1450+ English Names (with Meanings & Popularity)
Across 73 pages
of 73
Kingsley
English surname
"king's meadow"
Regal Kingsley seems like an all-boy name, but a growing number of parents have bestowed this name on a girl. Credit the ever-trendier -ley suffix. Kingsley Wilson is a MAGA influencer and a…
Swan
English
"swan"
Obsolete Swanhild gives way to oh-so-modern Swan, joining the flock of newly fashionable bird names such as Wren and Lark. In France, the Swann spelling is fashionable for both sexes. But Swan…
Riggan
Invented name
Riggan found fame as the first name of the hero of the Oscar-winning film Birdman, played by Michael Keaton. Riggan has the two-syllable n-ending surname feel so trendy for boys' names today. It may…
Stark
Word name, surname, and literary name
Stark is an ancient surname derived from the Old English word stearc, meaning firm and unyielding. In modern parlance, stark means severe or plain. But Stark's use as a first name -- 15 boys were…
Finnick
Literary invention
Finnick has risen to prominence as a first name via The Hunger Games , in which Finnick Odair was a winner of the games. A wearable literary creation, Finnick was given to 136 boys in the US in a…
Jagger
English occupational name
"carter"
Jagger, made famous as the surname of Rolling Stone Mick, gets an entry in the girls' column thanks to Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross, who chose it for their daughter. For either gender, this name…
Duska
English; Czech
"twilight; soul"
This name has two origins: the English word Dusk, meaning evening twilight and the Czech name for girls Duška meaning "soul or spirit". Either way, this is an interesting name with some potential.
Starlit
Word name
In 2014, six little girls in the US were given the name Starlit. Starlit has a sweeter meaning than the similar Starlet, and a better ring than Starlight.
Whisper
English word name
In 2014, fifteen newborns were named Whisper, all of them girls. We can see the attraction of the name but if you are in Australia be warned - Whisper is a well-known brand of sanitary products, so a…
Dimity
Type of cotton cloth
Dimity is fairly common in Australia, but unheard of outside of it, which is surprising given its similarity to names like Amity, Verity, and Cassidy. The fabric probably became used as a name given…
Blues
English word name
"slow, sad, songs of lamentation; a music genre of black American folk origin"
While Ivy Blue has made the color a more popular choice for girls, Blues — as in the musical style — could feel more masculine. While some may find it a sad and gloomy choice, thanks to the phrase…
Twiggy
Twiggy was the working name of English international supermodel and original 'mod squad' girl Lesley Lawson. While the name conjures images of cool 60s parties and glamour, be warned that this could…
Harleth
Surname; modern invented name
Harleth is a name which probably stems from combining the oh-so-trendy Harlow with the evergreen Elizabeth. However, literary parents may also remember the beautiful but difficult character Gwendolen…
Thankful
English word name
"conscious of benefit received"
In the Plymouth Colony of the seventeenth century, Thankful was the third most popular of the abstract word names. It disappeared after 1700 and has virtually no chance of returning.
February
Word name or Latin
"purification feast"
If January, April and August are useable and fashionable, why not February? February as a word derives from the Latin februa , which was the name of a purification feast coming at the end of winter,…
Durnell
English surname
"grower of darnel"
Darnel, the plant from which this name derives, is an intoxicating plant, which used to be grown to make medicines and poisons.
Fear
English word name
"an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger"
One of the more unusual word names used by Plymouth pilgrims for their children. Fear Brewster is an example of the usage of this name. Definitely one of the historic pilgrim names best left in the…
Jarrell
English and French surname derived from a place-name, Gerville
Randall Jarrell was an important mid-20th century poet; his surname makes a pleasingly soft name for a girl.
Cady
English, diminutive and surname
Cady is one of those names that sounds popular but is actually rare in this form, given to only a few dozen baby girls in the US last year. Its origins are unclear, and as many possible meanings and…
Ansley
English
"clearing with a hermitage"
Part Ashley, part Ainsley, part Annie, Ansley featured in the US Top 1000 from the late '90s until 2020. It peaked in 2011 when it nearly reached the Top 600, but has declined in recent years. An…