyler helped to infuse life into this short but solid Scandinavian name that was chosen for her daughter by Julianne Moore.
 Liv Tyler was given the name after her mother, Bebe Buell, saw an image of Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann on the cover of TV Guide shortly before her daughter's birth.
 Liv combines the succinct charm of a nickname—people might assume it's short for Olivia—with the solidity of being a classic stand-alone Scandinavian name with a life-force meaning.
 Unlike its popular cousin Olivia, Liv has never risen that high in the US ranks, but it is a Top 100 girls' name in a range of international places, from Scandinavia to Switzerland to Israel.

Lo is a Top 100 name in Sweden, but the Lou spelling is more user-friendly for an English-speaking child.
 
Pronounced as "low," Lo is used as a pet form of names including Lauren and Laura.

Lore

Love makes an endearing middle name, as in Jennifer Love Hewitt. However, more parents are considering Love as a first name — enough for it to enter the charts for the first time in 2022 as one of the fastest-rising names of the year. Other love-related alternatives include Juliet, Valentina, and Amor.

Love

This name of a character played by Kirsten Dunst in the movie Virgin Suicides, originally a novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, is gaining attention, also thanks to the heroine Lux, Lady of Luminosity in the League of Legends games. Luz is the Spanish version.

One of the fierce new animal names new to name lists, helped by its strong x-ending.

Lynx

One of the more unusual <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/329/nature-baby-names">nature names</a>, Maize is given to a dozen or so boys and girls each year and is almost completely unisex in terms of usage. It could also be short for Maisie/Maizie. Disclaimer: potential for "corny" jokes.

Maize

The original oddball celebrity baby name, via Frank Zappa's daughter Moon Unit, who claims she's always liked it. 

Moon

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.
 Never having made it onto the popularity list, Moss would make a distinctively fresh and attractive alternative to Ross.
 Prominent bearers of Moss as a surname include British auto racer Stirling, supermodel Kate, and Elisabeth Moss, star of The Handmaid's Tale and Mad Men.

Moss

Nash is an English surname whose sound puts it right in step with currently trendy names like Cash, Dash and Ash. It first came to prominence via TV character Nash Bridges, portrayed by Don Johnson in the late nineties, and also via mathematician John Nash, played by Russell Crowe in the acclaimed film A Beautiful Mind. 
 Nash first entered the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> list in 1997.
 As a surname, Nash has been associated with witty poet Ogden (born Frederic Ogden), auto manufacturer Charles, maker of the defunct brand, and rock musician Graham, of Crosby, Stills and Nash—as well as Clarence "Ducky" Nash, the voice of Donald Duck. Iron Chef Cat Cora named her son Nash Lemuel. Teenage dreamboat Nash Grier was one of the first celebrities to gain fame on social media platform Vine.

Nash

One of the more unusual <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/325/mythological-baby-names-for-girls">mythology names for girls</a>, Neith is the name of the Egyptian goddess of home and femininity.

Neith

Niamh, derived from the Old Irish Niam, is an ancient Irish name that was originally a term for a goddess. In Irish myth, one who bore it was Niamh of the Golden Hair, daughter of the sea god, who falls in love with Finn's son Oisin and takes him to the Land of Promise, where they stayed for three hundred years. Niamh can be Anglicized as Neve, Nieve, or Neave.

Niamh is particularly popular choice in Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland and England and Wales. Niamh Cusack is part of the acting family that also includes Sinead (wife of Jeremy Irons), Sorcha and Padraig. Americans have recently become better acquainted with Niamh via the heroine of Christina Baker Kline's bestselling novel Orphan Train.
Here, the Anglicized Neve would undoubtedly prove simpler, if less intriguing. Actress Neve Campbell pronounces her name (a family name) "NEV", and Neve is the daughter of Conan O'Brien.

Niamh

Onyx is a fresh and trending gemstone name for boys, currently in the US Top 500, having climbed the charts rapidly since 2018. Now, an increasing number of girls are receiving the name, with a recent count revealing nearly 200 baby girls were called Onyx in 2023. 
 
This sleek, often shiny and black gemstone gets its name from Greek, in which it means "claw, talon, or nail" due to its mythological creation story, in which it formed by Cupid trimming Venus's fingernails. As a stone, it is said to protect against nightmares and improve concentration, while as a name, it feels reminiscent of other unisex options, like Phoenix or Alex, and like other cool gems like Opal and Sapphire. 
 
Nick Cannon and LaNisha Cole chose Onyx Ice for their daughter in 2022, which may boost the name further.

Onyx

While patriot Thomas Paine is a worthy honoree, the mere association with the word 'pain' knocks this name out of bounds.

Paine

There's a football player called Pepper (born Thomas and given the childhood nickname for sprinkling pepper on his cereal) Johnson -- but this sounds more like the name of a cheerleader. 

