Name Image
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 14 pages
of 14
Gaelic
"white shoulder"
Nola, a name with a sleek, enigmatic quality, was used for the much-pursued heroine of Spike Lee's 1986 breakout film, She's Gotta Have It , and again by Woody Allen in Match Point . It's a short…
Anglicized form of Teasagh or diminutive of Jessica, Hebrew
"behold or wealthy"
Jessie has never been used as much as Jennie/Jenny, partly because it's a boys’ name as well (spelled Jesse), but it does have a friendly and unpretentious pioneer feel. In Scotland, it's found as an…
Irish
"descendant of the red-haired one"
Flynn, a charming Irish surname, is still used only quietly, despite its easygoing, casual cowboy charm, unlike Finn which is a star of this genre. Flynn was the choice of Orlando Bloom and Miranda…
English
"one who hunts"
This surname gained momentum in the 1990s, when it was particularly in vogue for males. However, it seems to be experiencing a surge for females—it was one of the fastest-rising names of 2013,…
Modern invented name or surname
"calf town; brave in battle"
Cason rose up the chart as a rhyming variation on the popular Jason, Mason and Brayson. Als spelled as Casen, Kasen and Kason, it may be considered a surname-style name, borrowed from Cawston meaning…
Word name
Honey entered the US Top 1000 for the first time ever in 2024, following the lead of parents in England, who've elevated this nickname-name to the Top 300 girls' names in the UK. Honey's popularity…
Animal name
"bear"
Bear has suddenly lumbered onto the baby name landscape. Perhaps inspired by British adventurer Bear Grylls (born Edward Michael), first celebrity chef Jamie Oliver used it as the middle name for his…
"sturdy cotton"
With Levi in vogue and country names on trend, Denim could fit in among the Waylons, Walkers, Coltons, and Rhetts. As a boys name, it brings to mind the qualities of the fabric: hardworking, cool and…
Occupational name
"sheep hearder"
A phonetic variation of Shepherd, an occupational surname. Sam Shepard, the actor and playwright, is a notable figure to use this spelling for his last name. As a first name, this spelling is closely…
Sioux
"people of a different language"
The name of a courageous tribe, Cheyenne became quite popular in the 1990s, inspiring a wide range of spelling variations—Shyanne is one example that's still on the rise.
Diminutive of Madeline or Madison, English
"woman from Magdala or son of Matthew"
Britney Spears' little sister Jamie Lynn was one of the first to put this nickname on the birth certificate. Cute for a child, but we recommend giving her the option of the full name for later use.
Choctaw, Irish
"leaping water, lady of abundance"
This hauntingly euphonious Choctaw name has re-entered the public domain, as memories of the outrageous actress Tallulah Bankhead have faded. For years, Tallulah was a name associated only with…
Nature name
Sky may be a bit hippie-ish, but it's bright and sunny nonetheless. Sky rejoined the Top 1000 in 2013 after spending many years off the list. Sky was the choice of magician David Copperfield for his…
English diminutive of Ann or Agnes, Hebrew or Greek
"grace or pure"
To some, Nancy is a sweet, sparkly, vintage choice with plenty of energy and style. For it strays too much into '"old-lady" territory to be cool again yet. It's out of fashion in France, New Zealand,…
French
"oath, pledge"
Gage was part of the craze for one-syllable surnames, with associations to tasty green gage plums and the mathematical gauge. Gage was first noticed as a character in Stephen King's Pet Semetary…
French and English
"ruler or king of the land"
St. Landry was a seventh century bishop of Paris, founder of the city's first hospital, though in the US, it may be better connected with legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, an association…
"one who gathers information covertly"
Scout, a character nickname from To Kill a Mockingbird (her real name was Jean Louise), became a real-life possibility when Bruce Willis and Demi Moore used it for their now-grown middle daughter,…
Short form of Isabelle or French
"beautiful"
Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast . As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of…
"wandering man"
Gatlin has risen into the Top 1000 in recent years on the strength of its association with the Olympic champion sprinter Justin Galtin as well as the Gatlin Brothers of Nashville fame. The name has…
Spanish place-name
"mountainous"
Overly trendy western place-name, as stated in the title of our book Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana.
