By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 607 pages
of 607
English compound name, Ada + Lee
"noble + meadow"
Adalee's rise into the Top 1000 is thanks to the current fashion for all names ada-related, including the similar Adeline and Adelaide. It does have a sweet melodic charm, but given the thousands of…
Variation of Adeline, French
"noble, nobility"
Another spin on the mega-popular Adeline names, this form could stop any confusion about whether the ending is said lin, line, or leen, though with Adeline, Adaline, Adelyn, Adalyn, Adelina, and…
Swedish diminutive of Anna
"grace"
Annika is a surprise hit of recent years, inspired by golfer Sorenstam; for Trekkies, it was also the name of a 'Star Trek:Voyager' character. Some people's first memory of it might be as Pippi…
Spelling variation of Harmony
With Harmony on the rise, this spelling variation is getting some attention as well. It was a newcomer to the US Top 1000 in 2015 and has remained in the latter end of the charts ever since.
Arabic, Hebrew
"maidens; noble, exalted"
A charming multicultural choice with a daring yet grounded sound, Adara is a both a Hebrew name with a noble meaning, and an Arabic name with ties to astronomy. Popular in Puerto Rico and Spain, it…
Greek mythology
"safe; butcher"
Artemis, one of the key figures of the female Greek pantheon, is the ancient virgin goddess of the hunt, wilderness, animals, childbirth, and a protector of young girls, later associated with the…
English
"dweller near the beaver stream"
The remarkable success of the girls' name Everly makes a revival of the name Beverly seem possible. More commonly a masculine name in the 19th century, it began to be used for girls in the early…
Scottish variation of Margery, diminutive of Margaret
"pearl"
Scottish Marjorie and her English twin Margery were early twentieth century favorites that date back to medieval times, when it was popular among the royals. They were at their height in the 1920s,…
Spanish variation of Jamila, Arabic
"beautiful"
Popular in Mexico and familiar in the US, Yamileth is an elaborate and fresh form of Yamila, ultimately derived from the Arabic Jamil. Meaning "beautiful", it shares sounds with other familiar and…
"meadow of quivering aspens"
Waverly, with its literary resonance and lilting three-syllable sound, could well become the next generation's successor to Kimberly. Its upper-crusty surname feel places it among the new stylish…
Greek, English
"defending men"
Alexa was a steadily popular modern classic until Amazon's virtual assistant Alexa was released in 2013. It remains relatively well used in the US despite this, though its standing keeps dropping for…
Spanish place-name
"mountainous"
Overly trendy western place-name, as stated in the title of our book Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana.
German
"brave as a bear"
Although feminizations ending in "ette" are not particularly popular now, Bernadette is a pleasant, feminine, but strong name that doesn't feel prohibitively dated. And though strongly associated…
Swedish and Finnish variation of Michaela, Hebrew
"who is like God"
Variation of Michaela often used in Scandinavian countries. Oscar-winning actress Mikey Madison's formal name is Mkaela, spelled this way. Mikaela is a Top 20 name in Puerto Rico.
Greek variation of Helen
A common choice in Greece, Eleni is starting to rise in the US too thanks to its bouncy rhythm and cool -i ending. Also familiar in England and Wales, Eleni was chosen for 255 girls in the US in…
Variation of Cassidy
Like Cassidy, Kassidy peaked near the turn of the millennium and has lost ground in recent years.
Diminutive of Alexandria, Greek
This diminutive, similar to Alex or Alexis, has been yo-yoing in popularity since the turn of the 21st century.
Arabic, Basque, mythology, "shining light, enlightenment; sunray; goddess"
"shining light, enlightenment; sunray; goddess"
Inara is an appealing choice with multiple origins, currently in the Top 500 in the UK and the Netherlands. Gentle looking but bright in feel, it is also on the rise in the US, possibly owing to its…
Variation of Liliana, Italian and Spanish
"lily"
Lilyana is variant of "Lillian" or "Liliana", which are elaborations of the flower name "Lily". It could be considered a smoosh-name of Lily and Ana, which may appeal to fans of compound choices like…
Variation of Rosalind
True Blood may be the reason that variation Rosalyn has retained some popularity while the original Rosalind still languishes. Moderately popular in the middle of the last century, Rosalyn may…
