By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 143 pages
of 143
Spelling variation of Winston, English
"friend's tow; joy stone"
A spelling variation of Winston that appears more often as a last name than as a given name.
English compound word name
An unexpected, descriptive, and whimsical word name, blending classic Rose with contemporary Winter. It's been appearing in the US stats since 2013 and is given to a small handful of girls each year.…
Word name
A whimsical word name, Wishmay could reflect the phrase "Wish I may" or alternativel, "May all your wishes come true" . It could then be connected with dreams, hopes, and fancies, adding to that…
English, Germanic
"westerly; wit, knowing"
An unusual surname-style name, Wister may be a spin on Wester ("westerly, one who lives in the west") or a play on the archaic word "wist", relating to "wit", "knowledge", and "awareness". Borne by…
Modern form of Wulfstan, English
"wolf stone"
An ancient name with a modern twist, Wolfstan comes from the Anglo-Saxon name Wulfstan. It maintains the power of its older form while feeling looking and feeling familiar and cool. Meaning "wolf…
Flower name, from English
"yellow wildflower"
Though Buttercup is most often reserved for cows (and pets of other kinds), this humble flower name was given to the princess in "The Princess Bride" and to one of The Power Puff Girls . Yet to rank…
English
"blind"
Sisley may look like a modern coinage, building on the fashionable -ley ending, but it's actually a medieval English variant of Cicely or Cecily, which in turn is a variation of Cecilia. Also found…
Old English, Anglo-Saxon, "wolf secret"
"wolf secret"
A strong, historical name, Wulfrun combines the elements wulf ("wolf") and run ("rune, secret, lore") to give the slightly mystical meanings of "rune of the wolf" or "wolf's secret lore". It was…
English surname
"wine bearer"
Palin has suddenly become a hot new surname-name given usually to girls. The inspiration can only be former Alaska governor Sarah, though the name Palin is her husband's -- her original surname is…
Gemstone name
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,…
Virtue name, English from Latin
"chastity, pure"
One of the original so-weird-it's-cruel celebrity baby names doesn't sound quite so impossible with the resurgence of virtue names. But be charitable and choose Charity instead.
Variation of Chastain, Chastity or Castinus, French, English, Latin
"chestnut tree; pure, chaste"
On one hand, Chastin is a surname-style choice that may be interpreted as nature and tree related via the French Chastain. On the other, it's an almost virtue name, used as a diminutive or variation…
Either a virtuous option, adapted from Latin and English, or a woodsy, nature related surname, via the French Chastain.
Diminutive of Francesca
"from France; free man"
Reminiscent of Essie, Cherry, and Cassie, Chessy is diminutive of Francesca which is gentler than Frankie but less antique as Franny (or Fanny...). It notably appears in the 1998 move, The Parent…
Short form of Chewbacca, or word name
"honored friend"
Popular for pets, especially of the shaggy, furry nature, Chewie is a Star Wars inspired choice, used in the movie franchise as a nickname for the tall Wookie companion of Han Solo. The full form…
English diminutive of Charlotte, French
"free man"
A Charlotte nickname heard much more often in Britain than here — American parents might prefer Charlie or Lottie.
English feminization of Charles, French
Charlesena is one of those awkward feminizations that, like Richardine or Davette, we don't recommend. And why when you have the lovely Charlotte or the gender-neutral Charlie?
English diminutive of Christina, Greek
"a Christian"
Chris is one of the longest-running and still most appealing unisex short forms, still used nearly equally for boys and girls. Though no longer fashionable, Chris still feels crisp and appropriate…
English feminization of Charles, German and French
Charlotte is a Top 10 name now and Charlie is hugely popular for both girls and boys, along with Charlee, Charli, Charleigh, and Charley for girls. So why does Charla have none of this fashion power?…
English or Swedish diminutive of Cynthia, Greek, or Cecilia, Latin
"moon goddess, woman from Kynthos; blind"
What's Cia short for? Cynthia or most any other C -name. Stylish in its sleek Mia-Nia minimalist feel, but may remind some of the Central Intelligence Agency.
