200+ Cute Unisex Baby Names Going Viral in 2026

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The fastest-growing section of baby name apps right now isn’t “boy” or “girl” — it’s “all.” Parents searching for names in 2026 are increasingly skipping the binary, reaching instead for names that feel personal, character-driven, and free from the weight of gendered expectation. That shift isn’t a fad. It’s been building for decades, quietly accelerating, and it’s produced some of the most beautiful names in circulation right now.

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Popularity below is calculated from Social Security Administration data through 2024, the most recent year on record.

Here’s what’s in store –

Nature & Earth Unisex Names

Short & Sharp: One-Syllable Unisex Names

Vintage Unisex Names Making a Major Comeback

Celestial & Cosmic Unisex Names

Surname-Style Unisex Names

Unisex Names from Around the World

Bold & Unexpected Unisex Names

How to Choose a Name from This List

Name Art for Your Favorite

Frequently Asked Questions

Unisex names aren’t a new invention — Morgan was used for Welsh kings long before it was a corporate surname, and Jordan has crossed gender lines since at least the Crusades. What’s new is the breadth. Parents aren’t just pulling from the usual pool of Rileys and Averys anymore. They’re choosing names from nature, from mythology, from other languages, from surnames that shed their last-name gravity and became something intimate and new. The 200+ names on this list come from all of those places.

A quick note on what “unisex” means here: these aren’t all 50-50 names. Some lean slightly in one direction but work beautifully in the other. Some are common in one culture and rare in another. What unites them is that none of them feel wrong on any baby — and right now, in 2026, that feels like exactly what parents are looking for.

Whether you have a name in mind or you’re starting from zero, read through slowly. The best baby names tend to find you rather than the other way around.

There’s something happening with baby names right now that’s hard to overstate. The old rules — blue names for boys, pink names for girls — aren’t just bending, they’re dissolving. And the names filling that space are some of the most compelling, evocative, and downright good names in the English language. Read on, and try not to fall in love with at least five.

Nature & Earth Unisex Names

There’s a reason nature names have become the backbone of the gender-neutral movement: the natural world has never cared what gender you are. A river is a river. A wren is a wren. These names feel grounded, elemental, and quietly beautiful — and they wear well on babies, children, and adults alike.

River

Origin: English
Pronunciation: RIV-er · ˈrɪvər
Meaning: a naturally flowing body of water
Popularity: #112 and rising (#116 → #112, 2024)

River Phoenix gave this name its mythology; it’s never lost the cool.

Sage

Origin: English (from Old French/Latin)
Pronunciation: SAYJ · ˈseɪdʒ
Meaning: a wise person; also linked to the sage herb plant
Popularity: #146 and falling (#143 → #146, 2024)

Herbal, spiritual, and serene — works as a standalone or a middle name.

Rowan

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: ROH-en · ˈroʊən
Meaning: little red one
Popularity: #71 and rising (#76 → #71, 2024)

A Celtic tree name with serious staying power on both sides of the Atlantic.

Briar

Origin: English (Middle English)
Pronunciation: BRY-er · ˈbraɪər
Meaning: thorny shrub or bramble
Popularity: #522 and rising (#549 → #522, 2024)

Rugged but romantic, with a fairy-tale edge that never tips into twee.

Wren

Origin: English (Middle English)
Pronunciation: REN · ˈrɛn
Meaning: the small songbird
Popularity: #213 and falling (#195 → #213, 2024)

Tiny, melodic, and quietly strong — one of the cleanest short names going.

Juniper

Origin: English
Pronunciation: JOO-nih-per · ˈdʒuːnɪpər
Meaning: the juniper tree/shrub; occasionally a folk-etymology variant of Jennifer (from Welsh Guinevere)
Popularity: #111 and rising (#113 → #111, 2024)

Botanical and bright; Juniper feels warm where Cedar feels cool.

Ash

Origin: Old English (word name/surname)
Pronunciation: ASH · ˈæʃ
Meaning: ash tree (one who lived near ash trees)
Popularity: #1,147 and falling (#1,064 → #1,147, 2024)

Short, smoky, and instantly confident — also a natural nickname for Ashley or Ashton.

Cedar

Origin: English
Pronunciation: SEE-dur · ˈsiːdər
Meaning: the cedar tree
Popularity: #1,197 and rising (#1,252 → #1,197, 2024)

Earthy and grounding, with a Pacific Northwest soul.

Fern

Origin: English (nature name)
Pronunciation: FURN · ˈfɜːrn
Meaning: the fern plant
Popularity: #1,261 and rising (#1,428 → #1,261, 2024)

Soft, green, and deeply underrated as a given name.

Storm

Origin: English
Pronunciation: STORM · ˈstɔːrm
Meaning: taken directly from the English word ‘storm’ (tempest, violent weather)
Popularity: #1,621 and falling (#1,508 → #1,621, 2024)

For the baby who is already making an entrance before they arrive.

Reed

Origin: English (surname, multiple disputed origins)
Pronunciation: REED · ˈriːd
Meaning: a surname of debated origin: ‘red-haired’ (variant of Reid), a clearer of land, or a place name — not the reed plant
Popularity: #421 and rising (#429 → #421, 2024)

Lark

Origin: English
Pronunciation: LARK · ˈlɑːrk
Meaning: the songbird
Popularity: #3,534 and falling (#3,501 → #3,534, 2024)

Bright and lyrical; a rarer and livelier alternative to Robin.

Heath

Origin: English (from Old English hǣþ)
Pronunciation: HEETH · ˈhiːθ
Meaning: heathland; open, shrubby moorland
Popularity: #848 and rising (#1,053 → #848, 2024)

Brooding and literary without being try-hard; Heath Ledger gave it gravitas.

Brook

Origin: English (topographic surname)
Pronunciation: BRUUK · brʊk
Meaning: a small stream
Popularity: #5,634 and falling (#4,205 → #5,634, 2024)

Gentle and melodic; works beautifully for any gender.

Elm

Origin: English (vocabulary/nature name)
Pronunciation: ELM · ɛlm
Meaning: the elm tree (nature name)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Quietly dignified — less expected than Ash or Cedar and more unusual for it.

Flint

Origin: English
Pronunciation: FLINT · flɪnt
Meaning: A hard stone historically used for tool-making and striking sparks to start fires; used as a transferred word/surname name.
Popularity: #1,970 and rising (#2,133 → #1,970, 2024)

Sparky and strong, with a frontier-spirit quality.

Vale

Origin: English (from Latin vallis via Old French)
Pronunciation: VAYL · ˈveɪl
Meaning: valley
Popularity: #6,886 and rising (#8,942 → #6,886, 2024)

Soft on the tongue and poetic in spirit — rare enough to feel like a discovery.

Moss

Origin: English (nature word)
Pronunciation: MAWSS · ˈmɔːs
Meaning: the moss plant
Popularity: #6,065 and falling (#5,000 → #6,065, 2024)

Earthy, cozy, and distinctly of-the-moment in the cottagecore aesthetic.

Birch

Origin: English (nature name/surname)
Pronunciation: BURCH · ˈbɜːrtʃ
Meaning: the birch tree
Popularity: #9,873 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Clean and Nordic-feeling, with silver-bark imagery built into it.

Skye

Origin: Scottish (from the Isle of Skye, a place name of disputed/unresolved origin) or English (playful respelling of ‘sky’)
Pronunciation: SKY · ˈskaɪ
Meaning: sky, or from the Isle of Skye
Popularity: #480 and falling (#447 → #480, 2024)

Airy and expansive, with that extra ‘e’ adding visual softness.

