Long Baby Names: The Ultimate Guide
Long baby names get a lot of love on Nameberry – with multisyllabic choices like Clementine and Evangeline, Sebastian and Aurelius among the Top 100 names most searched on our site.
And they’re even more popular with our younger visitors, who search for extravagant names like Andromeda, Ariadne, and Antonio far more frequently than other age groups.
But when it comes to the national baby names rankings, two syllables still reign supreme. We recently crunched the numbers and found that two-syllable names account for over half of the current US Top 100. Which means that longer names are a great place to start if you’re looking for a beautiful baby name that will stand out from the crowd!
Elaborate names are perfect for pairing with a short surname or middle name. Anne Cole works well enough, but how about Annika Cole or even Anastasia Cole for something a bit more memorable? As a bonus, longer names generally offer extra versatility: Anastasia could go by Anya or Annie or Sia, depending on her personality and preferences.
For the purposes of this guide, we’re classing long names as those with three syllables or more. Find our top picks in each category below, and click through to view our full lists of the best names with three, four, and five syllables.
Best Baby Names With Three Syllables
Not all three-syllable names qualify as long in most people’s minds, despite how they might sound. Aria and Elio technically fit the bill, but their visual brevity makes them feel too short and sweet for this list.
The most popular three-syllable baby names in the US right now are Sophia, Evelyn, and Camila for girls, and Oliver, Elijah, and William for boys. Intriguing uncommon choices lurking near the bottom of the Top 1000 include Artemis, Emerald, and Marceline for girls, and Alistair, Everest, and Jericho for boys.
All of the names in the list below make full use of their three syllables. They range from vintage gem Adelaide to mythological Guinevere to modern word name Zeppelin, but they all share a certain sense of drama and gravitas.
Adelaide Augustus Benedict Callahan Clementine Deveraux Ellington Francesca Guinevere Lavender Marisol Raphael Rhiannon Rosalind Seraphine Solomon Sullivan Temperance Zeppelin Zipporah
Best Baby Names With Four Syllables
Four-syllable names hit the sweet spot for many parents searching for a stylish and sophisticated baby name. They feel elaborate but wearable, dramatic but not overblown, and full of nickname potential.
Some of the most popular baby names in the US right now boast four syllables, including reigning Number 1 girl name Olivia. Other popular four-syllable baby names include Isabella, Elizabeth, and Penelope for girls, and Alexander, Santiago, and Jeremiah for boys.
From dainty floral Amaryllis to bold Biblical Zephaniah, length is a big part of the appeal of all of the four-syllable names in the list below. Some feel more eccentric than others (Huckleberry and Scheherazade, we’re looking at you!) but all would pair wonderfully with a shorter surname or middle name.
Amaryllis Aurelian Bartholomew Emmanuel Evangeline Felicity Georgiana Hermione Huckleberry Isadora Leonardo Montgomery Nehemiah Persephone Santiago Sheherazade Theodora Valentino Wilhelmina Zephaniah
Best Baby Names With Five Syllables
Five-syllable names are the rarest of the bunch, but there are a select few multisyllabic choices that are well-used in the US today. Anastasia and Alexandria lead the way for girls, and Emiliano and Maximilian top the list for boys. All rank within the current US Top 600.
More adventurous namers might be drawn to the drama of five-syllable baby names like Cassiopeia and Michelangelo. Others might like to honor Spanish, Portuguese or Italian heritage by using romantic O-ending forms like Bartolomeo, Feliciano, or Sebastiano.
The choices in the list below all feel delightfully extravagant – perfect if you’re looking for a baby name that truly stands out from the crowd.