By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 776 pages
of 776
English
"cleared wood; reed clearing; channel clearing"
Can one prominent character affect the gender identity of a name? Definitely, as has supernatural bad girl Ridley Duchannes of the Beautiful Creatures series-turned-movie, played by the gorgeous Emmy…
Latin
"crown, jeweled headdress"
The perfect name-accessory for a little princess, though its popularity is waning.
Modern invented name
Aerith Gainsborough is a lead character in the video game Final Fantasy. The name was invented by the developers as a translation for the character's original Japanese name Earisu.
Feminine form of Cassius or Greek
"cinnamon"
Cassia is related to the cassia tree, which has yellow flowers and produces a spice that can be a substitute for cinnamon. Keziah, the name of Job’s daughter in the Old Testament, derives from the…
Word name, English from Greek
"diamond"
Diamond sparkled all through the nineties--reaching as high as Number 150 in 1999. Although its shine has diminished quite a bit, it remains in use. Followers of the British royal family may know…
"aristocracy"
Gentry is a word name that's gaining ground for girls as a kind of updated Jennifer, especially in the Jentry (or Jentri or Jentree) spelling.
Goldy originated as an affectionate diminutive of the English word 'gold,' symbolizing something precious and valuable. Often used as a nickname, it has evolved into a standalone given name with…
spelling variation of Hattie
While this version of the name has never made it into the US Top 1000, it is nonetheless slowly on the rise. In 2015, 162 girls were given this name. The related Hattie is the highest it's ever been,…
English variation of Carys, Welsh
"love"
This much less popular variation draws more from Karin.
Arabic, Scandinavian variation of Naema
"tranquil; pleasantness"
As an Arabic name, the normal transcription is Na'ima, with an apostrophe. It was a Top 200 name in France in the 1970s and '80s, and ranked in the US Top 1000 from 2005 to 2008. Naima can also be a…
Turkish; Azerbaijani
"moon flood"
A pretty Turkish name popular in the 1980s and 90s, with the wonderfully evocative meaning of "moon flood". Similar in sound to the likes of Isla, Ayla, and Aylin, it can also be written as Aisel.
Jaycie is a contemporary feminine name that emerged as a creative variation of names like Jayce, Casey, or Jessica. With American origins, it combines the popular 'Jay' sound with a feminine ending,…
Russian diminutive of Ekaterina
"pure"
One of the warm and earthy Russian nickname names now coming into style. Denzel Washington is the father of a Katia.
"of the sea"
Marin is a lovely county north of San Francisco, and a lovely baby name on the rise, one which sounds more refreshing than the more familiar Marina. As a place-name, Marin is pronounced with the…
English and French diminutive of Marie
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
An underused classic that has proved surprisingly unisex over the last few decades, being given to roughly the same number of baby girls and boys in the US from the 1970s to the 2000s. For a girl,…
Mayzie is a whimsical feminine name that gained recognition from Dr. Seuss's character Mayzie the lazy bird in his stories. The name has a cheerful, playful quality with its 'ay' sound and diminutive…
Meira is a feminine name with Hebrew roots, meaning 'light' or 'one who illuminates.' This beautiful name carries significant spiritual symbolism in Jewish tradition, representing enlightenment and…
Irish, variation of Mary
"bitter; beloved; drop of the sea"
Well-established Irish and Scottish name that has never really caught on across the pond. Remembered by an older generation as the beautiful red-haired ballerina in the film The Red Shoes , Moira…
Russian, diminutive of Tatiana
"belonging to the house of Tatius"
Tania is a Russian name that has been fully integrated into the American name pool, retaining just a touch of its Slavic flavor. It started as a pet form of Tatiana, which is beginning to be used in…
Variation of Amy or Amaya
As a place name, Amya is a small village in Syria. As a girls’ name , it has ranked in the US Top 1000 since 2000, though it may be close to dropping off the charts altogether. As a variation of…