Sol

Origin: Spanish/Latin (‘sun’), or a short form of Solomon (Hebrew)
Pronunciation: SOHL · ˈsoʊl
Meaning: sun; also used as a short form of Solomon
Popularity: #819 and rising (#892 → #819, 2024)

Radiant and warm — works equally well in English and Spanish-speaking families.

Indigo

Origin: Greek (via the color/dye name)
Pronunciation: IN-dih-goh · ˈɪndɪˌɡoʊ
Meaning: named after the deep-blue indigo dye/color
Popularity: #923 and rising (#961 → #923, 2024)

Bold as a color, surprisingly gentle as a name.

Jade

Origin: English (from Spanish)
Pronunciation: JAYD · ˈdʒeɪd
Meaning: the gemstone jade, from Spanish for ‘stone of the flank,’ after a folk belief the stone cured colic when held to the side
Popularity: #84 and falling (#80 → #84, 2024)

Classic unisex gemstone name with quiet elegance and global recognition.

Ember

Origin: English (modern vocabulary-word name)
Pronunciation: EM-bur · ˈɛmbər
Meaning: a glowing coal or fragment from a dying fire
Popularity: #137 and rising (#169 → #137, 2024)

Warm and luminous; a subtler, smokier alternative to Amber.

Bay

Origin: English (from a common word)
Pronunciation: BAY · ˈbeɪ
Meaning: from the ordinary English word ‘bay’ — either a coastal inlet or the bay (laurel) tree
Popularity: #6,954 and rising (#10,425 → #6,954, 2024)

Crisp and coastal — one syllable, instant atmosphere.

Glen

Origin: Scottish/Irish Gaelic, via English surname
Pronunciation: GLEN · ˈglɛn
Meaning: valley
Popularity: #2,315 and rising (#2,398 → #2,315, 2024)

Classic and understated; Scottish in soul, understated everywhere.

Robin

Origin: Old French (diminutive of Robert)
Pronunciation: RAH-bin · ˈrɑːbɪn
Meaning: pet form of Robert, whose Germanic roots mean roughly ‘bright fame’; the female/modern use is also commonly linked directly to the robin bird
Popularity: #799 and falling (#787 → #799, 2024)

Winnie-the-Pooh’s best friend for some, Batman’s sidekick for others — it belongs to everyone.

Fox

Origin: English
Pronunciation: FOKS · ˈfɑːks
Meaning: The fox, the animal; a transferred use of the English surname/word, occasionally chosen in tribute to Quaker founder George Fox.
Popularity: #1,111 and rising (#1,122 → #1,111, 2024)

Clever, quick, and surprisingly wearable — gaining momentum as a given name.

Cove

Origin: English
Pronunciation: KOHV · ˈkoʊv
Meaning: small sheltered bay/inlet
Popularity: #1,207 and rising (#1,319 → #1,207, 2024)

Quiet and protected — a name that feels like an exhale.

Fen

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: FEN · ˈfɛn
Meaning: marshy ground
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Ultra-rare and wilder than Fern; for parents who want the botanical feel without the pink associations.

Clover

Origin: English
Pronunciation: KLOH-ver · ˈkloʊvər
Meaning: the clover plant (Old English clafre), popularly linked to luck
Popularity: #618 and rising (#672 → #618, 2024)

Lucky, sweet, and botanically charming — the surprise hit of the nature-name category.

Rye

Origin: English (multiple possible origins)
Pronunciation: RY · raɪ
Meaning: the grain rye; also used as a short form of Ryan
Popularity: #2,431 and falling (#2,429 → #2,431, 2024)

Short, punchy, and agro-chic — gaining traction fast as a standalone name.

Short & Sharp: One-Syllable Unisex Names

One syllable, zero ambiguity. These names are punchy, memorable, and work brilliantly with long last names. They also tend to age unusually well — crisp on a baby, commanding on an adult.

Quinn

Origin: Irish (surname)
Pronunciation: KWIN · ˈkwɪn
Meaning: descendant of Conn, an early Irish personal name of disputed meaning
Popularity: #96 and falling (#86 → #96, 2024)

One of the most reliably unisex names of the past decade; Quinn doesn’t lean anywhere.

Blake

Origin: Old English (surname)
Pronunciation: BLAYK · ˈbleɪk
Meaning: dark/black or pale/fair — a surname with two opposite Old English roots (blæc ‘black’ vs blāc ‘pale, shining’) merged into one name
Popularity: #210 and rising (#221 → #210, 2024)

The etymological paradox is part of the charm; works on anyone, anywhere.

Beau

Origin: French
Pronunciation: BOH · ˈboʊ
Meaning: handsome
Popularity: #69 and rising (#80 → #69, 2024)

Southern charm with French sophistication; once mainly for boys, now genuinely open.

Kai

Origin: Germanic/Scandinavian (also popularly linked to Hawaiian)
Pronunciation: KY · ˈkaɪ
Meaning: possibly from Latin Caius, or a Frisian pet form of Gerard/Cornelius/Nicholas (‘warrior’); popularly reinterpreted in the US as Hawaiian for ‘sea’
Popularity: #76 and falling (#61 → #76, 2024)

Globally beloved across every culture that uses it.

Pax

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: PAKS · ˈpæks
Meaning: Peace; also the Roman goddess who personified peace
Popularity: #1,976 and rising (#2,287 → #1,976, 2024)

Rare but instantly recognizable — Angelina Jolie’s son put this quietly on the map.

Rue

Origin: English
Pronunciation: ROO · ruː
Meaning: the rue plant, ‘herb of grace’; also English ‘rue’, meaning regret
Popularity: #1,241 and rising (#1,259 → #1,241, 2024)

Moody, literary, and suddenly on-trend thanks to *Euphoria*.

Jude

Origin: Hebrew (via Greek Ioudas and Latin Judas)
Pronunciation: JOOD · ˈdʒuːd
Meaning: praised (ultimately from Hebrew, transmitted through Greek/Latin)
Popularity: #156 and rising (#161 → #156, 2024)

Feels both timeless and current; quietly growing for girls alongside the classic boy use.

Grey

Origin: English (variant of Gray, surname)
Pronunciation: GRAY · ˈɡreɪ
Meaning: British spelling variant of Gray; surname from a Norman place-name (‘Greek’) or a nickname for grey hair/beard
Popularity: #876 and falling (#862 → #876, 2024)

Softly cool and art-directed — and *Grey’s Anatomy* hasn’t hurt.

Bryn

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: BRIN · ˈbrɪn
Meaning: hill or mound
Popularity: #2,098 and falling (#2,078 → #2,098, 2024)

Drew

Origin: Anglo-Norman French / Germanic (also an Irish surname, frequently a short form of Andrew)
Pronunciation: DROO · ˈdruː
Meaning: manly, strong; also a form of Andrew
Popularity: #542 and falling (#539 → #542, 2024)

Breezy and low-key; Drew Barrymore cemented its cross-gender appeal.

Knox

Origin: Scottish/Old English (surname and place name)
Pronunciation: NOKS · ˈnɑːks
Meaning: small hill with a rounded top
Popularity: #209 and falling (#208 → #209, 2024)

Strong and punchy with a solid, no-nonsense sound.

Lane

Origin: English (also Anglicized Irish surname)
Pronunciation: LAYN · ˈleɪn
Meaning: one who lived by a narrow road or lane
Popularity: #261 and falling (#254 → #261, 2024)

Easy, elegant, and understated — one of the cleanest unisex options available.

Leigh

Origin: English
Pronunciation: LEE · ˈliː
Meaning: dweller by a wood or clearing
Popularity: #3,421 and rising (#3,948 → #3,421, 2024)

Soft and literary; the silent *gh* adds a visual elegance that plain *Lee* lacks.

