Updated October 2026
Across 105 pages
of 105
English, from Persian
"bluish or lilac"
Could Lilac be the next Lila or Lily or Violet? It certainly has a lot going for it--those lilting double 'l's, the fabulous fragrance it exudes, and the fact that it's a color name as well,…
English
"mist"
Misty is simultaneously an airy and nature inspired choice and a nickname-y gem with a retro feel. First appearing in the US Top 1000 back in the 1960s, it peaked in 1977 when it reached #40. It was…
"dairy farm"
Chadwick Boseman, the late charismatic star of Marvel's blockbuster Black Panther , brought this name to the spotlight for the first time. Though we long considered it an overwrought way to get to…
"greenish blue color"
Cyan is a highly unusual blue-green color name, a classmate of Celadon and Cerulean. It does come with the homey nickname Cy.
English, Slavic, Persian Arabic
"from Denmark, gift, or wise"
Baby girl Danas outnumber baby boys with the name nearly ten to one. But Dana is an attractive, sleek name that can certain work for babies of either gender.
English place-name and surname
"Ellis's town"
Ellington is a swinging musical name, evoking the jazzy and elegant persona of the Duke (born Edward Kennedy Ellington). While that reference may seem to make Ellington a male name, it is also…
"from the rabbit meadow"
Abbreviated form of Harley that might also be spelled, for girls, Arleigh or Arlee.
"noble maiden"
Ethel is a name we once declared as 'So Far Out They'll Probably Always Be Out,' but with the return of other names on that list and with its new starbaby cred via Lily Allen, its soft sound and…
English diminutive of Kimberly; Vietnamese; Scandinavian diminutive of Joachima; Soviet name
Kim was the coolest name... of the 1960s. Kim was popularized by actress Kim Novak, and its energy is still maintained by rapper Lil' Kim, but it holds lil' or no appeal for new babies. Parents who…
Variation of Wilhelmina, German
"resolute protection"
Classic Wilhelmina is still the dominant form of this name, but the more intuitive, streamlined Willamina is rising alongside it. The phonetic spelling eliminates some of Wilhelmina's bulk, taking it…
"one who lives near a grove of trees"
Forget the furry blue Muppet, forget corpulent President Cleveland (not too difficult), and consider this name anew. We think it's spunky, a little funky, and well worth a second look, similar in…
"lives where hawthorn hedges grow"
The great American novelist sets this above many other surnames (and nature names , for that matter), but it's still an imposing and adventurous choice. Do nicknames Hawk or Thorne make it more…
English, diminutive of Nora
Noreen's in limbo, especially now that Nora has made a comeback.
Welsh
"young warrior; well-born"
Ever since singer Michelle Branch gave it to her daughter in 2005, Owen has started to be used for a small number of girls each year as well. Just 39 baby girls received the name in 2021, compared…
English nature name
"small stream"
Brooke variation – or is the other way around? – that makes it more a nature name, less an eighties-style androgynous name.
"love"
Light, pretty and distinctive in appearance, Carys is one of that sweet group of girl names with a loving meaning. A relatively modern name, it didn't come into use in its native Wales until the late…
English bird name
Lark is getting some new and well-deserved attention as a post-Robin and Raven bird name. Although it was first recorded as a name in the 1830's, it has never appeared on the Social Security list.…
"fortified enclosure"
Burton originated as a habitation surname that now feels like a appropriate first. Actor Richard Burton, two-time husband of Elizabeth Taylor, was the most famous bearer. Burtie makes an adorable…
"chief secretary"
Of the names derived from titles, this is one of the least obvious (unless you are of German extraction). Chancellor also has the attraction of offering the exciting - and very on-trend - nickname…
"white spear; famous friend; fame and joy"
A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw,…