By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 14 pages
of 14
English from Hebrew
"flowing down"
Originally used for children baptized in holy water from the river Jordan, it became one of the leading androgynous names of the nineties. As the balance tips toward the boys' side, it's slipping on…
Cornish variation of Guinevere, Welsh
"white shadow, white wave"
Jennifer is the Cornish variation of Guinevere, which ultimately derived from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar. As such, it is connected to the queen of Arthurian legend, and sharees the same meaning of…
Arabic
"beauty + prince, ruler"
Jamir is a modern invention, created by blending together traditional Arabic names Jamal and Amir, giving the meaning "beautiful ruler". It has replaced the once popular Jamar in the US Top 1000, and…
Greek variation of Jonah
"dove"
Jonas has a slightly more grandfatherly image than the English version of his name, but that only adds to its retro appeal. And though it may lag behind Jonah in this country, Jonas is riding a huge…
Spanish variation of Julius
"youthful: downy-bearded; sky father"
What with Paul Simon's classic lyric about Julio down by the schoolyard and several distinguished bearers, this livelier Spanish version of Julius is completely familiar to the non-Hispanic community…
Spanish variation of James
A Hispanic classic that has lost some momentum in recent years. It could be misunderstood by some as Jamie -- which is how it's pronounced on Game of Thrones .
Hebrew
"behold or wealthy"
When Jennifer finally gave up her Number 1 place on the girls' popularity list, her crown was passed to Jessica, who reigned for not one but two decades. Jessica was the Number 1 name in both the…
Invented name
While for some, it may feel stuck in the shadow of the Dolly Parton song, Jolene re-entered the charts in 2010 and has seen increased use in recent years, ranking in the US Top 700 in the latest…
Modern invented name
"Jack's town"
We've had Jackson, Jaxcon and Jaxon, and now we have Jaxton. According to our most recent Playground Analysis, which calculates the popularity of names when all spellings are considered together,…
English, diminutive of Jennifer
Jenna was first noted on the 1980s TV series Dallas , later associated with one of the First Twin Daughters. Jenna is still being used, but no longer feels much fresher than Jennifer. You can also…
French from Latin
"youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"
Julien is the handsome French form of Julian, which derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis , meaning "youthfu"; Greek…
Spelling variation of Jasmine, Persian flower name
The inclusion of the trendy "z" doesn't do much for this variant of Jasmine. We recommend the original spelling.
Latin
"young"
The line should end with Junior Soprano. While most would expect this to be a nickname rather than an actual given name, Junior has always ranked in the US Top 1000, hitting its peak in 1925 at…
Modern invented name, variation of Jane
Janiyah’s star is definitely fading, but it will likely remain in the Top 1000 for years to come.
Variation of Journey
Not a journey so much as a jaunt to the corner store.
"He will be praised or woman from Judea"
The biblical Judith, the fourth most popular name in 1940, may be getting ready for a comeback in its full, elegant, if somewhat solemn form. Many of those earlier Judiths were called Judy—some after…
English surname derived from John
"God is gracious"
This quintessentially common last name makes a distinctive if first, given to more than 230 babies in the US in the most recent year counted. It has doubled in use over the last decade.
Variation of Genesis
Genesis, meet Jennifer. This spelling of Genesis — the first book in the Bible — is comfortably in the Top 1000.
Modern invented, variation of Drew
This phonetic spelling of Drew feels particularly distanced from the original classic Andrew. Jrue, along with other phonetic "Jr" names such as Jream, is on the rise in the US — even cracking the…
Anglicized form of Teasagh or diminutive of Jessica, Hebrew
Jessie has never been used as much as Jennie/Jenny, partly because it's a boys’ name as well (spelled Jesse), but it does have a friendly and unpretentious pioneer feel. In Scotland, it's found as an…
