By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 1823 pages
of 1823
Diminutive of Rosemary, Roma, Romana, Romilly etc.
Austrian actress Romy Schneider seemed to be the singular bearer of this international nickname name until it found new style currency in the past decade, entering the US Top 1000 for the first time…
Variation of Rowan, Scottish and Irish
"rowan tree; little redhead"
Rowan has been shooting up the charts on both the boys' and the girls' side, carrying the appeals of a trendy "o" vowel, a soft sound, and a nature connection to top it off. The modern variation…
Swahili; Welsh form of the Irish Niamh
"resolve; brilliance"
Short but energetic and substantial, Nia has special meaning for African-American parents, as it's one of the days of Kwanza. Nia also benefits by its similarity to (yet differentness from) the…
English surname name
"boundary gate"
Merritt has a long and distinguished history as a surname; the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut and the Merritt Building testify to that. But it wasn't until Emmy-winning actress Merritt Wever came…
Bird name, or English, diminutive of Robert
"bright fame"
After a 60 year slide down the popularity ladder, Robin made a turnaround in 2020 and began climbing back into favor for baby girls. One reason may be its new status as one of the most evenly-divided…
Diminutive of Angela
Cute nickname of Angela and other angelic names, Angie is now being used on its own, although its popularity has fallen in recent years. That said, Angie is one of those surprising classics, hanging…
Spelling variation of Jasmine, Persian flower name
The inclusion of the trendy "z" doesn't do much for this variant of Jasmine. We recommend the original spelling.
Scottish
"garden of holly"
A Scottish place and surname that was once adrogynous but now leans about 20 to 1 toward the girls' side, Leslie has a pleasant, heathery feel that kept it in or near the Top 100 for several decades;…
Aramaic
"lady"
The name of our first First Lady still has something of a prim and proper image, academic and efficient. That quiet, traditional, and tasteful gestalt is exactly what makes Martha appealing to some…
"son of the fair hero"
Presidential name that makes a fresh substitute for MacKenzie or McKenna. Possible spelling variations include MacKinley, MacKinlee, Makinleigh ad almost infinitum. McKinley is one of the Scottish…
Irish
"little king"
This ultrapopular boys' name is rapidly becoming a hot name for girls ; admired for its buoyant Irish spirit. Ryan returned to the Top 500 for girls in 2015 and will no doubt continue to climb…
"elm grove"
Lennox is one of the new breed of surname names on the rise as a Scottish name for girls as well as boys. The final x makes the name a bit masculine a la Max and Felix, but female inspirations…
Scottish, Hindi, Hungarian, Finnish
"from the island; earth, sacred speech; shining light; joy"
A simple name that's rising fast in the US, likely inspired by the popularity of Isla and Ayla. This streamlined form might appeal to those who like Ana, Ivy, and Ada, and it brings a multicultural…
Variation of Carson, English and Scottish surname
"son of the marsh-dwellers"
Y is often used to feminize a variant spelling of a name, though of course there's nothing intrinsically gendered about it. The Karsyn spelling is slightly off its peak for girls, but rising for boys.
English surname, variation of Massey
"hill"
Singer Macy Gray has popularized this cute and upbeat choice—once solely associated with the department store. A modern replacement for Stacy and Tracy, Macy was most popular in the early 2000s when…
French from Latin
"oarsman"
Remy is one of those rare names that combines ancient roots with modern sleekness. Boys outnumber girls with the classic Remy spelling, girls named Remi outnumber those named Remy. With either…
Anglicized variation of Gaelic Brighid
"strength or exalted one"
Bridget is the Anglicized form of Brigid, an Irish-Gaelic name that was derived from the word brígh , which means "strength." Bridget is the name of the most famous female saint of Ireland, who…
Place-name
"the site of the bridge"
Bristol Palin, the daughter of former Alaska governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, grabbed her own share of headlines after her pregnancy and having appearing on Dancing With The…
English variation of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Although the Kathryn spelling feels like a modern streamlining of this ancient royal and saints' name, it is in fact found back through history. At least one of Henry the Eighth's unfortunately wives…
Diminutive of Abigail, Hebrew
"my father is joyful"
Gently old-fashioned stand-alone nickname that owes its popularity to mega popular Abigail.
