English Names

Princess-y but not overly fussy, thanks to the classic simplicity of Emma, Emmalina is a sweet, bright alternative to Emilia. The meaning can vary depending on if you see it as an elaboration of Emmeline or a compound name of Emma and Carolina or Lina".

Emmalina

Many virtue names have long been in style or have seen a resurgence in recent years. Happy, however joyous, seems unlikely to join this trend. This could be because it doesn't have a solid history of being popularly used (in comparison to Joy or Hope) and because it's such a familiarly used word in day to day life (unlike Verity or Felicity). 
 It was notably borne by the not-so-happy character Happy Loman in Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman, by a cat in the anime and manga series, Fairy Tail, and by Happy Quinn from the TV show Scorpion.

Happy

A friendly sounding surname name reminiscent of the increasingly popular Marlow and Harlow. British musician Gary Barlow is a notable namesake.

Barlow

Bates is a fresh version of Bartholomew, and feels more wearable than Bart. Bates could be considered a patriotic choice for American parents - Katharine Lee Bates was an author and professor best known for penning the words to "America the Beautiful".

Bates

A word name with an appealing and illuminating meaning. 

Beacon

Lita

Lorelle

This ancient name is that of the hero of the epic Beowulf, which is thought to be the oldest-ever poem in English lit written in the vernacular. J. R. R. Tolkien used the poem as one of his inspirations for The Lord of the Rings.

Certainly a weighty if historically relevant choice, but usable for a modern baby? Even a few years ago, we might have said no. But Beowulf Sheehan is a noted portrait photographer, Beowulf Borritt a Broadway production designer, and the nicknames Wulf or Wulfie are feeling positively mainstream.

With other ancient names from myth and legend coming to life once again, Beowulf is certainly up for consideration.

Beowulf

A vowel heavy compound name with sounds that are familiar but seem unexpected and interesting when placed next to each other. Louann did feature at the latter end of the US Top 1000 between the 30s and 60s, but in recent years, it has only been given to a small handful of girls. Still, with the look of Elowen about it and the sounds of Luna, perhaps there is still a future for Louann? 
 A notable bearer is Dr Louann Brizendine, an American neuroscientist and writer, while content creator Katy Fassett chose the stylized form, LouAnn, for her daughter born in 2026.

Louann

Bliss might once have seemed a far-out choice, but it has been on the rise for girls in recent years, alongside similar options such as Dream, Heaven, Halo, and Blessing. Associated with a state of perfect happiness and with spiritual blessedness, it holds both religious and secular appeal.
 
While the name remains rare for boys in the US, it is beginning to see quiet use, with 9 boys called Bliss in the latest stats. Beyond the US, however, Bliss is used as a masculine or unisex name in Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Zimbabwe. 
 
Similar in feel to Halo, Sincere, Truce, and Chosen, it may, for now, be easier for a boy to wear in the middle spot, though this could change in the future.

Bliss

Kids love Bob the Builder, but do they want to be Bob the Builder? Bob and Bobby have been out of style since the 1960s, but as vintage nickname-names -- Fred, Archie -- come back into vogue, Bob may tag along.  Charlie Sheen used it for one of his twin sons.

Associated with havoc, disaster, and trouble, this bold moniker is unlikely to be many parents' first choice, but it has nevertheless been appearing in the US charts since 2006. It may appeal to those who like Danger, Wild, and Rowdy, or associate Chaos with rebellion, mythology, or physics.
 
Derived from the Greek khaos, the word originally meant "abyss, vast, empty", and in Greek creation myths, Chaos was the first being to exist, out of which Erebus and Nyx (darkness and night) were born. In some versions of the myth, Gaia, Tartarus, and Eros were also born out of Chaos. 
 
Given to more than 140 babies since the mid-2000s, Chaos had its (current) peak in 2021 when 22 boys received the name. Nickname Ossie (or Ozzie) might just help ground it, though you could consider Chaol, a modern literary name inspired by the word.

Chaos

Occasionally heard in Ireland, small chance of success here. 

Nelda

Legitimizes the newly coined Denim, as does the Scottish place-name Denholm (both pronounced DEN-um). 

Denham

A rising star for boys in recent years, Reeves has the gender neutral potential of Reese. Given to 13 girls in a recent count (compared to 67 boys), it comes from the medieval occupation name, Reeve, given to a local official who enforced feudal obligations, and may be compared to a bailiff or a sheriff. 
 
Reeve itself is also used as a name (most notably by aviators Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh who chose it for their daughter), though its the stylish plural Reeves that is gaining attention.

Reeves

An upscale surname with a nice modern design connection to the creators of the Eames chair and other midcentury furniture classics, Charles and Ray Eames.


Eames

Retro nickname Rocky with a spelling twist that feels both very modern (think Indi, Rori, Remi, Beni) but also totally in tune with its vintage vibes (think Joni, Patti, Terri, Toni). Chosen by Rihanna & A$AP Rocky for their daughter in 2025, as an obvious nod to her dad's professional name, it may see more use in coming years.
 
The meaning of the name varies, depending on where you wish to trace its roots. On one hand, it could be a word name, simply referring to a rocky, pebbly place; it could equally come from Rochelle, also meaning "rock". Alternatively, there's Italian Rocco, whose meaning is sometimes listed as "rook, crow" or as "rest, repose". In the case of Rihanna & A$AP Rocky's daughter, it may be inspired by A$AP Rocky's birth name, Rakim, meaning "merciful, kind".

Rocki

Though slightly haughtier and less accessible than cousin Edmond, Esmond could appeal to some parents seeing a distinguished appellation. It began being used (albeit sparingly) in England in the nineteenth century, possibly influenced by William Makepeace Thackeray's novel The History of Henry Esmond.
 Most parents today would prefer the more popular Desmond.

Esmond

Everet is a masculine name derived from Germanic roots, closely related to the more common spelling Everett. It originates from the elements 'eber' meaning 'wild boar' and 'hard' meaning 'brave' or 'strong,' thus conveying the meaning 'brave as a wild boar' or 'strong boar.' This vintage name has Old English connections and was brought to England by the Normans. The single-t spelling variant Everet maintains the same distinguished quality while offering a slightly simplified form. Though less common than Everett, which has enjoyed a significant revival in the 21st century as part of the trend toward classical names, Everet shares the same appealing blend of strength and refinement.

Everet

Solstice graduated from word to official first name when author Lionel Shriver used it for a character in her novel Big Brother. But of course, there were people named Solstice before: 16 baby girls were given the name in the US in 2021 (and it is occasionally used for boys too).

The word solstice is derived from the Old French and Latin term meaning "point at which the sun seems to stand still." There are pagan celebrations around the time of the winter and summer solstices, June 21 and December 21, the longest and shortest days of the year, which makes Solstice one of the best <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/577/names-for-december-babies">names for babies born in December</a> or June.

Solstice

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 

. The English origin names below are ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

English names including girl names and boy names of English origin from the English language and culture (Page 73)

1450+ English Names (with Meanings & Popularity)