200 Cool Names for Girls and Boys 2024

So you want a cool name for your baby girl or boy? Well, that's understandable. Nobody wants to risk making a blooper when it comes to a decision as big as naming your baby. Naturally, you want your cool kid to grow up and love their name throughout their life.

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But what exactly does ‘cool’ mean? It’s a bit of a subjective term that can mean different things to different people. For many folk, ‘cool’ is interchangeable with ‘trendy’, whether you’re leading from the front and blazing a trail, or simply coasting along with the latest baby name trends.

Mainly, we think a ‘cool name’ is something a little bit out there - but not too much - that will make folk give a little nod and say ‘Oh, now that’s a cool name’ when you introduce them to your baby.

How we chose the top cool baby names

To give you an idea of baby name trends, there’s no better place to start than the latest ONS baby name list, released in October 2022. Each year, the ONS analyses birth registrations in England and Wales, noting frequencies and listing the 100 most popular names for baby girls and baby boys. As these lists evolve year on year, they give a fascinating insight into the latest baby naming trends.

As part of our research into cool names for babies, we checked out the ONS lists for England and Wales, along with lists from the Central Statistics Office for Ireland and the National Records of Scotland.

When it comes to choosing a cool name for your baby, you may opt for one from the top 100 lists - there are plenty of cool names for both boys and girls within them. Alternatively, you may actively look to choose a name way outside the ‘most popular’ lists to ensure that your baby is the only one at nursery with their name. After all, there’s nothing cooler than being an original. Mumsnet user Smogtopia reckons: “The only names really standing out as cool at the moment are names that are underused.”

When compiling this guide to cool baby names, we wanted to ensure that we were all over the very latest baby naming trends. So where did we go? TikTok. See, that’s where a host of parenting influencers share their thoughts on cool names for babies in 2024 so we knew we’d be able to hit on all the most up-to-date baby naming trends.

Naturally, we also scoured our own baby names articles - including most popular baby names, boy names and girl names. We also looked at our very own Mumsnet Baby Names forum to see what parents had to say about their favourite cool baby names and baby naming trends in general.

During our extensive research, we uncovered a few interesting 2024 baby-naming trend themes to inspire you. Here are some of them:

Short and striking
Nordic chic
Nature and weather
Surnames as first names
Outer space
Bands and musicians
Calendar months and days of the week
‘Old money’ traditional classics
Wild West
Vintage mid-century faves

We’ve explained these trends more fully at the end of the article but, for now, let’s grab our oat milk lattes and check out the top 200 cool names for girls and boys.

Cool girl names

1. Ada

Origin: German
Meaning: Noble

2. Agnes

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Pure, holy

3. Alba

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Sunrise

4. Ally (or Allie)

Origin: English
Meaning: Noble

5. Alma

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Nourishing, kind

6. Amanda

Origin: Latin
Meaning: To love

7. Amara (or Amarah)

Origin: Igbo (African)
Meaning: Grace or mercy

8. Anais

Origin: French
Meaning: Grace

9. Astrid

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: Divinely beautiful

10. Autumn

Origin: English
Meaning: Referring to the season Autumn

11. Ayda

Origin: Arabic, Turkish
Meaning: Returning visitor, moon

12. Bibi

Origin: Irish
Meaning: The exalted one

13. Birdie

Origin: English
Meaning: Refers to a little bird

14. Bea

Origin: Italian, Latin origin (diminutive of Beatrice, Beatrix)
Meaning: She who blesses or bringer of joy

