Names that Peaked in 2020
Across 7 pages
of 7
Osiris
Egyptian
"with strong eyesight"
Osiris is the name of Egyptian mythology god-king who died and was reborn every year. Emerging from centuries of obscurity, Osiris has several ingredients for success in the modern world: Roots in…
Korbyn
Variation of Corbin, Latin
"crow"
Corbin joined the US Top 1000 during the latter half of the 20th century, first introduced to parents through actor Corbin Bernsen. It reached a peak in 2014 at number 203 and has been making a…
Jakobe
Spelling variation of Jacob
Jacob meets Jakob meets Kobe -- and apparently, parents in 2013 are fans. It rose 153 spots to break into the Top 1000, making it one of the year's fastest-rising names.
Alaric
German
"all-powerful ruler"
Alaric is an ancient regal name that sounds modern enough to be considered. Alaric was a traditional name for the kings of the Ostrogoths, the most famous of whom was Alaric I, the King of the West…
Zoya
Russian and Greek variation of Zoe, Greek
"life"
Now that Zoe is getting wildly popular in the U.S. and the U.K. -- one poll puts it at number one in Wales -- parents may start hunting down fresh twists like this.
Waverly
English
"meadow of quivering aspens"
Waverly, with its literary resonance and lilting three-syllable sound, could well become the next generation's successor to Kimberly. Its upper-crusty surname feel places it among the new stylish…
Genesis
Word name, Biblical
"the origin and formation of something; The First Book in The Bible"
Though Genesis is a Top 100 girls' name in the US, it's by all rights a unisex choice. Derived from Greek, it means "birth" or "origin", making it a word name and a Biblical name, Genesis also shares…
Saoirse
Irish
"liberty"
Before the young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan made her mark in the films Ladybird and The Lovely Bones , few of us had heard this name, let alone known how to pronounce it. But now it is slowly way…
Melani
Variation of Melanie, Greek
"black, dark"
Lobbing off the final E makes Melanie more modern.
Avalynn
Combination of Ava and Lynn
Part Ava, part Lynn, and part cousin of the stylish Evelyn and Adeline, Avalynn is a recent 2014 entrant to the US Top 1000. But sometimes when a name is trying hard to have everything, it doesn't…
Itzayana
Spanish variation of Itzel
Itzayana, one of the fastest-rising girls' names of 2016, feels like a distant cousin of the ultra-popular Isabella.
Aarya
Variation of Arya, Sanskrit
"noble"
Arya has become a popular name thanks to the young heroine of Game of Thrones and because of the rise of similar Aria too. Variation Aarya has also seen increased use in English speaking countries,…
Elliot
English diminutive of Elias, Greek
"Yahweh is God"
Elliot is another traditional boy name used for girls" , a trend led by political commentator George Stephanopoulos and his actress wife Ali Wentworth. Variously spelled Eliot, Elliot, Elliott and…
Nova
Latin
"new"
Nova might be a much more commonly used a girls' name, but enough parents saw unisex appeal in it for it to debut on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2017. Nova is an astronomical term for a star that…
Ahmir
Variation of Amir, Arabic or Hebrew
"prince, ruler; treetop"
Variation of Amir that debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016 and still ranks in the lower part of that list.
Dior
French surname
"golden"
Dior has joined Chanel and Armani on the fashionista hit parade of names, appealing due to its designer quality, its succinct sound, and contemporary air. Nearly 400 baby girls were named Dior in the…
Jaxtyn
Modern invented name
The American appetite for new names ending in the letters "yn" knows no bounds. This one, a close relative of popular Jaxson, was among the fastest-rising boys' names of 2017.
Novah
Variant of Nova, Latin
"new"
The fastest-rising of the many Nova-adjacent names now fashionable for girls -- Nova, Novalee, Novaleigh -- which could all be seen as either classier alternatives to Neveah or feminine takes on…
Karsyn
Spelling variation of Carson
A surname-style name with a contemporary spelling, Karsyn is a unisex name that has been on and off the charts for boys since 2018. As of 2023, it's back in the US Top 1000 and given to more than 200…