By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 334 pages
of 334
English
"inhospitable town"
Huxton is a surname akin to Huxley. The second syllable ton means town, while ley usually means meadow or clearing, but Hux is credited with a range of meanings. The most reliable is insult or scorn,…
Variation of Lyndon
"linden tree hill"
The graceful, natural image of the verdant shade tree transcends any connection with President Johnson. A sturdy tree that can live for centuries, Linden was actually quite a popular boys' name from…
Latin
"staff bearer"
The name of the greatest Roman poet and an early Irish saint who believed the earth was round, Virgil is heard most notably today as the name of designer Virgil Abloh of Off-White. The first century…
Diminutive of Frederick
"peaceful ruler"
Another old-school nickname getting new attention thanks to TV's Mad Men . Names like Fred, Pete, and George have been out so long it's time for them to come back in. It reentered the US Top 1000 in…
Variation of Jacob, Hebrew
"supplanter"
Jacoby, a surname spin on Jacob shot up the charts in the middle of the 2000's, thanks largely to the popularity of Jacoby Ellsbury, the first Native American of Navajo descent in the Major Leagues,…
Variation of Jesse
The -ie version is usually for girls, with the simple e ending—pronounced the same as Jessie—for boys, though the spellings sometimes cross gender lines.
Spelling variation of Darian
"rich, kingly"
The Darien spelling, which relates to the posh Connecticut town, peaked at Number 393 in 1994 but more recently has been just hanging on at the bottom of the Top 1000. Still, a name with an appealing…
"settlement with a mill"
Once an upper-class British surname conjuring up the epic poetry of John Milton, it then descended to the antics of "Uncle Miltie" Berle, and now has left the stage completely.
Variation of Rahim, Arabic
"empathetic, merciful"
A strong Arabic choice with a covetable meaning — one of the most important considerations in the Muslim baby name practice.
Demari is a modern unisex name with multiple possible origins, though it's more commonly used for boys. It may be a variation of Damari, which has Hebrew roots meaning 'palm tree,' symbolizing…
Modern invention, from Hebrew or Arabic
"music from God; evening conversation; beauty; mind, heart; one who builds"
With its zippy Z initial and its similarity to the popular Amari, Kamari, and Zamir, this modern invention has more than doubled in popularity in the last decade. Given to 111 boys and to 40 girls in…
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.
German
"army people"
Once restricted to evangelical Protestants honoring the ecclesiastical reformer and theologian Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant revolution. In more recent times it has been favored by parents…
Variation of Judson
The surname name Jetson may have originated as a variation on Judson, a patronymic related to Jordan, but it is more familiar to most Americans as the last name of the futuristic cartoon family.…
English from German
"ruler, strong as an eagle"
Strange as it may now seem, the venerable St. Arnold was a Greek by birth, a musician who became a member of the court of Charlemagne. The name is said to have been introduced into Britain by the…
Derick is a masculine name that originated as a variation of Derek, which itself derives from the Germanic name Theodoric, meaning 'ruler of the people.' This Old German name combines 'theud'…
Hindi, Sanskrit
"the scriptures"
Vedant is a name used in the Hindu religion, meaning "One who has complete knowledge of the Vedas" or "a master of Hindu philosophy". The name Vedant was given to 65 baby boys in 2022.
Spanish variation of Ephraim
On the Latino Hit Parade, heard much more often than the English version.
"wood carver"
Carver is an occupational name with an artistic bent, associated with wood carving predominantly, though it could also be linked to those who carve from stone, marble, ice, and pumpkins. More…
German occupational name
"roofer"
Brawny name chosen for his son by rocker Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue.