15. Carmen

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Song or poem

16. Caroline

Origin: Italian, French, Scottish
Meaning: Strong or free woman

17. Clementine

Origin: French
Meaning: Merciful or kind

18. Cleo

Origin: English
Meaning: Glory

19. Coco

Origin: French
Meaning: Victorious

20. Coralie

Origin: French

Meaning: Coral

21. Daisy

Origin: English
Meaning: From the flower

22. Dinah

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Vindicated

23. Eden

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Paradise

24. Elena

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Bright, shining light

25. Elise

Origin: French
Meaning: Consecrated to God

26. Eira

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Snow

27. Elizabeth

Origin: English
Meaning: My God is an oath

28. Erin

Origin: Irish
Meaning: Ireland

29. Etta

Origin: English, Italian
Meaning: Little rose

30. Felicity

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Good fortune

31. Gia

Origin: Italian
Meaning: God is gracious

32. Gloria

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Glory

33. Indigo

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Blue dye

34. Iris

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Rainbow

35. Ivy

Origin: English
Meaning: The evergreen Ivy plant

36. Jane

Origin: English
Meaning: God is gracious

37. Joanie

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: God is gracious

38. June

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Youthful, derived from the Roman Goddess Juno

39. Kate

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Pure

40. Kiki

Origin: French, Spanish
Meaning: Double happiness or noble

41. Lara

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Laurel leaf

42. Leni

Origin: German
Meaning: Bright or shining

43. Lila (or Lyla)

Origin: Persian, Arabic
Meaning: Youthful innocence or night

44. Liv

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: Life, protection, shelter or warmth

45. Lucille

Origin: French
Meaning: Light

46. Luella

Origin: French, German
Meaning: Famed warrior

47. Luna

Origin: Italian
Meaning: Moon

48. Lumi

Origin: Finnish
Meaning: Beauty and purity of snow

49. Mabel

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Loveable

50. Maeve

Origin: Irish
Meaning: She who rules

51. Mara

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Bitter

52. Marnie

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Of the sea

53. Marianne

Origin: French
Meaning: Drop of the sea, bitter, beloved and grace

54. Marigold

Origin: English
Meaning: Golden flower

55. Margot

Origin: French
Meaning: Pearl

56. Mary

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Drop of the sea, bitter or beloved

57. May (or Mae)

Origin: English
Meaning: The fifth month

58. Meadow

Origin: English
Meaning: A field of grass or wildflowers

59. Nala

Origin: African (Swahili), Arabic
Meaning: Queen

60. Niamh (or Neave)

Origin: Irish
Meaning: Brightness or radiance

61. Nina

Origin: Native American
Meaning: Strong or mighty

62. Noa

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Motion or movement

63. Olive

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Olive tree

64. Opal

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Precious gem

65. Pearl

Origin: Latin, English
Meaning: Precious

66. Penelope

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Weaver

67. Petra

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Rock signifying strength and stability

68. Rae

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Dark bird

69. Ramona

Origin: Spanish, German
Meaning: Wise protector

70. Raya

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Friend

71. René (or Renée)

Origin: French
Meaning: Reborn

72. Rita

Origin: Spanish, Italian
Meaning: Pearl

73. Romy

Origin: Latin (diminutive of Rosemary)
Meaning: Dew of the sea

74. Rosa

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Rose flower

75. Sadie

Origin: Hebrew (originally a diminutive of Sarah)
Meaning: Princess

76. Sara

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Princess

77. Seren

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Star

78. Sorcha (or Saoirse)

Origin: Irish
Meaning: Bright, shining

79. Stella

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Star

80. Sylvie

Origin: French
Meaning: From the forest

81. Sunday

Origin: Norse
Meaning: Of the sun god Sunna

82. Tara

Origin: Irish
Meaning: Star

83. Tove

Origin: Scandinavian
Meaning: Beautiful

84. Vita

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Life

85. Vivienne

Origin: French
Meaning: Life

86. Wynona

Origin: Native American
Meaning: Firstborn daughter

87. Wynter (or Winter)

Origin: English
Meaning: The winter season

88. Zara

Origin: Arabic
Meaning: Blossoming flower

89. Zena

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Life or woman

What Mumsnetters say about cool girl names

“Marianne… I LOVE it. And Marianne Faithfull was/is super super cool. Uber rock chick, 60s beatnik babe/’it’ girl and Mick Jagger’s girlfriend for those who don’t know her.” - Mumsnet user, ANoiseAnnoys

