Names that Peaked in 1994
Across 5 pages
of 5
Celina
Greek, French
"moon or heavenly"
A light and pretty pan-cultural name which can be considered a variant of either the Greek name Selene or Selena, meaning "moon", or of the French Celine, meaning "heavenly". An attractive choice…
Megan
Welsh diminutive of Margaret
"pearl"
Megan originally evolved from Meg, which itself derived as a nickname for Margaret. Margaret ultimately comes from the Greek word margarites , meaning "pearl." Megan is no longer a common nickname…
Darian
English variation of Darius, Latin from Greek and Persian, or Darren, English from Irish
"possessing goodness; little great one"
The most popular spelling in a family of names including Darien and Darion, Darian has nonetheless been on the decline since it peaked in the 1990s.
Mitchell
English variation of Michael
"who is like God"
Mitchell has had something of a roller coaster ride, showing some panache in the forties and fifties, when it was seen as a sharper alternative to Michael with its cool Mitch nickname, slipping a…
Alec
Diminutive or Scottish form of Alexander, Greek
"defending men"
Alec, a clipped British short form of Alexander, is less fresh than Alex, but leans more off-beat classic than Xander. Used since at least the 19th-century, Alec became particularly popular in the…
Kori
Spelling variation of Corey, English, African, Hebrew
"from the hollow; lamb; coral"
This variation of Corey has a Kardashian-style spelling update -- which might be why it's experiencing a boost in popularity of late. Kori is also a Kikuyu name meaning lamb, one of the many names…
Jazmine
Spelling variation of Jasmine
Leave the Z behind, please. You're better off with the classic Jasmine spelling -- though all of this name's variations have been falling in popularity in recent years.
Dakotah
Dakotah is a masculine name derived from the Native American Sioux tribe name meaning 'friend' or 'ally.' This spelling variant with the final 'h' adds a distinctive touch to the more common 'Dakota'…
Bernardo
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
"strong as a bear"
This Latinate form of Bernard hovered in the lower regions of the US Top 1000 from the late 1940s until 2006, possibly inspired by the character in West Side Story . It remains popular in Portugal…
Alexandre
French variation of Alexander
"defending men"
What's the difference between Alexander, the usual English spelling of this deeply classical name, and Alexandre, the French version? English speakers might find the proper French pronunciation…
Janae
American, modern elaboration of Jane or Jan
Adds a soupcon of French flair to some old classics with the currently trendy ae ending.
Rikki
Feminization of Ricky, English diminutive of Richard or Frederick
"dominant ruler; peaceful ruler"
Ricki has also been used, but like Vikki and Nikki, Rikki has also had its day.
Tori
Diminutive of Victoria, English, Japanese
"victory; bird"
A more modern nickname for Victoria than Vicky, Tori is used fairly frequently on its own, kept in the public eye by singer Tori Amos and actress Tori Spelling. Still, it's far from fashionable,…
Tiarra
Tiarra is a feminine name that appears to be a variant spelling of Tiara, which derives from the Latin word 'tiara' referring to a jeweled crown or headpiece worn by royalty. This spelling variation…
Karli
Karli is a feminine name with Germanic origins, derived from the name Karl, meaning 'free man' or 'strong and manly.' As a feminine variant, Karli adds a soft ending to create a more feminine feel…
Brionna
Brionna is a feminine name that emerged as a modern variation of Briana or Brianna, which ultimately derive from Celtic and Irish origins meaning 'strong,' 'virtuous,' or 'high.' The distinctive…
Maranda
Maranda is a feminine name that emerged as a variant spelling of Miranda, which derives from Latin and means "worthy of admiration" or "wonderful." This alternative spelling gained popularity in the…
Marisa
Italian and Spanish combination of Maria and Louisa
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + famous battle"
A name made famous by Marisas Berenson and Tomei, never became as saturated as its cousin Melissa, so still a feasible choice. Marisa is one of those Spanish and Italian names for girls that sounds…
Denisha
American variation of Denise, French from Greek
"god of Nysa"
Typical of formula that takes a traditional name syllable and adds -isha ending.
Deon
Variation of Dion
Though a variation of Dion, this name made it into 2013's Top 1000 while the original did not.