By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 18 pages
of 18
Hebrew
"cassia tree"
This lively Old Testament nature name (belonging to one of the three beautiful daughters of Job) entered the US Top 1000 list in 2024, and ranks highly here on Nameberry — making it one to watch!…
English
"place of hawks; river town; Káti's town"
Keaton is an engaging surname with warmth, energy and a sense of humor, identified with silent comedian Buster Keaton and contemporary actors Michael and Diane Keaton. Given to around 290 boys in a…
Variation of Kaison
Kai is the it syllable of the moment, spawning this Kai - Jason hybrid. Kaisen made the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, along with similar name Kaizen.
German variation of Carla
Both Karla and Carla are sliding down the ranks, though Karla remains far more popular in the USA than Carla.
Variation of Kaylee, English
"laurel, crown"
The -leigh suffix seems to be losing its luster; several names in this category, including Kayleigh, Kyleigh and Ryleigh, peaked in popularity a few years back but have since lost quite a bit of…
English surname
"Cenel's island"
Yesterday's hottie, today's mom name. Kelsey derives from several English place names and may mean "Cenel's island", from the Old English name Cenel "fierce". Kelsey entered the Top 1000 in the late…
Spelling variation of Kayla
While Kayla has been a mainstay in the US Top 1000 list since the 1960s, alternate version Keyla is relatively new, first entering the charts in 2002. While this spelling also has the possibility of…
Feminine variation of Cyrus, Persian
"throne"
The girls' name Kyra sounds like the also popular Keira/Kiera, but has a different root. There are twice as many baby girls named Keira as Kyra, with Kiera in third place. Kyra now ranks at #590 and…
German
"Emperor"
Kaiser, as in roll and Wilhelm, appeared for the first time on the US Top 1000 in 2017. It fits the two-syllable -er ending style that's all the rage, and it lends itself to the short form Kai. But…
Feminization of Kenneth or English
"handsome or knowing"
Kendra was once seen as a feminization of Kenneth -- but it's now firmly established as a standalone. American parents can't seem to make up their mind about it though: it was one of 2013's…
Irish
"war"
Once the quintessential bouncy teenager name, Kelly helped launch the trend of unisex Irish names . But it now takes a backseat to more substantial surname names like Kennedy.
Spelling variation of Kehlani, Hawaiian
"sea and sky"
Hawaiian names have officially made their way to the mainland, with Leilani, Kehlani, Alani, Kailani, and Kaylani all ranking within the Top 300. Now Kahlani — one of several pseudo-Hawaiian names…
Noongar, Scottish
"boomerang; narrow channel"
Variation of Kylie with the popular suffix -ee. Kylie was popular in Australia in the 1970s and 80s, said to come from a Noongar word for "boomerang". In the US, it has also been used as a…
English, Hindi
Kannon, the name of actor Kevin James' son born in 2011, seems at first glance to be a kre8if spelling of bad boy name Cannon. But Kannon is also the name of the Buddhist god (and sometime goddess)…
Variation of Kailani, Hawaiian
Khalani debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2020 thanks to the influence of Khalani Simon — known as Lani Love — a child model and budding star.
Variation of Koa or Koach, Hawaiian, Hebrew
"warrior; strength"
Koa and Noah are both contemporary favorites, so it was only a matter of time before Koah caught on too. Likely used as a variation of the Hawaiian Koa (meaning "warrior"), it may also be seen as a…
Variation of Callie, diminutive of Caroline, English, or Calliope, Greek
"free man; beautiful voice"
Kallie is usually used as a nickname for more unusual names like Calliope, Kalliope, and Calendula. We also think this is a fresher alternative to Kelly.
Diminutive of Kimberley
This diminutive of Kimberley is gaining momentum as a standalone name. For our part, we're stumped by its rise.
Variation of Crew, English word name
A little bit of Crew, a little bit of True, plus a K initial equals a recipe for one of the fastest-rising boy names of the year.
Arabic
"immortal, everlasting"
Khalid has flirted with the Top 1000 for several decades now, climbing back on in 2015 after more than a decade's absence. Its return could be in part because of the popularity of snapchat…
