Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for the name of her second daughter.
 Adelaide gained fame as the noble German princess who married the British King William IV in 1830 and became known as "Good Queen Adelaide," inspiring the name of the Australian city and a craze for her name. Earlier, St. Adelaide was married to Otto the Great and became Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, described as "a marvel of beauty and goodness."
 When Aussie actress Rachel Griffiths (also mother of son Banjo) chose Adelaide for her daughter, she said she'd been inspired by the city, Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, and the Disney character in The Aristocats. Adelaide can also be found in works by Thomas Hardy and Agatha Christie.

Adelaide

Adelina is back in the Top 1000 after an absence of nearly a century, thanks to the meteoric rise of her sister name Adeline -- along with Adelaide, Adele, and Ada. Some parents choose Adelina because they want to get to cute vintage nickname Addie, but others favor it as a slightly more unusual form of this sweet vintage girls' name. A lot of attention was focused on it recently via the women's figure skating gold medal winner at the Sochi winter olympics--Adelina Sotnikova.
While Adeline is usually pronounced in the U.S. with a long i in the last syllable, to rhyme with mine, Adelina is pronounced with the long e sound at the end, as in 'lee-na'.

Adelina

Albertina

This is the French version of Alcides, birth name of the Greek mythological Heracles (Hercules). You're more likely to recognize it as the name of the hot True Blood werewolf, Alcide Herveaux.

Alcide

Aline may have originated as a short form of Adeline in the Middle Ages, but it may also be a variation of the Irish Aileen or Scottish Eileen. Aline dropped off the Top 1000 in the 1950s. Fewer than 40 baby girls were named Aline in the US last year.

Aline

Allene

Almon

Though perhaps not as currently stylish as Ruby, Jade, or Pearl, Amber has a colorful history (remember the notorious Forever Amber heroine?). Unfortunately, it does come with the "Amber Alert" connotation for modern parents (and their children).

Amber

Ammon is connected to two religions in the US and is used exclusively between the two of them. Prior to the 1960s, Ammon was considered a solely Amish name. In the Amish community, Ammon is bestowed in honor of Jacob Amman, whom the Amish sect is named after.
 
These days. Ammon is also a Mormon name. There are two figures called Ammon in The Book of Mormom, and Utah now has the largest number of babies named Ammon each year.

Ammon

Annabell

Ardella

Arlie

A patriotic place name, with its connections to Arlington National Cemetary.

Arlington

Arminda

Asbury Park, a quirky town on the Jersey Shore, was named for Francis Asbury, the first American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Springsteen fans will likely be among those most drawn to Asbury as a first name; the Boss's first album was called "Greetings from Asbury Park."

Asbury

Augustine is more substantial (and saintly) than August, less pretentious than Augustus, and, along with its nickname Gus, is definitely a viable choice. 
 Augustine is actually the diminutive form of Augustus and achieved its fame via the great fourth century saint, St. Augustine of Hippo, whose teachings and writings had a great effect on early Christianity.
 A major character in Uncle Tom's Cabin is Augustine St. Clare. The full name of the author of Ulysses and Finnegans Wake is James Augustine Aloysius Joyce.
 Model Linda Evangelista chose the French form Augustin for her son, also used by Jerry Hall and Mick Jagger as a middle name for their son James.
 The Spanish Agustin is experiencing a wild burst of popularity in South America: in recent years it has been the number one name in Uruguay and in the Top 5 in Argentina.

Augustine

Aura has an otherworldly, slightly New Age-y glow, but is beginning to sound more more like a legitimate name. In Greek and Roman mythology, Aura was the Titan of the breeze and the fresh, cool air of early morning. But at odds with her peaceful, well, aura, the mythological Aura is a tragic figure, ultimately transformed into a fountain by Zeus.
 At the end of the nineteenth century, Aura was not that unusual: she reached Number 511 on the Social Security list in 1882. Princess Aura was a character in the old comic strip Flash Gordon.
 Aura is currently popular in some areas of Central America. And for the first time since 1901, Aura has joined the US Top 1000 for girls in 2023.