Pierce

Origin: English (medieval variant of Piers/Peter)
Pronunciation: PEERSS · ˈpɪrs
Meaning: rock or stone, as a variant of Peter
Popularity: #540 and rising (#546 → #540, 2024)

Strong without being heavy; a name you believe on a range of personalities.

Sloane

Origin: Irish (from the surname Ó Sluaghadháin, ‘descendant of Sluaghadhán’)
Pronunciation: SLOHN · ˈsloʊn
Meaning: raid or (military) expedition
Popularity: #153 and falling (#151 → #153, 2024)

Sleek and metropolitan — a name that conjures a certain effortless confidence.

Tate

Origin: Old English/Germanic; also Old Norse
Pronunciation: TAYT · ˈteɪt
Meaning: cheerful, glad, radiant (Old English/Germanic root); a separate Old Norse personal-name strand is of unknown meaning
Popularity: #210 and falling (#197 → #210, 2024)

Penn

Origin: English (surname/place name)
Pronunciation: PEN · ˈpɛn
Meaning: as a surname, either ‘an enclosure’ or, from a Celtic place-name root, ‘hilltop/head’
Popularity: #2,978 and falling (#2,119 → #2,978, 2024)

Writerly, Quaker-cool, quietly distinguished — William Penn and Sean Penn occupy very different vibes.

Blythe

Origin: Old English (surname)
Pronunciation: BLYTHE · ˈblaɪð
Meaning: cheerful, merry, carefree — from Old English blīþe, ultimately Proto-Germanic *blīþiz (‘gentle, kind’)
Popularity: #1,862 and falling (#1,855 → #1,862, 2024)

A hidden gem with a radiant meaning; uncommon enough to feel like a find.

Faye

Origin: Middle English (variant of Fay)
Pronunciation: FAY · ˈfeɪ
Meaning: fairy (variant of Fay, possibly also linked to an Old French word for loyalty/faith)
Popularity: #538 and falling (#500 → #538, 2024)

Delicate but not precious — quietly and steadily coming back.

True

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: TROO · ˈtruː
Meaning: faithful, genuine, and loyal
Popularity: #986 and falling (#982 → #986, 2024)

Meaningful and modern; a virtue name that doesn’t sound like a virtue name.

Chance

Origin: English (American pet form of Chauncey)
Pronunciation: CHANS · ˈtʃæns
Meaning: pet form of Chauncey; popularly reassociated with the word ‘chance’ (luck/fortune) in modern use
Popularity: #418 and falling (#377 → #418, 2024)

Breezy optimism packed into a single syllable.

Brae

Origin: Scots/Scottish Gaelic (word name)
Pronunciation: BRAY · breɪ
Meaning: a hillside or slope
Popularity: #7,349 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Crisp and highland-rooted; one syllable of pure Scottish geography.

Rowe

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: ROH · roʊ
Meaning: dweller by a row (of houses/street), or a variant of the surnames Rolfe, Rough, Ralph, or Rowson
Popularity: #3,574 and falling (#3,273 → #3,574, 2024)

Unusual, smooth, and easy to carry — a surname-feeling name with a gentle sound.

Blaze

Origin: English (from the word ‘blaze’); also linked to ‘Blaise,’ from Latin Blasius
Pronunciation: BLAYZ · ˈbleɪz
Meaning: flame, bright fire (the modern sense); historically the given name arose partly as a respelling of Blaise
Popularity: #761 and rising (#766 → #761, 2024)

Energetic and vivid; slightly edgy but genuinely wearable.

Vance

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: VANS · ˈvæns
Meaning: from the marshland
Popularity: #996 and falling (#955 → #996, 2024)

Crisp and underused — sounds like a name that should be more popular than it is.

Slade

Origin: Old English (place name/surname)
Pronunciation: SLAYD · ˈsleɪd
Meaning: valley
Popularity: #1,051 and rising (#1,141 → #1,051, 2024)

Sounds like a surname but is wearing comfortably as a given name in 2026.

Vintage Unisex Names Making a Major Comeback

These names have been swapping genders quietly for decades, sometimes centuries. They’ve been boy names, girl names, and everything in between — and right now, freed from any firm association, they’re landing as some of the freshest-feeling choices on birth certificates.

Avery

Origin: Old English (via Anglo-Norman surname)
Pronunciation: AY-vur-ee · ˈeɪvəri
Meaning: elf counsel, from Old English ælf (‘elf’) + ræd (‘counsel’)
Popularity: #31 and falling (#29 → #31, 2024)

Morgan

Origin: Welsh (Old Welsh)
Pronunciation: MOR-gan · ˈmɔːrɡən
Meaning: chief (a compound of uncertain ‘sea’ or ‘great’ plus a root meaning ‘circle, ‘ together read as ‘chief’)
Popularity: #276 and falling (#247 → #276, 2024)

One of the oldest unisex names in the English-speaking world and still one of the best.

Emery

Origin: English (surname of Germanic origin)
Pronunciation: EM-ur-ee · ˈɛməri
Meaning: brave ruler (or, per an alternate theory, ‘ruler of the home, ‘ via Henry)
Popularity: #70, holding steady (2024)

Feels like Emily with a spine; quietly displacing both in some circles.

Remy

Origin: French
Pronunciation: REM-ee · ˈrɛmi
Meaning: oarsman, from Latin Remigius
Popularity: #400 and falling (#390 → #400, 2024)

French, playful, and effortlessly chic — the *Ratatouille* association is charming, not a liability.

Elliot

Origin: English (variant of Elliott)
Pronunciation: EL-ee-ut · ˈɛliət
Meaning: form of Elliott; ultimately from Elijah/Elias, ‘my God is Yahweh’
Popularity: #150 and rising (#178 → #150, 2024)

Gaining a letter from the male *Elliott* but losing none of its warmth.

Aubrey

Origin: English (from Old French/Norman, ultimately Germanic)
Pronunciation: AW-bree · ˈɔːbri
Meaning: elf ruler
Popularity: #130 and falling (#101 → #130, 2024)

Sidney

Origin: English (surname, two distinct origins)
Pronunciation: SID-nee · ˈsɪdni
Meaning: surname turned given name; either an Old English place name for a ‘wide island’ or ‘wide water-meadow’, or, separately, a Norman-French surname from ‘St. Denis’
Popularity: #1,374 and falling (#1,232 → #1,374, 2024)

Very 1940s, which is exactly why it feels fresh again.

Jordan

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: JOR-dan · ˈdʒɔːrdən
Meaning: one who descends, or flows down (from the Jordan River’s name)
Popularity: #104 and falling (#96 → #104, 2024)

River name with biblical gravitas — has belonged to everyone since the 1980s.

Dana

Origin: Uncertain (English/Western, possibly from the surname Dawnay or a form of Daniel)
Pronunciation: DAH-nah · ˈdɑːnə
Meaning: arbiter; also Scandinavian
Popularity: #1,077 and falling (#976 → #1,077, 2024)

Quietly classic and deeply underappreciated in 2026.

Casey

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: KAY-see · ˈkeɪsi
Meaning: vigilant, watchful
Popularity: #310 and rising (#316 → #310, 2024)

A sunny, Midwestern-feeling name with proper Celtic roots underneath.

Leslie

Origin: Scottish (place name/surname, Aberdeenshire)
Pronunciation: LEZ-lee · ˈlɛzli
Meaning: holly garden
Popularity: #605 and rising (#670 → #605, 2024)

A name that swapped genders over the decades and wears the history well.

