Updated October 2026
Across 9 pages
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English, diminutive of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Yes, it's a word name, but Busy is also a rare pet form of Elizabeth. And yes, actress Busy Philipps was christened Elizabeth--she was given the nickname because she was such an active child. She…
Spelling variation of Bethany, Hebrew
"house of figs"
Bethenny is the spelling introduced to the world by and closely associated with Real Housewife of New York Bethenny Frankel. While the name has a bit of charm, we recommend sticking with the original…
Word name or nickname
Boo may have started out as a nickname for the male character Arthur "Boo" Radley in To Kill A Mockingbird and these days may be closely associated with another male Boo, the "world's cutest dog" or…
Irish
"sorrow"
Bronagh, along with Anglicized form Brona, is a popular name in Ireland. It's the name of a sixth century mystic as well as a modern television character on Penny Dreadful.
Latin
"bear spear"
Berengaria was one of the medieval queens of England - married to Richard I (also known as Richard the Lionheart). She was originally from Navarre (in modern northern Spain) and despite being the…
Hebrew
"daughter of God"
It looks like a creative respelling of battle, but this name is anything but. Instead, Batel is a Hebrew name with a lovely meaning. Jenna Jameson chose this name for her daughter in 2017, putting it…
Invented literary name
"beautiful shining one"
The name of the character in Edmund Spenser's "The Faerie Queene" whom the poet intended as a representation of Queen Elizabeth I. While it will no doubt thrill your daughter's English professor, the…
French
"white flower"
A widely used name in medieval Europe that's been almost completely forgotten. Blanche still reads as old lady-ish, and the frilly "-fleur" doesn't make it feel younger. But it could be a striking,…
Breton
Bleuenn is virtually unknown in the English-speaking world, while in France, it is a rare choice, given to a handful of girls. Bleuenn's origins are in Brittany, in the north of France, and it's…
French place name; Old English name
"ax-wolf"
Bardou is a holiday destination in France, known for its pictureque village nestled in mountains. It is also a region of Guinea. As a name, it is more commonly known from its English derivation,…
Modern invented name
Adding that B to Randall transforms a pretty boyish surname choice into a 21st century spin on Brandy.
English and Scottish nickname
"lamb or plump"
A bouncy English and Scottish nickname name, which originally started out as a term of endearment, either meaning "lamb" or (more probably) "plump". It has been in rare but regular use as a full name…
"bashful"
Biblical name from the Old Testament.
English word name
"an edible seed, typically kidney-shaped"
Bean is a unisex word name with a cute and quirky feel. Early reader series Ivy and Bean features a young girl named Bean, short for Bernice Blue. It has appeal as a casual nickname or middle name,…
Invented name
Along with Siri, Alexa, and Cortana, Bixby joins the ranks of virtual assistant names.
"signal light"
This word name shines bright and comes with the nickname Bea.
English word name or variation of Bonita, Latin
"hat; good"
You could see Bonnet as rarely used word name and an unexpected route to nicknames Bonnie and Betty. Or, you could view it as a (masculine) French form of Latin Bonitus, and as a surname-style choice…
Icelandic
"birch tree"
Associated with the mononymic Icelandic singer and her iconic swan dress.
Invented nickname
Up-and-coming actress Beanie Feldstein is attracting attention toward her unusual — but rather cute — nickname. She was born Elizabeth Greer Feldstein but nicknamed "Elizabeanie" by her childhood…
American invented name
Braxley itself may not be all that common — it was only given to 5 girls and 13 boys in 2021 — but as a combination of two on-trend syllables, you may run into a lot of children with similar names.