A mathematical possibility, but the odds are against it.

Abacus

An early day name worthy of consideration today for someone seeking a truly unusual name. 

Afternoon

One of the most extreme of the new word names, recommended only to the most mystical-minded parents. Actor Lance Henriksen spelled his daughter's name Alchamy. 

Alchemy

Plausible word name, denoting strength and stability. 

Anchor

An implied spiritual meaning makes this a plausible new name. 

Answer

Words are not always easy to translate into <a href="https://nameberry.com/">baby names</a>, but the implications of being straight and swift lend this one great potential as a name. It also has the popular o-sound ending, which brings it further into the realm of possibility. Rising rock star Aja Volkman pulled a gender switch when she named her daughter Arrow Eve.

Arrow

When actress Shannyn Sossamon dubbed her newborn Audio Science, it sent out some definite shock waves. We don't recommend Audio or Video for even the most intrepid baby namer. 

Audio

Baby is rarely seen as a given name — or even nickname — these days, although it did rank in the Top 1000 from 1989 to 2003. These instances can be accounted for in two ways. Firstly, infants whose birth certificates are not filled out on time are given generic placeholders for registration, such as Infant, Unknown, or Baby. But more influential during this decade was the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing, starring Jennifer Grey as Frances "Baby" Houseman. It's the origin of the famed line, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner."
 
Model Jessica Hart named her daughter Baby-Rae in November of 2020, in homage to the film. In an interview with People, she said, "I first heard it in the movie Dirty Dancing and always thought I'd love to name my daughter Baby."

Baby

Banana is one fruity name we wouldn't recommend. Pick Plum instead. There is a Japanese novelist whose pen name is Banana Yoshimoto--birth name Mahoko.

Banana

When actress Rachel Griffiths chose this highly unusual name for her son, many assumed it was a bizarre invention. But a noted Australian poet (Griffiths is an Aussie) is known by this name. 

Banjo

Great Irish middle name choice for Shakespeare lovers. 

Bard

Like River and Lake, a cool, refreshing modern water-related choice. This name is also associated with bay leaves, the bay laurel, the contemporary term of endearment, "bae", and the Old English word beġ meaning "berry"

Bear has suddenly lumbered onto the baby name landscape.  Perhaps inspired by British adventurer Bear Grylls (born Edward Michael), first celebrity chef Jamie Oliver used it as the middle name for his boy Buddy, and more recently Alicia Silverstone called her son Bear Blu., followed by Kate Winslet's Bear Blaize. It's part of a current trend normalizing once aggressive animal names like Wolf and Fox. Bear is now Number 218 on Nameberry and in the Top 900 in England.

Bear

Might be an honorific for novelist Saul Bellow, although bellowing is not the gentlest of sounds. Consider Saul instead. 

Bellow

Toni Morrison, the modern master of literary names, made this one famous as the title character of a novel. But things didn't work out so well for that Beloved. 

Beloved

Bunny may be adorable, but is it really enough of a name for your daughter?  Plus if Buffy is fluffy, what would that make Bunny?  Still, Bunny as a baby name is in the spotlight since Bryan Adams named his little girl Mirabella Bunny.

Bunny

Yes, it's a word name, but Busy is also a rare pet form of Elizabeth. And yes, actress Busy Philipps was christened Elizabeth--she was given the nickname because she was such an active child. She must have been happy with the name, because she also gave her daughters adorable <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/317/unique-baby-names">unique baby names</a>, Birdie and Cricket.

Busy

Fluttery and flighty.  But there are a couple of names that mean butterfly you might consider, such as Yara and Farasha.

Butterfly

This evocative term for a stone or shell carved in relief could make a striking first name for a girl, though she would have a starring role in her story, rather than a cameo. 

Cameo

Too sugary sweet and inconsequential for a modern girl. 

Candy

Cannon sits amongst other weapon names like Colt, Pistol, Lance, and Remington. Definitely a name that offers bombast.

Cannon

Pronounced sham-me, this color and word name is soft and appealing.

Chamois

Once a cavalier Mississippi gambler type name, Chance has entered the mainstream since being endorsed by such celebrity dads as Larry King and Paul Hogan. Chance the Rapper has also boosted the name's popularity.

Chance

Associated with a vivid red-orange-colored lacquer, would make a more than distinctive color-related choice. 

Cinnabar

A sweet and rare spice name, which made its first and only appearance on the US baby name charts in 1969 – the year Neil Young's song "Cinnamon Girl" was released.

Cinnamon

Like Sky and Sunshine, this fluffy name from the hippie 1970s has floated back onto the naming radar. 