“I love the name Sadie. It oozes cool.” - Mumsnet user, SilverBranchGoldenPears

“Stella is lovely. Star would be a nice nickname.” - Mumsnet user, Ellemau

Cool boy names

90. Abel

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Breath

91. Ace

Origin: English
Meaning: One who excels, number one

92. Albert

Origin: German
Meaning: Noble

93. Alfred

Origin: English
Meaning: Wise counsellor

94. Ambrose

Origin: Latin, Greek name
Meaning: Immortal

95. Angelo

Origin: Italian
Meaning: Messenger, angel

96. Archer

Origin: English
Meaning: Bowman

97. Arlo

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Fortified hill

98. Arthur

Origin: Celtic, Welsh
Meaning: Bear-like

99. August

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Majestic

100. Axel

Origin: German
Meaning: Father of peace

101. Bear

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Bear

102. Beck

Origin: English
Meaning: Stream

103. Benjamin

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Son of the right hand

104. Bowie

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Blond, fair-haired

105. Brody (or Brodie)

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Broad eye

106. Buzz

Origin: American (derived from Busby)
Meaning: Village in the woods

107. Cain

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Spear, possessed

108. Caleb

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Faithful

109. Casper

Origin: Persian
Meaning: Treasurer

110. David

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Beloved

111. Dexter

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Skilled, right-handed

112. Donovan

Origin: Irish
Meaning: Dark warrior

113. Edward

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Wealthy guardian

114. Elias

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Yahweh is my God

115. Elijah

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Yahweh is my God

116. Elvis

Origin: Scandinavian
Meaning All-wise

117. Emmett

Origin: German
Meaning: Universal, whole

118. Enzo

Origin: Italian
Meaning: Ruler of the home

119. Evan

Origin: Welsh (derived from Iefan)
Meaning: Young warrior or God is good/gracious

120. Ezra

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Help or helper

121. Fox

Origin: English
Meaning: Cunning and referring to the animal fox

122. Gabe

Origin: Hebrew (derived from Gabriel)
Meaning: Man of God

123. Gene

Origin: Greek (derived from Eugene)
Meaning: Well-born, noble

124. Harrison

Origin: English
Meaning: Son of Harry or son of Henry

125. Heath

Origin: English
Meaning: Heathland

126. Henry

Origin: German
Meaning: Ruler of the household

127. Hudson

Origin: English
Meaning: Son of Hugh

128. Hugo

Origin: German
Meaning: Spirit

129. Hunter

Origin: English
Meaning: One who hunts

130. Huxley

Origin: English
Meaning: Meadow

131. Ivan

Origin: Slavic
Meaning: God is gracious

132. Jackson

Origin: English
Meaning: Son of Jack

133. Jagger

Origin: English
Meaning: Carter or peddler

134. Jago

Origin: Spanish, Cornish (form of James or Jacob)
Meaning: Supplanter

135. Jake

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Supplanter

136. Jared

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Descent

137. Jasper

Origin: Persian
Meaning: Treasure

138. Jay

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Jaybird

139. Jed

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Beloved of the Lord

140. Jesse

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Gift

141. Jett

Origin: English
Meaning: Jet black

142. John

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: God is gracious

143. Jude

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Praised

144. Kit

Origin: English, Greek (diminutive of Christopher)
Meaning: Bearer of Christ

145. Knox (or Knoxx)

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Round hill

146. Louie

Origin: French
Meaning: Famous warrior

147. Lars

Origin: Scandinavian, Germanic
Meaning: Crowned with laurel

148. Leif

Origin: Scandinavian, Old Norse
Meaning: Descendant, heir

149. Lennon

Origin: Irish
Meaning: Lover

150. Lennox

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: With many elm trees

151. Levi

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Joined

152. Liam

Origin: Irish
Meaning: Resolute protector or strong-willed warrior

153. Luca

Origin: Italian
Meaning: Light

154. Nate

Origin: Hebrew (derived from Nathaniel)
Meaning: Gift of God

155. Ned

Origin: English
Meaning: Wealthy guardian

156. Nico

Origin: Greek (derived from Nicholas)

