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Nicholas Sparks' Character List

  1. Savannah

    • Origin:

      Spanish

    • Meaning:

      "flat tropical grassland"

    • Description:

      A place name with a deep Southern accent, the once-obscure Savannah shot to fame, with others of its genre, on the heels of the best seller Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which was set in the mossy Georgia city of Savannah. Originally a substitute for the overused Samantha, Savannah is now popular itself, long among the top girls' names starting with S.
  2. Julie

    • Origin:

      French from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "youthful, sky father"

    • Description:

      Wildly popular in the 1960s and '70s, Julie is no longer anywhere near as stylish as the name's longer forms. Try Juliet, Juliana, or even the more grownup Julia.
  3. Erin

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "from the island to the west"

    • Description:

      First-wave Irish name and place name—the poetic name for Ireland—now supplanted by newer alternatives such as Maeve and Delaney.
  4. Taylor

    • Origin:

      English occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "tailor"

    • Description:

      Taylor was much more popular throughout the 1990s for both genders than it is today. Close to the Top 50 boys' names in the mid-1990s, Taylor recently fell out of the Top 500 for boys and out of the Top 100 for girls, and is predicted to continue on a downward trajectory for both genders. Similar but more stylish baby names today include Sawyer, Sayer and Thayer.
  5. Dawson

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son of David"

    • Description:

      Dawson was scarcely heard as a first name before the debut of Dawson's Creek in 1998, at which point it leaped up more than 550 places in one year. The character Dawson Leery, played by James Van Der Beek, was a teen favorite until the show's demise in 2003.
  6. Katie

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Katherine

    • Meaning:

      "pure"

    • Description:

      Friendly mega-popular short form of Katherine that has definitively replaced Kathy, Katie is often given on its own. Going forward, though, Katie is more stylishly clipped itself to the grownup Kate.
  7. Jamie

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of James

    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"

    • Description:

      Jamie is typical of the relaxed unisex names starting with J that seemed so cool in the sixties after decades of Jeans and Joans, though now pretty tepid. Jaime and even Jamey and Jayme are alternate spellings.
  8. Garrett

    • Origin:

      Irish variation of Gerard

    • Meaning:

      "spear strength"

    • Description:

      Garrett, also spelled with one 't', is an Irish-inflected name that was in the Top 100 in the nineties, but has now slipped in popularity.
  9. Will

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of William

    • Meaning:

      "resolute protector"

    • Description:

      Will has definitely replaced Bill, not only as a nickname for William but as a stand-alone name as well, partly thanks to England's Prince William, also known as Wills. Currently outside the Top 1000 in the US and the UK, it wouldn't feel totally out of style.
  10. Amanda

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "she must be loved"

    • Description:

      Amanda may no longer be the most popular girls' name in her class, but it still holds appeal with its pleasing meaning and solid yet romantic sound. Its heyday however was back in the eighties when it skyrocketed alongside Samantha, Vanessa, Melissa, and co.
  11. Ben

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "son of"

    • Description:

      Ben, the diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict, can easily stand on its own as a simple, strong, nice-guy choice, though it's somewhat attenuated. Ben is this generation's Bob or Bill.
  12. Theresa

    • Origin:

      English form of the Spanish Teresa

    • Meaning:

      "to harvest"

    • Description:

      The popular appeal of the strong, intelligent Saint Teresa of Avila, combined with the selfless compassion of the more recent Mother Teresa, have fused to give this second-tier classic a somewhat noble, religious image. Although the origins of the name are uncertain, it has been prevalent particularly in forms Theresa, Teresa, and Therese throughout Europe for centuries.
  13. Adrienne

    • Origin:

      Latin, feminine variation of Adrian

    • Meaning:

      "man from Adria"

    • Description:

      A long-integrated French feminine form of Adrian, now overshadowed by the a-ending version, but still a valid option, with considerable substance and dignity—though these days more parents would probably choose Adriana.
  14. Josh

    • Description:

      Josh is a friendly, approachable masculine name that originated as a shortened form of Joshua, which comes from Hebrew meaning 'God is salvation.' While Joshua has biblical significance as the successor to Moses, Josh emerged as a standalone name in the 20th century, embodying a casual, down-to-earth quality. It gained significant popularity in the 1970s through the 1990s in the United States, ranking consistently in the top 100 names. Josh conveys an accessible, unpretentious character with its brief, one-syllable structure. The name suggests a straightforward, trustworthy personality and has maintained steady usage without seeming dated or trendy. Josh represents a perfect balance of familiarity and timelessness in contemporary naming practices.

  15. Wilson

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son of Will"

    • Description:

      Wilson is a substantive presidential choice far less prevalent than Taylor or Tyler, and with the advantage of being a new route to friendly nickname Will. We see Wilson growing in popularity as an alternative to William; and as a patronymic, it would make a conceivable (if possibly confusing) choice for a son of William.
  16. Denise

    • Origin:

      French, feminine variation of Denis

    • Meaning:

      "god of Nysa"

    • Description:

      Denise was a French favorite of the fifties and sixties but is less chic now. In 2020 it broke back into the Top 1000 after a five-year hiatus, catapulted into style by reality TV star Denisse Novoa — but it dropped out again the following year.
  17. Lexie

    • Description:

      Lexi and Lexie, pixie-ish offshoots of the prolific Alex family, have come into their own, remaining in the Top 1000 for more than 20 years now.
  18. Missy

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Melissa

    • Description:

      A name that works until your daughter is, say, six.
  19. Mike

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Michael

    • Description:

      Unlike Jake or Sam, few parents put Mike on the birth certificate.
  20. Kristen

    • Origin:

      Danish and Norwegian variation of Christine

    • Meaning:

      "a Christian"

    • Description:

      Kristen may be somewhat past its fashion high point, but it remains forever crystalline clear. Possible problem: confusion with the similar Scandinavian names Kristin, Kirsten, Kirstie, et al.

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