Cloud

Even among the range of blue names on the current baby naming palette -- Blue itself, Azure, Cerulean, Teal, Aqua, Cyan, Indigo -- Cobalt remains the most unusual, not to mention the most masculine.

Cobalt

Yes, there are lots of kids out there named Princess, Duke, Earl, and King – but you don't necessarily want yours to be one of them.

Countess

Crash is a particularly calamitous entry in the badass boys' name category, taking Wilder and Maverick one -- or maybe a dozen -- steps further.  But we can think of at least a dozen reasons you shouldn't name your baby Crash.

Crash

Crew is yet another word name that was added to the baby name lexicon when this one was chosen by The Young and the Restless star Joshua Morrow for his son. It debuted on the Top 1000 in 2010. We've also heard spelling variations Cru and Crue.

Crew

Crimson could be a possible competitor for Scarlett's success, though it's lacking that Johansson charm.
 
Crimson tends to be disproportionately popular in Alabama — the University of Alabama's athletic teams are called Crimson Tide.

Crimson

Dagger is one of the new <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/404/badass-baby-names">badass baby names</a>, a sharp and scary choice that some parents may feel arm their child for battle in a cruel modern world.

Dagger

A word name that's appealing when applied to a person boogying or doing ballet; a different story in the context of Santa's reindeer. 

Dancer

Prime example of the aggressive word names that are an off-the-grid branch of the new macho names.  Makes Cannon, Maverick, and Ranger feel almost soft and sensitive by comparison. 

Danger

Trey or Trip or even Deuce, yes; Deux is tougher. 

Deux

Diesel, which you can think of as a word name for the fuel or as a German surname that derives from a pet form of Matthew or Mathias, is a new entry to the American name lexicon thanks to celebrities Jennie Finch and Casey Daigle, who chose it for their son, baby brother of Ace.  Diesel might also be thought of as one of the neo-macho names, joining such bros as Harley, Ranger, and Breaker.

Diesel

Adventurous word choice, but still quite a burden for a child to bear. 

Discovery

Once unique to the Zappa family, now you can have your own little prima donna. 

Diva

Drama

A whimsical and serene feeling word name, bestowed to reflect the joy and perfection parents might find in their children and the ambitions they have for them. Once a fantastical and celebrity-only feeling option, Dream came into popular usage after Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna chose it for their daughter in 2016.
 
Ten times more popular than it was a decade ago, Dream was given to 920 girls — and 50 boys — in 2023, placing it in the US Top 500, where it ranks alongside Journey and Miracle. In the Top 1000 since 2017, it has since been joined by spelling variation Jream, given to surprising 350 babies each year.
 
If you love the idea of Dream but want something a little more grounded, the Irish name Aisling (or Aislinn, Ashlyn, or Ashling) also means "dream" or "vision", while Nadia and Nadine meaning "hope". If you like the dreaminess but not the popularity, there's Winsome, Whimsy, and Moon.

Dream

Cool, musical modern choice, especially as a middle name. 

Drum

A word that's been used, very infrequently, as a name for hundreds of years. Interesting sound and meaning. 

Early

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

Earth

Extravagant virtue name which is notably the first name of the British TV detective Inspector Morse.

Endeavour

Even is a popular boys' name in Norway, derived from the Old Norse Eivindr. Another popular variation is Eivind, which is pronounced like Ivan.

Even

Similar in sound to Evan and Everett, Ever is an evocative word name that's currently on the rise. Used by Alanis Morissette and Souleye back in 2010, Ever was given to more than 200 boys in 2023, compared to 125 girls. 
 
As an English word name, it feels fresh and on trend, but Ever also have its roots in the Hebrew name Eber, meaning "the region beyond" and to the Germanic Eberhard, the source of Everett, meaning "wild as a boar".

Ever

Experience is a word name used by the New England Puritans but probably too joke-worthy for a modern child...or teenager. It does not have as direct a biblical reference as most Puritan names.

Experience

A bold word name choice for the intrepid baby namer who hopes her son will face the world with a sense of discovery. 

Explorer

Inventive name for the child of a writer. 

Fable

Only if it's a family name, and even then, better in the middle. 

Fairchild

Fedora is occasionally heard among the British Mayfair and Belgravia set, but we're afraid that in this country there would be too strong an association with the man's felt hat. 

Fedora

Great middle name choice for music lovers or those with Scottish roots, also spelled Fyfe.

Fife

Even if you're hoping for a fiery child, this seems like playing with fire. One celebrity--Steve Vai--was bold enough to use it for his son.