Meaning: Victory of the people

157. Matteo

Origin: Italian
Meaning: Gift of God

158. Odin

Origin: Scandinavian
Meaning: Frenzy, rage, inspiration

159. Otis

Origin: German
Meaning: Wealth

160. Paul

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Humble

161. Rafferty

Origin: Irish
Meaning: Abundance or one who will prosper

162. Rex

Origin: Latin
Meaning: King

163. Ringo

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Apple

164. Rocco

Origin: Italian
Meaning: Rest

165. Roman

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Of Rome

166. Rupert

Origin: German
Meaning: Bright fame

167. Saul

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Asked for, prayed for

168. Seth

Meaning: Hebrew
Origin: Appointed, placed

169. Silas

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Forest, woods

170. Stanley

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Stony clearing

171. Tate

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Cheerful

172. Vaughan

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Small, little

173. Wyatt

Origin: English
Meaning: Brave in battle

174. Xander (short for Alexander)

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Defender of the people

175. Yves

Origin: Breton
Meaning: Archer

176. Zac (or Zack/Zach)

Origin: Hebrew (derived from Zachary)
Meaning: God has remembered

177. Zane

Origin: Arabic
Meaning: Handsome

178. Zeke

Origin: Hebrew (derived from Ezekiel)
Meaning: God will strengthen

What Mumsnetters say about cool boy names

“My son is Emmett” - Mumsnet user, countydown1989

“I have a Jude who's almost nine. I know one other. It was my boy’s name since I was probably eight and my dad introduced me to the Beatles.” - Mumsnet user, MrsCharlieD

“I really like Zac. It sounds cool and is traditional but still sounds modern and is easy to say.” - Mumsnet user, Sandysandwich

Cool gender-neutral names

179. Alexis

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Helper or defender

180. Avery

Origin: English
Meaning: Ruler of elves

181. Bailey

Origin: English
Meaning: Bailiff, steward

182. Beau

Origin: French
Meaning: Handsome, beautiful

183. Billy (or Billie)

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: Will, desire

184. Blake

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Black or dark

185. Blythe

Origin: English
Meaning: Free spirit

186. Dylan

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Son of the sea

187. Harper

Origin: English
Meaning: Someone who plays the harp

188. Indy (or Indie)

Origin: English
Meaning: Derived from India or Indigo

189. Monroe

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Mouth of the River Roe

190. Morgan

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Sea circle

191. Rain

Origin: English
Meaning: Rain

192. Remi (or Remy)

Origin: French
Meaning: Rower

193. Raven

Origin: English
Meaning: Blackbird

194. Stevie

Origin: English
Meaning: Crown, garland

195. Storm

Origin: English
Meaning: Tempest

196. Syd

Origin: English
Meaning: Wide meadow

197. Taylor

Origin: English
Meaning: Tailor

198. Willow

Origin: English
Willow tree

199. Wren

Origin: English
Meaning: Small bird

200. Ziggy

Origin: German
Meaning: Victorious protector

What Mumsnetters say about cool gender-neutral names

“I think tomboy or androgynous names sound cool.” - Mumsnet user, tooorangey

“Personally I think the very coolest name of someone I know is a woman called Stevie. Not short for anything. I wish I was called that or Billie or something quite androgynous.” - Mumsnet user, MisterMagpie

