​
​
Advanced Search

Short Baby Names

  1. Scott

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "from Scotland"

    • Description:

      A cool, windswept, surfer babe-magnet in 1965, a nice dad -- or even granddad -- today.
  2. Elle

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "she"

    • Description:

      Combine the charming heroine of the movie Legally Blonde with supermodel Elle Macpherson and the trend toward all names beginning with "el"—Ellie, Ella, Eleanor—and you have one hit name.
  3. Gwen

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Gwendolen or Gwendolyn, Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "white circle"

    • Description:

      While Gwen may have originated as a short form of Gwendolen and Gwendolyn, these days it frequently stands on its own. Rocker Gwen Stefani has given it a shot of cool, and parents are choosing it as a standalone more and more often—Gwen hopped back onto the US Top 1000 in 2013 after an absence of over 30 years. Gwen could also be short for Guinevere.
  4. Clark

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "scribe, secretary, cleric, scholar, clerk"

    • Description:

      Clark seemed to have been Gone with the Wind, but parents looking for a short, strong boy's name are now beginning to appreciate its cool combination of Gable charm with Superman power.
  5. Bear

    • Origin:

      Animal name

    • Meaning:

      "bear"

    • Description:

      Bear has suddenly lumbered onto the baby name landscape. Perhaps inspired by British adventurer Bear Grylls (born Edward Michael), first celebrity chef Jamie Oliver used it as the middle name for his boy Buddy, and Alicia Silverstone called her son Bear Blu, followed by Kate Winslet's Bear Blaize.
  6. Zane

    • Origin:

      Possible variation of John

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      Western novelist Zane (born Pearl!) Grey made this name famous. Now, it's in tune with the style of our times, retaining that appealing cowboy image.
  7. Brooke

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "small stream"

    • Description:

      Brooke has long projected an aura of sleek sophistication, and can also be seen as a stylish water name.
  8. Drew

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Andrew

    • Meaning:

      "strong and manly"

    • Description:

      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.
  9. 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.

  10. Liv

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Olivia, English, Norse

    • Meaning:

      "olive tree; life, protection"

    • Description:

      Liv combines the succinct charm of a nickname—people might assume it's short for Olivia—with the solidity of being a classic stand-alone Scandinavian name with a life-force meaning. It was brought into the public eye (in the English speaking world that is) due to the fame of actress and Aerosmith daughter Liv Tyler.
  11. Pierce

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son of Piers"

    • Description:

      Actor Pierce Brosnan brings a strong helping of charm to this name. Pierce was actually a popular name long before Mr. Brosnan came along, from 1880 to the end of the 1930s.
  12. Hal

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Harold or Henry, English, Scandinavian, German

    • Meaning:

      "army ruler or estate ruler"

    • Description:

      Could Hal be the Jack, Max, or Gus of the future? It just might happen in the new nickname environment, especially with Cal and Cy feeling cool, and with the interest in vintage, cowboy-esque choices, considering Hal ranked in the US Top 1000 in the first half of the 20th century.
  13. Dawn

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "dawn, sunrise"

    • Description:

      Associated with the first light of the day, and more figuratively with new beginnings and fresh starts, Dawn's heyday came in the 1960s and 70s in the US, Canada and the UK. It had been in the charts since around the end of the First World War but really began to take off in the 1950s.
  14. Ann

    • Origin:

      English variation of Hebrew Hannah

    • Meaning:

      "grace"

    • Description:

      Ann, the name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary, was among the top girls’ names for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970 and show no signs of returning, with Anne is the middle of the US Top 1000 and Ann dropped out of sight.
  15. Joy

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "joy"

    • Description:

      Joy is from an older generation of word names, which also included Merry, Bliss, and Glory -- all of which exert a certain amount of personality pressure on a child. However, Joy, like Grace, Hope, and Rose, has crossed more into name-territory than other word choices, which lightens some of that pressure.
  16. Wade

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "at the river crossing"

    • Description:

      Wade has never been outside the US Top 1000 for boys - there's a reason for that. It has a clean spelling, fresh sound and is neither too trendy (unlike Kade or Cade) or too old-school (like Richard or Albert). We think Wade is a winning name.
  17. Shane

    • Origin:

      Anglicized variation of Sean

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      Shane ambled into the picture via the 1953 movie, adding a cowboy twist to its Irish essence. A variation of Sean with a hint of Shay and Zane, it is a popular choice in Ireland.
  18. Sean

    • Origin:

      Irish variation of John

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      Sean, after a long reign as one of the top Irish boys' names in the US, has now slipped as parents look to fresher Irish choices such as Liam and Aidan. In Ireland, Sean is still highly popular, but variation Senan, an Anglicized spelling of diminutive Seanan, is also stylish in Ireland. While Sean is the Irish form of John, Seanan and Senan may be thought of either as Sean diminutives or relatives of the Latin word "senator".
  19. Jake

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, diminutive of Jacob

    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"

    • Description:

      This unpretentious, accessible, and optimistic ("everything's jake" -- meaning OK) short form of the top name Jacob is itself widely used, though more parents these days are opting for the full name Jacob. Jake (born Jacob) Gyllenhall is its most prominent current bearer.
  20. Reese

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Rhys

    • Description:

      An Anglicized spelling of the Welsh Rhys, this traditional boys' name got a big boost for girls in the early 2000s, thanks to the high-profile Ms. Witherspoon (who was actually born Laura Jeanne Reese, her second middle being her mother's maiden name). This spelling has been on the decline for boys since 2003, possibly for the same reason, but remains a strong, simple choice which might pose fewer spelling and pronunciation issues outside of the UK than the Welsh original.