Pepper

British-born novelist Plum Sykes has taken this rich, fruity name out of the produce section and put it into the baby name basket. It's more appealing than Apple, more presentable than Peaches. The French equivalent, Prune, is very fashionable there but would not fly with English speakers.
 Plum Sykes was born Victoria, and her nickname derived from the variety of fruit called the Victoria Plum.
 Plum makes an appealing middle name choice--Moon Unit Zappa used it as such for her daughter Matilda. The color of the fruit makes it one of the appropriately amethyst-hued <a href="https://nameberry.com//list/614/names-for-aquarius-babies">names for Aquarius babies</a>.

Plum

Pom is a shortened word name that's not much used in France, but cute and familiar here as one of Babar (the Elephant's) triplets. Pom, pommy and pommie are (non-derogatory) terms sometimes used by Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans to denote a person of English heritage.


This is a name we've seen the potential of for some time now — A Greek island and a prestigious scholarship make for a preppy first name with the uber-stylish S ending. Needless to say we were not surprised that Rhodes cracked the Top 1000 in 2022, and we expect it to keep rising. Rhodes was recently chosen by actress Emma Roberts for her son, born in 2020.

Rhodes

Ro is a casual short form that doesn't usually appear on the birth certificate on its own. But it makes a friendly nickname for any girls' name starting with Ro-.

Runes are symbols in ancient Germanic alphabets. They are often viewed as mysterious and therefore as a name, Rune imparts a feeling of folkloric mystery.

As intriguing as that might be, the homonym ruin creates a lot of teasing potential.

Rune

Apt name for a little drama queen with a long future ahead of her. Saga is a Top 30 girls' name in Sweden.
 
Saga was the Norse goddess of poetry, storytelling, and history. She was a prophetess — able to predict events.

Saga

Fits many criteria sought by modern parents: it's short and strong, with intimations of wisdom as well as fragrant herbal properties.  At this point, Sage is given about a third of the time to boys.



Sage

Old saints' and popes' name that went to France in the 1920s with the Russian Ballets Russes; in its Russian form, Sergei, it retains an artistic, almost effete air. 

Serge

Evoking the image of a shady glen, Slade could make a distinctive middle name. It entered the Top 1000 in 2007, and has been seen as a character name on the TV show "Smallville."  It's also a name that pops up in comic books and video games.

Slade

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. 

Slate

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

Sloane

There's definitely a cold front of <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">names for winter babies</a> 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. 
 Rare as a first name, there have been several notable surnamed Snows--including singers Hank and Phoebe, and scientist/novelist C.P. And then there's the dreamy Jon Snow in Game of Thrones.

Snow

Although pinochle-playing partner Sam came out of retirement, we don't see it happening to Sol. Near soundalike Saul has more of a shot.
Sol was also a Roman god/personification of the sun, and an epithet of sun-god Apollo.

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.

Solo

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

Strong

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.

Thorn

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.

Truth

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.
 
Rarely used as a given name before 2011, Valor began to gather attention in 2013, possibly thanks to actor Emile Hirsch choosing it for his son. More than tripling in use since then, Valor was given to 122 boys and 18 girls in 2023.
 
With the likes of Chosen, Sincere, and Saint in the charts, Valor no longer feels totally out there, and, as a virtue name it could be considered versatile, given that courage and bravery can take many forms.

Valor

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

Verve

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

Worth

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 <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/501/english-names-for-girls">English names for girls</a>.
 Wren makes a particularly pleasing middle name choice, as does her newly discovered cousin Lark. But it's more popular as a middle name than you might think, the quirkier cousin of Rose.
 This petite bird was regarded in Ireland as the "magician of the birds" and the Druids considered it a bird of prophecy. Thanks to an early fable, it has also been known as King of the Birds.
 For architects there's the link to the great Sir Christopher Wren, the celebrated eighteenth century designer of London's St. Paul's Cathedral.

Wren

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. 
Given to just a handful of children a decade ago, in 2023 there were over 1500 girls and more than 200 boys given this fun and friendly name 
 This petite bird was regarded in Ireland as the "magician of the birds" and the Druids considered it a bird of prophecy. In the early fable The Election of the 'King of Birds', the Wren is bestowed the crown after it hides in the plumage of the Eagle, meaning it manages to fly further and higher than all other birds! Able to sing loud and complex songs, Wren makes a cool, nature, inspired choice.

 In 2023, Wren entered the Top 1000 names for boys in the US, where it fits right in with the gentle vibes of popular choices like Rowan, Ezra and August. Reminiscent of Lawrence, Lorenzo, and Warren, Wren feels at once unexpected and fun, but totally wearable too.

 While currently more popular for girls, it is on the rise as a unisex name - and the link to the great Sir Christopher Wren, the celebrated eighteenth century designer of London's St. Paul's Cathedral, gives it strength, substance and style.

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. 

 Wynn is a soft and gentle yet sturdy choice which lends itself to sweet nickname Winnie or Wynnie.

Wynn

Zerk

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

Zinc

FractalShadow's list "Short and futuristic names" of 80 great name ideas: Air - Zinc!

Short and futuristic names

This on-going list is composed of short, sweet, and vaguely futuristic sounding names, mainly one or two syllable names. To me these short names sound like monikers for sci-fi characters.