Fire

The Old Norse and modern Norwegian word name Fjord, which refers to a passage in the sea, could work for children of both genders. 

Fjord

Forever

A contemporary sounding word name with an ancient history, widely used in the Roman Empire, and based on the mythic goddess of good luck and fertility. 

Fortune

Long heard as a last name, as in venerable poet Robert, U.K. talk show host David, British actress Sadie and old Jack Frost, Frost has suddenly entered the scene as a possible first, along with other seasonal weather names like Winter and Snow.
 Some forward-thinking parents are beginning to warm to the icy simplicity of Frost, placing it among the most fitting <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">names for winter babies</a>.

Frost

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

Glade

Like Silver, Golden is a shimmering metallic color name, almost too dazzling for an ordinary girl. 

Golden

Middle name possibility for a nature-loving family -- Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke used it for their son's middle name. 

Green

If you like names that are not really names -- some say, the wave of the future -- Harbor has an attractive sound as well as an appealing meaning and image. 

Harbor

Haze

Can a name as virtuous as Hope be cool and trendy? Strangely enough -- yes. But though this optimistic Puritan favorite is experiencing substantial popularity, Hope is too pure and elegant to be corrupted, a lovely classic that deserves all the attention it's getting. 
 Hope, along with Faith and Charity, is one of the three theological virtues, first used as a Christian name in the seventeenth century by the Puritans. Hope and Faith have often been given to twins.
 There have been characters named Hope on four different soap operas. The TV show Raising Hope was about, yes, raising a child named Hope--formerly named Princess Beyonce. Brad Garrett has a daughter named Hope.

Hope

Horizon

One Puritan virtue name unlikely to thrive in the 21st century.

Increase

Infinity is a name that could have a long, bright future ahead of it, with its bold meaning and fashionable sound. It's an awful lot of name to pull off, but if Destiny can do it...

Infinity

This super-charged variation of Jett is on the rise -- along with the unlikely newcomer Jetson.

Just

Knight (as opposed to Night) is a name clad in shiny armor. This high-ranking word name was introduced by singers Kelis and Nas. Knight might join brothers King, Royal, and Noble in a new definition of <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/453/royal-baby-names">royal baby names</a>.

Knight

Lash

A name that shows up on the Social Security roles of a hundred years ago.  Let's hope it was a never-to-be-repeated mistake.

Little

A musical name with Greek roots, appealing to parents who like such other names as Harmony, Melody, and Cadence. 

Lyric

Has a slight aura of danger, from its being two types of weapons and a looming character in the Star Wars films. Best left as a nickname for Mason. 

Mace

The quality of mercy makes this lovely Puritan virtue name a quiet favorite today. Although it was most popular in the late nineteenth century, Mercy is on its way to a comeback -- it rose 143 spots between 2012 and 2013, making it one of the year's fastest-rising names. Right now, it's still stylish and distinctive, a rare and wonderful combination.
 Mercy is one of the characters with allegorical names in John Bunyan's A Pilgrim's Progress, and Mercy Pecksniff appears in Dickens's novel Martin Chuzzlewit with the nickname Merry. Mercy Lewis, in Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, was based on a real-life person, a witness at the Salem witch trials. Another historic Mercy is Mercy Warren, Revolutionary period patriot and writer of plays, books and poetry.
 Comic/sidekick Andy Richter, when he named his daughter Mercy, joked, "Just in case Puritanism comes back, we'll be ready with a real Puritan name"; Madonna renamed her Malawi-born daughter Mercy James. As a word name and modern virtue name, it's one of the most fashionable <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/501/english-names-for-girls">English names for girls</a>.

Mercy

A beyond-bold shooting-star name choice, sure to raise some relatives' eyebrows. 

Meteor

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden added this rocking name to the lexicon of day names, which have their roots in the African tradition of naming a child after the day of the week, time of day, or season in which he or she was born. But they wisely used it as a middle name.

Midnight

A recently popular spiritual name that entered the Top 500 in 2003.

Miracle

Moody would work great as the name of Snow White's lost eighth dwarf friend, but we can't recommend it as a first name IRL. It was the last name of Harry Potter character Mad-Eye Moody, played by Brenden Gleason in the movies; his given name was Alastor. The bond credit rating company Moody's is likewise named for the surname of its founder, John Moody.

Moody

This once unique and multi-layered word name was used by R&B singer Nivea for her daughter back in 2005, and later, by country musician Jason Aldean. No longer an exclusively celebrity choice Navy is now in the US Top 500 for girls and is on the rise in the UK too. As a boys name, however, it remains an unexpected possibility.
 
