Personal favorites during teenage years.

  1. Finley
    • Origin:

      Irish and Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "fair-haired hero"
    • Description:

      Finley has been used for both sexes for enough years to become one of the most popular unisex names. Given nearly equally to boys and girls, Finley appeals to contemporary parents as a truly gender neutral choice.

  2. Finnegan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "fair"
    • Description:

      If you like the Finn names and love James Joyce, Finnegan is extremely winning. Will & Grace 's Eric McCormack chose the Finnigan spelling for his son. And of course Finnegan gains you access to the great short form Finn.
  3. Finnian
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "fair"
    • Description:

      Finnian is a fair jig of a name, energetic and easy on the ear. Finnian (and brother Finian) is also familiar in its alternate spelling through the classic 1968 Broadway musical Finian's Rainbow, later made into a film starring Fred Astaire as Finian McLonergan.
  4. Florin
    • Origin:

      French and Romanian
    • Meaning:

      "flower; flourishing"
    • Description:

      Florin is one of the legion of names derived from the root word for flower, most of them like Flora and Florence used for girls. But the boys' form Florin is among the popular French names for boys, along with sister name Fleur for girls. There was a ninth century Swiss St. Florin. The related Florian was the name of a second century Roman saint.
  5. Gaius
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "to rejoice"
    • Description:

      Stately Gaius (pronounced GUY-us) was in the name of many ancient Romans, including Julius Caesar. Little-used before the year 2000, it now feels like a fresh possibility in the revival of Latin boys' names like Atticus and Cassius. Caius and derivatives like Caio come from the same root, and in ancient Roman times Caius was probably pronounced as Gaius. You could also see Gaius as a male version of the earth-goddess name Gaia.
  6. Gallagher
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "descendant of foreign helper"
    • Description:

      Gallagher is, like so many of its genre, friendly, open, and optimistic. Some might associate it with the fraternal members of the band Oasis, Noel and Liam Gallagher.
  7. Gareth
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "gentle"
    • Description:

      Gareth, the name of a modest and brave knight in King Arthur's court, makes a sensitive, gently appealing choice, used more in its native Wales than anywhere else.
  8. Halian
    • Origin:

      Native American
    • Meaning:

      "youthful"
    • Description:

      A Julian derivative, via Spanish conquistadors, that could be a more unusual yet still reasonable substitute for that current favorite.
  9. Harbin
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "little bright warrior"
    • Description:

      A possible new entry in the Hayden-Corbin two-syllable boys' name club.
  10. Harriet
    • Origin:

      English variation of French Henriette
    • Meaning:

      "estate ruler"
    • Description:

      Harriet has long been considered a stylish, upscale name in England, but it's still waiting to be revived in the US—though some parents seeking a solid, serious semi-classic are beginning to consider it.
  11. Hartigan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "descendant of Arthur"
    • Description:

      In Cool Names, we cite this as an "Artist Name," for twentieth-century abstract painter Grace Hartigan, though for you it may just be an upbeat Irish surname.
  12. Hayden
    • Origin:

      English place name
    • Meaning:

      "hay valley"
    • Description:

      Hayden – a formerly obscure name that's risen to huge popularity – has dipped in this year's ratings. Though Hayden is among the most distinctive of the bunch, it gets lost in the crowd of Jaidens, Bradens, Aidans, and endless variations. Associated with Hayden Christensen, of Star Wars fame.
  13. Hella
    • Holland
      • Origin:

        Dutch place-name
      • Description:

        Holland, like most place names, is gender neutral. There's about one boy Holland born in the US these days for every girl Holland.
    • Holland
      • Origin:

        Dutch place name
      • Meaning:

        "wooded land"
      • Description:

        Holland is one of the coolest geographical names, unadorned and elegant, evocative of fine Rembrandt portraits and fields of pink and yellow tulips. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014.
    • Iselin
      • Description:

        This first name of a Norwegian supermodel has no known meaning of its own and is most closely related to Isleen, which is a variation of the Celtic Aislin or Ashling.
    • Ithaca
      • Origin:

        Place-name
      • Description:

        The island home of Odysseus, and city site of Cornell University, sounds soft and pleasant enough to make it a candidate for babynamehood.
    • Kaelan
      • Kaia
        • Origin:

          Latin, Scandinavian, or Hawaiian
        • Meaning:

          "to rejoice or sea"
        • Description:

          The new Maia, the next Kayla, Kaia has been on the charts since the year 2000. You might see it as a female form of the also-rising Kai, which means sea in Hawaiian and is sometimes used for girls as well, or as a Kardashianization of the ancient goddess name Caia.
      • Kaiden
        • Origin:

          Spelling variation of Kaden, modern invented name
        • Description:

          This version of Kaden is also a popular choice and one of the many boys' names starting with k that can also start with a C, as in Caiden, Cayden et al.. Kaiden Alenko is a character in the video game Mass Effect.