Marion

Origin: Old French (fem., diminutive of Marie); English surname (masc., US)
Pronunciation: MARE-ee-un · ˈmæriən
Meaning: diminutive of Marie (female); surname-derived (US male)
Popularity: #1,867 and falling (#1,663 → #1,867, 2024)

A sleepy classic that’s waking back up, largely driven by the vintage name revival.

Vivian

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: VIV-ee-an · ˈvɪviən
Meaning: alive, full of life
Popularity: #77 and rising (#87 → #77, 2024)

Elegant and literary — still feels daring as a genuinely unisex choice.

Whitney

Origin: Old English (surname)
Pronunciation: WIT-nee · ˈwɪtni
Meaning: place name/surname meaning roughly ‘white island’ or ‘landing place of the fair one’
Popularity: #1,050 and falling (#981 → #1,050, 2024)

1980s power-name, now feeling retro-cool in the best possible way.

Sasha

Origin: Russian/Ukrainian (diminutive of Alexander and Alexandra)
Pronunciation: SAH-shah · ˈsɑːʃə
Meaning: protector/defender of people (via Alexander/Alexandra)
Popularity: #642 and falling (#619 → #642, 2024)

Pet form of Alexander/Alexandra used globally; inherently gender-neutral.

Logan

Origin: Scottish
Pronunciation: LOH-guhn · ˈloʊɡən
Meaning: little hollow
Popularity: #46 and falling (#39 → #46, 2024)

Celtic, nature-rooted, and effortlessly unisex — *Logan* the film didn’t hurt its edge.

Peyton

Origin: English (surname/place name)
Pronunciation: PAY-tin · ˈpeɪtən
Meaning: uncertain; often glossed as ‘warrior’s estate’ but root not clearly confirmed
Popularity: #168 and falling (#142 → #168, 2024)

Switched from almost entirely male to nearly 50-50 within a single generation.

Riley

Origin: English (also anglicized Irish surname ‘Reilly’)
Pronunciation: RY-lee · ˈraɪli
Meaning: a rye clearing or meadow (English); separately, an anglicized form of the Irish surname Reilly
Popularity: #42 and rising (#43 → #42, 2024)

Bubbly and strong; one of the top unisex performers of the 2000s and 2010s.

Taylor

Origin: English (occupational surname, from Old French ‘tailleur’)
Pronunciation: TAY-lur · ˈteɪlər
Meaning: tailor, cloth-cutter
Popularity: #353 and falling (#260 → #353, 2024)

An occupational surname that became one of the most common unisex names in the English language.

Cameron

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Pronunciation: KAM-er-un · ˈkæmərən
Meaning: crooked nose (Gaelic cam “crooked/bent” + sròn “nose”)
Popularity: #66 and falling (#58 → #66, 2024)

Playful etymology, solid unisex standing — the nickname Cam works for everyone.

Hayden

Origin: Old English (place name/surname)
Pronunciation: HAY-din · ˈheɪdən
Meaning: hay valley — a secondary theory instead derives it from a Middle Dutch word for ‘heathen’
Popularity: #154 and rising (#162 → #154, 2024)

That ‘fire’ sense actually belongs to Aiden (from Irish Aodh, ‘fire’), not Hayden, which is an English place name meaning ‘hay valley.’

Kendall

Origin: English (place name)
Pronunciation: KEN-dul · ˈkɛndəl
Meaning: valley of the River Kent
Popularity: #310 and rising (#317 → #310, 2024)

Long popular for girls; quietly growing for boys with great success.

Stevie

Origin: English (diminutive of Stephen/Stephanie)
Pronunciation: STEE-vee · ˈstiːvi
Meaning: crown, wreath (inherited from Stephen/Stephanie)
Popularity: #209 and rising (#244 → #209, 2024)

Stevie Nicks made it iconic — now it’s back for babies of any gender, and it’s stunning.

Beverly

Origin: Old English (place name)
Pronunciation: BEV-er-lee · ˈbɛvərli
Meaning: English place name combining ‘beaver’ with either ‘stream’ or ‘meadow’
Popularity: #1,046 and rising (#1,185 → #1,046, 2024)

Very retro, which is exactly why a certain subset of name-obsessed parents are choosing it.

Cecil

Origin: Latin / Welsh (two converging origins)
Pronunciation: SES-il · ˈsɛsəl
Meaning: blind (from Latin Caecilius); or, via the Welsh surname Seisyllt, ‘sixth’
Popularity: #1,479 and rising (#1,528 → #1,479, 2024)

Stiff-sounding to some, deeply distinguished to others — it’s having a quiet revival.

Hilary

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: HIL-uh-ree · ˈhɪləri
Meaning: cheerful, happy
Popularity: #4,132 and falling (#2,829 → #4,132, 2024)

Old-school but wiry and strong; underappreciated in the current climate.

Alexis

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: uh-LEK-sis · əˈlɛksɪs
Meaning: helper, defender
Popularity: #484 and falling (#472 → #484, 2024)

Has been smoothly unisex since the 1980s with no signs of tipping either direction.

Arden

Origin: Celtic (Brythonic place name)
Pronunciation: AR-dun · ˈɑːrdən
Meaning: high
Popularity: #943 and rising (#1,019 → #943, 2024)

Sylvan and literary — the Forest of Arden in Shakespeare gives it real depth.

Carey

Origin: English/Irish/Welsh (surname)
Pronunciation: KAIR-ee · ˈkɛər.i
Meaning: dark one; castle dweller
Popularity: #5,258 and rising (#6,958 → #5,258, 2024)

Celestial & Cosmic Unisex Names

Space is the ultimate equalizer. Planets, stars, and constellations belong to everyone — and the names we’ve borrowed from them carry that same expansive, genderless quality. These names are for babies who are, or will be, a lot.

Orion

Origin: Ancient Greek (etymology uncertain)
Pronunciation: oh-RY-un · oʊˈraɪən
Meaning: uncertain; possibly ‘heaven’s light’ (a speculative Akkadian derivation, not firmly established)
Popularity: #325 and rising (#373 → #325, 2024)

Among the most stirring constellation names — bold but genuinely wearable.

Nova

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: NOH-vah · ˈnoʊvə
Meaning: new
Popularity: #39 and falling (#35 → #39, 2024)

Bright, scientific, and gorgeous; one of the fastest-rising names in this category.

Lyra

Origin: Ancient Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: LY-rah · ˈlaɪrə
Meaning: a lyre, the stringed musical instrument
Popularity: #482, holding steady (2024)

Musical and starry — named for Orpheus’s instrument, carried by the sky.

Atlas

Origin: Greek (possibly pre-Greek substrate)
Pronunciation: AT-luss · ˈætləs
Meaning: possibly ‘the enduring one’ (disputed, may be pre-Greek with no recoverable meaning)
Popularity: #101 and rising (#111 → #101, 2024)

Weight and strength in two syllables; feels aspirational rather than heavy.

Phoenix

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: FEE-niks · ˈfiːnɪks
Meaning: the mythical firebird symbolizing rebirth and renewal
Popularity: #275 and falling (#269 → #275, 2024)

Resurrection energy — perfect for families who have been through something.

Zephyr

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ZEF-er · ˈzɛfər
Meaning: the west wind
Popularity: #1,133 and falling (#1,121 → #1,133, 2024)

Light and atmospheric; the breeze between celestial and natural name categories.

Casper

Origin: Old Persian (Wiktionary) or Aramaic (Wikipedia)
Pronunciation: KAS-pur · ˈkæspər
Meaning: treasurer, treasure-bearer
Popularity: #879 and rising (#1,007 → #879, 2024)

The friendly ghost association fades fast; the name itself is beautiful.