Aura

Avie

The sweetest and most sensitive of the pet names for Elizabeth, now also one of the most dated. 

Beth

Attractive Scottish and Irish surname name of a seventh-century saint, associated with the illusionist and escape artist David Blaine.

Blaine

One of the first generation of cool surname names, now largely used for girls in the US, but still popular for boys in its native Scotland. A prominent association for Brits is former prime minister Tony Blair, who was leader at the time of the Iraq War.

Blair

An English surname name, Bradley has a long history, dating way back to at least 1086, but as a first name it actually succeeded in the US before it reached England--though Dickens used it in his novel Our Mutual Friend. Bradley Cooper is one namesake.

Bradley

Capitola owes its position on the US Top 1000 to the 1859 novel The Hidden Hand, also known as Capitola the Madcap. It was written by E. D. E. N. Southworth — the initials stand for Eliza Dorothy Emma Nevitte — and serialized first in the 1860s, then in 1883, and was published as a book in 1888.
 
Southworth invented the name for her character Capitola Black (also known as Capitola Le Noir), an orphaned tomboy who falls into adventures everywhere from New York City to Mexico. A sequel to The Hidden Hand called Capitola's Peril was released in 1876.

Capitola

Carlotta has a large measure of finger-snapping charm and substance — despite being a not too pleasant character in The Little Mermaid. Carlotta is also the diva/prima donna in The Phantom of the Opera, and there was an Empress Carlotta of Mexico.
 Carlotta (spelled with one 'T' in Spanish), has not been heard much since the 1960s — which might add to its appeal to someone looking for a more international spin on Charlotte.

Carlotta

Celestia is a heavenly name that sounds more ethereal than Celeste, Celestia might make a distinctive, feminine choice if your taste runs toward names like Angelina and Seraphina.
 Celestia was more popular than you might think in the late nineteenth century -- it made the popularity list six times in the 1880s. Celestia was the middle name of Caroline (Carrie) Ingalls in "Little House on the Prairie."

Celestia

Chesley

This is the original, more prosaic spelling, but the airier Claire now dominates.
 If you're seeking a literary connection, look no further than Nella Larsen's 1929 novel Passing, which stars Clare Kendry as one of the two protagonists.

Clare

Claribel improves on its mother name Clarabelle by distancing itself from the clown and the cow.

Claribel

Thanks to its dashing Anglo-Irish image — due partly to Colins Firth and Farrell — and its C-initialed two-syllable sound, Colin and its cousin Collin have enjoyed a long run of popularity, reaching as high as Number 84 in 2004. 
 The usual pronunciation of Colin is COLL-in, but the alternate COLE-in version was publicized by General Colin Powell, the first U.S. African-American Secretary of State, who was named after World War II hero Colin Kelly.
 Literary cred: Colin Craven is a character in The Secret Garden, and Colin Creevey appears in the Harry Potter books.
 Both Kevin James and Kiss's Paul Stanley have young sons named Colin, while Tom Hanks has a grown one.

Colin

Commodore

Cornelious

A British-accented Greek name with an intellectual image that has been off the U.S. charts since 1966, but was a Top 300 name at the turn of the last century. We have the feeling Cyril's ready for a comeback.
 Cyril is the name of several saints, including the ninth century Greek missionary who invented the Cyrillic alphabet. In literature, there are Cyrils featured in the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta, Princess Ida and D. H. Lawrence's novel, The White Peacock. 
 Oscar Wilde named a son Cyril. Cyrilla and Cyrille are the appealing female forms.

Cyril

Baby girl Danas outnumber baby boys with the name nearly ten to one. But Dana is an attractive, sleek name that can certain work for babies of either gender.

