English Names

Sweet old-fashioned nickname name that could make a comeback in the wake of Sadie, Edie et al. Famous bearers include author Dodie Smith, who wrote The Hundred and One Dalmatians and I Capture the Castle.
Downside: The dodo bird.

Dodie

Theovald is an ancient sounding name that may in fact be a more modern creation, blending elements of Theodore (or Theobald) with those of Oswald or Walter. As such, it could mean "God's power" from the Greek theos and the English weald, or it could mean "might of the people", pairing the Germanic theod with weald (or its Germanic form, waldaz).
 
A rare choice, it has appeared on social media birth announcements.

Theovald

Bold word names are on the rise, and this one fits in with declarative choices like Prosper, Chosen, and Brave. With the Th- of Theo and the strong "i" sound of Kai, Levi, and Silas, Thrive could be an alternative way to honor a Clive. Yet to enter the US stats, has appeared in social media birth announcements.

Thrive

Destry rides again, this time as a Western flavored baby name. Derived from the French surname Destrier, from an Anglo-Norman word meaning "warhorse", this rugged name was popularized by the 1930 novel Destry Rides Again by Max Brand, subsequently adapted for the big screen. 

 It has only ranked in the US Top 1000 once, in 1964 at #637, after a popular TV series based on the novel was aired that year. It was given to fewer than 10 baby boys in the latest year on record.

 Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw named their daughter Destry in 1996.

Destry

A variation of Tiana, a name that rose up the charts in the 70s and 90s after actress Tiana Alexandra entered the spotlight, Tianah and its various spellings may now be linked to the 2009 Disney movie, The Princess and the Frog. Considered a diminutive of Tatiana (from Latin Tatius, meaning unknown) or possibly of Christiana ("Christian"), this form has never been in the Top 1000 and has been only quietly used since the 90s.

Tianah

A sassy and sparky, celeb-inspired surname choice, Tisdale is reminiscent of Tinsley, Tenley, Taisley, and Daley. Associated with actress and singer Ashley Tisdale, along with guitarist and basketball player Wayman Tisdale, the name comes from Teesdale, an English place name, literally meaning "valley of the River Tees". More figuratively, it could mean "valley of warmth", from the meaning of Tees. 
 
Nicknames Tizzy, Tilly, Dizzy, and Daisy might work.

Tisdale

Short and snappy, Tol has an entirely different feel to its longer forms, Bartholomew, Ptolemy, and Anatole. Similar in sound and feel to the stylish Sol, it makes a lighter choice for several grandiose names.
 
Borrowed from Biblical Bartholomew, likely via the English nickname Tolly, Tol could mean "son of Talmai" or "son of the furrow". From the Greek Ptolemy it has the tough meaning of "warlike", while from the French Anatole (itself from the Greek ς Anatolius), it relates to the the rising sun.
 
Other sources of the name could be the Turkish Tolga meaning "helmet"; the Khmer name, Tola, also used as the word for October; a a Polish diminutive of Antoni, inspired by the use of Tola for Antonia. It may also originate from various names including the Old Norse Þórr (Thor), such as Tollak, Torkell, Torgils, and Torleif. 
 
There's also the surname Tolliver ("ironworker"), the Nahuatl Tlatol ("language"), or the Indonesian Tolha (via the Arabic ṭalḥ, meaning "fruit tree").

Tomkin is a diminutive form of Thomas, with the affectionate suffix '-kin,' which historically indicated 'little one' or 'son of.' This medieval diminutive form gives the name a charming, slightly archaic quality. While not commonly used in modern times, Tomkin has a distinctive character that sets it apart from the more frequently used Tom or Tommy. And it can make a unique honor name or nickname for boy named after Grandpa Thomas.


Tomkin

This Medieval diminutive of the classic Thomas has a slight playful air and a sweet feel to it, but also fits in with surname-style choices like Lincoln and Collins. Yet to feature in the US stats, if Macklin and Franklin work, could Tomlin be worth consideration?



Tomlin

A cosy Medieval diminutive of the classic Thomas, Tomlin might just work for those honoring a Thomas but don't enjoy Tamsin or Thomasina. Typically, albeit rarely, used as a masculine name, it has never featured in the US charts, though TV personality Nick Viall and his wife Natalie Joy chose Tomlin as a middle name for one of their twin daughters, Dove Tomlin, born in 2026.


Blending popular nickname Tommy with familiar middle name Lee, this hyphenated boy name follows the pattern of others in the charts: a short-form first with more classic, single-syllable second part.  A recent year saw it rank in the Top 500 in England and Wales, making it one of the most popular double-barrelled names for boys. 

Tommy-lee

This rarely heard name pares down all the ultrafeminine Dan names to one that's much more powerful, for both boys and girls. 

Dane

Rare for girls and rarer still for boys, Topaz is a gemstone name with a cool -Z ending, reminiscent of stylish options such as Azriel, Azariah, and Azai, along with the more classic Christopher, Thomas, and Tobias. Associated with healing, protection, fidelity, and good fortune, the golden gemstone is also the birthstone of November, which could make it a distinctive option for babies born in the month.
 
While the exact etymology of the name is unknown, one theory is that it comes from the Greek Topázios, the ancient name for what is now St. John's Island in the Red Sea. A yellow stone was originally mined from there, and while it believed to have been chrysolite and not topaz, the name may have became attached to the yellow gemstone anyway. A second theory is that it emerged from the Sanskrit word tapas meaning "heat" or "fire", likely in reference to its color.
 
While Topaz has never appeared in the US stats for boys, it has seen some use in Israel, India, and Canada as a masculine name. Thanks to its rarity however, it could work for any gender, especially as an unexpected middle name or a bold but familiar first.

