We’re told to stay away from anything remotely popular, and choices like Noah and Olivia are passed by as too mainstream. After all, having your son answer to Logan K. will certainly be tragic. But we also get told that Achilles-Huckleberry is too weird and Chrysanthemum will be ruthlessly tormented by her peers. So, parents have started seeking out a middle ground: names that feel familiar and usable, but won’t appear in every school nationwide. They’re recognizable and relatively easy to say and spell for most. And that’s where this list comes in. Today, I’ve collected 50 boy and girl names that rank in between the late 300s and early 500s, distinct but not strange. I’ve accompanied each name with a brief description of popularity and meaning. Offbeat classics, overlooked alternatives, and surname style names are included, and this topic is thanks to the request of a lovely reader of mine. So let’s get started with some familiar names from team blue!
Boys
Julius- A strong alternative to the more popular Julian, this Latin name meaning “youthful” ranks at #350.
Rory- Although this name is creeping up the ranks for girls, it remains a playful and thoroughly Irish choice at #358 for team blue.
Desmond- A surname choice with unusual yet friendly nickname Dez, this handsome Irish moniker hovers at #369.
Seth- Soft, biblical, and strong, this one syllable name meaning “appointed” remains a pretty rare choice at #380.
Clark- Ranking at #387, Clark is a crisp and clear boy name that’s just familiar enough to be easily pronounced and spelled correctly.
Sullivan- This Irish surname has a lively feel, quirky nicknames Sully and Van, and the perfect popularity: #399.
Harvey- A handsome French name with a vintage undertone and an attention grabbing middle V, it’s a shock he only ranks at #404.
Sterling- Rugged and serious, this English name meaning “of the highest quality” is simply spelled and little-used at #409.
Grady- A lovely blend of Grayson and Brady, Grady is an Irish name meaning “noble” that currently ranks at a surprisingly low #411.
Franklin- A classic alternative to the trending Theodore, Franklin ranks at a meager #422 and comes with rambunctious short form Frankie.
Otto- Despite the fact that this whimsical German choice currently holds #427, the hot -o ending will most likely propel this stunner to the top of the charts.
Callum- Meaning “dove,” this Scottish appellation has a familiar sound and a nickname proof format and ranks at #448.
Sage- A unisex herb name that means “wise,” Sage ranks at #449 and is adored for his soft but strong sound.
Jonas- A variation of the more mainstream Jonah but with less than half the popularity at #435, this name is literary thanks to Lois Lowry’s The Giver and fits in with Tobias and Co. as well.
Hugo- Hugo fits in with Milo and Theo, but with a more timeless flavor and the lower ranking of #460.
Dexter- An energetic baby name choice with the magic letter X, Dexter, at #464, makes the perfect alternative to Arthur.
Baker- Occupational and surname style Baker seems like a lovely modern choice for a little boy at #471.
Frederick- A classic but fresh German boy name, Frederick ranks at #475 and means
“peaceful ruler” as well as has an abundance of nicknames.
Forrest- Although Forrest sounds like too wild a nature name to belong on this list, he does have a handsome and striking quality despite only occupying #491.
Phillip- Another offbeat classic, Phillip comes with cute nickname Pip, and only ranks at #505.
Asa- This Biblical moniker meaning “healer” comes with modern nickname Ace and ranks at #510, a solid, masculine choice.
Raphael- A beautiful cross-cultural option, Raphael ranks at a mere #521 and comes with his sweet short form Rafe.
Conrad- Versatile and with a strong meaning, Conrad blends the sounds of Connor into a rarer mold and tops it all off with the meaning “brave counsel” and low popularity ranking of #523.
Davis- A modern and stylish way to honor a David, Davis means “beloved,” but currently is on a popularity fall, ranking #537 at the moment.
Soren- A soft and serious Danish name that ranks at #551, Soren is simple and gentle, perfect for parents who prefer softer boy names.
Girls
Willa- Elegant and an understated classic, Willa is stunning and ranks at #354, not to mention up and coming short form Billie.
Veronica- Another alternative for a more popular name, the lovely Latin Veronica is a beautiful substitute for Victoria, ranking at only #359.
Felicity- A fluid Latin moniker meaning “happy,” Felicity is a feminine and flowing treasure that ranks at #361 in 2019.
Gwendolyn- Nicknames Gwen and Wendy perfectly straddle rare and common, and her ranking of #370 suggests the same.
Celeste- French and lilting with the meaning “heavenly,” Celeste is simply spelled, but rare and eye-catching at only #374.
Sabrina- Although this Celtic name took quite the hit after the teenage witch, it remains an intriguing and familiar choice at #391.
Hallie- Hallie was put in the public eye by the Brits, another addition to the Tillie-Millie-Evie trend, but Hallie really hit it off with Americans as well, causing this English name to rank at #398.
Gia- Short, sweet, and a lovely alternative to Mia, this Italian name meaning “God’s gracious gift” ranks at #412 and is a lively and sweet choice.
Nadia- A Russian appellation that carries a certain strength, Nadia ranks at #415 and has the uplifting meaning of “hope.”
Serena- A strikingly feminine and soft choice that sounds lovely, Serena ranks at #424, and very fittingly means “serene.”
Daphne- Mirroring the effortless fluidity of past favorite Stephanie, this Greek name meaning “laurel tree” is sweet and sassy at #432.
Esme- Pronunciation may be potentially confusing (EZ-may) but otherwise, Esme has earned her title of #433 and more with her endearing and familiar sound and sweet meaning.
Mabel- A rare sister to vintage Alice, Mabel is retro through and through, meaning “loveable” and ranking at #440.
Matilda- A feisty vintage revival, this German name famous for her bright literary namesake has risen to #447 for her playful nickname Tilly and her meaning, “battle-mighty”.
Mira- With Mila soaring to all new heights, Mira should certainly follow, although her current rank of #455 isn’t necessarily high despite her simple but pretty sound.
Ainsley- A beautiful addition to the Ashley trend of past decades, Ainsley is a Scottish name that ranks at #475 this year.
Eve- The pinnacle of understated beauty and simplicity, this Hebrew name meaning “life” ranks at #485 for her grace and brief format as well as nickname Evie.
Francesca- Elaborate, Italian, and nickname rich, Francesca ranks at #491 and means “free,” with short forms including Frankie, Chessie, and Frannie.
Colette- An underused elegant French name at #496, Colette is delicate and sweet, meaning “people of victory.”
Sierra- This Spanish name ranking at #499 feels fresh despite following a familiar girl name pattern and serves as an excellent replacement for the more popular Sienna.
Leona- Merging the trendiness of Leo and Fiona, Leona sounds perfectly fit for 2020, and feels familiar but special at #511.
Maren- This tailored yet feminine revival means “sea,” and ranks at #514, beloved for her strength and beauty.
Sylvia- Sylvia feels as vintage as it gets, a Latin name meaning “from the forest,” that ranks at a surprisingly high #515.
Astrid- Her meaning “divinely beautiful” pretty much describes this Scandi stunner, who ranks at #518 as of recent data.
Azalea- A flower name with a more exotic vibe than traditional Rose, Azalea fascinates parents who want a name that pops, hence earning her the #531 ranking.
And that concludes my list of 50 baby names that are different but not weird. I hope you found a couple options that fit your style as well as your popularity criteria, and that you discovered some new and fresh choices as well.
Sincerely,
~Delphina Moon
Did I miss any? Do you prefer radical and rare names or well-known and established monikers better? Let me know by submitting my form under the Contact tab!
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