1450+ English Names (with Meanings & Popularity)
Across 73 pages
of 73
Destry
French
"warhorse"
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…
Kitty
English, diminutive of Katherine
"pure"
This endearing nickname name is one Katherine pet form that predates all the Kathys and Katies, having been fairly common in the eighteenth century. With the current mini-craze for animal-related…
Kay
English, diminutive of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Kay, a cigarette-smoking, nightclubbing name of the 1930's, could be ready for a comeback along with cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae. Kay has been out of sight since the mid-eighties, but was in the…
Dena
Hebrew
"delicate or judged"
The modern name Dena can be considered to come from either of two Old Testament names. Adina, which means delicate, was the name of a male soldier in the Bible. Dinah, meaning judged, Dinah was the…
Blossom
English
"to bloom"
Now that parents have picked virtually every name in the garden, from the common Rose to the captivating Zinnia, some are reconsidering the old, more generic names like Flora and Posy and Blossom —…
Deanna
English variation of Diana, Latin, feminization of Dean
"divine; church official"
Though still being used, Deanna peaked many decades ago.
Posey
English
"a bunch of flowers"
Posey is fashionable in England, a country of gardeners, but this pretty bouquet-of-flowers name is only starting to be heard here. A possible alternative to Rosy or short form for Josephine. Posey…
Jojo
English, diminutive of Jo-beginning names
Sprightly and engaging nickname for human, full name for pet. Author Jojo Moyes and dancer/singer Jojo Sliwa have propelled the name into the public eye.
Deni
English, diminutive of Denise
Cute nickname name used by Woody Harrelson for his daughter, but does have possible association with Denny's.
Bliss
English word name
"great joy"
A sweet, uplifting and still fairly uncommon modern virtue name. Its single syllable makes it especially good as a middle name, but it would also make a big impact in the first spot; in fact, nearly…
Averill
English
"boar battle"
One of the rare English surname names originally derived from a female given name: Eoforhild (Everild), meaning "boar battle". Also spelled Averill, it's an extremely rare choice today, but shares…
Joss
Diminutive of Jocelyn, German
"member of the Gauts tribe"
Joss is more fashionable than Jocelyn or Josslyn. This is a short form that could be used independently, a la the singer Joss Stone. One of a troupe of adorable boyish nicknames newly fashionable for…
Dean
English
"church official"
Like many passé boys' names, this one sounds fresh again for girls.
Joan
English feminine variation of John, Hebrew
"God is gracious"
Joan was the perfect name choice for one of the leading characters on Mad Men , being a quintessential girls' name of the period. A Top 10 name in the 30s, a Top 50 name from the 40s through the…
Jill
Diminutive of Gillian or Juliana
"youthful"
Probably due to its nursery rhyme association, Jill has the perpetual air of a rosy-cheeked tot -- even though it is one of the oldest names on the roster, a medieval variation on the Roman Julia.…
Dayton
English variation of Deighton
"place with a dike"
A city name that sounds more legit than most because of its similarity to Peyton and other such names in circulation.
Jetta
English
"jet"
Although this is a legitimate name, most people would associate it with a line of Volkswagens -- you'd be better off choosing a Mercedes.
Jennison
English surname
Brings Jennifer into the twenty-first century.
Darlene
English
"darling"
A modern(ish) invented name, only in widespread use since the 20th century. It is a combination of the English word darling and the popular midcentury suffix -lene. It was recently used on a…
Jayleen
Modern invented name
"pretty jaybird"
Jayleen is one of those modern creations that could be seen as an attempt to be trendy yet retro at the same time. Part Jaylee, part Aileen, Jayleen could be an honor for a Jane or a James, an…
