Updated November 2023
Across 9 pages
of 9
Scandinavian
"son of Hans"
More familiar and melodic to the American ear than either Hans or Hansen, and some might attach it to the three-brother pop-rock band called Hanson.
Diminutive of Wilhelmina, German
"resolute protection"
Minnie was wildly popular at the turn of the last century — it was the fifth or sixth most popular name throughout the 1880s — but is completely obscure in the US today. Blame Mickey's girlfriend.…
English and Scottish
"treeless hill"
Unless it runs in your family, or Alexander Hamilton is your particular hero, you might consider something less imposing -- and without the teasable nickname Ham. Scottish curler Hamilton McMillan Jr…
Feminine variation of Augustus, Latin
"great, magnificent"
Augusta is a dignified name reminiscent of wealthy great-aunts and stately homes, but with the fashion for both August and Gus for boys, and the renewed interest in clunky classics like Gwendolyn and…
Spelling variation of Fanny, diminutive of Frances
"from France; free man"
It's hard to believe, via a 21st-century sensibility, that Fannie was ever a Top 50 name. But Fannie was even more popular than Fanny in its late 19th-century heyday, and stuck around much longer,…
Hyrum is a distinctive masculine name with Mormon heritage, most famously associated with Hyrum Smith, the older brother of Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.…
Simona is a feminine name of Italian and Eastern European origin, serving as the feminine form of Simon, which derives from the Hebrew name Shimon, meaning 'he has heard.' This elegant name has…
English
"maiden"
Old English name as outmoded as the use of the word maid for a young girl.
Teutonic
"staff of the Goths"
Gray-bearded name heard primarily in Sweden and Germany.
Danish, Norwegian, and German form of Amalia or Amelia
"work"
Popular in Norway and Denmark, but familiar across Europe, Amalie can be pronounced as a-MAHL-yah, much like sister Amalia. A variation of Amelia, it shares the same Germanic element, amal meaning…
English word name
A boy with this name is certain to be bombarded with "What's up, doc?" every day of his life. Even Doctor would be preferable.
Corrie is a feminine name with multiple origins. Primarily used as a diminutive form of Corinne, Cornelia, or Cora, it has a friendly, approachable quality. In Scottish usage, Corrie refers to a…
Variation of Matilda
"battle-mighty"
The addition of the h makes it more Old World, which is not the direction you want to push Matilda in.
German
"bright, glorious"
Ever since Allied soldiers in World War I dubbed the enormous German cannon "Big Bertha", this name hasn't worked for a sweet little baby girl. But this was not always so. Hard as it might be to…
Variation of Daisy, diminutive of Margaret or flower name, English
"day's eye"
This spelling variation of Daisy ranks in the British Top 1000 but was only used for a few dozen baby girls last year in the US. At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th, it made the…
Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese version of Matilda, German
The German Matilda has some European variations that are popular in their native countries. Matilde ranks in Italy's and Portugal's Top 10 for girls, while the French variation Mathilde ranks among…
English occupational name
"summoner"
Billionaire Sumner Redstone, the nonagenarian owner of CBS and Viacom, practically has a monopoly on his first name — for now. But Hunter, Asher, and Ryder have ushered in a major vogue "-er" names,…
Diminutive of Love, English word name
This cutesy nickname made it onto the Top 1000 in 1883.
"elf-friend"
This variation of the more well known Alvin adds an unusual and feminine touch to the original. It sounds a bit more like what it means--"elf friend."
Deliah is a feminine name that appears to be a variant spelling of Delilah, which has Hebrew origins meaning "delicate" or "weak." In the Bible, Delilah was the woman who betrayed Samson by cutting…