Popular Names and Name Trends · Name Image
By Nameberry Team · Updated October 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
Welsh
"life, spirit"
This Celtic goddess and Arthurian name may sound terminally old-ladyish to many ears--but so did names like Ella and Etta not so long ago. So Enid is yet another forgotten four-letter E-possibility:…
Diminutive of Howard, English, Germanic, Norse
"high guardian; brave heart"
Old school Howard has fallen out of fashion in recent years, having been a Top 100 choice in the US from the 1880s until the 1960s. Short form Howie, however, might have more potential, with its…
Variation of Dora; also Anglicized variation of Irish Doireann
"sullen"
Much fresher Irish imports available for colleens now.
Scottish, spelling variation of Earl
Errol was a swashbuckling name in the Errol Flynn era, which still has a trace of jazz cool.m thanks to jazz pianist Erroll Garner.
Diminutive of Susan and Suzanne, English, French
"lily"
An energetic, charmingly retro nickname, Suzy and all her sisters are off their fashion peak but will rise again around the middle of this century. The Z forms, Suzy and Suzie, are usually short for…
Short form of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Kaye and its more popular sister Kay, once common short forms of the perennially popular Katherine, are now on the endangered list, given to fewer than 50 baby girls each year. But maybe that makes…
English
"marshy land near the sea"
Out playing shuffleboard at his condo and not expected back for several generations -- unless it morphs into a girls' name, a la Sydney.
Diminutive of Earl, English, or word name
"nobleman, warrior; early"
Early is a word-turned-name, pleasantly suggesting the start of a bright new day. Of the new word and day names, Early is one of the best. Early James is the stage name of singer-songwriter Fredrick…
Gordie is a masculine diminutive of Gordon, a name with Scottish origins derived from a place name meaning 'great hill' or 'spacious fort.' Gordie gained particular recognition in North America…
Latin
"caretaker of the mill"
If you're looking for a presidential first name, keep looking.
"divine ruler"
Clad in armor. But while this name may have been forbiddingly antiquated not that long ago, the connection to the trendy nickname Os or Oz makes it a real possibility.
German
"bright raven"
Last in fashion in the 1930s, Bertram might once have been firmly in the best left in the past category, but with sweet nickname Bertie and the cool option of Bram, Bertram might just be one to…
English, diminutive of Edward
"wealthy guardian"
Ned is a gently old-fashioned Nancy Drew-Bobbsey Twins-era short form for Edward that sounds cooler than Ed and is enjoying a small style renaissance. Usage of Ned in literature goes back to a Ben…
Short form of Sidney, French
"Saint-Denis"
Sid originated as a nickname for Sidney, but we like it on its own, a la Sara Quin's and Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen's sons. Sid Vicious, member of the band the Sex Pistols, gives this name a punk…
English variation of Latin Horatius
"hour, time"
Like Horace, Horatio is a variation on the Latin Horatius, but its Shakespearean and optimistic Horatio Alger pedigree makes it an attractive up-and-comer, especially with its cool final o. A modern…
Modern invented name
Australian opera singer Nellie Melba—self-named for her hometown of Melbourne—inspired this now-dated name more associated today with a peach dessert and dietetic toast.
Diminutive of Eulalia
Eula is a slightly sweeter and more compact version of Eulalia. Currently, neither name is given to more than a handful of girls each year. Eula was fairly popular in the US during the early…
Medieval variation of Esther, Persian
"star"
The disgraced heroine of The Scarlet Letter 's name, after long neglect, just might have a chance at revival, following in the wake of sister-name Esther. We've characterized her elsewhere as an…
Italian from German
"protector"
Elmo, like fellow Sesame Street characters Kermit and Grover, has a hard time being taken seriously. (It isn't easy being red either.) But Elmo also calls to mind the image of St. Elmo's fire--the…