Seren

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: SEH-ren · ˈsɛrɛn
Meaning: star
Popularity: #4,631 and rising (#4,638 → #4,631, 2024)

Simple, gentle, and virtually unknown outside Wales — an undiscovered gem hiding in plain sight.

Zenith

Origin: English word name (ultimately Arabic, via Old Spanish/Medieval Latin)
Pronunciation: ZEE-nith · ˈziː.nɪθ
Meaning: the highest point; peak
Popularity: #2,906 and rising (#3,289 → #2,906, 2024)

Aspirational without being overwrought.

Aura

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: OR-ah · ˈɔːrə
Meaning: breeze
Popularity: #872 and rising (#954 → #872, 2024)

Mystical and softly beautiful — one of the most evocative short names in this list.

Vesper

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: VES-per · ˈvɛspər
Meaning: evening; the evening star (the planet Venus at dusk)
Popularity: #2,789 and falling (#2,265 → #2,789, 2024)

Moody and romantic; the Venus association, *Casino Royale*, and the prayer hour all converge here.

Rigel

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: RYE-jəl · ˈraɪdʒəl
Meaning: the foot of the giant (referring to its position in the constellation Orion)
Popularity: #6,095 and falling (#4,710 → #6,095, 2024)

A star-name for families who name with real intention.

Aster

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: AS-ter · ˈæstər
Meaning: star (namesake of the star-shaped flower)
Popularity: #2,745 and rising (#3,281 → #2,745, 2024)

Also a wildflower — bridging celestial and botanical in a single, lovely syllable.

Soleil

Origin: French
Pronunciation: soh-LAY · soʊˈleɪ
Meaning: sun
Popularity: #824 and rising (#975 → #824, 2024)

Luminous, French, and utterly stylish; Soleil Moon Frye kept it visible.

Ciel

Origin: French (from Latin caelum)
Pronunciation: SYEL
Meaning: sky, heaven
Popularity: #3,991 and falling (#3,637 → #3,991, 2024)

Soft and celestial without reaching for the obvious suspects.

Elio

Origin: Italian (from Greek)
Pronunciation: EL-ee-oh · ˈɛlioʊ
Meaning: the sun (from Helios)
Popularity: #507 and rising (#646 → #507, 2024)

Warm and musical; growing fast in the US thanks to *Call Me by Your Name*.

Altair

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: al-TAIR · ælˈtaɪər
Meaning: the flying eagle (referring to the star Alpha Aquilae)
Popularity: #4,063 and rising (#5,938 → #4,063, 2024)

Exotic and precise — a name for parents who do their research.

Caspian

Origin: English (from Latin ‘Caspius’)
Pronunciation: KAS-pee-an · ˈkæspiən
Meaning: of/from the Caspian Sea
Popularity: #578 and rising (#664 → #578, 2024)

C.S. Lewis territory: adventurous and literary with just enough mystique.

Cosmo

Origin: Greek (via Italian Cosimo)
Pronunciation: KAHZ-moh · ˈkɑːzmoʊ
Meaning: order, the ordered universe (and by extension, beauty/adornment)
Popularity: #1,683 and rising (#1,746 → #1,683, 2024)

Italian-inflected and artsy; the Kramer connection is fading and the cosmology meaning is taking over.

Vega

Origin: Arabic (via the star name)
Pronunciation: VAY-gah · ˈveɪgə
Meaning: falling eagle (referring to the star Vega’s Arabic name)
Popularity: #3,944 and falling (#3,470 → #3,944, 2024)

Lead star in Lyra — for astronomy-inclined parents who want the meaning built in.

Pallas

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: PAL-us · ˈpæləs
Meaning: to brandish (a weapon)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mythological weight without being overwrought; also an asteroid.

Ceres

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SEER-eez · ˈsɪəriːz
Meaning: Roman goddess of agriculture and the harvest; the name’s root sense is “to grow, to nourish,” not literally “grain”
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mythological, agricultural, and now also a dwarf planet — layered meaning.

Eos

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: EE-os · ˈiːɒs
Meaning: dawn
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of the shortest, cleanest goddess names available — luminous, simple, perfect.

Nimbus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: NIM-bus · ˈnɪmbəs
Meaning: a rain cloud; also a luminous halo of light
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Slightly stormy, slightly holy — unexpectedly compelling as a given name.

Comet

Origin: Greek (via Latin cometa)
Pronunciation: KOM-it · ˈkɒmɪt
Meaning: ‘long-haired star’ — a celestial body with a glowing tail
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Futuristic and bold; startling but genuinely beautiful.

Solstice

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SOL-stiss · ˈsɒlstɪs
Meaning: the sun standing still (astronomical solstice)
Popularity: #6,870 and rising (#7,199 → #6,870, 2024)

Unusual even among celestial names, but the sound is striking and the meaning is profound.

Surname-Style Unisex Names

Last names turned first names have a long and distinguished history, and this category is arguably the most prolific generator of unisex baby names. The trade-off between formality and approachability that surname names carry — that sense of inherited weight worn lightly — tends to suit both genders equally well.

Harper

Origin: English (occupational surname, Middle English ‘harpere’)
Pronunciation: HAR-per · ˈhɑːrpər
Meaning: harp player
Popularity: #12 and falling (#11 → #12, 2024)

Sawyer

Origin: English (occupational surname)
Pronunciation: SAW-yer · ˈsɔːjər
Meaning: one who saws wood; a woodcutter
Popularity: #132 and falling (#127 → #132, 2024)

Tom Sawyer energy: adventurous, rugged, and somehow always friendly.

Hunter

Origin: English (occupational surname)
Pronunciation: HUN-ter · ˈhʌntər
Meaning: one who hunts
Popularity: #128 and falling (#115 → #128, 2024)

Outdoorsy and assertive; effortlessly unisex in practice.

Cooper

Origin: English (occupational surname)
Pronunciation: KOO-per · ˈkuːpər
Meaning: barrel maker
Popularity: #50 and rising (#52 → #50, 2024)

Craftsman-name with a warm, competent feel — Anderson Cooper brought it into the mainstream.

Parker

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: PAR-kur · ˈpɑːrkər
Meaning: an occupational surname for a gamekeeper or park-keeper
Popularity: #97 and falling (#91 → #97, 2024)

Cool, breezy, and reliably gender-neutral for decades now.

Spencer

Origin: Middle English (occupational surname)
Pronunciation: SPEN-sir · ˈspɛnsər
Meaning: steward, one who manages provisions/supplies
Popularity: #388 and falling (#362 → #388, 2024)

Noble and slightly preppy — Princess Diana’s maiden name lends it quiet royalty.

Archer

Origin: English (occupational surname)
Pronunciation: AR-chur · ˈɑːrtʃər
Meaning: bowman
Popularity: #115 and rising (#129 → #115, 2024)

Crisp, active, and one of the cleanest-sounding surname names in this category.

Beckett

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: BEK-it · ˈbɛkɪt
Meaning: beehive; bee cottage
Popularity: #166 and rising (#196 → #166, 2024)

Playwright Samuel Beckett lends an intellectual air; fashionable without being precious.

Emerson

Origin: English (surname: ‘Emery’s son’, possibly Anglo-Saxon ‘Emar’s son’)
Pronunciation: EM-ur-sun · ˈɛmərsən
Meaning: son of Emery (or, per an alternate theory, Anglo-Saxon ‘Emar’s son’)
Popularity: #151 and rising (#161 → #151, 2024)

Emerson, Lake & Palmer for the music parents; soft vowels make it work beautifully for any gender.

