Inventive & Gorgeous

  1. Rory
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "red king"
    • Description:

      This spirited Gaelic classic, which became popular in Ireland via the illustrious twelfth century king Rory O'Connor, makes a highly energetic choice, now used for either sex. Rory's gender split is still trending boyward; it's one of the coolest boys' names starting with R.
  2. Rowan
    • Origin:

      Scottish and Irish
    • Meaning:

      "rowan tree; little redhead"
    • Description:

      Stylish, gentle, and rustic at the same time, Rowan is a name that falls into various categories. Unisex and cool, mystical and woodsy, with the feel of both Rose and Riley, Rowan is a fresh but familiar choice.
  3. Rowan
    • Origin:

      Scottish and Irish
    • Meaning:

      "rowan tree; little redhead"
    • Description:

      With its gentle sounds and earthy vibes, the name Rowan feels like a fusion of different styles. A word name, a surname, and a gender-neutral name, Rowan is rustic but trendy, blending the vibes of both Owen and Oakley.
  4. Saffron
    • Origin:

      Spice name
    • Description:

      Spice names are increasingly appealing to the senses of prospective parents; this one, belonging to a precious spice derived from the crocus has a vaguely orange-scented-incense sixties feel.
  5. Sandrina
    • Scott
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "from Scotland"
      • Description:

        A cool, windswept, surfer babe-magnet in 1965, a nice dad -- or even granddad -- today.
    • Shelby
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "estate on the ledge"
      • Description:

        Though Shelby was trendier ten years ago, it's still a widely used choice.
    • Shiloh
      • Origin:

        Biblical place-name, Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "tranquil"
      • Description:

        Cool meets Born Again meets Brad and Angelina, who made Shiloh an instant star when they chose it for their daughter. While Shiloh has risen from obscurity thanks to its celebrity baby use, it hasn't become a star the way brother names Maddox and Pax have. It entered the Top 1000 in 2007, one year after the birth of Ms. Jolie-Pitt.
    • Stellan
      • Origin:

        Swedish, meaning unknown, possibly "calm"
      • Meaning:

        "calm"
      • Description:

        Stellan is a strong, attractive, Scandinavian possible up-and-comer, known through actor Stellan Skarsgard, and his namesake, the son of Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany. Its trendy 'an' ending and the similarity in sound to the popular Kellen/Kellan make it all the more accessible.
    • Stratton
      • Tabitha
        • Origin:

          Aramaic
        • Meaning:

          "gazelle"
        • Description:

          Though never as popular as the name of her Bewitched mother, Samantha, Tabitha has its own quirky, magical charm. The name of a charitable woman who was restored to life by Saint Peter in the Bible, it was a popular Puritan choice. Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick chose it for one of their twin daughters, which gave it a slight boost. Nonetheless, Tabitha remains in decline.
      • Tai
        • Origin:

          Chinese
        • Meaning:

          "great extreme"
        • Description:

          Tai, which rhymes with Kai, is a unisex name with a range of international references. It means the equivalent of "too much" in Chinese but is also used as a Maori name meaning "the tide" and in Romanian means "yours." While it's only ever ranked in the U.S. Top 1000 as a girls' name, during the height of the popularity of Olympic skater Tai Babilonia, Tai makes a simple intriguing modern choice for either gender.
      • Talia
        • Origin:

          Hebrew; Australian Aboriginal
        • Meaning:

          "gentle dew from heaven; by the water"
        • Description:

          Talia is derived from the Hebrew elements tal, meaning "dew," and yah, in reference to God. In the mythology of one ancient sect, Talia was one of ten angels who attended the sun on its daily course. The occasionally homophonous name Thalia has unrelated Greek origins.
      • Taline
        • Origin:

          Armenian, meaning unknown
        • Description:

          This name of an old Armenian monastery would blend well into American culture.
      • Tallie
        • Origin:

          Diminutive of Talia, Hebrew
        • Meaning:

          "gentle dew from heaven"
        • Description:

          Tallie is a seldom-heard nickname name that, with the ascendance of Hallie and Callie, we might just be hearing more of.
      • Taran
        • Tate
          • Origin:

            English from Norse
          • Meaning:

            "cheerful"
          • Description:

            A strong single-syllable surname with a joyful meaning, Tate is finding a place on more and more birth certificates.
        • Tindra
          • Origin:

            Swedish
          • Meaning:

            "to twinkle or sparkle"
          • Description:

            Tindra is a new name in Sweden, used only since the 1980s, that has become enormously popular: It's in the Top 60 there. And while unknown in the US, Tindra certainly has possibilities as a substitute for the flagging Kendra.
        • Tillari
          • Warren
            • Origin:

              English from French
            • Meaning:

              "park-keeper"
            • Description:

              Long lingering in limbo, Warren suddenly seems to be on the cusp of revival. One of the oldest recorded English surnames, Warren's popularity in the U.S. dates back to the nineteenth century, and by 1921, reached its peak at Number 24.