Month: August 2020

Some of the most fascinating baby names are gender-neutral. Rather than identifying whether you’re male or female, they focus on meaning and telling a story. Names are fascinating and can be a personality-defining part of your child’s life, not to mention that gender-bending names is a huge trend right now. 

So here are some truly unique names that are totally gender-neutral. Now you can pick a name before you get to the hospital, even if you’re keeping the baby’s gender a surprise. 

40 Uncommon Baby Names for For Boys and Girls

1. Alva: It means brightness in Hebrew. It has Scandinavian and Norse origins.    
2. Avignon: It’s a great French name, and it’s actually a town in Southeastern France.
3. Aubrey: It sounds a bit effeminate, but it has gained traction as a boy’s name too. It means a person with magical powers.
4. Brooks: It means a creek or a stream of water. It can also be short for Brooklyn. It has both Swedish and English roots.
5. Brayden: It’s an old English surname that means a broad valley. You can also interchange the “y” with an “i.”
6. Cassidy: It has an Irish origin, and it means clever. It was modified from the surname “Caiside.”
7. Corin: Traditionally, a boy’s name, but it’s a great gender-neutral name. It’s a Latin name for spear.   
8. Domenique: It has French and Latin roots and means lord. You can also replace the first “e” for an “i.”
9. Derry: It means oak grove, and it’s actually derived from the old Irish word “Daire.” It’s also a city in Ireland.
10. Elixen: This exotic name is derived from the word Elixir, which means a magical liquid.
11. Essery: It means a cart maker, and it is derived from the German name “Esser.”
12. Ennis: This name has Gaelic roots, and it means Island. You can also drop the “i” and replace it with “e.”
13. Finney: It means a heap of wood. The name comes from the place located in Cheshire.
14. Florian: This name has Latin origins, and it comes from the word Florus which means yellow.
15. Gizeh: It’s a great unisex name with an Arabic origin. It means shaped stone, and also, it’s the name of an ancient city in Egypt.  
16. Hyeon: This name is actually Korean, and it’s a play on the name “Hyun.” It gives it a more western appeal. It means virtuous or worthy.
17. Hilliard: The name was used for boys, but now it’s more gender-neutral. It has English origins, and it means battle guard. You can also drop the “i” on either side and replace it with a “y.”
18. Jaspreet: This is a great Indian name that both men and women carry. It means someone who praises the Lord.
19. Jourdain: This is a nice French unisex name that means flowing down. Alternative spelling would be “Jourdayn” or “Jordain.”    
20. Kieran: This name is interesting because a sixth-century saint had this name. It has Irish roots, and it means dark or black.
21. Kamber: It has German roots, and it’s named after an old occupation called comb making. Another variation is Kymber.
22. Lux: This name is Greek, and it means light. It also comes from the word “luz,” which is Spanish and has the same meaning.
23. Louvain: This unusual name is actually the name of a city located in Belgium. “Leuven” is the alternative version, but also a great name.
24. Marquette: This name is French, so it sounds very rich and exquisite. It means one who owns land.
25. Madan: This name originates from India, and it means God of love. An alternative spelling is Madaan.
26. Misha: In Russia, it is used as a man’s name, but it works well as a unisex name. It means gift from God.
27. Rami: This is an Arabic name, and it means someone who is good marksmen. Another variation would be “Ramie” or “Ramy.”
28. River: This is a name that is reminiscent of nature. It means a body of water and is a great unisex name.  
29. Sydney: It means big island, and it has English roots. It’s also a city in Australia. The first “y” can be replaced with “i” for an alternative spelling.
30. Sabriel: It has English origins, and it means God’s hero.
31. Tyme: This is an alternative spelling of “time.” You can add “h” to make it “Thyme” like the herb.
32. Trinity: It has Latin and Spanish roots, and it means threefold or triad.
33. Tristan: It means bold, and it has Celtic and Welsh roots.
34. Voss: It means fox in German. Usually a boy’s name, but it’s a great unisex fit.
35. Yarden: It means Jordan in Hebrew, but the name is unisex.
36. Yancy: Nancy with the “n” removed for “y,” which makes it unisex.
37. Yonah: It comes from the Hebrew word “Yonina,” which means dove.
38. Zene: It has originated from Africa, and it means beautiful or gorgeous.
39. Zajac: This name is Polish, and it means rabbit.
40. Zayn: This is an Arabic name, and it means beautiful. An alternative spelling is “Zyn.”

