English Names

Wiley may be considered a variation of Wylie, a Scottish diminutive of strong, classic William. As such, it may work an appealing way to honor a Bill, Will, or William, or as an alternative to popular Liam. 
 
Alternatively, Wiley may be considered a surname-style name, ultimately derived from two English places: Willey (meaning "clearing of willows") or Wylye (the name of a river, meaning "tricky"). 
 
Additionally, it may be considered a word-adjacent choice, associated with intelligence, sass, and trickery, owing to its similarity to wily. This may endear the name to some, but may put others off.
 
The name was in the US Top 500 up until the 50s when it began to decline in use, possibly thanks to the rise of the Looney Tunes character, Wile E. Coyote. In more recent years, it has seen more use, with 180 boys (and 23 girls) receiving the name in the latest count.

Wiley

The name Kendall started life as a locational surname, referring to the town of Kendale in England, and was used as a masculine name for the first half of the 19th century. By the 80s, it was a gender neutral choice, but the 90s saw it swing feminine, when it was used in the soap opera All My Children.
 
These days, it may feel almost synonymous with Kendall Jenner, of Kardashian fame and the stats do reflect that. A recent year saw it given to 985 girls compared to 162 boys, meaning it's given to girls 85% of the time. It last ranked in the Top 1000 for boys in 2018.
 
One male Kendall in the spotlight is the character Kendall Roy on TV's Succession, which might make people review it as a unisex possibility.

Kendall

May is a sweet old-fashioned name that hasn't been on the national charts in several decades, but is definitely sounding fresh and springlike. Parents are beginning to see it once more as one of the prettiest middle name options. May was as high on the list as Number 57 in the 1880s; it's now 228 on Nameberry.
 May started as one of the innumerable pet forms of Mary and Margaret, as well as a springtime month name along with April and June. She's represented in literature by May Bartram in Henry James's The Beast in the Jungle and May Welland in Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence. 
 Actresses Emily Morton and Madeline Stowe named their daughters May, and Eric Clapton and Jodie Sweetin used it in middle place for theirs.

Unlike Jake or Sam, few parents put Mike on the birth certificate. 

Mike

This iteration of the name makes the link to the ultra-popular Emma even more obvious. It lags behind alternate spelling Emmeline on the US Top 1000 list.
 Emmaline Henry was an American actress, best known for the role of Amanda Bellows on I Dream of Jeannie.

Emmaline

Among a small shower of rain-related names, this pure version can have a cool, refreshing image. 
 Richard Pryor named his now-grown daughter Rain, and Rain is also one of the nature-named Phoenix family siblings. More recently, 24 actress Marisol Nichols named her daughter Rain India.
 Rain also makes a nice nature middle name--Brooke Burke called her daughter Heaven Rain.
 If you want to embellish this simply spelling (and alter the meaning), you might also consider Raine, Raina, Rainn, Rayne, Reine or Reign, the middle name of Willow Smith. Or you could take the Holly Madison route all the way to Rainbow.

Rain

As flower names become more unique, so can gem names move beyond Ruby and Pearl to names like Topaz, Sapphire, and Peridot. Amethyst, the purple birthstone for February, has never been in the Top 1000, but could have some appeal, joining similarly-hued Violet and Lilac, all of which make great <a href="https://nameberry.com//list/614/names-for-aquarius-babies">names for Aquarius babies</a> or <a href="https://list/630/70-lovely-names-for-february-babies">names for February babies</a>.
 In the M.M. Kaye children's novel The Ordinary Princess, the protagonist is Princess Amethyst Alexandra Augusta Araminta Adelaide Aurelia Anne of Phantasmorani — Amy for short — who has been given the "gift" of ordinariness.

Amethyst

When you look at its etymology, Anderson might be a surprising choice for a baby girl: the son ending confers a meaning that's literally masculine, which is then reinforced by Anders ("manly, masculine") giving it the overall meaning "son of the manly, masculine one".
 Still, that hasn't stopped Madison and Emerson becoming unisex favorites and sound wise, it could work as a fresh way to honor an Andrea or Andrew. Besides, perhaps '-son' may just be interpreted as 'descendent of-' her, if you take it from the end of person instead?
 
With nicknames Annie and Andie (or even Anders itself), Anderson was given to 118 girls in the US last year, compared to 943 boys. To put that in perspective, about 11% of all Andersons born were girls, while it charted alongside Maribel, Lois, and Rumi in the same year.

Anderson

Cedar is, like Ash, Oak, Pine and Ebony, one of the new tree/wood names that parents are starting to consider; this one is particularly aromatic with a similar feel to more classic options like Cedric, Edgar, Reed, and Sawyer. 
 In the Bible the cedar is mentioned in Psalm 92:12: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon." The Lebanon  Cedar was used to build King Solomon's temple in Jerusalem, and there are now several hospitals called Cedars of Lebanon, plus a U2 song by that name.
 A contemporary bearer of the name is the jazz pianist Cedar Walton, while Cyrus and Cypress are similar options. 
 
The name was chosen by 170 boys and 76 girls in a recent year.

Cedar

It all started in 1946, when Hayley Mills was given her mother's maiden name. Now that spelling is in third place, after Hailey and Haley, with all three adding up to one of the most popular names in the country. Hayley  is the most used spelling in Australia.

