By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 119 pages
of 119
Spanish
"flower"
Attractive Spanish name heard in the movie Spanglish. Roll that final r. Or say it the French way: Fleur.
English diminutive of Antonia, Latin
"from Antium"
In the 1940s, Toni began to surpass its progenitor, Antonia, but it peaked in 1960 and has since dropped back below the US Top 1000. American author Toni Morrison is an eminent namesake. She was…
Variation of Emmy, English diminutive of Emily and Emma
"work; universal"
Introduced by model Emme (born Melissa) and now a legitimate member of the Em-starting girls' name group, especially since it was chosen by Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony for their twin daughter.
Arabic, "to make calm, to tranquilize".
"to make calm, to tranquilize"
A serene name of Arabic origin that was a fast rising choice in the UK in 2022.
Koda is a unisex name with Native American origins, though it's increasingly used for girls. Most commonly associated with the Dakota and Lakota Sioux languages, Koda means 'friend' or 'ally.' The…
Nyah is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins, giving it rich multicultural significance. In Arabic, it's related to 'Nia' meaning 'purpose' or 'intention.' In Swahili traditions, it…
Variation of Ariel and Ari
"lion of God"
This spelling variation of trending unisex Ari — both diminutives of Hebrew Ariel — means "lion of God".
European diminutive of Catherine, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Japanese
"pure; joy, singing; melted; white jasmine"
One of those short, punchy names with its roots in a variety of different cultures and languages, Rina is sister to names like Mina, Mira, Lina, and Nina. Retro in feel, but never overused in the US,…
Variation of Ares or short form of Aristea, Aristella, or Aistotelia, Greek
"ruin, bane; the best"
Aris is typically a masculine name in Greek, connected to the ancient Greek god of war, Ares, or to Aristoteles, meaning "the best purpose". As a feminine name, however, it could be considered a…
Spanish and French pet name
Coco came to prominence as the nickname of the legendary French designer Chanel (born Gabrielle) and has lately become a starbaby favorite, initially chosen by Courteney Cox for her daughter Coco…
Greek mythology name
"echo or sound"
Echo, the pretty, resonant name of a legendary nymph, was the heroine of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series Dollhouse . Nick Hexum, of the band 311, named his daughter Echo Love. In the Greek myth, Echo was…
Swedish and Spanish variation of Elsie, Scottish
"pledged to God"
A mini variation of Elsie that is better relegated as a nickname than a full form.
Hebrew
"gift"
Shai is a name newly-used in the US for both boys and, slightly less often, girls. Though the correct pronunciation is "shy", many will say shay, which might be all right with you.
Variation of Leila, Arabic
"night"
There are a dizzying number of varieties of the Arabic name Leila or Layla, two of the most popular versions, with Lela one of the rarer, given to fewer than 100 baby girls in the US each year.…
Persian, Arabic
"vision, dream, sight"
Simple yet powerful, Roya is a Persian name, ultimately from the Arabic raʾā , meaning "to see, perceive", and is therefore associated with dreams and prophetic visions. Also appearing as Ruya, Roaa,…
Japanese
"young"
Taya has recently jumped into the mainstream name pool, perhaps because of kinship with Maya and Kaya. After five years outside the US Top 1000, it reentered in 2015. Taya Smith is an Australian…
Diminutive of Theodora and Isidora, Greek
Dora is poised for a comeback, right behind Laura, Nora, Cora, and Flora. First-time parents who haven't watched cartoons in a couple of decades should be aware of the Dora the Explorer connection,…
Modern invented, variation of Drew
This phonetic spelling of Drew is on the rise for boys, but was also given to 50 girls in 2022.
Hebrew, Greek, Estonian, Scandinavian, German, Punjabi
"joyous melody; peace; reborn; to remain"
Rena is a Hebrew name all on its own and is also a European short form of Irene, Irini, Renata, and Renate. In Punjabi, Rena means "to remain".
Slavic variation of Jana, feminine variation of John
"God is gracious"
A Slavic classic, as common as Jane or Joan here. If you live in an Anglophone culture and you want it pronounced with a Y sound at the beginning, use the Y spelling.