What’s in a name? Everything from personality to potential. Some last names like Jones, Smith, and Williams have persevered over time and are still holding the frontline. Meanwhile, others have gradually begun to lose their vitality. These names are now threatening to fade into the background.

Some names are so common that if you walked into a crowded theater anywhere in the world and yell, “John!” A few heads are bound to turn towards you. Yet there are some last names that you may fail to find more than 5 people bearing it in a city of over 500,000 people.

List of Rare Last Names and Their Meaning

But there is a big difference between a less common name and a truly rare one. Check out this list of the 15 rarest last names in the world.

1. Fernsby

This is an English name that originated in the earliest century but seemed to have lost most of its vitality over the years. The name means a house or location near a fern. A fern is a plant that has no flowers and is currently very popular in West Africa.

2. Villin or Villan

As you may have already guessed, this name is the old English word for what we have as a villain today. People used to refer to aggressive untrustworthy people this way, and the name stuck.

3. MacQuoid

Most names that start with Mac are of Scottish origin, and so it is assumed that MacQuoid must be from Scotland as well. There are just two recorded people living in England with this last name. The name means obscure. Unlike names like MacDonald, MacPherson, this particular last name is very difficult to come by.

4. Culpepper

Around the time people started referring to William, who was a blacksmith, as William Smith was the same time people started calling Sabrina, who was a herbalist, Sabrina Culpeper. Although the name means someone who plucks herbs, it also could mean a false prophet. This is understandable as people used to worship some of the herbalists back then.

5. Tumbler

You may have seen and heard of glass tumblers, those tall glass cups, but this word was used to describe acrobats whose main stunt involved tumbling. The word was derived from the English term, tombere, which means a dancer. Now, most people that bear that surname are in Scotland.

6. Birdwhistle

Birdwhistle is a name so rare that, currently, less than 10 people in the world have it as a surname. Do you know any Birdwhistles? The name is made up of two distinct English words bird and whistle. It is related to some lost medieval villages like Birtwisle and others.

7. Bread

Believe it or not, people had surnames like Bread. Yes, the famous breakfast food, bread. Since most early English people were proud bakers, bakers were cherished for their amazing bread. Names like these have slowly died out, and old very few people still answer those surnames. Besides, the teasing now would be relentless.

8. Ajax

If you are familiar with programing language, then you must have heard of Ajax. It is of Welsh origin and started in the 17th century. It’s believed that the name migrated from France to the United States during the religious persecution.

9. Edevane

This name is of Welsh origin and had two words, Ed from Old English, meaning prosperity and happiness, and Evane, which means little. It means a little happy one.

10. Shor

This means the bull, and it originated from the Hebrew and Turkic languages. But that is not all, in southern Siberia, there is a tribe called the Shor people.

11. Seaberg

This is a half translation of the name Sjoberg. Sjo is the Swedish name for the sea, hence Seaberg. Berg also means mountain.

12. Salem

The series Salem may have made the name very popular, but the same thing cannot be said about people bearing the last name Salem. It is Arabic for Peace, and also refers to a medieval village in England.

13. Regner

In Germany, Regner used to refer to someone from the village Regen. It is also a name that originated from the old Norse tribe. The name means warrior judgment. It is derived from old Norse name Ragnar. If you are a Vikings fan, then you know it

14. Pickrell 

This was originally the name of a fish. Whatever the characteristics of this fish made people start referring to very hot-tempered people as Pickrell.

15. Nakashima

Nakashima can also be called Nakajima and is one of the Asian last names that are very difficult to come across except in movies. This word means isolated, or island.