Topaz

Short and snappy, Tor is a multicultural choice with plenty of meaning. As a Hebrew choice, it means "turtle-dove", giving it a sweet, nature-inspired meaning. As an English name, it could be used as a jaunty short form of Victoria or a rugged word name, referring to a rocky hill, as in the Glastonbury Tor.
 
It is also used as a (masculine) name in Scandinavia, a modern form of Thor, the Norse thunder god.

Chosen by US politician, Sarah Palin back the late 80s, Track is an unexpected word name with multiple layers. Perhaps too on the nose for most, it has appeared in the US stats only one, in 2011, when it was given to 8 boys. 
 
Still, in the age of word names ranging for Lyric to Chosen, Wilder to Excel, Track could fit in. On one hand, it feels totally sporty, bringing to mind running tracks and sports venues. On the other, it's wilder, associated with trails beaten in to the earth by hikers, with treks through the woods, across farmland, or up mountain sides. 
 
Alternatively, it's a musical choice, used for one of several songs on a recording, however, it may also be associated with the trace or impression something leaves behind, with railway lines, and with following or finding something.
 
Sarah Palin and her former husband Todd chose it to honor their love for running, and as such, Track feels like it could fit with Chase and Dash, as much as it could with Trail, Canyon, Wilder, Cadence, and Everest.

Track

Trendy names often include modern inventions, new-fangled word names, stylish revivals, briefly popular choices, alternative spellings, and sudden, fast rising options, but this one is, well, literally Trendy. Joining the ranks of declarative and descriptive names (think Unique, Chosen, Blessing), Trendy was selected by content creator Aubree Jones for her eldest daughter, Trendy Chanelle.
 
On the subject of the unusual name, Aubree Jones has explained she wants her children to stand out, and that Trendy was a name she'd loved before her internet fame, before meeting her husband even. She hopes it will inspire her daughter to start her own trends and do her own thing, 
 
While Trendy has yet to enter the US stats, Jones's other children's names, Sunny, Zaylee, Truly, Journey, and Rocky, are all on-trend choices, in varying extents.

Trendy

Less popular than Tess, perhaps because it coincides with a word for a long lock of hair, or because it rhymes with stress, Tress may nevertheless make a distinctive and playful short form or an unexpected way to honor a Theresa.
 
Quietly but more familiarly heard in the forms of Tressa or Tressie, it did feature in the 2023 epic fantasy novel Tress of the Emerald Sea by Bernard Sanderson.

Tress

While it might sound like a purely mathematical option, Trig is considered an Anglicized form of the Old Norse name, Trygve (pronounced TRUYG-vuh or TREEG-vuh, depending on region), which means "trustworthy" — a quality many parents would value. Also written as Trigg and Tryg, international variants include the Icelandic Tryggvi (TRIK-vee) and the Swedish Tryggve. 
 
There is a chance, however, that some parents are using the name as a reference to trigonometry, perhaps out of a love for mathematics, but perhaps more likely as a way to evoke the number three. As trigonometry deals with the sides and angles on triangles, Trig may work as an unexpected way to nickname a third generation junior, to celebrate a third born son, or to discretely reference three as a lucky number.
 
American politician Sarah Palin chose the name Trig for her son back in 2008, which did lead to a slight spike of interest in the name. The spelling Trigg is more popular however (though not by much).

Trig

An aspirational and confident word name, Triumph has been given to a small handful of boys each year since 2007, but 2024 saw it make its US debut for girls, when it was given to six. For some, Triumph may feel like a heavy name to live up, though it could be cool in the middle spot, following in the fashion of Wise, Noble, and Valor. 
 
Alternatively, it may feel like an apt and symbolic choice after a difficult pregnancy journey, or, it might make a spiritual name, in the style of Chosen, Glory, and Hallelujah, evoking the idea that new life is representative of God's greatness. 
 
Actors and content creators Lena and Anthony Todd have a daughter called Triumph.

Triumph

Before Beatrice there was Beatrix, which leads naturally to the short form Trix. Trixie is a wise-cracking gum-snapping waitress but Trix is sleek and mischievous -- tricks, get it?

Trix

English names -- names originating in the English language -- rank among the top names in the US, the UK, and other English-speaking countries, along with such European countries as Sweden, Germany, and France.

 in the US Top 300 include Georgia, Juliet, Lily and Olive for girls, and Emmett, Miles, Oscar, and William for boy.

 include Alfie, Lily, Edward, and Ella. In Sweden, the English girls' name Alice ranks near the top of the list, while the English boys' nickname Tom is fashionable in France.



Less conventional English names that rank highly in the US include, for girls, Kendall, Kinsley, Madison, Marley, Peyton, Presley, Sutton, Willow, Winter and Wren, For boys, this group includes Archer, Brooks, Carter, Fletcher, Graham, Huxley, Mason, Reed, Sawyer, and Wilder.

 that carry a lot of style value include, for girls, Araminta, Arden, Azalea, Birdie, Blythe, Clover, Lilac, Lavender, Posey, and Waverly. For boys, unique English names to consider include Birch, Booker, Dane, Garrison, Hale, Kit, Oberon, Shaw, Tobin, and Winston.



Our collection of English baby names also includes surname names such as Lancaster and Huffington, nature names such as River and Marigold, English word names such as Love and Journey, along with place names like Devon and occupational names such as Driver.



Browse Nameberry's complete range of English names for girls and boys, continued, below, or consult our individual lists of 

English names including girl names and boy names of English origin from the English language and culture (Page 118)

English Names (with Meanings & Popularity)