UK Baby Names

Gerry

English, diminutive of Geraldine

Gerry was hep along with poodle skirts and banana splits.

Gilda

English

"covered with gold"

Gilda, although related to the words gold and gilded, has definitely tarnished. It once shimmered with the seductive image of Rita Hayworth in the film Gilda, then was associated with the beloved…

Gillian

Feminine variation of Julian

"youthful"

Gillian is a name that was in common usage in Great Britain until the 1970s, when it dropped out of the Top 100 and is yet to return. Until recently, it had not crossed the Atlantic in significant…

Ginger

English diminutive

Originally a unisex nickname for a redhead -- red hair is called "ginger" in Britain -- or for the name Virginia, Ginger perennially wears pink gingham and spike heels.

Ginny

Diminutive of Virginia, Ginevra, Genevieve, or Imogen

"virgin, pure; white wave; maiden"

A nickname to Latin Virginia, French Genevieve, Italian Ginevra, English Imogen, and any other name with the 'gin' sound in there, Ginny ranked in the latter end of the US charts in the mid 20th…

Nelda

English

"one who lives by the alder tree"

Occasionally heard in Ireland, small chance of success here.

Golda

English, Yiddish

"gold"

A name with an obvious meaning, for a long time associated with Golda Meir, the fourth Prime Minister of Israel. Nickname Goldie seems to be catching on in the celebrity community.

Sìleas

Sìleas is a feminine Scottish Gaelic name, pronounced approximately as 'SHEE-liss' or 'SHEE-lash.' It's the Gaelic equivalent of Julia or Juliana, ultimately derived from Latin roots meaning…

Annabel

Scottish variation of Amabel

"loving"

Annabel is a spirited name that embodies quirky British gentility. Appearing in Scotland as early as the twelfth century, where it was a royal name, it also recalls the romantic Edgar Allan Poe poem…

Gypsy

English

"wanderer"

Gypsy, long associated with the intellectual stripper Gypsy Rose Lee and the musical that was made about her life, was used by Drea de Matteo and Shooter Jennings as the middle name of their daughter…

Aili

Finnish and Sami variation of Helga, diminutive of Aileen, Anglicization of Eilidh

"holy, blessed; bright and shining light"

An attractive Scandinavian take on Helga, or a potential Helen nickname.

Hadleigh

Spelling variation of Hadley, English

"heathery field"

Hadley, an old surname-name best known as the name of author Ernest Hemingway's "Paris Wife," only recently broke onto the scene in a big way. While Hadley has considerable appeal, spelling…

Ellen

English variation of Helen

"torch; shining light"

An medieval English form of Helen, the sensitive but clear-eyed Ellen has swung in and out of style for centuries, often alternating with the parent name. Ellen was the more common in medieval…

Haylee

Spelling variation of Hailey

Haylee dropped out of the Top 500 for the first time since 1992 recently, in step with a decline by Hailey (though the alternative Hadley is still near the Top 100). For some, Haylee is one E too…

Hayley

English

"hay field"

It all started in 1946, when Hayley Mills was given her mother's maiden name. Now that spelling is in third place, after Hailey and Haley, with all three adding up to one of the most popular names in…

Win

Diminutive of Winifred or Winslet

Win might be an upbeat short form for a girl named Winifred or the new-fangled Winslet, or can stand on its own. The Welsh name Wynn feels more complete and sounds the same.