Updated October 2026
Across 3 pages
of 3
Latin
"eighth"
Octavius, which was at one time used for the eighth child in a family, has the worn leather patina of all the ancient Roman names now up for reconsideration. As a Roman family name, it derives from…
Persian
"dawn; or, little star"
The name of the wife of Alexander the Great, more attractive than the better-known Roxanne. Roxana was first used in the English-speaking world in the 1600s and was popularized by Daniel Defoe's…
Hebrew
"beautiful"
Despite its Irish sound, this commonly used word name has usually been confined to Jewish families.
Jacklyn is a feminine name that serves as a variant spelling of Jacqueline, the feminine form of Jacques, which is the French equivalent of James. Ultimately derived from Hebrew origins meaning "may…
Mallorie is a feminine name that serves as a variation of Mallory, which derives from the Norman French 'maloret,' meaning 'unfortunate' or 'unlucky.' Despite this somewhat somber etymology, the name…
Short form of Katherine
"pure"
Katy, or more popularly Katie, stood fashionably on their own two feet for several years there, during the Katelyn boom. But now both Katy and Katie are fading in favor of grownup Kate or buttoned-up…
Kurtis is a masculine name that represents a variant spelling of Curtis, which originated as an English surname derived from the Old French 'courteis' meaning 'courteous' or 'refined.' This name…
English
"from Britain"
One case where a spelling variation improves the name, Britton is used about four times as often as Britain for both genders. Currently, the count of baby Brittons is running at about 4 to 3 in favor…
Kassie is a feminine name that originated as a diminutive or nickname form of Kassandra or Cassandra, which comes from Greek mythology. The original name Cassandra means 'she who entangles men' or…
Malorie is a feminine name derived from the French name Mallory, which originated as an Old French surname meaning 'unfortunate' or 'ill-fated.' Despite this somewhat somber etymology, the name has a…
English or Irish
"people of Cana or wolf cub"
While the most famous Channing is the very male Channing Tatum, the name is now given about a third of the time for girls. Television executive Channing Dungey is a well-know example of a female…
Spelling variation of Brandon
The en ending is so fashionable these days, a lot of people prefer it even when the alternative as with Brandon has more heft.
French feminine variation of Justin
"fair, righteous"
Justine is a French name that's never reached the popularity we think it deserves. Like its far-more-common brother Justin, Justine is sleek, and sophisticated, but still user-friendly. Justine has…
Joseluis is a masculine Spanish compound name that combines the traditional names José and Luis. Common in Hispanic communities, this name reflects the cultural practice of creating compound names…
Variation of Ashley, English
"dweller near the ash tree meadow"
The Ashlee variation of the megapopular 90s favorite Ashley is best-known as the name of Ashlee Simpson, younger sister of Jessica.
Variation of Rachel, Hebrew
"ewe"
This form of the Biblical Rachel is well-used despite its somewhat counter-intuitive spelling which can make English speakers think the name should be pronounced with a k sound, as in Raquel. The…
Alecia is a feminine name that emerged as a variant spelling of Alicia, which itself derives from the Germanic name Adelaide, meaning 'noble type' or 'noble kind.' This particular spelling variation…
Spanish
"lamb"
Sounds more like a car than a baby name. Some sources related it to the English surname Carter, which would be more stylish these days.
German variation of Gerald
Briefly faddish a few decades ago when Darrell was cool. But does have a creative connection to poet Randall Jarrell.
Janay is a contemporary feminine name that emerged in American naming patterns during the 1970s and gained more popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. It appears to be a creative variant built on the…