By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 755 pages
of 755
Greek
"traveler, voyager"
A wise ruler of legend--his sage advice helped the Greeks win the Trojan War--whose name is a possibility for the adventurous, though related in sound to the dated Lester-Hester family.
Variation of Schuyler, Dutch "scholar"
"scholar"
This Americanized spelling of the Dutch name is now used nearly exclusively for girls in the US. While the Skyler variant remains more statistically unisex, the original Dutch spelling, Schuyler, is…
English surname name; "to pull"
"to pull"
Terrell feels like a modern invention based on Terrence, but Tyrrell has plenty of history as a surname name. It probably comes from an Anglo-Norman nickname for a stubborn person, from the Old…
Arabic
"settler"
Adnan in the Muslim religion was an ancestor of Muhammad. More recently, the name was introduced to many Westerners via Adnan Syed, the young man at the center of the sensational Serial podcast.
Scottish surname
"son of Adam"
Scottish names that started as surnames are a class unto themselves. This old Scottish surname name debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016 -- bolstered, no doubt, by the extreme popularity of Easton,…
Spanish and Russian variation of Herman, German
"warrior"
German might seem like an unlikely occupant of the Top 1000 list, unless you realize that it's a Spanish name, with the accent on the second syllable. It's been on the U.S. list since 1973.
Diminutive of Montague or Montgomery, variation of Monte, English, Spanish
"mountain"
Monty, a name with a World War II feel, is rarely used on its own in the US. But we're hearing rumblings of a comeback and think that Monty, whatever it's short for, is an adorable vintage nickname…
Catalan diminutive of Xavier, Basque or Arabic
"new house or bright"
This nickname was given often enough as a standalone to land it in the Top 1000 from 2010—2013.
French, diminutive of Chevalier
"horseman, knight"
Eternally tied to the surname Chase, via the old English battle and ballad, the DC suburb, and the goofy SNL pratfaller (who was born Cornelius). It entered the US Top 1000 in 2014.
Spelling variation of Jalen
This spelling of popular Jalen ranks in the Top 1000 for both girls and boys.
German surname
"renowned spear"
Ruger is a German surname most famous as a gun name, which explains its popularity as a baby name in the US. If Cannon, Gunner, and Pistol are your type of name, you might like Ruger -- but we're not…
English
"loyal one"
Truman is an upstanding presidential name that radiates an aura of integrity and moral truth, values any parent would want for a child. It seems definitely headed for a revival. Also associated with…
botanical name
Attractive entry into the tree name genre, joining Ash, Oak, and Juniper. Over 110 baby boys were named Cypress in the US last year, along with 70 baby girls.
English; Hebrew
"universal; truth"
Honest and sincere, laid-back and creative, Emmet is a male cognate of the megapopular Emma and Emily, but the more common spelling is Emmett. Emmet dropped off the US Top 1000 in 1934 and reentered…
Variation of Kyson
"son of Kyle"
A variation of Kyson, Kaison, Kayson and co., Kysen combines the stylish 'Ky' sound with a slightly softer looking -en ending. While a number of its sound-alikes rank in the US Top 1000, Kysen has…
English, word name
"fleet of ships; sea-based branch of the armed forces; dark blue"
This once unique and multi-layered word name was used by R&B singer Nivea for her daughter back in 2005, and later, by country musician Jason Aldean. No longer an exclusively celebrity choice Navy is…
Portuguese, Swedish, and Hawaiian variation of Paul
Paulo suffers in comparison to the richer and more authentic-sounding Paolo.
Variation of Rylan
Rylen is the more-unusual spelling variation of Rylan and the even more popular Ryland. It also takes a cue from the long-trendy surname-name Riley and adds the newly-trendy n ending.
Variation of Yusuf, Arabic
"Jehovah increases"
This alternate spelling of Yusuf leads the way in Spain, where it is among the 100 most popular baby names. In the US, streamlined Yusuf reigns.
Modern invented name
Zayvion is an invented name that blends the sound of Xavier with the popular '-on' suffix. This name follows a trend of combining familiar elements to create something distinctive, giving it a modern…
