English Names

One of the original so-weird-it's-cruel <a href="https://nameberry.com/fameberry">celebrity baby names</a> doesn't sound quite so impossible with the resurgence of virtue names. But be charitable and choose Charity instead.

Chastity

Chelsea for a boy?  Yes — and we've got two maleberry Chelseas to prove it (one of whom even wrote a blog for us about his experience)!  Boy Chelseas would more likely be named for the British football team than the old Joni Mitchell song sung by Judy Collins.

Chelsea

Farrar has two separate origins: an occupational name meaning "smith", and a Scottish river name, from a Pictish word meaning "to wind". Barely ever recorded as a first name, Farrar is a blank slate that fits with the surname style that's popular today.

Farrar

Actor Farley Granger set it in motion, now could be a gentler alternative to Harley. 

Farley

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 Trap, borne by the nanny and housekeeper character.
 
Chessy may also be read as a place name, appearing on the map in France and known for being the location of Disneyland Paris. In this case, it would be pronounced as SHEH-SEE and might just intrigue Disney Fans.

Chessy

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 Chewbacca means "honored friend" in the fictional Wookie language, though Chewie might be less of a mouthful for a pet.
 
Alternatively, Chewie might be considered a wordy pet name, inspired by chew toys and the enjoyment some animals get from chewing on things.

Chewie

Fane, used as a nickname in the Middle Ages for someone with a cheerful disposition, is one of the more offbeat members of the Zane-Kane family. 

Fane

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 for both sexes.

Chris

Faulkner is an old occupational surname that was used for someone who kept and trained falcons when falconry was a popular sport in medieval Europe. Anyone using it in contemporary America would probably be honoring Southern novelist William Faulkner. While we love the author, Falconer would probably be a slightly easier name to carry on the playground.


Faulkner

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.

Cimmaron is an alternate spelling of Cimarron, a Great Plains city and river made famous by the Edna Ferber novel; it has a nice western feel.  Cimmaron or more properly Cimarron is one of those vintage literary names, like Atticus and Scout, that may finally come into its own.

Cimmaron

If this name makes you think of Victorian novels, it's because Fairfax was part of Mr Rochester's name in Jane Eyre, and the surname of a minor character in Jane Austen's Emma. It has a distinctly aristocratic feel, despite its straightforward meaning. Fairfax is also a city in Virginia.

Fairfax

Associated with a vivid red-orange-colored lacquer, would make a more than distinctive color-related choice. 

Cinnabar

A sweet and rare spice name, which made its first and only appearance on the US baby name charts in 1969 — the year Neil Young's song "Cinnamon Girl" was released.

Cinnamon

Similar in sound to Cerise, Cirice has its origins in Old English, ultimately meaning "the Lord's house" or "church". Also the name of a place in France (Saint-Cirice) and a song by the Swedish band Ghost, it would be pronounced as suh-REES in contemporary English, but more like chee-ree-cheh in Old English. 


Cirice

Only if it's a family name, and even then, better in the middle. 

Fairchild

This spelling keeps the appealing meaning of Clara and Belle smooshed together, but without the Disney Cow association some people may have with Clarabelle. Nevertheless, this is the lesser used of the two, given to around 10 babies per year, compared to 30. 

Clarabel

An English place name associated with a now ruined palace and a set of 12th century laws which defined the relationship between church and state, Clarendon is a surname-style choice with historical grandeur. Also the name of places in Jamaica, the US, and Canada, Clarendon likely means "Clare's hill" or "hill associated with Clare", making this an unexpected way to honor a Clare or Clara in your life. 
 
Some may recognize Clarendon as a heavy, boldface type, which is what drew entrepreneur and designer Perry Haydn Taylor to the name, which he gave to one of his three daughters. The others are Perpetua and Helvetica, named to honor his love for typography.

Clarendon

Rich purplish red color choice that may gain favor along with Claire, though the wine connection can't be ignored. 

Claret

Claribelle

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 85)

English Names (with Meanings & Popularity)