Dana

Drew, which projects a polished, somewhat intellectual impression, is rapidly becoming the Andrew nickname of choice, replacing the past favorite, Andy. It is fully capable of standing on its own, which it has for many decades, non-stop since 1942.
 There have been Drews in several iconic movies, such as Deliverance and Steel Magnolias and on TV in Parenthood and Everybody Hates Chris. High-profile Drews include Superbowl-winning Brees, comedian Carey, and singer-songwriter Lachey. Drew Barrymore brought it over to the girls' side, but it has never ranked very high there.

Drew

Popular in the 1920s, Eldon is a retro name that's waiting to be rediscovered. It has a similar placename/surname appeal to current Top 1000 names Alden and Holden. Several towns in the US and UK bear the name.

Eldon

Name long associated with eloquent Black Panther activist Eldridge Cleaver and jazz great Roy Eldridge. 

Eldridge

An Early American name undoubtedly related to the Greek mythological name Electra, the version we prefer.

Electa

Elena is at its most popular point ever in the US, thanks to its cross-cultural appeal and the overall popularity of El- names. It's more international than Ellen or Eleanor, but still accessible.
 A pan-European version of Helen, Elena has roots in Spanish, Italian, Slavic, and Romanian, among other languages. Helen, the name from which it derives, came from the Greek word helene, meaning "torch." Alternate spellings include Elaina, Ellena, and Alena.
 
Elena may be trending, but she's also a solid classic as well as an international favorite. Elena ranks highly in France, Italy, Germany, and Spain along with a host of other countries. 
A worthy namesake is Elena Kagan, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, the fourth female to hold that position. Pseudonymous Italian writer Elena Ferrante, author of the Neapolitan Novels, is another famous Elena. 
 
A fictional bearer is Elena Gilbert, protagonist of The Vampire Diaries. and Elena Lincoln is a character in Fifty Shades of Grey. Elena of Avalor is a princess featured in the Disney Junior show of that name. 
 
Read more about Elena and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Elena

Makes a serious name frilly and feminine, which, depending on your viewpoint, might be a good or a bad thing.  In this case, we vote good.

Eleonora

Form of Elfrida that has an old-fashioned sound you just might find cool.

Elfrieda

Eliga

If Ellie and Evie are fashionable, why not Elvie? This is a diminutive of the Anglicized version of the Irish name spelled Ailbhe.

Elvie

Elwin

Erie

Estella is a pretty Latin name that's sounding more and more stylish, remembered as the ward of Miss Haversham in Dickens's Great Expectations. Though Estella ranked as high as Number 110 in the 1880s, it now sits near the bottom of the US Top 1000 along with near-twin Estelle. Either would be well worth considering as an alternative to the popular Stella.
 Ali Landry used the Estela spelling for her daughter's name. Estrella is another possibility.

Estella

Ancient martyr's name that, though not especially appealing, might still be mildly possible, especially for Anglophiles. It was widely used in early Scotland, but was overtaken by its nickname, Effie.

Euphemia

Eura

Evalena

Eveline

Ewald

Fairy's reputation as a slur directed at gay men takes it off the table as a baby name option. Go with Pixie or Faye instead.

Fairy

Ferne

This spelling of Frida or Frieda ranked as high as #141 back in the late 19th century. Its most famous bearers, with different spellings, are Indian actress Frieda Pinto, who starred in Slumdog Millionnaire, and Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

Freida

Goldia

Following in the footsteps of popular brother Brady, Grady is another lively, ebullient Irish surname name. The O'Gradys (originally O Gradaugh) were an ancient clan that produced an impressive number of bishops.
 Perhaps the most remarkable O'Grady descendant is Muhammad Ali, whose mother's maiden name was Grady.
 Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Grady Sizemore was born Gradius.

Grady

Hosteen

Extremely attractive color name chosen by some African-American families for its reference to the West African Ivory Coast; more commonly used for girls. 