Obviously, not every trend sticks. And the same can be said about last names. Some surnames are better left to history books. 

Spanish last names are as popular as the language and culture from which they originate. Many last names of Spanish origin have spread across the globe due to colonization and immigration. They can be found in Spain, Mexico, South America, Central America, the Philippines, and the Caribbean islands. In Spanish households, the last name of a person includes the father’s as well as the mother’s last name. Here is a list of the 20 most common Spanish last names.

1. Hernández

The last name Hernández means “son of Hernan.” The majority of people bearing this last name live in Mexico. 

2. López

This Spanish last name is incredibly widespread, especially in countries like Mexico, Spain, the US, and the UK. López means “son of Lope,”, which is derived from the Latin word “Lupus.” It means “wolf” in Latin.

3. García

García means “young” in Basque and is very common in the Iberian Peninsula, Americas, France, and the Philippines. It is also believed to have come from the Basque word Hartz, which means “bear.”

4. Rodrìguez

Rodrìguez is the Spanish variant of the Germanic last name, Roderick. In German, it means “famous power.” In Latin, it means “son of Rodrigo.” People who have this last name live in Latin America and Spain, mainly.

5. Sánchez

This last name means “son of Sancho.” It is derived from the Latin word Sanctus, which translates to “holy or saintly.” Sánchez originates from Spain and is common throughout much of Latin America.

6. Alonso

Alonso is the Spanish variant of the last name, “Alfonso,” which has Germanic origins. The last name means “noble and ready.” Many emperors who ruled parts of modern-day Portugal and Spain had this name.

7. Gómez

This typical Spanish surname comes from “Gomes,” which is an Old Galician and Portuguese surname. Gomis is the Catalan variant of the surname. Goma means “man” and the suffix -ez means “descendent of.”

8. Pérez

The family name Pérez translates to “son of Pedro.” Pedro is the Spanish version of Peter. Pérez has distinct Jewish roots. This is why the family name also originated from Israel.

9. Díaz

Díaz means “son of Diego.” Diego means “teaching” in Greek. Díaz is also believed to have originated from the Spanish word “dias,” or days. Apart from Latin America, the surname is also commonly found in Southern Italy.

10. Torres

Torres is a common Spanish and Portuguese last name. It comes from the Latin word “turris,” which means “towers.” In Italy, it is considered a Spanish-Jewish surname.

11. Romero

Romero is not just common in Spanish, but in Italian as well. It means “pilgrim to Rome.” It is also the Spanish word for the herb rosemary. Because of Spanish colonization, Romero is a popular Filipino surname.

12. Castro

The surname originates from the Iberian Peninsula and comes from the Latin word for “fortification.” Its English variant is Chester. 

13. Gutiérrez

Gutiérrez is the Spanish version of English last names like Watson, Walters, and Watkins. Gutiérrez means “son of Gutierre,” which means “ruler of the army” in German.

14. Fernández

Fernández means “brave traveler” in German and refers to the “son of Fernando” is Spanish. Fernández is common in Spanish-speaking nations as well as former Spanish colonies.

15. Martínez

This common Spanish last name means “son of Martin,” Martin meaning “Mars” in Latin. Martínez is widely used in Spanish colonies and also shared in neighboring European nations due to emigration.  

16. González

González means “son of Gonzalo.” Gonzalo means “war.” The surname is one the most common surnames in Spain, United States, and many South American countries.

17. Jiménez

In Spanish, the last name Jiménez refers to “son of Jimeno.” It is derived from the Hebrew word Simon which translates to “he has heard.” Most people bearing the Jiménez surname reside in Mexico.

18. Domínguez

This surname means “son of Domingo.” Its Latin variant “Dominicus” means “lordly.” Domínguez is popular in the US and Philippines, along with many Spanish speaking countries.

19. Navarro

Navarro is a common Spanish, French, and Italian last name. Navarro was a topographical surname used to denote a person from Navarre. The surname means “plain next to mountains” in Basque.

