By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 139 pages
of 139
Spanish variation of Octavius
"eighth"
The most popular of the number names used by Hispanic parents, open to all. Octavia and Octavio are two Spanish baby names that are moving out into the wider world.
Irish variation of James
"supplanter"
Parents who have tired of Sean are now contemplating Seamus, the Irish form of James, which has a lot more substance and verve. One of the name's most famous bearers is the 1995 Nobel Prize-winning…
Danish variation of Katherine, Japanese
"pure; lotus flower"
Karen, a once sweet Danish import, was so popular during the baby boom (Karen was Number 3 in 1960) that it's become a mem in recent years, representing a hostile white woman—one who usually wants to…
Spelling variation of Colton
A form of Colton which leans more trendy-surname-name than cowboy, Kolten feels at home with Kaden, Casen, and Kyren. It featured in the US Top 1000 in the 2010s, but has since declined slightly in…
Persian, Urdu, Arabic
"second; brilliant, splendid"
Deriving from the names Sania, meaning "second" or Saniyya meaning "brilliant", it is the single Y spelling that has been preferred in the US, probably owing to its similarity to popular Aaliyah. The…
Russian variation of Jacob
What a difference a couple of letters make: Old World version of most popular name never quite made it out of the shtetl.
Italian, Spanish, and Israeli variation of Michaela
"who is like God"
The original versions of Micaela have morphed into all manner of "inventive" spellings -- Makayla, McKalla et al -- but we prefer the genuine international versions, like this one.
Spelling variation of Ryan
An attempt to make this name swing more to the feminine side, though the original Ryan is becoming perfectly acceptable for girls. Ryann O'Toole is an American professional golfer.
Italian and Portuguese variation of Christian
Variation of the popular religious name, boosted by megastar Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Spanish variation of Lorraine
"from the province of Lorraine"
A feminine name heard most often in the Hispanic community. Surprisingly, Lorena was on the US Top 1000 list of girls' names for an impressive 130 years, from 1880 until falling off in 2011. We do…
English variation of Devin, Irish
"poet"
A more feminine version of Devin.
French variation of Carter, English
"transporter of goods by cart"
Luxury baby name associated with Jacques Cartier's eponymous jewelry company.
Spelling variation of word name Kaiser
"emperor"
A regal sounding name with a cool, trendy twist, Kaizer is a variation of the title given to the now-defunct German emperor. Deriving from Caesar (with the perhaps less appealing, hairy meaning), the…
English variation of Casey, Irish
"brave in battle"
This spelling variation of unisex Casey leans farther to the girls' side. Kaycee ranked in the US Top 1000 in the late 80s and 90s, but has fallen out of favor now.
Spelling variation of Cody, English
"helpful, pillow"
The Kodi spelling of Cody, a gender neutral name that was in the Top 25 for boys in the early 90s and also on the Top 1000 for girls, found new life recently via actor Kodi Smit-McPhee and also the…
Spelling variation of Hayden
This play on Hayden is likely influenced by the popularity of the Aiden names. It has appeared in the US Top 1000 for eight of the past twelve years.
Russian and Scandinavian variation of Sophia
"wisdom"
Early European import, well known in the 1940s via Norwegian skating movie star Sonja Henie, that has sailed back across the Atlantic, despite the rising popularity of other Russian names.
Spelling variation of Rowan, Irish, Frisian, English word name
"little redhead; rowan tree; raven; animal with a coat of two interspersed colors"
This sleek, warm-hued spelling spin on Rowan was chosen by Sharon Stone for one of her three sons back in the 2000s and it has since risen in popularity in the US. While it remains a long way behind…
Spelling variation of Emily; German and Scandinavian feminine form of Aemilius
Unlike most creative spellings, this one isn't overly trendy or overdone—in fact, it's quite delicate and pretty. However, it is clearly suffering from the plethora of similar names that are flowing…
Spelling variation of Giovanni
Giovanni is Italian for John, and Giovani is a not-really-correct spelling variation. Regardless, it has charted in the US for 16 of the past 17 years, peaking at Number 500 in 2011.
