By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
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Variation of Xenia, Greek
"guest, hospitality"
Familiar through the similarly pronounced TV Warrior Princess, Xena, this name ultimately derives from the Greek Xenia, meaning "guest, foreigner, hospitality". Familiar in the early 19th century in…
Aiyla is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a variant spelling of Ayla, which has Turkish roots meaning 'moonlight' or 'halo of light around the moon.' Alternatively, it could…
Variation of Ava
Ayva is a new entry in the popular Ava and Eva cluster. Its only advantage over the original is that it clarifies pronunciation....but that's not much of a problem if you simply spell it Ava.
Charlette is a feminine name that serves as a variation of Charlotte, which derives from the masculine name Charles, ultimately from Germanic roots meaning 'free man.' This alternative spelling…
Hebrew
"rejuvenation, delight"
Edna is one of those names that, until what it seemed like a few minutes ago, felt so terminally frumpy that no one could imagine a parent choosing it for an innocent modern baby girl. But with the…
Faiga is a feminine name with Yiddish origins, traditionally used in Jewish communities. The name derives from the Yiddish word for 'bird' or 'little bird,' conveying imagery of freedom, grace, and…
English (modern)
A modern coinage from the initials JC, or from a combination of Jay plus the popular -acey/-asey ending sound.
See JALEN.
Bengali and Urdu
"paradise, garden"
Jannat is derived from the Arabic word jannah , which refers to the final paradise for good souls in the afterlife. Jannat is primarily used among Indian and Pakistani Muslims. Cennet is the Turkish…
Keyli is a feminine name with modern origins, likely developed as a creative spelling of Kaylee, Kayleigh, or Kelly. The name has a contemporary, melodic quality that appeals to parents seeking…
Kinzlee is a modern feminine name that emerged in the early 21st century, representing the trend toward creative spellings and the popularity of the 'lee/leigh/ley' suffix. Likely derived from…
Variation of Mavis
"songbird"
With the booming popularity of Irish Maeve and now the climb of vintage revival Mavis in the charts, more parents are beginning to gravitate towards this aesthetic variation. Maevis was a fast riser…
Chinese
"magnolia"
Mulan comes from a Chinese mythological ballad, in which Mulan disguises herself as a man to take the place of her father in war. The 1998 Disney movie of the same name was based on this legend. Read…
Japanese place name or Celtic
"happy"
Soft, simple, and far more unusual than Tara or Farrah. As a Japanese place name, it's been used occasionally as a surname and is beginning to be used as a first. Nara is also the name of a Hindu…
Diminutive of Roxanne, Persian
"dawn"
Roxy, also spelled Roxie, is one of those high-stepping showgal names with plenty of moxie, among the many sassy nickname names on the U.K. popularity list--currently Number 398. The fictional…
Samia is a feminine name with rich multicultural origins. In Arabic, it means 'elevated' or 'sublime,' while in Swahili traditions, it carries the meaning of 'one who is friendly.' The name also…
Variation of Shaina
Trending down, now that country music's Shania is the hot variety.
Modern invented name
This effort to update Sheryl combines Sher- with the familiar -lyn ending. Sherlyn was given to 145 baby girls in 2022, and seems to be on the rise.
English
"burnt clearing"
This name is currently best known on The Bachelorette 's Tenley Molzahn. In the 1950s, it was attached to the Olympic figure skating champion Tenley Albright, and Jessica Biel played a Tenley in the…
Latin
"evening star"
This Latin word used for evening spiritual services was introduced to baby namers by the Eva Greene character Vesper Lynd in the modern James Bond film Casino Royale in 2006, based on the Ian Fleming…
