Birthday Names
New Year Names
Across 6 pages
of 6
The names
Desiree
French
"desired, wished"
One of the original French names chosen by midcentury parents for their sophistication and je ne sais quoi , Desiree has since become completely assimilated in the US. It ranked in the Top 1000 from…
Zora
Serbo-Croatian
"dawn"
Zora is a meaningful literary heroine name honoring Zora Neale Hurston, an important black writer and leader of the Harlem Renaissance. Spelled Zorah, it is a biblical place name, and is also the…
Neo
Latin or Tswana
"new or gift"
This nouveau name of Keanu Reeves's character in The Matrix has not enjoyed the same burst of popularity as its female counterpart, Trinity, but it definitely sounds, well, newer. Neo Rauch is an…
Amil
Arabic or Sanskrit
"one who hopes or unattainable; hard work"
Hope is one meaning of the name Amil, which sounds similar to the German Emil; it can also mean unattainable in the sense of being so exalted as in royalty as to be out of reach. While Amil may not…
Kia
African
"season's beginning"
Kia is a sweet, simple name that is now, unfortunately, associated with a Korean car label. Better today: Nia, Thea, or Keira.
Signe
Scandinavian
"new victory"
Signe could make an offbeat, more unusual alternative to Sydney or Sigrid. In Norse mythology, Signe was the twin sister of Sigmund. Can also be spelled Signy.
Roxana
Persian
"dawn; or, little star"
The name of the wife of Alexander the Great, more attractive than the better-known Roxanne. Roxana was first used in the English-speaking world in the 1600s and was popularized by Daniel Defoe's…
Asha
Sanskrit; Swahili
"hope; life"
Asha is an Indian name that comes from the Sanskrit word for hope or desire, but it is also a Swahili name derived from Aisha, meaning life. Since the ascendance of Ashley through the 1980s and 90s,…
Von
Norse
"hope"
One of those midcentury shortenings that are starting to sound cool again, though we prefer Van.
Nadine
French variation of Nadia, Russian
"hope"
Part of the vogue for French-sounding names in the 1920s and 30s, Nadine has been replaced by the Russian sound of Nadia and Natasha.
Arman
Form of Herman or Armen, French, Armenian, Persian, Kazakh, Turkish
"soldier; land of Armenia; wish, hope, purpose"
One of those truly international names, with a similar feel to Roman, Arthur, and Artem, without the popularity, in the US at least. The name is in fact in the Top 50 in Armenia and Bosnia, while it…
Marnie
English
"of the sea"
Retro short form of Marina, now dated to the era of the Hitchcock movie that made it famous. In the UK, it's one of the hottest vintage names of the moment, perhaps inspired by British singer Lily…
Esperanza
Spanish
"hope, expectation"
Esperanza is a Spanish classic that's found its way onto the national popularity list in recent years. It came into the spotlight not long ago when jazz singer Esperanza Spalding "stole" the Best New…
Neoma
Greek or Hebrew
"new moon; pleasantness"
An obscure yet on-trend name with two wonderful meanings associated with it. Neoma is one of the freshest celestial girl names with moon-related meanings, rarer than Luna or Phoebe but with the same…
Hila
Hebrew or Pashto
"halo; hope"
Hila is a name that has grown in popularity in recent years, placing it firmly within Israel's Top 20 for girls. It is sometimes written as Hilla or Hilah. In Pashto, it means "hope" and is also…
Aviva
Hebrew
"springlike, fresh, dewy"
Aviva is vivacious and memorable, a fresh spin on the Vivian and Vivienne names that have been getting more popular since Angelina and Brad chose one for their twin daughter. Another A-beginning…
Gry
Norwegian
"dawn"
Gry is becoming a popular name in Denmark where it is currently in the Top 50. Despite its beautiful meaning, the similarity of its sound to the English word gruel is unlikely to make this a winning…
Arata
Japanese
"new; fresh"
Strong Japanese name with a hopeful meaning.
Gala
Russian and Slavic feminine form of Galina
Festive name of the wife of Salvador Dali. In Spanish, Gala comes from the Roman name Galla, a feminine form of Gallus meaning "rooster" or "a person from Gaul".
Fresco
Italian
"fresh; decorative mural"
A fresh artistic option with a lively sound.