Ultimately deriving from the Latin word navigia meaning "boats", Navy can refer to a fleet of ships, to the armed forces of the sea, or to the dark shade of blue, named for the traditional color of naval uniforms. As a name, it could fit in with the likes of Indigo, Scarlett, Jett, and Onyx, or it could serve as an unexpected choice to honor someone in the navy.
 
While the name may be given to around 8 times as many girls than boys in the US, it is nevertheless on the rise as a unisex possibility. Given to around 110 boys in 2023, it is twice as popular as it was in 2019.

Navy

A lot of attention was drawn to this name when Kim Kardashian and Kanye West announced it as the name of their baby daughter, making it instantly unisex.
 North is a word name that's long been used, albeit very quietly, a name with a certain purity and strength. It's a good choice if you're from, say, Wisconsin or Maine, love winter or are an avid skier, or if you just want a name that's both very familiar and very unusual.
 North is just one of several cool names with a directional slant-others are West, Weston, and Easton.
 A young Elijah Wood played the title character in the 1994 film North.

North

If Story and Poet and Sonnet can be names that work as well for girls as for boys, why not Ode?

A very distinctive musical choice, but be aware that many people will think you've named your child Oprah. 

Opera

A grassy place with trees is a nice image to attach to a name. 

Park

Peace may be an admirable sentiment to convey in a child's name, but the translated and thus more subtle versions, like Pax or Placido, might work better as first names. 

Peace

Kaiser, Rex, Kingsley, and Prince have become increasingly popular in recent years and Pharaoh is one of the more unexpected members of this regal family of names. Used as the title of ancient Egyptian rulers, it was also given to more than 200 babies in 2019. 

The word pharaoh actually derives from Egyptian compound pr, meaning "great house" and well before it was used for address a person, it was used as the title of the royal palace. It wasn't until the 18th or 19th Dynasty that pharaoh was used as alternative to 'majesty', but by the 25th Dynasty, it was the most common epithet for the ruler. The pronunciation and transcription we know today however, was eventually reached after the Egyptian term was adapted into Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. 
 
As a given name, it has been used occasionally since the late 70s, with famous jazz saxophonist Pharoah [sic] Saunders (really named Ferrell) being a notable bearer. It wasn't until the mid 2010s however that it really began to gain traction. Football player Pharoh Cooper might have inspired some parents to use the name, while Nameberry writer Summer Richardson suggests its rise could be explained by the <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/black-american-baby-name-trends">shift from virtue names to title names</a> within the Black American community.

Pharaoh

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.


Port

Though many might find it too syrupy, hundreds of parents each year choose this name for their daughters to make them feel special. Precious Ramotswe is the engaging African sleuth in the popular No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. 

Precious

Some names referring to expensive things -- Tiffany, Armani, Porsche -- are in fact declasse, but Price transcends that label with its simplicity and strength. 

Price

Part of the trend for formerly canine royal names; this is one a little girl might love—up till the age of eight. 

Princess

Provocative word name that may strike the right chord for an adventurous baby namer.

Reason

Reverie is a strong-sounding word for an ethereal, dreamlike state -- a perfect contrast and meaning for a word that intends to become a first name. Popular mommy blogger Rebecca Woolf of Girls Gone Child named one of her twin daughters Reverie, setting off a groundswell of interest.

Reverie

Starbaby name that might prove too supercharged for real life, but if like director Robert Rodriguez you're interested only in <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/r">boys' names starting with R</a>, you may need to add Rocket (and Rebel and Racer) to your list.

Rocket

Now that names like Cannon and Gunner, fit for comic book heroes, are rising up, Rogue may fit right in.

Rogue

A word name that has sailed onto birth certificates of both genders, especially since Liv Tyler used it for her son.  For boys, Saylor and Sailor are used about equally, but were together given to about 100 baby boys last year....and 1000 baby girls.

Sailor

Scout, a character nickname from To Kill a Mockingbird (her real name was Jean Louise), became a real-life possibility when Bruce Willis and Demi Moore used it for their now grown middle daughter, followed by Tom Berenger a few years later. A unisex choice that is growing in popularity for both genders -- but given to girls about four times more often than to boys -- it was picked by skater Tai Babilonia for her son and Kerri Walsh for her daughter Scout Margery.
 It makes a virtuous, upstanding choice for a girl--a good scout. And though it hasn't made it onto any popularity lists, it's gone from slightly eccentric to mainstream.

Scout

A generic possibility if you don't want to specify Spring or Summer. 

Season

Sheen

sickwithsin's list "Inspired By Websters" of 119 great name ideas: Abacus - Zero!