Finley

Origin: Scottish Gaelic (surname)
Pronunciation: FIN-lee · ˈfɪnli
Meaning: fair warrior
Popularity: #290 and falling (#285 → #290, 2024)

Celtic, bright, and friendly — Fin as a nickname is equally open.

Greer

Origin: Scottish (surname)
Pronunciation: GREER · ˈgrɪr
Meaning: reduced Scottish form of Gregor/Gregory; inherits Gregory’s Greek root meaning ‘watchful, alert’
Popularity: #1,980 and rising (#2,383 → #1,980, 2024)

Actress Greer Garson turned this into a chic one-word identity.

Hadley

Origin: English (surname/place name, Old English)
Pronunciation: HAD-lee · ˈhædli
Meaning: heather clearing/meadow
Popularity: #114 and rising (#119 → #114, 2024)

Soft and wildflower-ish; Ernest Hemingway’s first wife gave it literary legs.

Jameson

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: JAY-mih-sin · ˈdʒeɪmɪsən
Meaning: son of James
Popularity: #117 and falling (#102 → #117, 2024)

Keaton

Origin: English (surname, Devon place name)
Pronunciation: KEE-tin · ˈkiːtən
Meaning: enclosed farmstead (Devon place name: hedge/enclosure + farmstead)
Popularity: #843 and rising (#875 → #843, 2024)

Buster Keaton cool — artistic, dry, and slightly old-Hollywood.

Lennon

Origin: Irish (surname)
Pronunciation: LEN-un · ˈlɛnən
Meaning: descendant of a ‘sweetheart’ — or, in an alternate surname line, descendant of a ‘little blackbird’
Popularity: #237 and rising (#243 → #237, 2024)

The John association is inevitable and, for most parents, a beautiful tribute.

Nolan

Origin: Irish (surname)
Pronunciation: NOH-lun · ˈnoʊlən
Meaning: champion
Popularity: #64 and falling (#57 → #64, 2024)

Piper

Origin: English (occupational surname)
Pronunciation: PY-pur · ˈpaɪpər
Meaning: one who plays the pipes — an occupational surname transferred to given-name use
Popularity: #160 and falling (#135 → #160, 2024)

Sutton

Origin: English (place name/surname, Old English “sūþ” + “tūn”)
Pronunciation: SUT-en · ˈsʌtən
Meaning: south settlement or southern farmstead
Popularity: #197 and rising (#205 → #197, 2024)

Classy, vaguely British, and meaningfully underused.

Whitman

Origin: Old English (surname)
Pronunciation: WIT-muhn · ˈwɪtmən
Meaning: descriptive surname meaning ‘white man’ — a fair-haired or fair-skinned man
Popularity: #4,174 and falling (#3,991 → #4,174, 2024)

Literary and distinguished — you’re basically naming your baby after a poet.

Callahan

Origin: Irish (surname)
Pronunciation: KAL-uh-han · ˈkæləhæn
Meaning: bright (little bright one)
Popularity: #363 and rising (#460 → #363, 2024)

Warm, Irish, and full of personality; the -an ending gives it room to breathe.

Mercer

Origin: English (surname, variant of Mercier)
Pronunciation: MER-ser · ˈmɜːrsər
Meaning: merchant
Popularity: #3,072 and rising (#3,456 → #3,072, 2024)

Old-world craft with a genuinely modern feel; Mercer Street is very New York.

Fletcher

Origin: English (occupational surname)
Pronunciation: FLETCH-er · ˈflɛtʃər
Meaning: arrow maker
Popularity: #564 and rising (#631 → #564, 2024)

Archer-adjacent but with its own distinct, slightly quirkier character.

Walker

Origin: Middle English (occupational surname)
Pronunciation: WAW-ker · ˈwɔːkər
Meaning: occupational surname for a cloth fuller
Popularity: #82 and rising (#85 → #82, 2024)

Easy and functional — cool in its plainness.

Reilly

Origin: Irish (surname, Ó Raghallaigh, ‘descendants of Raghallach’)
Pronunciation: RY-lee · ˈraɪli
Meaning: courageous
Popularity: #2,730 and rising (#3,259 → #2,730, 2024)

Jaunty and warm; a slightly different energy than Riley, with more Old World character.

Beckham

Origin: Old English (place name/surname)
Pronunciation: BEK-um · ˈbɛkəm
Meaning: homestead of a man named Becca
Popularity: #168 and rising (#199 → #168, 2024)

David Beckham gave this instant international recognition; now it stands on its own.

Carson

Origin: Scottish/Irish (surname of disputed origin)
Pronunciation: KAR-sun · ˈkɑːrsən
Meaning: son of Carr; marsh-dweller
Popularity: #123 and falling (#112 → #123, 2024)

Western and clean — Carson McCullers for the literary parents, Johnny Carson for the rest.

Marlowe

Origin: English (place name: Marlow)
Pronunciation: MAR-loh · ˈmɑːrloʊ
Meaning: remnants of a lake
Popularity: #624 and rising (#835 → #624, 2024)

Playwright Christopher Marlowe; moody, literary, and quietly stunning.

Holden

Origin: Old English (surname)
Pronunciation: HOHL-din · ˈhoʊldən
Meaning: hollow valley
Popularity: #281 and rising (#286 → #281, 2024)

*Catcher in the Rye* energy — pensive, searching, and somehow always young.

Henley

Origin: Old English (place name/surname)
Pronunciation: HEN-lee · ˈhɛnli
Meaning: high clearing
Popularity: #956 and falling (#792 → #956, 2024)

The Eagles’ “Hotel California” home; a name that feels sun-faded in the best way.

Lennox

Origin: Scottish (place name / surname)
Pronunciation: LEN-uks · ˈlɛnəks
Meaning: person from the Lennox district (the Loch Lomond/River Leven region of Scotland)
Popularity: #263 and rising (#265 → #263, 2024)

Scottish, strong, slightly rockstar — Annie Lennox and Lennox Lewis provide the range.

Unisex Names from Around the World

The most interesting names on many 2026 lists are coming from outside the Anglophone tradition. Parents are looking further — to Hebrew, Japanese, Scandinavian, Sanskrit, West African, and Turkish roots — and finding that many of the world’s most beautiful names have never been gender-coded at all.

Ren

Origin: Japanese (kanji-dependent)
Pronunciation: ruh-NAY · rəˈneɪ
Meaning: love; lotus
Popularity: #1,145 and falling (#1,081 → #1,145, 2024)

Minimalist and lovely; growing globally as a standalone name, not just a nickname.

Ari

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: AH-ree · ˈɑːri
Meaning: lion
Popularity: #399 and falling (#342 → #399, 2024)

Short, bold, and works across cultures — two very different origins arriving at the same beautiful sound.

Kiran

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: KEER-un · ˈkɪrən
Meaning: ray of light / beam of light
Popularity: #1,344 and rising (#1,597 → #1,344, 2024)

South Asian in origin but universally beautiful in meaning and sound.

Amara

Origin: modern coinage (popularized by fantasy fiction)
Pronunciation: ah-MAR-ah · əˈmɑːrə
Meaning: eternal; graceful
Popularity: #121 and rising (#123 → #121, 2024)

Pan-African in feel but worn lovingly across cultures worldwide.

Noa

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: NOH-ah · ˈnoʊə
Meaning: movement, motion
Popularity: #253 and rising (#298 → #253, 2024)

Mika

Origin: multiple unrelated origins (Finnish/Scandinavian unisex name, Japanese, borrowed as みか, Hebrew variant of Micah)
Pronunciation: MEE-kah · ˈmiːkə
Meaning: no fixed meaning as a Finnish name; ‘beautiful fragrance’ for one common Japanese spelling; ‘who is like God/Yahweh?’ as a Hebrew variant of Micah
Popularity: #1,545 and falling (#1,409 → #1,545, 2024)

Feels both exotic and instantly familiar; two cultures converge on the same syllables.