How to choose a cool baby name

Keep it short - for many parents today, cool equates to short and striking three letter, one syllable names, which feel fresh and modern… Oh, hi there, Ace, Jett, Dot and Rae.
Embrace Nordic chic - names popular in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland are gaining popularity with UK parents for their simple beauty. Think Astrid, Axel, Tove and Lumi.
Look to nature and the weather for inspiration because names such as Daisy, Meadow, Bear, Fox, Rain and Storm are choices for cool cats right now. For cool verging on freezing cold, how about Eira, a Welsh name which means ‘snow’?
Love flower names? Good news, they fit in with the nature-inspired trend, but look to more underused options such as Rosa or Marigold.
Pick a surname for your baby’s first name. While surname names such as Parker and Taylor have long been cool over the pond in the USA, they’re now becoming increasingly popular with fashionable British parents for boys and girls.
Aim for the stars with a space-themed name such as Buzz (after Buzz Aldrin), Star or Stella (which means ‘star’), any of which would rocket your baby to coolness.
Names inspired by musicians and bands never go out of style - Ziggy and Bowie pay homage to the star man himself, David Bowie, while ONS analysts suggest that the stratospheric rise of Ezra in recent years could be, in part, down to the popularity of ‘Shotgun’ singer George Ezra.
Flick through your calendar for name ideas. Month, day season names are in mode right now. June, August, Sunday and Winter all spring (pun intended) to mind.
Opt for an ‘old money’ aka traditional aristo name with a timeless, classy vibe for your little prince or princess. Imagine swishing around a country estate with Caroline, Amanda, Vivienne and Henry and you’re on the right track, darling. And don’t forget Rupert, which made the top 100 list for the first time ever last year.
Go vintage - but not too far back in time. We’re all used to Victorian names which made a reappearance about 10 years ago. Now mid-century names (1950s and 1960s) are due a resurgence. We’re talking Paul, David, Mary and Gloria, which are all included in our 200 cool names lists above.
For another mid-century nod, how about more modern names paying tribute to stars of that era, including Lennon, Ringo, Harrison, Elvis, Monroe and Dylan?
To lasso a bit of the Wild West naming trend, consider names including Wyatt, Levi, Daisy and Pearl for your own little cowboy or cowgirl.
Keep your eye on popular culture if you’re looking for the next big baby naming trend, because new movies, TV series, music artists and bands can offer inspiration.

What is the coolest baby name?

A popular cool, short name for boys is Jude, which has been in the ONS top 100 since 2010. No surprise really given it pays homage to one of the Beatles’ greatest hits of all time. However, at number 40, it isn't too high up the chart - a crucial consideration when you're looking for a cool name for your baby boy.

A brand-new entry to the ONS top 100 boy name list is Brody (at number 90) which offers the sort of effortless surfer cool you might like for your baby boy, even if you happen to live in rainy Lancashire.

For girls, we like Olive (at number 74 in the chart). While it rose 25 places last year, it remains the cooler sister of Olivia, which has been top of the ONS list since 2016. Mumsnet user Hightemp confirms: “Olive… definitely for the cool mums.”

Outside the top 100 but still fairly popular are Stella and Etta, chic names with an edge of cool which have lovely meanings - ‘star’ and ‘little rose’ respectively.

What are cool unique names?

Gender-neutral names offer effortless cool. They’re still relatively unusual but gaining in popularity. Our favourites from our cool gender-neutral name lists are Raven and Storm, which are sure to have an impact when you introduce your little hipster at the local toddler group.

For girls, the Finnish name Lumi taps into the cool Nordic chic trend and has a lovely meaning - 'beauty' and 'purity of snow.' For boys, you can’t go far wrong with Donovan, an Irish name meaning ‘dark warrior’ which has loads of rock star cred and shortens to the undoubtedly adorable ‘Donnie’.

Believe it or not, though, some of the most unusual and freshest sounding names picked by parents today are from a few decades ago. This is where the mid-century trend comes in, with old school ‘mum and dad’ names making a comeback. As Mumsnet user CountToTen puts it: “Being called John or Jane these days is pretty unique.”

About the author

Louise Baty writes parenting content for Mumsnet, producing product round-ups, travel guides and baby name articles. She’s also written content for Mumsnet’s sister site, Gransnet.

Originally from West Yorkshire and now based in Nottinghamshire, Louise has worked as a features writer for consumer magazines and national newspapers for 20 years. She specialises in parenting and lifestyle features and emotional true life first-person interviews and has authored four non-fiction books on parenting and grandparenting.

Mum to two tweenagers, Louise’s own baby name choosing days may be long gone. However, she admits to having spent a LONG time deciding on her DCs’ names, together with her DP.

For this reason, Louise has a particular interest in baby names. She understands how difficult it can be to narrow down a short list from your long list of baby names, either during pregnancy or during the sleep-deprived days following the birth of your baby. By compiling comprehensive and easy-to-follow baby name round-ups for Mumsnet, she hopes to provide inspiration and support to parents-to-be who are looking for the perfect name for their baby.