Updated October 2026
Across 4 pages
of 4
Variation of Leila, Arabic
"night"
There are a dizzying number of varieties of the Arabic name Leila or Layla, two of the most popular versions, with Lela one of the rarer, given to fewer than 100 baby girls in the US each year.…
English, Yiddish
"gold"
A name with an obvious meaning, for a long time associated with Golda Meir, the fourth Prime Minister of Israel. Nickname Goldie seems to be catching on in the celebrity community.
English place-name and surname
A rarely-used place name (probably because of the last three letters), Essex was the ancient kingdom of the East Saxons and is now a county in England. The singer David Essex used it as his stage…
English occupational name
"shearer of woolen cloth"
Not quite as over-the-hill as Herman, but not far behind either.
Latin
"of the city"
Urban was not an uncommon name through the 1930s (rising as high as Number 435), having been attached to several saints and early popes, but it has completely disappeared from the landscape--both…
English
"elves' town"
Originally a family name and place name found primarily in England, it transitioned to occasional use as a first name. Alston carries an air of refinement and tradition, evoking images of English…
"alive, living, life"
Viva la baby with this life-affirming name, one of the appealing group of girl names that mean life . Other related life-giving names on the rise: cousins Vida and Vita, and Vivian, Aviva, and even…
Norse
"thunder goddess"
Thora, related to Thor, is the ancient Norse thunder goddess name that's much softer and gentler than its meaning suggests. A noted bearer is actress Thora Birch.
Chesley is a masculine name of Old English origin meaning 'camp clearing' or 'meadow settlement.' With roots as an English surname, it transitioned to occasional first-name use in the 19th century.…
Diminutive of Zedekiah
Newer than Zac, cooler than Ed, Ned, or Ted.
"old, wise leader"
Name long associated with eloquent Black Panther activist Eldridge Cleaver and jazz great Roy Eldridge.
Greek botanical name
Long in our category of so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out category, once seen as a gum-cracking 1940's telephone operator, we think it's time to reassess Myrtle, and look at is as a nature name, a…
"noble friend; friend of the elves"
Archie, Albie, and Alfie are coming back into style, so naturally, we think Alvie could be next. Alternate spelling Alvy was used by Woody Allen for his character in Annie Hall .
Variation of Genevieve or Geneva, French
"tribe woman or juniper"
The rare name Genoveva might be thought of as a variation of the French names Genevieve or Geneva, which have different roots and meanings. An unusual, pretty choice.
Japanese
"present, now"
Frequently cited as an example of cruel baby naming, à la Ima Hogg.
"wood; forest"
Sylvanus or Silvanus was the Roman god of the forest whose name is much more often found today in such variations as Sylvia, Sylvie and even Silas than in its original form. But if you're looking for…
Edyth is a medieval variation of the Anglo-Saxon name Edith, derived from the Old English elements 'ead' meaning 'wealth, fortune' and 'gyth' meaning 'battle.' This spelling variant adds a…
Esley is a rare masculine name of English origin. It appears to be a variant of the surname and given name 'Easley' or possibly a variation of 'Wesley.' The name likely derives from Old English…
"elf power"
Form of Elfrida
"pure"
The name of the Roman goddess of the household is not recommended for your little goddess. More on that deity: Vesta is primarily associated with the vestal virgins, her priestesses, who tended the…