Big Long List of Futuristic Names

Derived from the Latin Crescentius and Crescens, Crescentia is a bold, strong but elaborate name borne by a 4th century saint and also the heroine of a 12th century German romance. Also spelled Kreszentia, it also feels connected to the moon, due to its similarity to the word crescent.

Cressida is a pretty mythological and Shakespearean heroine name much better known in Britain than it is here — an imbalance the adventurous baby namer might want to correct.

Crimson could be a possible competitor for Scarlett's success, though it's lacking that Johansson charm.

Pronounced "crwa", this unusual name was chosen by Cedric the Entertainer for his son.

A Titan in Greek mythology, would not work in the modern world.

Cyan is a highly unusual blue-green color name, a classmate of Celadon and Cerulean. It does come with the homey nickname Cy.

The Anatolian mother goddess Cybele had a place in Greek, Roman, Trojan, and Anatolian mythology. Today, she has special meaning as a symbol of gender nonconformity.

Poetic though thorny.

Cyra is an unusual name that can be pronounced either SEER-a or SI-ra, rhyming with Keira or Tyra. This name may be a feminine variation of Cyrus but is also a Persian name that stands on its own. One noted bearer is writer Cyra McFadden.

Cyrilla is an obscure feminization of Cyril that's a bit buttoned-up but also intriguingly unique, with an authentic pedigree. Spelling Cirilla is more visible thanks to The Witcher series, in which its the name of the heroine Princess Cirilla, nicknamed Ciri. 40 baby girls were named Cirilla in the US in 2021, vs. only 10 called Cyrilla.

Cytherea, a place-name that is the home of Aphrodite, seems stuck in ancient Greece.

This name of an ancient fertility goddess is associated with the month of May and could make a pretty, unusual choice for a springtime baby. Damaris is a similar possibility.

In the New Testament, Damaris was an Athenian woman converted to Christianity by St. Paul. Known for her charitable work, her name was a favorite among the Puritans. Having slid off the bottom of the Top 1000 in 2012, Damaris might be deserving of more attention by parents in search of a New Testament name that is unusual but accessible, especially since girls' names ending in 's' are coming back into fashion.

An intriguing mythological name whose one challenge might be pronunciation questions.

Dane is a more masculine Dana alternative, with added style edge. Dane has been on the US Top 1000 for more than seventy years, having entered the list in 1945.

Though Dara was an (extremely wise) male figure in the Bible, this name feels mostly feminine to modern Americans. The Irish Gaelic version, Darragh, is well-used in contemporary times for boys.

Dariel is one of many similar forms and variations of different names—Dara, Dariela, Daria and Darya—that are all unusual and pretty if not quite authentic-feeling.