American Names
Across 4 pages
of 4
Ashlyn
Variation of Aislinn, Irish
"dream"
Though it relates to the Irish original, Ashlyn and its next most popular form, Ashlynn, owe more of their popularity as baby names in the US to the megastar Ashley, though all three have been…
Laylah
Spelling variation of Leila
This spelling variation of the name only recently entered the Top 1000 in 2008. The popular Layla is currently very popular in the United States, while the more traditional Leila is also widely used.…
Maleah
Variation of Malia
Oh dear! We can see where you were going with connecting this name to the classic "Leah," but it just doesn't work. We recommend sticking with the classic Malia.
Marilee
English combination of Mary and Lee
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + meadow"
Marilee is one of the cheeriest – if least substantial – combinations of Mary with another name. The meaning of Mary is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop"…
Nichelle
American, contemporary variation of Michelle
A modern twist on Michelle spotlighted by Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols.
Quadeisha
American, a combination of Qadira and Aisha
Familiar-sounding hybrid name, made more unusual by virtue of the Q.
Riana
Contemporary American variation of Rhiannon
The original Rhiannon has more appeal.
Jorja
Modern American phonetic spelling of Georgia
This simplified form of the lovely name Georgia was spotlighted by the actress Jorja Fox, and seems to be making inroads; rocker Bret Michaels chose it for his daughter. Still, we'd opt for the…
Shevonne
American, phonetic spelling of Siobhan
Shevonne is proof that a name can be pretty and tacky at the same time.
Tulsa
Creek
"old town"
Unlike many other western city names, Tulsa has not proved attractive to parents. The name derives from Tallasi, meaning "old town" in the Creek language.
Biff
American nickname
The quintessential midcentury nickname, famously found in Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman." Biff is late 19th century slang meaning to "hit", so Biff may have originated as a nickname for a…
Brooklyn
Place-name from Dutch
"marshland"
It may be the hippest of hispter neighborhoods, but as a baby name Brooklyn is now on the decline: down from a peak of 120 births for boys in 1999, and over 7000 births for girls in 2011. The most…
Bubba
American nickname
The original southern Good Ol' Boy.
Emmalynn
Combination of Emma and Lynn
"universal lake"
An updated form of Emmeline or Emmaline or a compound name that makes your chosen pronunciation more obvious. Spelling variation Emmalyn reached the US Top 500 in2017, but has since fallen out of Top…
Charleston
American place-name
"Charles' town"
Lovers of the languid South Carolina city might be attracted to this rich-sounding name. Could make an interesting update on Charles -- and can certainly work for a girl too. Actor Joey Lawrence used…
Kody
Spelling variation of Cody
Both Kody and Cody — shining stars of the 90s — are in decline, although more people are choosing Cody than Kody.
Erie
American place-name
One of the Great Lakes and a city next to it, named after a Native American people. This name swings between being more popular for boys and girls, but is currently rare for both. It could also be…
Lashawn
American, a combination of the prefix La- and Shawn, Irish variation of John
"God is gracious"
The prefix La- was historically used by the Free Blacks of New Orleans in the nineteenth century to indicate paternity. Thus, someone named Lashawn was the son of Shawn, a phonetic spelling of Sean,…
Denisha
American variation of Denise, French from Greek
"god of Nysa"
Typical of formula that takes a traditional name syllable and adds -isha ending.
Satchel
American nickname
First Woody Allen, then Spike Lee named their children to honor the great early black pitcher, Leroy "Satchel" Paige. A bit luggage-related for non-celebrity use, however.