Popular Names and Name Trends
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 17 pages
of 17
Feminization of Ximeno, Spanish
"hearing, listening; son"
A popular choice in Mexico and a Top 200 name in the US, though usually for girls. Ximena has that stylish X- initial and a sunny feel. Alternative form Jimena is also in the charts and is far more…
Arabic, Sanskrit
"night; play"
Lila is one of the girl names with a double l sound — Lila, Lola, Layla, Leila, Lily et al — that have caught on in a major way., Delicate yet dynamic, Lila has a slightly international flair. The…
Gaelic
"descendent of Cathalan; descendent of the battle ruler"
This anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Cathaláin links back to the Irish given name, Cathal. Similar to Callum, Caleb, and Calvin, it might feel more usable outside of Ireland and Scotland than…
English
"hero or fable"
Legend joins cousins Story, Saga and Fable in the baby name pantheon of narrative words. Unlike Story and Fable, however, Legend comes with additional weight, being used for fame ("living legend")…
Variation of Eliora, Alara, Elara, or Elora
"the Lord is my light; water fairy; hazelnut, spear"
Alora combines a number of stylish elements: the pretty Al- beginning of Alice, Alessia, and Alma, the -ora ending of Aurora, Elora, and Nora, and a multicultural feel, owing to its various origins.…
English, from Latin, nature name
"olive tree"
Though greatly overshadowed by the trendy Olivia, Olive has a quiet, subtle appeal of its own -- and is now enjoying a remarkable comeback. Olive is one of only four girl names starting with O on the…
Hebrew
"God apportions"
Jaziel and spelling variation Jahziel are unique baby names from the Bible—he was the son of Nephtali and a grandson of Jacob and Leah—that are being rediscovered by a new generation of parents in…
"Tate's homestead"
Tatum is one of the rare examples of a name that was exclusively female, as in Tatum O'Neal, but now is used for boys too, entering the male Top 1000 in 2010. Khloe Kardashian made headlines when she…
Short form of Stephanie, Greek
"garland, crown"
Stevie survives as a short form of Stephanie thanks to the immortal Ms. Nicks. After a little more than a decade out of the limelight, she rejoined the US Top 1000 in 2014. It is now leading the…
Russian
"faith"
Vera was the height of fashion in 1910, then was for a long time difficult to picture embroidered on a baby blanket. Now, though, it has come back into style along with other old-fashioned simple…
French variation of Celeste
"heavenly"
French-Canadian singer Dion made us notice this variation. Similar in sound but not related to the names Selene and Selena ("Moon"), sleek Celine has a more celestial, heavenly vibe. Typically…
Fijian and Tongan form of Malachi
Malakai puts a South Sea Island spin on the Biblical Malachi, which may be just what It needs to fit in with contemporary trends.
Flower name, from Swedish surname
"Dahl's flower"
One of the flower names, used occasionally in Britain (where it's pronounced DAY-lee-a). It seems to have recovered from what was perceived as a slightly affected la-di-dah air. The flower was named…
English occupational surname
One of the most appealing of the newly hip occupational names, evoking sweet smells emanating from the oven. Much fresher sounding than than others that have been around for a while, like Cooper, and…
German or Turkish
"noble, nobility, or island"
Ada is one of the classic baby names for girls that is suddenly super stylish again. A favorite at the end of the nineteenth century, Ada is an alternative to the over-popular Ava. Ada is also part…
Nature name
Most of the notable Rivers have been male, but this nature name certainly flows as well for a girl. The name River is still rising for both genders, with about 3500 baby boys receiving the name last…
"priest"
Cohen is a common last name among Jews and an important spiritual name in the Jewish religion, associated with the hereditary priests who claimed descent from the biblical Aaron. As a result of its…
Hebrew, Japanese
"motion; my love, affection"
This Old Testament name has been one of the most popular girls names in Israel over the last decade and is also a favorite in Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands. First appearing in the US charts…
Irish
"bright-headed"
Callahan, the simpler spelling of Callaghan, is a rhythmic jig of a name whose history harks back to the ancient King of Munster. In the Dirty Harry movies, the Clint Eastwood character is Harry…
"small bird"
Wren, a lilting songbird name, could be the next Robin. Wren entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2012 and is among the new wave of popular English names for girls . Wren makes a particularly…
