Updated October 2026
Across 2 pages
of 2
Hebrew
"who is like God?"
Michael was the Number 1 American boys' name for almost half a century. While Michael has moved out of the Top 10 baby boy names , it's still widely used. How has Michael racked up this phenomenal…
Aramaic
"twin"
A solid classic with plenty of history, Thomas strikes the balance between strength and gentleness. A favorite in the UK, a staple in France, and Australia, and never absent from the US Top 100,…
Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
Mary is the English form of Maria, which ultimately was derived from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew…
English variation of Stephen
"garland, crown"
Steven, the phonetic and now predominant spelling of the classier Stephen, has finally dropped out of the Top 100 after seventy years. Steve has become one of the ultimate regular-guy names, right up…
English, Italian
"rock; rest; rook"
A popular choice back in the 50s and 70s, Rocky fell into decline after Sylvester Stallone's battered but not beaten boxer character became the overwhelming association many had with the name. Now,…
"bee"
Deborah has suffered from the fact that in the mid-twentieth century there were so many Debbies on the block that the beauty and meaning of the original name got lost. Deborah may no longer be among…
English
"shield-wolf"
Medieval name without much of a future.
French, feminine variation of Denis
"god of Nysa"
Denise was a French favorite of the fifties and sixties but is less chic now. In 2020 it broke back into the Top 1000 after a five-year hiatus, catapulted into style by reality TV star Denisse Novoa…
Variation of Marlene
"Mary Magdalene; beloved, bitter, drop of the sea + high tower"
Marla might have dropped out of style in the US back in the 90s, but it has seen a resurgence in the UK in recent years. With a little dated charm about it, this variation of Marlene, itself a…
French variation of Diana, Latin
"divine"
Like Joanne and Christine, middle-aged Diane has been overshadowed by the a-ending version of her name. Diane has a definite mid-century feel; it was a Top 20 name from 1946 to 1959. Though it has…
Diminutive of Constance, English
"steadfastness"
Connie is a sweet and charming vintage nickname, which ranks in the top 200 in the UK and has a vintage charm that makes it ready for a comeback in the US as well.
"God will judge"
Dinah is a charming, underused Old Testament name with a rich literary and musical resume. In the Old Testament, Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah and while some conflate her with…
Short form of David, Hebrew
"beloved"
Davy and Davey are certainly short forms that are frequently used but rarely wind up on the birth certificate. And why, since David is such a handsome, classic, yet short and simple name on its own?
German, diminutive of Maria
"beloved; drop of the sea, bitter"
Mitzi is a sparky German nickname name that might appeal to parents drawn to the genre of lively vintage girl names that proliferated in 1930's musicals. Actress and entertainer Mitzi Gaynor (born…
"pasture, meadow"
The original brief, breezy name is somewhat out of favor now even as a middle name. The Leigh spelling has more substance and is more identifiable as female.
"my song or my joy"
Roni may sound like the Doowop-era Ronnie or Ronni, often named for her dad Ron, but it's actually a freestanding Hebrew name with an uplifting meaning.
Joesph is an alternative spelling of the classic biblical name Joseph, which derives from Hebrew and means 'God will add' or 'God will increase.' This masculine name carries the same rich biblical…
Melodee is a feminine name representing a phonetic spelling variation of Melody. Derived from Greek origins meaning 'song' or 'music,' this name maintains the musical essence of its traditional…
English, diminutive of Theresa
"to harvest"
Terry hit the Top 30 in the fifties when it was seeen as a cool, sleek gender neutral name , but it's long since lost that edge. Today's Terry would probably be Tess or Tessa.
English, diminutive of Kimball
Kim is forever feminized, despite memories of the Rudyard Kipling character.