Autumnal Names

Adam -- a primal Old Testament name -- was revived as a 1960s cowboy name. Adam is not as popular as it once was and feels ready for a respite, replaced by newer A names like Aidan/Aiden, Avery and Axel. Its most prominent current bearers include Adams Sandler, Levine, Brody and Driver -- who plays a character named Adam on Girls.

A feminization of Adam with several sweet nickname options — Addie, Ada, Minnie, or Mina being a few.

The color red was considered to have magical properties in early Japanese culture, with the power to cure blood and other illnesses. Pronounced ah-kah-ko.

This colorful Sanskrit name belongs to the Hindu god Aruna, the charioteer who drives the sun god Surya across the sky. Aruna can also be masculinized to Arun.

The color red plays a prominent role in Hindu mythology, referring to the rising sun or the reddish horses of the "son of fire." Pronounced ahr-OO-shah, it has a stylish Russian flair. Hindi version is ARUSHI.

Crisp and colorful, Autumn is the most popular season name now -- the only one in the Top 100 in recent years -- with Autumn's coolness only surpassed by Winter. Jennifer Love Hewitt named her daughter Autumn James.

Avalon, an island paradise of Celtic myth and Arthurian legend--it was where King Arthur was taken to recover from his wounds-- and also the colorful capital of the California island of Catalina-- makes a heavenly first name. Actress Rena Sofer and British musician Julian Cope used it for their daughters.

One of the new crop of boys' names that manage to be unconventional and macho at the same time — though Blade verges on the threatening.

Blane is the attractive surname name of an important seventh-century Scottish saint, but is in danger of sounding slightly feminine and soap opera-ish.

This traditional Italian name could have a whole new life when viewed as a color name.

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

Damek, which you might think of as Adam with a Slavic accent, considerably freshens up the original.

An unusual old school name which is made more modern by that fashionable El- beginning.

An ancient Roman clan name, Flavia is one choice that's unusual but historic. Now a Top 60 name in Italy, Flavia has been a rarity in the US, but with the upswing in F names for girls, this could change. Seen more in literature than real life, Flavia was used as far back as an1580 romance, then in a William Dean Howells novel and as a Princess in The Prisoner of Zenda. Although the original pronunciation is FLAH-via, Flavie (as in flavor) could make a cute nickname.