35 Baby Names That Are Cool Without Trying Too Hard
Naming kids used to be easy. People opened the religious text of their choice and picked one, right? Then their kids and their grandkids all named their own kids variations on the same thing, because tradition and honoring family, right?
Well, people today aren’t cool with not being, well, cool – and your child having the same name as four other kids on the playground is definitely lame.
That said, it seems as if some folks are just trying way too hard to make normal-sounding names sound different and edgy (or at least be spelled that way).
If you want to avoid both of these pitfalls when christening your little bundle of joy, here are 35 names that sound effortlessly cool.
35. Tallulah
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Native American in heritage, this name means “jumping water” in Choctaw.
It’s never been ranked in the top 1,000 baby names in the States, but with a sprinkling of celebs using it, it’s not unfamiliar, either.
34. Elvis
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This American made classic has an obvious namesake, and has hovered in the middle of the top 1000 US names for decades.
It fell off the charts completely in 2012, so you probably don’t have to worry about anyone in your town stealing it.
33. Beatrix
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This comes from the Latin beatus, which means “happy” or “she who brings happiness.
It’s uncommon, too, having never entered the top 1000 in the US. That said, most of us know of Beatrix Potter of Peter Rabbit fame!
32. Edison
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It might mean “Edie’s son” in Old English, but most American’s minds will go directly to famous inventor Thomas Edison.
The name was very popular in the 1800s before falling completely away in the 1900s, only to emerge again in the 2010s.
That said, at its most popular in the past decade it still only ranked at 536th in the US.
31. Magnolia
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This one is making its first comeback since the late 1800s, and who doesn’t love a beautiful, flowering tree?
30. Otis
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It means “wealth” or “fortune” in German and coincidentally, has always been popular among successful artists of different kinds!
29. Callie
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No one is sure whether a nostalgic love for Hardy Boys or a modern adoration of the character Calliope on Grey’s Anatomy is the inspiration (or whether it’s something else entirely), but people are really loving this one lately.
28. Calvin
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A derivative of calvinus, which means “little bald one,” it’s never been exactly unpopular in the US.
That said, it’s been on the rise in the past decade, and people love using nicknames like Cal, Vinny, or Calvie, too.
27. Fallon
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This Irish surname means “supremacy” (from the Gaelic fallamhnus), and you might remember if from Dynasty in the 70s.
Vintage names ftw!
26. Roscoe
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Another last-name-to-first-name, it combines the Norse words ra (a roe deer) and skogr (a wood).
Sounds like a country/Southern dream!
25. Edie
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Edie can be used on its own, or is sometimes used as a nickname for Edith, which means “prosperous in war.”
The short version hasn’t been popular since the 60s, which is why we think you’ll love it!
24. Holden
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Hipsters love The Catcher in the Rye, which could be why this name has remained moderately in use for several decades.
23. Mae
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This used to primarily a nickname for Margaret or even Mary, or if the diminutive, as a middle name.
Now, perhaps thanks to the likes of Mae West or Mae Whitman, it’s gaining traction in its own right.
22. Duke
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This is, of course, an important royal title in England, which makes it a strong name.
With musician Duke Ellington and John Wayne carrying on the tradition, it’s hard to argue it’s not cool.
21. Piper
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This one has long been more popular in England and Scandinavia, but is recently gaining traction in the US.
It means “one who plays the pipe,” and we think Pippa is an adorable nickname!
20. Matteo
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Matthew might be tried and true, but this Latin/Greek mashup is fresh and you have to admit, somewhat cooler.
It would still mean “gift of God,” as it does in the Hebrew, and is on the rise in the US.
19. Frankie
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If you’re hoping to have a little girl who loves to get a little dirty, you might try giving her this name.
Frank is derived from the word franco, which is a type of spear.
No one could argue that little girls need to be a little bit sharp these days!
18. Ryder
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From the Old English Ridere, it means “knight” or “mounted warrior.”
It’s been gaining traction since the 90s, perhaps because of Rider Strong and also Kate Hudson’s son Ryder Robinson.
17. Nola
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This is an Italian city and a nickname – both for New Orleans and the name Eleanor (“light”).
It was very popular in the late 19th and early 20th century but fell away before surging back in the early aughts.
16. Van
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Van is an English surname that means “winnowing machine.”
People are using it as a first name now, because, well…it does sound pretty cool.
15. Rhiannon
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Rhiannon is the goddess of fertility in Celtic mythology, and if you love Stevie Nicks, you probably get why people love it.
It’s not common at all, but people continue to use it fairly regularly.
14. Cormac
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This is a popular name in Ireland, though no one knows exactly what it means or where it came from.
Probably a fairy, then!
13. Juniper
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This is an evergreen shrub that grows berries that, fun fact, are used to make gin.
It’s also the full name of popular literary character Junie B. Jones, or you could go with nickname Juno instead.
How cute!
12. Ace
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It’s a word that’s associated with being first or good at their job or hobby, so what’s not to love?
This is another one that was popular in the 19th century only to fall away and then re-emerge in the early aughts.
11. Prue
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Prudence means “cautious” and “intelligence,” and Prue is typically a nickname for that – though you can use it on your own if you’d like!
10. Judd
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At one time this was a pet name for Jordan, which means “descending” or “flowing down,” but is now popular all on its own.
9. Simone
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This comes from a Hebrew name that means “heard,” but we think Simone Biles is probably a big reason more people are sitting up and taking notice.
8. Jones
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This last-name had a run of popularity as a first name in the late 19th century, and now it’s back!
You have to admit, it does kind of have a ring to it.
7. Luna
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Anyone who loved Harry Potter probably grew up thinking this is a pretty and mystical name – it means “moon,” after all.
What’s not to love?
6. Huck
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If you want the literary cred, this one is for you. Huckleberry Finn is one of America’s most classic characters, after all, and there are definitely worse “people” to share a moniker with!
5. Stella
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People have been naming their little girls Stella (Latin for “star”) since around 1374, but it hasn’t been popular in the US for several decades…until now.
4. Bowie
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This is an homage to rock god David Bowie, so there’s no way to argue your little one won’t have the confidence to be themselves!
3. Clementine
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This old-fashioned favorite it he feminine of Clement, which means “mild” and “gentle” in Latin.
2. Bear
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This one has become super trendy, and you have to admit it’s cute. Who doesn’t want a sweet little teddy bear of their own?
1. Sia
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Australian singer Sia is making this one really pop. It’s a Swedish name derived from the word for “victory” and has never ranked in the top 1000 in the US.
I bet we see it start to climb soon, though!
There are some really good ones here, I think.
Too bad I’m all done having babies!