20. Ortega

Ortega is a topographical Spanish last name, referring to the many villages of this name in the region. It is from the Latin word Urtica which means “nettle.” The surname is common in Latin America.

Conclusion

Spanish last names are all around the world. Tracing where they are found, and the fact that they are so commonly found, gives us considerable insight into the history of Spain and its many colonies.

Choosing a baby name that implies strength is more than just picking a baby name with the meaning “strength.” Some names suggest power, vitality, and brawn just in the way it sounds or in what people associate with it. While a name like Rose may conjure images of a pretty, fair-skinned girl with pink cheeks, the name Hilde draws an independent, outspoken warrior — probably a girl you would get angry.

Here are some other baby names you may want to consider if you’re going to choose a name that implies strength.

1. Liam

The name Liam is famous among Hollywood and just reminds you of someone who is destined for greatness. The name means “courageous defender or strong-willed” and is of Irish origin. Derived from the name William, its derivative may make you think of royalty or a knight in shining armor. But with a Liam, you should expect rebellion, energy, and strength.  Famous Liams include actors Liam Neeson and Liam Fox.

2. Audrey

This name has its roots deep in English culture and belongs to actor and icon Audrey Hepburn. Though she is most associated with class and poise, she is also associated with strength and courage. Hepburn’s humanitarian acts and excellent acting skills immortalized her in cultural history. She even helped the Resistance during World War II, which took an incredible amount of courage. The name Audrey means “noble strength,” and she did right by it.

3. Arya

Contrary to what people may think, Arya is not a name that was made up for “Game of Thrones.” In Hebrew and Aramaic, it means “lioness” or “noble goddess.” Whoever heard of a weak lioness? This name is a fantastic way to capture your daughter’s strong personality. 

4. Griffin

Griffin has its roots in Welsh culture and translates to “Strong Lord.” If you know your mythology, you may be familiar with the mythological creatures called griffins or gryphons. They are formidable enemies and a force to be reckoned with. Naming your child Griffin will surely make one think of a strong, healthy baby.

5. Gabriella

Gabriella literally translates to “God is my strength” and is the feminine form of the name Gabriel, an archangel of Abrahamic religions. Nicknames for Gabriella include Ella, Gabby, or Gabe. 

6. Maximus

The name Maximus means “greatest” or “largest,” and it certainly sounds that way just by saying it. It conjures up images of mighty ancient Roman gladiators and emperors — and we all remember the great Magnus Maximus. Pick up a history book if you are considering naming your child Maximus, and you’ll see why it is one of the best names to choose if looking for strength.

7. Valerie

This name is more than just a name befitting for a beautiful princess; it is also the name of a princess who can save the day herself! It means “brave” in French and “strong” in English. Its masculine counterpart is Valerius, which also implies boldness and good health. Besides being a great name, the nickname for Valerie, Vale, is perfect.

8. Bernadette

Bernadette is not just your favorite character on “The Big Bang Theory,” it is also the name of someone who is “as brave as a bear.” This name is very famous in Ireland because of Saint Bernadette.

9. Ethan

This name has origins in English, French, and Hebrew. It means “firm,” “strong,” and “enduring.” Some famous Ethans who have lived up to this name include Ethan Allan, the American revolutionary, and leader of the Green Mountain Boys, and actor Ethan Hawk.

10. Andrew

Andrew is of Greek origin and means “manly,” “warrior,” or “full of strength.” From princes to commoners, Andrews have done right by their name. It has been held by three rulers of Hungary, controversial American political figure Andrew Jackson, and beloved “Toy Story” character Andy. 

Conclusion

When choosing a name for strength, pick a name that also captures the baby’s personality and a name with which you can connect. Remember, a name that implies strength doesn’t have to mean strength. For instance, Rosa may not mean “strength,” but the name Rosa Parks does. Having a courageous historical figure as a namesake is just as effective as naming a child something that literally translates into a characteristic of the word strength.