Powerful and Unique Names

Attracted attention as the stepmother of Princess Diana.

European royal name, and to Americans a place-name evoking the majestic mountain in Washington state.

Everyone will assume you're honoring actor Robert, which isn't too probable.

A common epithet of Christ, frequently heard in the Hispanic community, Salvador could also be a great choice for artistic parents, given the continuing popularity of Dada and Surrealist painter Salvador Dalí. (If Monet and Raphael get a look in, why not Salvador?)

Sawyer is one of the top unisex names, used for their daughters by such parents as Sara Gilbert, co-host of The Talk and former actress on Roseanne, currently on The Conners.

Sef is a rising short form of Jozef in the Netherlands, where it outranks its parent form.

Actress Seychelle Gabriel is named after the Seychelles, an archipelagic island nation in the Indian Ocean. The islands were named after Jean Moreau de Séchelles, Louis XV's Minister of Finance.

Sierra is a name borrowed from the western mountain range, with Latin rhythm and cowboy charm, that has led to many offshoots: Cierra, Cyara, and so on. It is now probably past its peak but retains its pretty-yet-strong sound. The meaning refers to the sharp, irregular peaks of some of the Western mountains such as the Sierra Nevada.

Snow is increasing in usage mostly as a girls' name, but hero Jon Snow of Game of Thrones just might nudge it into the boys' column. Currently, there are 12 times as many girls named Snow as boys, but its usage is much higher in middle place.

This modern virtue name gives a nod to ancient chivalry and could also work as an updated form of the classic Victor. A bold choice, but one that an increasing number of parents have been making in the last decade.

Walter was seen as a noble name in the Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Walter Scott era, but it then spent decades in baby name limbo. Now quite a few independent-minded parents are looking at it as a renewable, slightly quirky, classic, stronger and more distinctive than James or John, second only to William among the handsome classic boy baby names starting with W.