Ivory

The quirky, offbeat and energetic botanical name Ivy is enjoying a deserved revival, propelled even higher by its choice by high-profile parents Beyonce and Jay-Z for daughter Blue Ivy. Ivy is also traditionally used at Christmas, make this one of the perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/577/names-for-december-babies">names for December babies</a>.
 Ivy is derived from the name of the ivy plant, which got its name from the Old English word ifig. Ancient Greeks presented an ivy wreath to newlyweds as a symbol of fidelity. In the language of flowers, Ivy signifies faithfulness.
 British novelist Ivy Compton-Burnett is a notable namesake and Ivy Baker Priest served as U.S. Secretary of Treasury. Another association is the prestigious Ivy League. 
Ivy has been a favorite of scriptwriters—she's appeared on everything from 90210 to Gossip Girl, Dollhouse to Downton Abbey, and is the name of a 1970's American Girl doll.

Izora

Josephus

Landon is a popular surname name; it's been dropping slightly in recent years but has surpassed its once more popular rhyming cousin Brandon. For some it may bring back nostalgic memories of Little House on the Prairie 's understanding Pa, played by Michael Landon.
 Landon has been chosen for their sons by two musicians, American Idol finalist Josh Gracin and Blink drummer Travis Barker, whose middle name is Landon. It's also the name of soccer superstar Landon Donovan of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Landon

Laurie morphed into the more streamlined Lori in the sixties but now feels dated for a girl in either spelling. Update Lauren has been renovated as Laurel or Laura itself.

Laurie

Lavada

Leana

Leda is that rare name that has not yet been discovered in the current craze for ancient names from mythology.  In classical Greek myth, Leda was a great beauty who mothered another great beauty, Helen of Troy. 

Leda is at once simple, deeply-rooted, and unique: Only 23 baby girls were named Leda in the US last year. A name used in several European countries, pronunciation is usually the straightforward lee-dah but the Italians say lay-dah.

Leda

Leontine is the French form of a name that's more familiar by its spelling variation Leontyne, the name made famous by opera diva Price.  An obscure choice, Leontine nevertheless feels right for our lion-name-crazed moment.

Leontine

This aristocratic, somewhat formal Germanic route to the popular Leo is a royal name: Queen Victoria used it to honor a favorite uncle, King Leopold of Belgium. Though Leopold sounds as if it might be a leonine name, it's not really a relative of such choices as Leon, and Leonard.
 In literature, the name is famous via Leopold Bloom, the central character of James Joyce's Ulysses and in music is associated with the distinguished conductor Leopold Stokowski, and it is also a saint's name.

Leopold

Levy

Lionel is one leonine name that hasn't taken off as cousins Leo and Leonardo have, though it did reenter the Top 1000 in 2010 after several years away; it was at its highest point in the 1920s and 1930s.
 This French diminutive of Leon has had many worthy namesakes over time, including Sir Lionel, a Knight of the Round Table, actor Barrymore, critic Trilling, musicians Hampton and Richie, Argentine Olympic footballer Messi, and characters in numerous movies and TV shows such as gruff but loveable Lionel Hardcastle in the Judi Dench comedy As Time Goes By. Real life Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue was portrayed in The King's Speech.
 Lionel Barrymore, of the famed theatrical family, was a mainstay of Golden Age Hollywood films, and kids might like the association to Lionel trains.
 This is a timeless choice worth considering.

Lionel

Llewellyn/Llywelyn is a common patriotic first name in Wales, with its distinctive Welsh double LL's; in the U.S. Llewellyn would make a daring choice, though with the chance that some might find the ellen sound slightly feminine. 
 Two princes who played a great role in the medieval Welsh quest for independence were Llewelyn Fawr (Llewelyn the Great) and Llywelyn yr Olaf (Llywelyn the Last).
 Llewelyn Moss is a major character in Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men, played on screen by Josh Brolin.
 Llewellyn, which can be spelled in a number of ways, has some appealing, if quirky, short forms as well--Llew, Lleu and Llelo.

