Names that Peaked in 2019
Across 22 pages
of 22
Penelope
Greek
"weaver"
As elegant and refined as it is sweet and energized., Penelope has been well and truly revived in the 21st-century. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading…
Ellie
English, diminutive of Eleanor and Ellen
"bright shining one"
Ellie first took off in the UK—yes, in this nickname form—and this warm and friendly name has also become hugely popular here. In 2011, Ellie entered the US Top 100 girl names for the first time and…
Julian
English from Latin, variation of Julius
"youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"
Cool and charming, with plenty of flair and sophistication, Julian manages to strike the balance between being a sensible classic and contemporary choice. Appealingly international, it is no wonder…
Santiago
Place-name or Latin
"Saint James"
Santiago is a spirited Spanish name with great crossover potential. It's a place-name (a city in Chile), a surname, and the name of the patron saint of Spain. Santiago has been rising through the…
Luna
Latin
"moon"
The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna may be the name most likely to surprise someone from an older generation by its Top 10…
Isla
Scottish place-name or Spanish
"island"
Isla is a hit name throughout the English-speaking world but hasn't found the same popularity in other western countries, perhaps because its spelling and pronunciation don't make sense for those…
Asher
Hebrew
"fortunate, blessed, happy one"
Asher—an excellent, soft and sensitive Old Testament choice—is a baby boy name on the rise, and is a Nameberry biblical favorite. Asher's ascent is especially amazing given that the took a…
Lainey
English diminutive of Elaine, French and Scottish
"bright shining light"
Nickname name Lainey has been rising since the turn of the century to become a Top 200 girls' name in the US today. Mother name Elaine has reversed a long slide to start an upward climb too. And the…
Owen
Welsh
"young warrior; well-born"
Owen, a resonant Celtic name, has ranked among the Top 100 boys' names in the US for 20 years and is now at its highest point ever. Why do so many parents love Owen? It's a classic with a genuine…
Valentina
Latin
"strength, health"
Effortlessly stylish, with plenty of sweetness and strength, Valentina feels like a fresh alternative to Valerie, Victoria, or Vanessa, even if it does now rank ahead of them in the US charts.…
Layla
Variation of Leila, Arabic
"night"
A lovely musical name (remember the old Eric Clapton-Derek & the Dominos song?), Layla's seen a significant surge in popularity, partly partly all names with a double L are stylish, and partly…
Ivy
Botanical name
The quirky, offbeat and energetic botanical name Ivy is enjoying a deserved revival, propelled even higher by its choice by high-profile parents Beyonce and Jay-Z for daughter Blue Ivy. Ivy is also…
Bennett
English medieval form of Benedict, Latin
"blessed"
Bennett is Ben with a bow tie, kind of a cross between Benjamin and Beckett. It's been trending up on the popularity charts in recent years, and its choice by The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt 's Jane…
Roman
Latin
"citizen of Rome"
Roman is an ancient name trending in a major way. A surprise hit name of recent years, Roman now ranks in the Top 100 not only in the US but throughout the English-speaking world, and is rising in…
Elena
Spanish, Italian, German, Greek variation of Helen
"bright, shining light"
Elena is at its most popular point ever in the US, thanks to its cross-cultural appeal and the overall popularity of El- names. It's more international than Ellen or Eleanor, but still accessible. A…
Miles
English form of Milo, Latin and Old German,"soldier or merciful"
"soldier or merciful"
Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting…
Willow
English nature name
"willow tree"
An ancient tree that figures in literature from Shakespeare to Harry Potter and is believed to possess magical powers, Willow is a lovely name, as graceful as its inspiration. Willow's use as a given…
Emilia
Feminine variation of Emil, Latin
"rival"
Emilia is the feminine form of the Roman clan name Aemilius, which derived from the Latin aemulus , meaning "rival." In Shakespeare’s Othello , Emilia is the wife of Iago and confidante of Desdemona.…
Nova
Latin
"new"
Nova has the feel of both newness, from its meaning, and great energy as an astronomical term for a star that increases suddenly in brightness before fading. Nova had some reasonable degree of…
Naomi
Hebrew, Japanese
"pleasantness; straight, direct, beautiful"
A familiar name with a unique look and sound about it, Naomi combines a gentle cadence with classic strength. It was once a primarily Jewish name from the Old Testament, borne by the mother-in-law of…