Popular Names and Name Trends
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 17 pages
of 17
English and French surname
"worker of the granary; farmer"
If you're seeking a solid but underused occupational name with a warm, friendly sound, and an earthy feel, Granger is one to consider. Associated with faming, grain, and the outdoors, it fits in with…
English word name
"royal"
A superlative word name along the lines of Saint, King, Princess, and Chosen, Royal was mostly used for boys — as in Wes Anderson's anti-hero Royal Tennenbaum — until Lil' Kim named her daughter…
Edson is a masculine name of English origin, meaning "son of Edward" or "Edward's son." The name gained international recognition through the Brazilian soccer legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento,…
Kyrin is a contemporary masculine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a variant of Kyran, which has Irish roots derived from Ciarán, meaning 'little dark one' or 'black.' Alternatively, it…
Latin
"just"
More unusual than Justin, less word-like than Justice, this New Testament name could make an intriguing choice. After being off the popularity lists from 1904 to 1993, it is now being used in steady…
"peaceful"
Pax, one of the variations of names meaning peace that are newly popular in these less-than-peaceful times, got a lot of publicity when chosen by Brad & Angelina for their Vietnamese-born son.…
Kassius is a masculine name with classical roots, serving as a modern variation of the ancient Roman family name Cassius. The original name derives from Latin, possibly meaning 'hollow' or 'empty,'…
English
"driftwood"
Marlow is a suave, unusual surname-name that was chosen by Celine designer Phoebe Philo for her older son. This is a name with many spellings and many difference in gender identity. Marlowe is…
French from German
"desired; or island, water"
Aveline is a name that's long been an obscure cousin of more widely-used choices, but may come into its own riding the tail of the megapopular Ava, which may derive from the same root. Although…
Italian
"wicker basket; kind of cloth"
Joining Maia, Raya, and Kaia, is alluring, evocative Zaia. Possibly a variation of the Italian surname Saia, meaning "kind of cloth", or potentially stemming from the Italian dialect word zaia…
Surname name
A name that's long been popular for dogs on Chicago's North Side is now gaining traction among human babies. Wrigley Field is the Chicago Cubs' historic ballpark, originally named after the Wrigley…
Aramaic
"son of the furrow"
Bartholomew is an apostle's name that's been out of favor for centuries but might appeal again to the parent in search of an old but rare choice. The challenge could be to avoid the Simpson-ish…
Variation of Easton, English
"east-facing place"
Variation of Easton.
Nature name
"hawk, a bird"
Animal names are on the rise, especially more of the aggressive Hawk-Fox-Wolf variety than cute little Bunnys or Robins, and Hawk is a prime example. Hawk is more commonly heard as a surname,…
Scandinavian, German variation of Matthias, Matthew
"gift of God"
Mattis was most popular in Scandinavia in the 2000s and 2010s, and is now seeing success in Germany. In the US, it's most familiar as a surname.
Welsh
"bright, brilliant, snow; silver"
A unisex Welsh name with a bright, silverly hue, Eirian can be pronounced with either an AY sound at the beginning or an EYE sound, depending on region and dialect. Meaning "silver" (from the Welsh…
"idol, image"
Romantic and mysterious, Eluned's beauty and intelligence were legendary in Welsh legend; she was the handmaiden of the Lady of the Fountain in a Welsh Arthurian romance, who had a magic ring that…
Bird name from German
"night singer"
Charming nature name made even more appealing by the connection to iconic nurse and statistician Florence Nightingale.
