Walden

Walden ~ Welsh Valley ~ Old English

The more I think about this name, the more it draws me in. It's appealing on every level, including its literary vibe, trendy sound, surname style, and nature name qualities.

Girls' Names Beginning with W

My quest to find the perfect girls' name beginning with W goes back to my days as a child in my mom's daycare. She only had a few other kids, but one of them was a beautiful baby named Whitney. Adoring the child and the name just went hand-in-hand for me. It was the early 80s and I loved everything to do with my era. Sequins, legwarmers, Lisa Frank, Michael Jackson, crimped hair in a side ponytail...if it was 80s, I loved it. The name Whitney was, of course, inspired by the iconic 80s star Whitney Houston, but the name had more staying power than some of its counterparts.

Wyatt

Updated Sept 2015

Wyatt ~ Strength in War ~ Old English

Wyatt is quickly becoming a stylish name. It had seen a slow rise in popularity beginning in the 80s, until a little movie called Wyatt Earp came out in 1994. This epic silver screen hit cast Kevin Costner as the lead and was nominated for an academy award. And that's what lit the flame behind Wyatt's super-hot chart-climbing status. It jumped up 178 places that year, and the momentum has continued ever since.

Its history as the name of the famous sheriff of the wild west gives the name serious cowboy overtones. If you have a western lifestyle or a flair for country music, for example, you might love this choice. (Find more western names here.) You also might love it if you're looking for something that stands out from the typical trendy names for boys but is still fashionable. With its double -tt ending, Wyatt is perfectly contemporary and refreshingly western at the same time.

Popularity
The name Zane is probably Wyatt's biggest cowboy competition in names right now, but it's much less popular and ranks in the 200s. Wyatt is on the same level in my mind as a name like Rhett. It's totally cute, and a little iconic.

Recent statistics show it's on an upward trend and it's a more popular choice than many people might expect. Wyatt is ranked at #39 for 2014 in the US.

Wyatt for girls?
If you're worried this name has a chance to cross over to unisex territory, I can reassure you that it won't. Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher created a huge stir when they chose Wyatt for their daughter, but there were very, very few copycats. Specifically, only 14 girls born last year were given the name Wyatt, and one of those girls was a Kutcher. It's nowhere near the top 1,000 for girls. I think Wyatt has loads of masculine appeal and it will continue to strike us all as a charming boys' name.

Celebrity Babies

• Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher's daughter Wyatt Isabelle
• Eric Christian Olsen and Sarah Wright's son Wyatt Oliver
• Sheryl Crow's son Wyatt Steven
• Kevin Costner's son Cayden Wyatt
• Actor Wyatt Russell, Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell's son

Famous Wyatts & Pop Culture

• Famous Wyatts in history
• Wyatt Earp, western officer of the law
• Thomas Wyatt, poet and knight, suitor of Anne Boleyn
• The TV show Charmed featured a baby named Wyatt, he's the son of the main character