By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 607 pages
of 607
Hebrew
"pledged to God"
Eliza is a name with a wonderful combination of streamlined zest and Eliza Doolittle charm and spunk. It's a classic that's popular right now -- but not too popular. Eliza has not been in the Top 100…
Basque
"joyful, happy"
Alaia, a fast riser in the US, sounds just like several other popular stylish names, many of them with different origins and meanings. There's Arabic Aaliyah, like the late singer, and the Hebrew…
English
"son of Emery"
The combination of Emily and Emma's popularity -- and the fact that Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher's daughter is named Emerson -- have put this formerly strictly boys’ name , embodying the…
Flower name, from French surname
"Magnol's flower"
Magnolia, a sweet-smelling Southern belle of a name made famous via the iconic Edna Ferber novel and musical Showboat , is one of the latest wave of botanical names, along with unexpected blossoms…
French variation of Valeria
"strength, health"
The name of a martyred medieval saint, Valerie has been on the popularity list since its earliest publication in 1880. Though it peaked in the 1960s, remaining in the Top 100 until 1988, it still…
Italian variation of Ariadne, Greek
"most holy"
The smooth, attractive Ariana is on the rise along with the fame of pop princess Ariana Grande. Also famous is twin spelling Arianna, which is associated with Greek-born online presence Arianna…
Slavic, Germanic, Arabic, Scottish
"bright, beautiful; noble; delicate, soft; defending men"
Alina has been drifting up the US popularity charts since the early 1980s, and now sits in in the Top 200. But Alina's real strength is in its international flexibility: The name ranks highly in a…
Hebrew, Arabic
"princess"
This shimmery name, often given to girls born on the harvest feast of Shavuot, and also used in the Muslim community, is increasing in popularity. Amira is of Hebrew and Arabic origin, meaning…
Spanish
"flat tropical grassland"
A place name with a deep Southern accent, the once-obscure Savannah shot to fame, with others of its genre, on the heels of the best seller Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil , which was set in…
Spelling variation of Emerson,
Parents of female Emersyns will say this Emerson variation's Y makes it more feminine -- and to some extent, it does. This, combined with the trendy Y, have flagged this name as on-the-rise. "Em"…
Hebrew, Latin, Greek, "my God has answered; sun"
"my God has answered; sun"
The multicultural Eliana has been rising quickly in recent years and is now popular in Netherlands, the UK, Canada, France, and Brazil. With in-built nicknames Ellie, Elle and Ana, Eliana - and her…
Feminization of Alan, Irish; variation of Ilana, Hebrew; Gaelic; Hawaiian
"handsome, rock; oak tree; child; awakening"
Alana, in all its various spellings, was at one time reserved for daughters of dads named Alan, but is now much more widespread. It came into prominence via model/actress/celeb spouse Alana Hamilton…
Greek
"black, dark"
Gone with the Wind inspired a generation of girls named Melanie, though it looks as though Scarlett will triumph in the end. Melanie was the name of two Roman saints of the fifth century, a…
Latin
"birthday [of the Lord]"
Natalia was derived from the Latin word natalis , meaning "birthday." It refers to the birthday of Jesus Christ, and thus originated as a name for girls born on Christmas Day. Related forms include…
English from French
"tribe woman"
Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni , meaning "kin", and wefa , meaning "woman." The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of…
Hawaiian
"sea and sky"
This name first entered the US Top 1000 in 2016, probably because of R&B singer Kehlani, whose full name is Kehlani Ashley Parrish. It was the fastest-rising girls' name of the year. Kehlani may be a…
Hebrew, feminization of Samuel
"told by God"
The origins of Samantha are not entirely clear, although it is commonly thought to be a feminization of Samuel with the suffix derived from the Greek anthos , meaning "flower." Samantha has been in…
"orange tree"
One of those names you may not even be aware of if you haven't been paying attention to recent naming trends, Alani was given to more than 700 baby girls in the US in one recent year, to be the…
Valeria -- the original form of the name, used by early Christians --has been experiencing significant popularity in recent years. While Valeria was nearly always on the charts, the name peaked in…
Hawaiian, Hispanic variation of Aileen or Aylin, "high chief; shining light; of the moon"
"high chief; shining light; of the moon"
Lilting and lovely, Ailani entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016 and was a fast climbing choice in 2024 and 2025 when it climbed more than 400 places up the charts to rank in the Top 200…