Akira

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: ah-KEER-uh · ɑːˈkɪərə
Meaning: bright, clear-minded (meaning depends on the kanji used)
Popularity: #955 and rising (#1,022 → #955, 2024)

Gender-neutral in Japan for centuries; stylish and precise in the West.

Hana

Origin: Various (Japanese, Hebrew, Arabic, Kurdish, Persian, Hawaiian, Māori, Albanian)
Pronunciation: HAH-nuh · ˈhɑːnə
Meaning: varies by origin: ‘flower’ (Japanese), ‘grace/favor’ (Hebrew, via Hannah), ‘bliss’ (Arabic), ‘hope’ (Kurdish), among others
Popularity: #708 and rising (#727 → #708, 2024)

Multi-cultural in the deepest sense — beloved across three major linguistic traditions.

Soren

Origin: Danish (Scandinavian), ultimately Latin
Pronunciation: SOR-en · ˈsɔːrən
Meaning: stern, severe
Popularity: #571 and falling (#542 → #571, 2024)

Kierkegaard’s first name — philosophical, striking, and easy to carry.

Yael

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: yah-ELL · jɑːˈɛl
Meaning: mountain goat, ibex
Popularity: #790 and falling (#777 → #790, 2024)

A fierce Old Testament name used freely for both boys and girls in Israel.

Adara

Origin: uncertain (popularly claimed as Hebrew/Arabic)
Pronunciation: uh-DAH-ruh · əˈdɑːrə
Meaning: noble; beautiful
Popularity: #1,041 and rising (#1,043 → #1,041, 2024)

Elegant and rare outside of Israel and the Middle East — a discovery for English-speaking parents.

Ryo

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: RYOH · ˈrjoʊ
Meaning: distant; cool
Popularity: #2,327 and rising (#5,869 → #2,327, 2024)

Short and sleek — used equally for boys and girls in Japan, still rare in the West.

Tov

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: TOHV · toʊv
Meaning: good
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Simple and affirmative; an ancient name that means exactly what it says.

Tobi

Origin: Yoruba
Pronunciation: TOH-bee · ˈtoʊbi
Meaning: short/pet form of longer Yoruba names built on ‘Oluwa’ (God) + ‘tobi’ (great), e.g. Oluwatobi, Oluwatobiloba — broadly ‘God is great’
Popularity: #4,168 and falling (#3,334 → #4,168, 2024)

Lev

Origin: Slavic/Russian; separately Hebrew
Pronunciation: LEV · ˈlɛv
Meaning: lion (Slavic, cognate with Latin leo); separately, ‘heart’ in Hebrew and Yiddish
Popularity: #1,040 and rising (#1,092 → #1,040, 2024)

Common in Israel; growing in Western countries as parents seek meaningful short names.

Nori

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: NOH-ree · ˈnoʊri
Meaning: Law, rule or virtue (depending on the kanji, e.g. 則, 法, 徳)
Popularity: #1,013 and falling (#903 → #1,013, 2024)

Used for both genders in Japan; Kim Kardashian’s daughter’s name brought it briefly into view.

Ara

Origin: Armenian
Pronunciation: AH-rah · ˈɑːrɑː
Meaning: brings rain; king
Popularity: #3,116 and rising (#3,140 → #3,116, 2024)

Short and ancient, found across many cultures with subtly different meanings in each.

Jin

Origin: Korean
Pronunciation: JIN · dʒɪn
Meaning: gold; bright
Popularity: #2,602 and falling (#2,203 → #2,602, 2024)

Clean and bright; widely used across East Asia for both boys and girls.

Yuki

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: YOO-kee · ˈjuːki
Meaning: snow (from the common kanji 雪); some spellings instead give ‘happiness’ (幸)
Popularity: #4,539 and rising (#5,374 → #4,539, 2024)

Softly lovely — one of Japan’s most common gender-neutral names, underused in the West.

Asha

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: AH-shah · ˈɑːʃə
Meaning: hope, wish
Popularity: #1,196 and rising (#1,338 → #1,196, 2024)

Found across South Asian and East African cultures with equal warmth in both.

Noel

Origin: French (from Latin natalis)
Pronunciation: noh-EL · noʊˈɛl
Meaning: Christmas, born at Christmastide
Popularity: #434 and rising (#451 → #434, 2024)

The male Noël and female Noelle are quietly merging into a single, modern Noel.

Leif

Origin: Old Norse/Scandinavian
Pronunciation: LAYF · ˈleɪf
Meaning: heir or descendant (literally ‘relic, that which remains’)
Popularity: #925 and falling (#859 → #925, 2024)

Scandinavian and nature-adjacent — explorer Leif Erikson gives it adventurous credentials.

Evren

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: EV-ren · ˈɛvrɛn
Meaning: universe, cosmos
Popularity: #971 and rising (#1,193 → #971, 2024)

Turkish and cosmic — rare outside Turkey but extraordinarily beautiful everywhere.

Zara

Origin: English/Hebrew (variant of Sarah) or Arabic
Pronunciation: ZAR-ah · ˈzɑːrə
Meaning: uncertain — either from Sarah (‘princess’) or Arabic zahra (‘flower’)
Popularity: #234 and rising (#236 → #234, 2024)

This combines two separate, competing etymologies (Sarah = ‘princess’; Arabic zahra = ‘flower’) as if both applied at once, when sources treat them as alternative explanations, not a compound meaning.

Ines

Origin: Spanish/Portuguese
Pronunciation: ee-NESS · iˈnɛs
Meaning: pure, holy (via the Agnes/Hagne lineage)
Popularity: #1,282 and rising (#1,570 → #1,282, 2024)

Southern European classic — gentle, graceful, and gaining real traction in English-speaking countries.

Solange

Origin: French (from Latin sollemnis, ‘solemn’); name of a 9th-century French saint
Pronunciation: soh-LAHNZH · soʊˈlɑːnʒ
Meaning: solemn
Popularity: #7,192 and falling (#5,926 → #7,192, 2024)

Solange doesn’t mean ‘sun angel’ — that’s a folk etymology; the confirmed root is Latin sollemnis (‘solemn’), via a 9th-century French saint’s name.

Cai

Origin: Welsh (traditionally linked to Latin Gaius)
Pronunciation: KY · ˈkaɪ
Meaning: traditionally said to mean ‘rejoice’ (as a Welsh form of Gaius), though the ultimate origin of Gaius itself is uncertain
Popularity: #1,902 and falling (#1,849 → #1,902, 2024)

Paz

Origin: Spanish
Pronunciation: PAHZ · ˈpɑːz
Meaning: Peace (from Latin pax)
Popularity: #6,084 and rising (#8,371 → #6,084, 2024)

Used in Latin America for both boys and girls; warm and simple with serious meaning.

Elin

Origin: Scandinavian
Pronunciation: EH-lin · ˈɛlɪn
Meaning: form of Helen (root meaning disputed, popularly ‘torch/light’)
Popularity: #2,529 and falling (#2,424 → #2,529, 2024)

The ‘torch/light’ meaning of Helen (and its variants) is a popular but unproven folk etymology; linguists consider Helen’s true root uncertain.

Esi

Origin: Akan (Ghanaian day-name)
Pronunciation: EH-see · ˈɛsi
Meaning: born on Sunday
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A day-name tradition from Ghana used freely for boys and girls; rare and deeply meaningful.

