By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 104 pages
of 104
Diminutive of Janet, Jane, Jean, and Jennifer
At the height of the Jennifer craze, many parents were cutting straight to the nickname and putting Jenny on the birth certificate. But now that Jennifer is the mom rather than the daughter, Jenny,…
English compound name, Ashley + Nash
"from the ash tree meadow"
Nashly, for when Oakley feels too popular and Ashley is too out of style, for when Natalie is a bit too traditional and Natasha just isn't right, for when you like Hadley and Presley and Ainsley but…
Spelling variation of Finley, Irish and Scottish
"fair-haired hero"
This variation adds a second n to the more popular Finley, presumably to provide a more direct link to nickname Finn. Both spellings create a distinctly unisex name. However, while Finley is used…
Diminutive of Malka, Hebrew
"queen"
Cute, old-world nickname virtually unknown outside of the Jewish community.
Japanese modern name, variation of Winifred
"friend of peace; blessed peacemaking"
The name of a character from Hiromu Arakawa’s Fullmetal Alchemist manga and anime series. She is a strong-willed teenage mechanic, who has consistently been ranked among the best female characters in…
Word name
Name that makes a dramatic musical statement.
Feminine variation of Cecil
"blind"
Cecily is as dainty as a lace handkerchief. Cecily has a wide assortment of namesakes. One Cecily was the mother of King Richard III, whose beauty gained her the title "the Rose of Raby," Cecily…
Irish
"slender"
Keeley is well-used in modern Ireland, also found as Keely and Keela. The boys' form is Keelan. Largely unknown in the US, this could make an interesting update for Kelly or Kaylie or Kylie. A famous…
Variation of Brittany, English
"from Briton"
This abbreviated spelling, which also relates to Whitney, quickly took on a life of its own, thanks to the megafame of Britney Spears, but it's already beginning to burn out.
Diminutive of Yetta, Yiddish
"light"
One of those cute Yiddish nicknames that feel charmingly vintage when borne by young Jewish girls today. These names, such as Gitty and Malkie and Faigy, are typically reserved for the most religious…
English
"bright meadow"
Shirley Temple almost single-handedly lifted the gloom of the Great Depression, and in tribute (and perhaps wishing for a similarly curly-headed, dimpled darling of their own), thousands of parents…
Lindy is a feminine name with multiple origins. It can be a diminutive of names like Linda, Melinda, Belinda, or Rosalind. In German, Lindy derives from "lind" meaning "soft, tender, or flexible."…
Elly is a charming feminine name that functions both as a standalone name and as a diminutive for several longer names including Eleanor, Elizabeth, Ellen, Eloise, and Eliana. With English and Greek…
English word name
"adherence to the facts"
Honesty is one of the modern virtue names, which along with Justice and Destiny are picking up where Faith, Hope, and Charity left off. Is Honesty the most appealing name ever? No, and it's also sure…
Spelling variation of Macy, from surname Massey
"hill"
When Macy rose to fame back in the 90s, thanks to singer Macy Gray and the character Macy Alexander in the soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful , it was joined in the US charts by a host of spelling…
"well-known clearing"
Kenley is an area in the burrough of Croydon in South London, making this a place name in a couple of senses of the term. Kenley and its twin sister Kenlee may be favored by parents looking to name a…
English occupational surname
The term for a female baker was Baxter, which ironically feels less appropriate for a baby girl than Baker itself. Josephine Baker was an American-born French entertainer, French Resistance agent,…
Diminutive of Anastasia
A key cheerleader in the nickname game of the 1970s, Stacy is now the mom. Consider Stacia, or the original Anastasia.
Raizy is a feminine name of Yiddish origin, commonly used in Jewish communities. It's a diminutive form of the name Rose (Rosa) and carries the same lovely floral associations. Often pronounced as…
English surname
"king's meadow"
Regal Kingsley seems like an all-boy name, but a growing number of parents have bestowed this name on a girl. Credit the ever-trendier -ley suffix. Kingsley Wilson is a MAGA influencer and a…