Llewellyn

Antique girl names like Louise, Louisa, Loretta, and Etta are all on the rise, and Louetta is a hidden gem among them. Rumer Willis recently revived this vintage compound name for her daughter, Louetta Isley Thomas Willis. Louetta, a combination of Lou and Etta, was used consistently from the 1910s-1960s' but has never been given to more than 50 baby girls in a single year.

Louetta

One of the few Lu- names that you've probably never heard of, Lulie could prove a good alternative for Luna, Lucy, and Lula.

Lulie

Macie is one variation that has become more popular than the original Macy, perhaps thanks to its resemblance to the stylish Maisie. While Macie is usually pronounced to rhyme with lacy while Maisie sounds more like crazy, there is undoubtedly some overlap -- and confusion.

Macie

Obscure Old Testament name -- he was the son of Naomi and the husband of Ruth -- that's become even more obscure over the past century, perhaps due to its unappealing meaning.

Mahlon

Old English name as outmoded as the use of the word maid for a young girl. 

Maida

This ancient Roman family name, first borne by the distinguished Marcus Claudius Marcellus and later by two popes, is a possibilty in the hot new category of names from antiquity.

Marcellus

Margaretha

This spelling variation of Mabel clears up the pronunciation — "may-belle", as opposed to "may-bull". Maybelle is packed with Southern charm, and like sister name Mabel is on the rise, but still on a much smaller scale. 

Maybelle

Mercedes is one of the few names attached to luxury living that we can wholeheartedly recommend, it being a legitimate Spanish appellation stemming from one of the epithets given to the Virgin Mary--Santa Maria de las Mercedes, or Our Lady of the Mercies. The car, by the way was named after the eleven-year-old daughter of the Daimler company's French distributor in 1901.
 Always well used in the Spanish-speaking community, Mercedes had a sudden spurt of overall popularity in the 1990's, moving as high as Number 164 in 1991.
 Mercedes has been widely used in a variety of art forms--from the opera Carmen to Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo to the film Pan's Labyrinth to the TV show Glee.

Mercedes

Milo is most commonly considered to be Germanic name derived from the Latin word miles, meaning "soldier." However, there is evidence to suggest it also may have independently spawned from the Slavic root milu, meaning "merciful." Milo predates brother name Miles, a variation that evolved when the name immigrated to the British Isles in the Middle Ages. Mylo is an alternate spelling.
 
Milo has long been a favorite <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys' name</a> on Nameberry, also getting some well-deserved appreciation in the wider world. Milo combines the strength of the ancient Greek Olympic wrestler of that name—a six-time winner of the Olympic games—with the debonair charm of a WWII RAF pilot.
 More recently, Milo has been associated with the dashing Milo Ventimiglia of This Is Us fame, and it has also been the name of characters in books Catch-22 and The Phantom Tollbooth, and on screen in Milo and Otis, Alias, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
 Ricki Lake, Camryn Manheim, Sherry Stringfield, Liv Tyler, Craig Ferguson, and Alyssa Milano are six celebrity parents who share our enthusiasm for Milo, as do many Nameberry baby namers.
 Milo is often heard in Ireland. Milo O'Shea was a renowned Irish character actor.

Milo

Miranda, a shimmeringly lovely, poetic name that was invented by Shakespeare for the beautiful and admirable young heroine of his play, The Tempest, is still a recommended choice even though its popularity peaked in the 1990's, partially as an antidote to Amanda. But while Amanda now sounds dated, Miranda retains a good measure of its charm.
 Miranda made a big impression in Sex and the City and The Devil Wore Prada and was also a Harry Potter character--Miranda Goshawk, author of a Book of Spells. She was a Bond Girl in Die Another Day.
 Attractive real life Mirandas currently on the scene include actress Cosgrove, singer Lambert and model Kerr.

Miranda

Once a poetic Celtic name, that of the angel who governs the month of June, Muriel became the mom or grandma on TV sitcoms. She does have literary cred via Edinburgh-born author Muriel Spark, author of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and also appears as a character in Anne of Green Gables. Muriel was a Top 200 name from 1912 to 1933.