Kael

Origin: uncertain (possibly Irish)
Pronunciation: KAYL · ˈkeɪl
Meaning: mighty warrior
Popularity: #1,467 and rising (#1,664 → #1,467, 2024)

Bold and fresh — one of the less-common Celtic names that hasn’t yet been discovered by the mainstream.

Bold & Unexpected Unisex Names

These aren’t names for parents who want to play it safe — and that’s entirely the point. They’re edgy, unconventional, and in some cases genuinely unprecedented on birth certificates. But they’re real names with real histories, and a certain kind of parent is going to read this list and immediately know: that’s the one.

Reign

Origin: English (via Old French, ultimately Latin regnum/regere)
Pronunciation: RAYN · ˈreɪn
Meaning: royal rule; to reign as sovereign
Popularity: #434 and falling (#413 → #434, 2024)

Regal and unapologetic — both Kardashian kids and philosophical parents can find something here.

Sterling

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: STUR-ling · ˈstɜːrlɪŋ
Meaning: originally a surname referring to the starling bird, or a variant of the Scottish surname/place name Stirling
Popularity: #372 and rising (#403 → #372, 2024)

Metal-adjacent and substantive; a name that implies standard.

Onyx

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ON-iks · ˈɑːnɪks
Meaning: banded gemstone; from Greek for ‘claw, fingernail’
Popularity: #358 and falling (#307 → #358, 2024)

Dark and striking — a gemstone name for parents tired of Ruby and Pearl.

Valor

Origin: Latin (via Old French/Middle English)
Pronunciation: VAL-er · ˈvælər
Meaning: bravery, courage
Popularity: #1,463 and rising (#1,470 → #1,463, 2024)

A virtue name with edges; more unusual and interesting than Grace or Hope.

Zion

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: ZY-un · ˈzaɪən
Meaning: biblical name for Jerusalem’s Temple Mount/city, extended to mean the people of Israel
Popularity: #151 and falling (#125 → #151, 2024)

Cruz

Origin: Spanish
Pronunciation: KROOZ · ˈkruːz
Meaning: cross
Popularity: #303 and rising (#329 → #303, 2024)

Simple in meaning, strong in character; feels modern without trying to be.

Wolfe

Origin: English/German (surname)
Pronunciation: WOOLF · ˈwʊlf
Meaning: wolf; a spelling variant of the surname/given name Wolf
Popularity: #2,777 and rising (#2,943 → #2,777, 2024)

Primal, ancient, and fiercely cool — the silent *e* at the end softens it slightly.

Rebel

Origin: English (word name, from Old French/Latin rebellis)
Pronunciation: REB-uhl · ˈrɛbəl
Meaning: one who resists or rises up against authority
Popularity: #2,679 and rising (#2,812 → #2,679, 2024)

Audacious but genuinely wearable; more aspirational than provocative in use.

Stone

Origin: English (surname, from Old English “stan”)
Pronunciation: STOHN · ˈstoʊn
Meaning: from the English word for stone/rock; originally a surname for someone who lived near a notable stone or worked with stone
Popularity: #1,048 and falling (#995 → #1,048, 2024)

Oliver Stone for one association; steady, elemental, and surprisingly tender in practice.

Raven

Origin: English (word name, masculine use parallels Old Norse Hrafn)
Pronunciation: RAY-vuhn · ˈreɪvən
Meaning: the black-feathered bird
Popularity: #388 and falling (#361 → #388, 2024)

Mystical, gothic-adjacent, and a legitimate classic with deep Norse mythology roots.

Dax

Origin: French (place name)
Pronunciation: DAKS · ˈdæks
Meaning: leader
Popularity: #636 and falling (#559 → #636, 2024)

Crisp, punchy, and futuristic — *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine* fans will note the Trill connection.

Fable

Origin: English (from Latin fabula via Old French fable)
Pronunciation: FAY-bul · ˈfeɪbəl
Meaning: a short tale, often with animal characters, that teaches a moral lesson
Popularity: #3,708 and rising (#4,911 → #3,708, 2024)

Dreamy and bookish with just enough edge to keep it from being cutesy.

Slate

Origin: English (surname, occupational — ‘one who works with slate/a slate-roofer’)
Pronunciation: SLAYT · sleɪt
Meaning: a type of sedimentary rock
Popularity: #3,376 and falling (#2,724 → #3,376, 2024)

Cool-toned and strong — darker than Stone, more specific than Grey.

Wilder

Origin: English (occupational surname)
Pronunciation: WYL-dur · ˈwaɪldər
Meaning: wild one; also historically ‘a hunter of wild game’
Popularity: #392 and rising (#422 → #392, 2024)

Rugged and free; Thornton Wilder for the literary parents, Billy Wilder for the film ones.

Colt

Origin: English
Pronunciation: KOHLT · ˈkoʊlt
Meaning: young horse
Popularity: #276 and falling (#264 → #276, 2024)

Western and wild — bold but not outrageous, wearable beyond its cowboy associations.

Ajax

Origin: Ancient Greek (mythological name)
Pronunciation: AY-jaks · ˈeɪdʒæks
Meaning: eagle; great
Popularity: #3,681 and falling (#2,804 → #3,681, 2024)

An ancient hero of the Trojan War — powerful, rare, and unmistakably strong.

Zane

Origin: English (surname of unknown origin)
Pronunciation: ZAYN · ˈzeɪn
Meaning: God is gracious
Popularity: #306 and falling (#277 → #306, 2024)

Modern and sharp; Zane Grey (the author) predates all the pop star associations.

Deckard

Origin: surname
Pronunciation: DEK-urd · ˈdɛkərd
Meaning: thatching-worker
Popularity: #7,329 and falling (#4,369 → #7,329, 2024)

Dystopian cool with a retrofuturist aesthetic — for the sci-fi household.

Rayne

Origin: English (variant of Raine)
Pronunciation: RAYN · ˈreɪn
Meaning: rain (nature/word name)
Popularity: #948 and falling (#857 → #948, 2024)

Fletch

Origin: Old French (short form of the surname Fletcher)
Pronunciation: FLETCH · flɛtʃ
Meaning: arrow-maker (short form of Fletcher)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Snappy and action-adjacent; feels like a nickname that’s graduated to the birth certificate.

Coda

Origin: Italian (musical term, literally ‘tail’)
Pronunciation: KOH-də · koʊdə
Meaning: the concluding passage of a piece of music
Popularity: #2,440 and rising (#3,012 → #2,440, 2024)

Prairie

Origin: French (ultimately Latin pratum, “meadow”)
Pronunciation: PRAIR-ee · ˈprɛər.i
Meaning: an open, grassy meadow or grassland
Popularity: #4,434 and rising (#5,688 → #4,434, 2024)

Unusual, deeply American, expansive — a name that contains an entire landscape.

Brix

Origin: German (surname)
Pronunciation: BRIKS · bɹɪks
Meaning: strong, firm
Popularity: #2,911 and rising (#3,571 → #2,911, 2024)

Scientific-edge naming — a Brix unit measures sugar concentration in fruit; unusual and precise.

Crest

Origin: Old French (via the English word ‘crest’)
Pronunciation: KREST · krɛst
Meaning: the top or summit, as of a hill, wave, or ridge
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Elevated and uncommon — feels aspirational without being overwrought.

Hex

Origin: Germanic (from German Hexe, ‘witch’)
Pronunciation: HEKS · hɛks
Meaning: a spell or curse
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Dark academia energy in three letters; rare as a given name but striking.

Rogue

Origin: English (surname from the word ‘rogue’)
Meaning: a mischievous or unconventional wanderer
Popularity: #4,520 and falling (#4,189 → #4,520, 2024)