Modern Baby Names for Girls and Boys

What defines a modern name? Is it a name that trendy? Popular? Unique? Modern names are those that represent the here and now. Just as we’re able to look back and pin Heather's and Ashley's to the 1980s, and Kaylie's and Kylie's to the 1990s, so future generations will look back on today’s modern names as characteristic of the 2010s. 

Invent Your Own Unique Name

Parents who struggle to find unique names for their babies may resort to inventing one of their own. Trista and Ryan Sutter of The Bachelorette fame did just that by bestowing a name of their own creating on their daughter: Blakesley. Twilight vampires Edward and Bella Cullen named their baby girl Renesmee (Bella’s mom is Renee; Edward’s mom is Esme). The invented name Nevaeh (that’s Heaven spelled backwards) is on the Social Security Administration’s most recent Top 100 Girls Names.

Other made-up names on record include Rozea, Adria, Jennykah, Alisamber, Kizzy, Everleigh, Cazen, and Kisten for girls, and Jaska, Ganix, Beckett, Brieth and Don’tavious. Incredibly, such newly fashioned names quickly catch on and become part of a modern trend. 

For more ideas, read Create Your Own Baby Name

Unique Spellings of Baby Names

One of the easiest ways to make a traditional name more modern is to simply change its spelling.  Consider the very popular name Aiden. Modern spellings include Aidan, Aydan, Aden, Adin, Ayden and Aydin, among others. Substitute the letter “y” for the letter “i.” Use a “c” instead of a “k” (or vice versa).

Some other modern examples of unique spellings include:

Baileigh (Bailey)
Ehdd (Ed)
Emalee (Emily)
Errick (Eric)
Geordin (Jordan)
 Jakeb (Jacob)
Jayeson (Jason)
Kersty (Kirstie)
Keven (Kevin)
Khristopher (Christopher)
Leisa (Lisa)
Loukas (Lucas)
Lylah (Lila)
McEnzie (Mackenzie)
Melyssah (Melissa)
Mikayla (Michaela)
Nikhole (Nicole)
Osten (Austin)
Pryce (Price)

Also check out: Unique Spellings: The New Twist on Baby Names

Old Fashioned Names Made New

Go back in time, and you’ll discover once-popular names that are now forgotten. Old names like John and Mary really stand out among the countless Jaydens and Emmas out there. Turn of the century (the 1900s, that is) gems include Mary, Charles, Ruth, Hilda, Elmer, Ethel, Agnes and Bernice.
The Roaring 20s gave us Cecil, Gladys, Dorothy, Gertrude and Vernon. The Great Depression followed with names like Patsy, Wilma, Shirley, Richard, and Leo.

Old Hollywood boasted wonderful names that will seem truly unique in these modern times: Bette, Buster, Claudette, Errol, Ginger, Greta, Humphrey, Ingrid, Rita, Vivien and Yul. 

For more ideas, check out Top 50 Classic Girl Names and Top 50 Classic Boy Names.

Other Baby Name Ideas:

Cool Baby Names 

Elite Baby Names for Girls and Boys

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