Muriel

This lively and appealing name originated as a short form of Cornelia, but is well able to stand on its own.  Nelia is also often in the Hispanic culture, where it can be a short form of Manuela. It did have some American usage in the late nineteenth century, and with Cornelia having a comeback, Nelia could follow.

Nelia

Nena

Olen

Olevia

Orie

Orion is a rising star, with both mythical and celestial overtones.
 The Greek mythological Orion was the legendary hunter who pursued the seven daughters of Atlas, was slain by the goddess Artemis, and then placed as one of the brightest constellations in the night sky by Zeus.
 Mark Twain had a brother named Orion, and Chris "Big" Noth picked the name for his son. It is also a Harry Potter name.
 Orion's Gaelic connection to O'Ryan/Ryan makes it familiar as well as unusual.

Orion

Osborne

Ottilia

Parthenia may be a bit unwieldy, but does conjure up majestic images of the Parthenon. 

Parthenia

Roman is an ancient name trending in a major way. A surprise hit name of recent years, Roman now ranks in the Top 100 not only in the US but throughout the English-speaking world, and is rising in other European countries as well.
 
Roman owes much of its current popularity to celebrity and pop culture references. It's the name of the youngest son, played by Kieran Culkin, in the TV show Succession. Roman was used for their sons by Cate Blanchett, Debra Messing, and Molly Ringwald.
 Well known Romans include disgraced director Polanski (born Raimund), Polish photographer Vishniac, and onetime star quarterback Gabriel. Francis Ford Coppola has a son named Roman, who is a director now himself.
 Several relatives of Roman are also newly stylish, from Romy to Romilly to Romeo. Definitely a romantic name, however you use it. 
 The French version is Romaine -- and literary parents might appreciate the fact that 'roman' is the French word for novel.

Roman

A name commonly used in Spain and Italy, it refers back to the annual Roman ceremony of hanging garlands of roses on tombs. 

Rosalia

Roseanna

Rosy

Might suggest speed, excitement, even danger, were it not for its best-known bearer, conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh. 

Rush

Selena is smooth, shiny, and sensual, a nineteenth-century name that found new life in the Latino community, following the biopic of slain Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla, starring Jennifer Lopez. But you don't have to be Latin to love Selena, which is both distinctive yet in step with stylish modern names such as Seraphina and Celia.
 Young Disney channel favorite Selena Gomez, former star of The Wizards of Waverly Place and current pop singer, was named after Selena Quintanilla. Selina Kyle is the secret identity of Catwoman. Selena is an alternate name of Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting.

Selena

Signe could make an offbeat, more unusual alternative to Sydney or Sigrid. In Norse mythology, Signe was the twin sister of Sigmund. Can also be spelled Signy. 

Signe

The Sydney spelling most popular for girls: it's in the Top 50 on the female side. Cool for a girl, still nerdy for a guy.

Sydney

Though never as popular as the name of her Bewitched mother, Samantha, Tabitha has its own quirky, magical charm. The name of a charitable woman who was restored to life by Saint Peter in the Bible, it was a popular Puritan choice. Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick chose it for one of their twin daughters, which gave it a slight boost. Nonetheless, Tabitha remains in decline.
 One of Beatrix Potter's storybook characters is a cat called Tabitha Twitchet, and indeed the nickname Tabby is decidedly feline; other old nicknames are Tibby and Tabea.
 A contemporary bearer is author Tabitha King, AKA Mrs. Stephen, and Tabitha Soren was an MTV news reporter. In The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, one of the quartet of friends is Tabitha Rollins, whose nickname is Tibby. Tabitha Smith is a comic book super hero in the Marvel Universe.

Tabitha

Riveris's list "Obscure (At the time) 1880's names" of 113 great name ideas: Adelaide - Zilpha!