Historic and Vintage Names · Popular Names and Name Trends
Top 2000s Names
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Isabel
Spanish variation of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Isabel derived from Elizabeth in southwest Europe during the Middle Ages. It was originally written as Elisabel, but the first syllable was dropped as it spread across the continent. In Spain and…
Cole
English
"swarthy, coal black"
Cole -- a short name that embodies a lot of richness and depth -- has long been associated with the great songwriter Cole Porter. It's quite popular in Scotland. Old King Cole -- which refers to a…
Jesse
Hebrew
"God exists"
King David's father turned 1980s cowboy, Jesse is now down in popularity but still a Biblical classic, ranking in the US Top 1000 for its entire history. The name is associated with a wide variety of…
Katherine
Greek
"pure"
Katherine is one of the oldest, most diverse, and all-around best names: it's powerful, feminine, royal, saintly, classic, popular, and adaptable. Long one of the top girls' names starting with K ,…
Chase
French
"to hunt"
Chase, with its sleek and ultraprosperous aura, is redolent of the worlds of high finance and international banking. Chase has been well used during the last few decades, seen as a character on 24…
Molly
Diminutive of Mary, Hebrew
"bitter"
Molly is one of the original nickname names, ALWAYS ranking among the US Top 500 girl names since statistics began, in 1880. Molly peaked in 1991 only to rise just as high again in 2011, and though…
Sara
Hebrew
"princess"
Sara, the streamlined form of Sarah, makes this ancient name feel more modern, but perhaps a bit lighter weight. Some Old Testament sources give Sara as a variation of Sarai, the Biblical personage's…
Timothy
Greek
"honoring God"
A second-tier classic, the New Testament Timothy moves in and out of fashion more than John and James. But though it peaked in the 1960s, many modern parents still appreciate its familiarity and…
Kylie
Noongar, Scottish
"boomerang; narrow spit of land"
Popular pop name, inspired by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was at its height in Australia in the 1970s and early 80s; often cited as a Noongar name meaning "boomerang". Kylie has also been…
Jasmine
Flower name, from Persian
"gift from God"
Jasmine was derived from the Persian word yasmin , referring to the jasmine flower. Scented oil was made from the plant, and it was used as a perfume throughout the Persian Empire. Variants include…
Bailey
English occupational name
"law enforcer, bailiff"
Bailey — a jaunty surname — was first used for a female TV character in 1978 in the show WKRP in Cincinnaati , then caught on big time. Bailey's still an appealing choice, though, and a celebrity…
Miguel
Spanish and Portuguese variation of Michael, Hebrew
"Who is like God"
Mike Tyson put a twist on his own name by naming a son Miguel. It's the first name of Cervantes, the great Spanish novelist and poet who wrote Don Quixote . Miguel has always charted in the US, but…
Zachary
Hebrew
"the Lord has remembered"
Zachary, a Top 20 name throughout the 90s, is now sliding down the rankings though it remains in the Top 200. With its ancient roots and modern feel, it's easy to understand why Zachary has been such…
Tyler
English occupational name
"maker of tiles"
The presidential Tyler rocketed up popularity charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s (it ranked Number 9 for that entire decade), along with cousin Taylor, becoming almost pandemic across the…
Kevin
Irish
"handsome"
Kevin came to the US with the large wave of Irish Immigrants after World War I, hitting the US Top 1000 list for the first time in 1921 and never leaving. Though an ancient Irish name -- a Saint…
Brianna
Feminine variation of Brian
"strong, virtuous and honorable"
Brianna's popularity in the US came later than father name Brian's, peaking in the 1990s, two decades after Brian's Top 10 reign of the 1970s. But Brianna is more popular than Brian now, along with…
Mackenzie
Scottish
"son of Kenneth"
Originally inspired as by eighties TV actress Mackenzie Phillips, parents since have flocked to Mackenzie for their daughters. Now a staple All-American choice, Mackenzie has ranked in the US Top…
Brayden
English or Irish
"broad hill or salmon"
Brayden is the top spelling of one of the epidemically popular rhyming cousins of Aiden, hitting the Top 100 in 2005.. It has dipped a bit recently, but is still widely used. Other popular spellings…
Alex
Diminutive of Alexander, Alexis
"defending men"
The independent Alex has become a classic in its own right. One of the truest unisex names , Alex is used almost equally for both sexes. Alex is used both on its own and as a short form of formal…
Justin
Latin
"fair, righteous"
Justin has been widely popular since the 1980s, when parents were seeking a fresher 'J' boys’ name to replace Jason, Jeremy and Jonathan. It's been dipping in popularity a bit in recent years but it…