Strike my Fancy
- Karma
Origin:
HindiMeaning:
"destiny, spiritual force"Description:
Some parents, including rapper Ludacris, are literally bestowing good karma on their children; it could just join the new spiritual name congregation.
- Kieran
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"little dark one"Description:
Long popular in Ireland and England, Kieran, the name of Ireland's first-born saint and twenty-five other saints, has been building its U.S. fan base thanks to its strong and attractive sound, and its fashionable Irish brogue. While Ciaran is the more authentic Irish spelling, Kieran is more popular this side of the Atlantic.
- Levi
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"joined, attached"Description:
Levi, lighter and more energetic than most biblical names, with its up vowel ending, combines Old Testament gravitas with the casual flair associated with Levi Strauss jeans.
- Loki
Origin:
Norse mythological nameMeaning:
"lock"Description:
While god of mischief Loki is usually depicted as a male -- sometimes in animal form -- he gives birth as a mare to the eight-legged horse Sleipnir and also appears in some stories as an elderly woman. The name Loki, in contemporary American, will feel more feminine based solely on its sound.
- Luce
- Lucian
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"light"Description:
Lucian is a sleeker, more sophisticated version of Lucius that is climbing in tandem with other Lu-starting names.
- Mai
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"coyote"Description:
Cross-cultural winner.
- Margo
Origin:
French, diminutive of MargaretMeaning:
"pearl"Description:
Margo and Margot sound exactly the same, so why has the Margot spelling hopped back onto the Top 1000, outpacing Margo in numbers more than two to one? (Over 350 baby girls were named Margot in the most recent year, versus 150 named Margo.)
- Nir
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"plowed field"Description:
Short, simple international names like this make distinctive middle name possibilities. Nir also makes for a nature-oriented first name that's both straightforward and unusual. But be prepared for a lifetime of "...and far" jokes.
- Persephone
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"bringer of destruction"Description:
Persephone is the esoteric name of the Greek mythological daughter of Zeus by Demeter, the queen of the harvest. After she was kidnapped by Hades to be Queen of the Underworld, it was decreed by Zeus that she would spend six months of the year with her mother, allowing crops to grow, and six in mourning, thus accounting for the seasons.
- Petra
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"rock, stone"Description:
A strong Greek name with pan-European charm, Petra is a relatively recent feminization of Peter, though it relates back to an incredible ancient city in Jordan that was rediscovered in the early nineteenth century.
- Roone
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"red-haired"Description:
Roone is a lively, attractive and unusual redhead entry brought into the mix by the late TV sports and news executive Roone Arledge, who seemed to own it as a one-person name when he was alive.
- Rowan
Origin:
Scottish and IrishMeaning:
"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.
- Scarlet
Origin:
Color nameDescription:
The Scarlet spelling makes it less a name, less Gone With The Wind and Scarlett Johansson, and more the bright red color that inspired it in the first place.
- Simon
Origin:
Hebrew, GreekMeaning:
"he has heard; flat-nosed"Description:
Simon is pure and simple (not in the nursery rhyme sense), and an appealingly genuine Old and New Testament name that's not overused – making Simon a stylish choice. In the Bible, Simon was the second son of Jacob and Leah and the original name of Saint Peter, as well as the name of several New Testament figures. Historically, Simon Bolivar is known as The Liberator of Latin America.
- Sirius
Origin:
Latin from GreekMeaning:
"burning"Description:
Yes, it's the name of the brightest star in the sky, but can't you just hear people saying, "Are you serious?" Singer Erykah Badu used it as a middle name for son Seven.
- Syrus
Origin:
Spelling variation of CyrusMeaning:
"throne"Description:
This variation came to public attention via a reality-TV star on MTV's "Real World."
- Tobias
Origin:
Greek from HebrewMeaning:
"God is good"Description:
Tobias is one of a number of s-ending boys' names that are riding a wave of popularity. With its Old Testament-Dickensian feel, it's a name with a distinguished pedigree.
- Valeria
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"strength, health"Description:
Valeria -- the original form of the name, used by early Christians --has been experiencing significant popularity in recent years. While Valeria was nearly always on the charts, the name peaked in 2009 at #72, surpassing the longtime Franco-American version Valerie. Today Valeria and Valerie are at about equal rankings, sitting in the 150s.