Hayley

This modern virtue name gives a nod to ancient chivalry and could also work as an updated form of the classic Victor. A bold choice, but one that an increasing number of parents have been making in the last decade.
 
Rarely used as a given name before 2011, Valor began to gather attention in 2013, possibly thanks to actor Emile Hirsch choosing it for his son. More than tripling in use since then, Valor was given to 124 boys and 15 girls in 2024.
 
With the likes of Chosen, Sincere, and Saint in the charts, Valor no longer feels totally out there, and, as a virtue name it could be considered versatile, given that courage and bravery can take many forms.
 
Influencer Valyssa Stark (sunsetsistersandsweettea) called her son Valor Job in 2025.

Valor

Aven is used as a surname in various countries across the globe, and occasionally as an Anglicized variant of the Irish girl name, Aoibheann. In the US, Aven only started to see significant use in the 2000s, and over the next two decades, it has slowly risen in popularity.
 
Yet to rank in the Top 1000, Aven has a lot going for it. It feels familiar, like the solid but gentle Evan. It has some of the cosy, natural, safe feels of Haven, along with the slightly witchy vibes of Raven and Maven. It ticks the boxes as a unisex and surname-style choice, along the lines of Avery, Everett and Aspen.
 
Given to 181 boys compared to 56 girls in a recent year, a notable bearer is past contestant of the TV game show, The Bachelorette, Aven Jones. 2023 saw him return to the screen in the spin off show, Bachelor in Paradise, which might have put the name in the minds of parents-to-be.
 
The exact etymology of Aven is contested but theories include that it is a place name, relating to River Avon; a patronymic name meaning "the son of Ave" or an occupational choice, originally given to the son of a grain merchant. Other sources suggest it is related to the Old Norse world for 'Elf' or the Irish Aoibheann, meaning "beautiful and agreeable". 
 
Wherever Aven emerged from, it's a memorable choice with an earthy and grounded feel to it.

Aven

This flower name was one of the most popular in her class in the seventies and eighties, a fact reflected in the 1989 movie Heathers, in which every snobby girl in the high school clique bears the name. Now, though still pretty and evocative of the Scottish moors, it has faded in favor of other purplish blooms. It fell out of the Top 1000 in 2016 after having been as high as Number 3 in 1975, when it was given to close to 25,000 girls. Across the pond in the UK however, it remains near the latter end of the Top 1000.

Heather

Riot has all the sounds of a trendy name — the first syllable that of trendy choices like Ryder, Ryker, and Rylan, rhyming with Wyatt. But the strong negative connotations of the word, suggesting violence, turn many (but not all) parents away from Riot as a baby name. Ryatt, one step removed, is more common.
 
Riot has positive associations as well, as when used to describe someone funny or outrageous. And then there's the famous quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, "A riot is the language of the unheard", which sheds light on the way marginalized communities have used riots to make their voices heard.
 
If anyone can make a name like Riot mainstream, it's Rihanna. Keeping with their R theme, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky named their second son Riot Rose, brother to RZA. Riot substantially rose in popularity between 2021 and 2022 — this starbaby should only accelerate its growth.
 
Given to 160 baby boys in a recent year, spelling variation Ryatt is twice as popular, while Ryot, Ryott, and Riott have also grown in use.

Riot

The "Believe It or Not" jokes will get old fast, but this surname feels fun and on-trend for both girls and boys, reminiscent of Riley, Tripp, Bridger, and Oakley.
 
Deriving from the Old English rippel and leah meaning "grove" and "clearing" respectively, some might recognise it from The Talented Mr Ripley series by Patricia Highsmith, while others may associate it with the Alien movies.
 
Given to nearly 120 boys in 2023 - the highest number who've ever received the name in a single year - perhaps Ripley could see greater use in coming years.

Ripley

A surprise recent hit revival with cutting-edge British, Tribeca and Malibu parents; Tillie, also spelled Tilly, is cute, frilly, and sassy all at once. Tilly features in the England and Wales Top 200, joining other nickname names like Milly, Maisie, Kitty and Lottie, while Tillie appears further down the charts in the Top 600.
 
Typically used as a nickname for Matilda, this spelling in particular may well appeal to parents of Ottilies. 
 Writer Tillie Olsen is a feminist favorite. Tillie's Punctured Romance is a classic Mack Sennett silent film, starring Charles Chaplin, Mabel Normand and Marie Dressler; Tillie the Toiler was an iconic flapper comic strip.

Tillie

Old-fashioned nickname with sweet turn-of-the-last-century charm that's become a favorite among the popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/a">girl names starting with A</a> of today. In fact, with all spellings of Adeline/Adalynn taken together firmly in the Top 10, and Adelaide and Addison also high in the charts, Addie is one of the most frequently-heard short forms around. But no matter how popular (or pandemic) it gets, Addie is undeniably one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/508/cute-baby-names-for-girls">cutest names for baby girls</a>. Little girls might like the fact that it's the name, though spelled Addy, of an American Girl series doll.

Addie

Ashly

Slater has a more genial, friendly feel than most trade names. Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance used it for one of their twins. 
 On the nineties TV show Saved by the Bell, the character A.C. Slater, played by Mario Lopez, was usually referred to by his surname. Christian Slater is a well-known real life bearer--though he was born Christian Hawkins.

Slater

Though not much in use, still retains a cozy Little House on the Prairie-type pioneer feel. 

Cassie

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 27)

English Names (with Meanings & Popularity)