Lake sails in from the English word for a still, shimmering body of water—originally Old English lacu and Latin lacus—and it carries that glassy calm wherever it goes. As a unisex choice, it whispers “serenity” for a daughter and “steadfast depth” for a son, like two sides of the same glimmering coin. Parents picture sunrise mist curling over un lago esmeralda and feel their hearts skip a beat; who wouldn’t want that postcard peace bottled up in a baby name? It has quietly rippled through U.S. birth records for more than a century, never making tsunamis on the charts but always refusing to dry up—proof that its appeal is steady as a mountain reservoir. Modern touchstones help, too: actor-director Lake Bell gives it Hollywood sparkle, while outdoorsy families hear echoes of paddleboards, campfires, and wind-kissed freedom. For moms and dads hunting a name that feels fresh, fluid, and eternally cool, Lake offers an easy-to-spell oasis—¡una ola de frescura!—in the crowded desert of baby-naming.