Popular Names and Name Trends
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 8 pages
of 8
Scottish surname
"wood man"
This unusual Scottish surname was made immortal by Michael Faraday, a British scientist who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. His name is now a unit of scientific…
Old English
"boar battle"
A halfway house between full-on Anglo-Saxon Eoforhild, and the modern-day version Averil. Everild makes for an interesting blend of medieval with the on-trend "Ever" sound.
Greek
"pleasing one"
In Greek mythology, Evadne was the daughter of Poseidon. Evadne also appears in literature (Mary Shelley's "The Last Man") and has a pop culture reference as the cousin of Wonder Woman. A more…
Gaelic
"water"
The name Esca appears in Rosemary Sutcliff's 1954 historical adventure novel The Eagle of the Ninth , which is set in 2nd century Roman Britain. Esca is the name of a freed slave who accompanies his…
Cornish
"Iris"
Less known than other Cornish beauties like Elowen, Demelza, and Kerensa, Elestren is a pretty botanical name ripe for wider usage. While it may have a starry, celestial feel, likely owning to…
French surname
Scottish actor Dougray (born Stephen) Scott made us aware of this name when he took on his French grandmother's surname as his stage name.
