Popular Names and Name Trends · Unusual, Rare, and Unique Baby Names
Modern Baby Names
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Baylee
Variation of Bailey, English occupational name
"law enforcer, bailiff"
This Bailey variation is the second most popular spelling for girls, and while the -ee ending does make it more feminine, it feels more substantial in the original form. Bailee and Bayley are two…
Bard
English, Gaelic
"minstrel, poet"
A literary word name, now synonymous with Shakespeare, Bard also refers more generally to a poet, particularly one who recited epics and traditional poems out loud. Similar in sound to Bernard,…
Rilynn
Modern Invented Name
A variation of Riley with an added -lynn suffix, this girl name is bubbling right underneath the Top 1000.
Banks
English surname
"one who lives on the hillside or riverbank"
Banks as a girls' name was brought into the lexicon by actress Hilary Duff and musician Matthew Koma, who chose it for their daughter, Banks Violet. As both a surname and a word name, Banks refers to…
Coen
Dutch diminutive of Coenraad, variation of Cohen, or Australian place name, "bold advisor; priest; thunder"
"bold advisor; priest; thunder"
Like many short forms now popular as full names in the Netherlands, Coen—also spelled Koen—originated as the diminutive of the more old-fashioned Coenraad, the Dutch Conrad. In this case, it would be…
Ripley
English
"strip of clearing in the woods"
With its surname-style, literary feel, and similarity in sound to Finley, Juniper, Pippa, Riley, and Presley, Ripley is an unexpected choice that was given to more than 200 girls in each recent year.…
Ripp
Spelling variation of Rip, Dutch
"strength, might"
Ripp removes this name one step from its violent meaning.
Rivers
Nature name and surname, English
"rivers"
Rivers is an indisputably unisex surname with is strong nature connotation and its connection to the character Diana Rivers from Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre . Rivers is also the first name of…
Axl
Variation of Axel, Scandinavian version of Absalom
"father of peace"
Guns 'n' Roses musician Axl (born William) Rose created this name by dropping a vowel, a la Barbra Streisand. The traditional Axel is more popular, though celebrity parents Fergie and Josh Duhamel…
Deja
Deja is a feminine name that gained popularity in the United States during the 1990s. The name is connected to the French phrase 'déjà vu,' meaning 'already seen' or suggesting something familiar or…
Ruffin
Surname name
Soul fans may wish to use this unusual name as a reference to singer Jimmy Ruffin and his younger brother David, one of the lead members of The Temptations.
Denali
Place-name and Native American
"the great one"
Alaska's Denali National Park is the home of the highest mountain in the US, officially renamed Denali in 2014, endowing the name with a lofty feel. Twice as many girls as boys were given the name in…
Ryder
English Surname
"post messenger or cavalryman"
Some parents are choosing this popular boys name for their daughters (in the US there were well over 100 female Ryders born last year). Is it the connection to Winona that makes this feel somewhat…
Rye
Diminutive of Ryder or Riley or word name, English
"cavalryman, messenger; rye"
Rye has the potential to become the masculine version of Rue—a short and sweet name for nature lovers (and whiskey fans too!). Rye might be short for Ryder or Riley or Rylan or any Ry-beginning name,…
Avalynn
Combination of Ava and Lynn
Part Ava, part Lynn, and part cousin of the stylish Evelyn and Adeline, Avalynn is a recent 2014 entrant to the US Top 1000. But sometimes when a name is trying hard to have everything, it doesn't…
Avalon
Celtic
"island of apples"
Avalon, an island paradise of Celtic myth and Arthurian legend--it was where King Arthur was taken to recover from his wounds-- and also the colorful capital of the California island of Catalina--…
Austyn
Spelling variation of Austin or Austen
As with many other names, the y seems to make this name more girl-appropriate for some parents. About three-quarters of the babies named Austyn are female.
Sailor
Occupational word name
A word name that has sailed onto birth certificates of both genders, especially since Liv Tyler used it for her son. For boys, Saylor and Sailor are used about equally, but were together given to…
Dex
Diminutive of Dexter
"dyer; right-handed"
Dex, the nickname for Dexter that is sometimes used on its own, has lots of energy and dynamism. It was chosen by comedian Dana Carvey for his now grown son. With the growing popularity of Dexter, we…
Audrina
Variation of Audrey
"noble strength"
Audrina is a name that owes its fame to overnight reality TV sensation Audrina Partridge, one of the original cast of the MTV reality series The Hills .