Names that Peaked in 2016
Across 5 pages
of 5
Mariam
Arabic variation of Mary
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Popular among parents with Arab roots. Also found as Maryam. Mary was ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Mariam. The original meaning of Mariam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the…
Finnegan
Irish
"fair"
If you like the Finn names and love James Joyce, Finnegan is extremely winning. Will & Grace 's Eric McCormack chose the Finnigan spelling for his son. And of course Finnegan gains you access to the…
Hamza
Arabic
"lion or strong"
Hamza was the legendary uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, hero of The Hamzanama, the Story of Hamza.
Armani
Italian surname derived from Herman or Arman, German or Persian
"soldier; wish,hope"
One of the designer baby names -- Chanel and Gucci are others -- that have appeared in this era of branding everything from your purse to your offspring. It helps that the name is similar to more…
Hadassah
Hebrew
"myrtle tree"
This Hebrew name of Queen Esther is well used in Israel (especially for girls born around the holiday of Purim), and in the US is the name of a Zionist women's philanthropic organization. Formerly…
Maximo
Spanish variation of Maximus, Latin
"greatest"
With the ubiquitous Max heard at every playground across the US, international versions have been gaining traction in an attempt to provide a fresh avenue to the highly sought nickname. This Spanish…
Rayan
Arabic
"land that is lush and rich in water"
Popular Arabic name for boys and sometimes girls too, that's also a term of authority in India.
Nikolai
Russian variation of Nicholas
"people of victory"
Russian forms, like Russian supermodels, are hot these days. This is a strong, worldly way to make Nicholas new; it was chosen for his son by Barry Bonds, Jr. Nikolai also comes with several…
Amiyah
American variation of Amaya and Amaia, Spanish
"the end"
While this name is a phonetic variant of Amaya and Amaia, its popularity could also stem from its similarity to names such as Aliyah, Amelia, and Amara too. It entered the US Top 1000 back in 2003,…
Azariah
Hebrew
"helped by God"
Though this is a popular name for men in the Bible, today it's used with this spelling for nearly equal numbers of girls and boys. The Azaria variation is much more often given to girls.
Ariah
English variation of Aria, Hebrew, Italian
"lion of God; song"
When actress Tamera Mowry named her daughter Ariah, she said it was a Hebrew name meaning "lion of God" -- which it is, if you consider Ariah a variation of Ariel. But many sources consider Ariah a…
Galilea
Feminine variation of Galileo, after "Galilee"
"Galilee"
Like the masculine form Galileo, Galilea is a variant of Galilee, a region in Northern Israel of great Biblical significance. Given the current popularity of soft Italian girls’ names , this name’s…
Paislee
Spelling variation of Paisley
"church, cemetery"
Just when we thought Paisley couldn't get trendier, this -ee suffix showed up. Although it's not our favorite, parents are choosing this spelling more and more often.
Bridger
English
"lives near the bridge"
A recent addition to the Most Popular list, Bridger has the trendy two-syllables and 'er' ending, and a historical reference to Jim Bridger, a foremost nineteenth-century frontiersman, explorer,…
Franco
Italian variation of Francis
"Frenchman or free man"
A classic Italian name still heard in the Italian-American community. Once tainted by the association with the Spanish dictator, it's now more likely to call up actor James Franco. The bright o…
Amaris
Variation of Amara or Amariah
Amaris sounds like "amorous," which is a loving name for a child, but doesn't really have a clear derivation or meaning of its own. The popular Amara is one of the most international names on the…
Kenna
Scottish, feminine form of Kenneth
Kenna is the Scottish version of Kendra, both of which are feminine versions of Kenneth. Used in the TV show Reign for one of the supporting characters.
Rayna
Hebrew
"song of the Lord"
This spelling of the name has ties to Hebrew, Slavic, and Scandinavian cultures, in addition to being another alternative to Reina and Reyna. It is most recently attached to hit television show…
Lennon
Irish
"lover"
A growing number of high-profile (and other) parents are choosing to honor their musical idols, such as Hendrix, Presley, Jagger, and now Lennon. Lennon first came to notice when Liam Gallagher and…
Cayson
Spelling variation of Cason
A less-popular spelling of on-the-rise Cason.