Name Spellings, Initials and Sounds · Popular Names and Name Trends
Names With Many Spellings
Across 53 pages
of 53
Madelynn
Spelling variation of Madelyn, English
"woman from Magdala or high tower"
Madelynn is the fourth most popular variation of this durably popular name, with Madelyn ranking first in the Top 100, Madeline dropping to the Number 2 spot, the French Madeleine taking third place,…
Iyla
Hindi
"moonlight"
Iyla, now a Top 1000 girls' name in the US, resembles many other popular names, from the Top 100 Isla to the Turkish Ayla, with which it shares a moonlit meaning.
Mohamed
Spelling variation of Muhammad
"praiseworthy"
This variation of the popular Arabic name has now been in the Top 500 for several years. It wasn't even in the Top 1000 before the 1980s.
Philip
Greek
"lover of horses"
Philip, the name of one of the 12 apostles, is still favored by parents in search of a solid boys' classic that is less neutral than Robert or John and more distinctive than Daniel or Matthew and has…
Cecelia
Latin
"blind"
Cecelia, with this spelling, got some recent attention as the name of Jim and Pam's baby on The Office -- and also the name of actress Jenna Fischer's newborn niece. A spelling variation of Cecilia…
Azriel
Hebrew
"God is my help"
Azriel is more masculine than Ariel, more unusual than Israel. Also spelled Asriel and Azrael, Azriel is the name of the Angel of Death in Jewish and Muslim traditions.
Jayla
Modern spelling of Jaalah, Hebrew
"to ascend"
Not quite as unusual as it might seem, it first entered the popularity list in 1995, as a possible alternative to the very popular Kayla. In the Bible, an alternate spelling is Jaala.
Skye
Scottish place-name
The e-addition takes the name from slightly hippie-ish nature name to the place name of a picturesque island off the coast of Scotland, and for baby namers it's by far the more popular spelling. Skye…
Oaklee
Variation of Oakley, English
"oak clearing"
Oakley is one of the truest unisex names for babies, achieving a 56-44 gender distribution, favoring girls. Oaklee is 80% female and may serve as a clearer identification of sex, if that’s what…
Marlee
English
"pleasant seaside meadow"
The combined inspiration of reggae master Bob and the dog-loving romp "Marley and Me" catapulted this name up the chart in recent years. But what goes up....
Jazlyn
Modern invented name
"jazz by the lake; fower by the lake"
A modern invention that's been in use since the 80s and in the charts since the 90s, which combines the sounds of Jasmine (or Jasper or just the word jazz) with the popular suffix, -lyn . Inspiration…
Zahra
Arabic
"flower"
Abbreviated form of Zahara that was used by Chris Rock for his daughter and as a middle name by both Eddie Murphy and David Bowie. Compared with the even-more-abbreviated Zara, Zahra may create more…
Kaison
Modern invented name
Is Kaison really a variation of Kason or Kayson or Kaysen, or are they all equal inventions? Think of it as Jason or Mason, Kardashianized. Cason is the more traditional spelling, one that has the…
Everlee
Variation of Everly, English
"wild boar in woodland clearing"
Like Ashley before it, Everly has been followed into the US charts by a number of spelling variations, one of which is Everlee. More distinctly feminine perhaps or a little sweeter in style, Everlee…
Erik
Spelling variation of Eric, Old Norse
"eternal ruler"
While substituting a C for a K is a modern trend, Erik is in fact the traditional spelling of the name, derived from the Old Norse Eiríkr and introduced to the English speaking world in the…
Devin
Irish
"poet"
Devilishly handsome, Devin arrived as Kevin was moving out. Not to be confused (though it often is) with the English place-name Devon. While both Devin and Devon are flagging somewhat for boys, the…
Emir
Turkish, Bosnian, Arabic
"prince, ruler"
Emir can be a title of honor in Arabic-speaking nations. In Turkey and the Balkan countries, Emir is one of the fairly popular Arabic names for boys .
Jeffrey
Spelling variation of Geoffrey
"pledge of peace"
The mostly Americanized version of Geoffrey was a trendy mid-century hit, with nickname Jeff the epitome of cool. Jeffrey entered the pop list in 1934 and was a Top 20 name from the mid-fifties to…
Emerie
Variation of Emery, English from German
"industrious"
Parents of female Emerie's would argue the suffix -ie makes it more feminine. It may also add a feeling of French flair. Clearly, there are enough thinking this to popularize it—the name entered the…
Amaia
Spanish or Basque
"high place or end"
This pretty and uncommon Basque name is all but unheard of in this country. Amaya is a spelling variation as well as a similar Japanese name meaning "night rain." With the newfound popularity of…