Now on iOS & AndroidSwipe baby names with your partner — match on names you both love.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
Nameberry Logo

Names That Mean New and New Beginnings

  1. Horatio
    • Origin:

      English variation of Latin Horatius
    • Meaning:

      "hour, time"
    • Description:

      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 reference is the charismatic TV character Horatio Caine played by David Caruso in CSI: Miami.
  2. Beryl
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "sea-green jewel"
    • Description:

      Dated British favorite that never caught on in this country, where Jade remains the green gem of choice. Interesting namesakes: British writer Beryl Bainbridge and British aviatrix Beryl Markham.
  3. January
    • Origin:

      English month name from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "doorway"
    • Description:

      Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name.
  4. Phyllis
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "green bough"
    • Description:

      Phyllis has been used by classical poets for the idealized pastoral maiden. A Greek mythological name of a woman who was turned into an almond tree, Phyllis was in the Top 100 from 1916 to 1958, reaching #24 in 1929, and has the (remote) possibility of joining other revived s-ending names like Iris. In the 'St Clare' book series by Enid Blyton Phyllis is nicknamed Fizz. Just a thought. Phyllida is a variation that sounds at once more old-fashioned and more stylish.
  5. Denver
    • Origin:

      English or French place-name and surname
    • Meaning:

      "from Anvers"
    • Description:

      Before there was Aspen, Denver was the Colorado city name of choice, and it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after a 14 year absence as a stylish two-syllable boys’ name with its trendy -er ending. Its decade of greatest use was the 1920s, when it reached as high as Number 422.
  6. Amaryllis
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "to sparkle"
    • Description:

      If you love both unique baby names and flower names for girls, Amaryllis might be a perfect choice for you.
  7. Emerald
    • Origin:

      Gem name; Persian
    • Meaning:

      "green"
    • Description:

      Emerald is the intriguing color and jewel name of the deep green stone treasured as far back as ancient Egypt — it's supposed to open one's heart to wisdom and to love and be good for strengthening relationships — which could make for an interesting, unusual name, particularly with the popularity of so many Em-starting names.
  8. Novi
    • Origin:

      Variation of Nova, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "new"
    • Description:

      This Nova-offshoot is hot in the Netherlands, where it was recently one of the fastest-rising names of the year. It could eventually see great success in the US as well, and was given to 46 American girls at last count.
  9. Peridot
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "a green gemstone"
    • Description:

      Peridot is the gem of the month of August, a vibrant green mineral, said to be good for helping people put the past behind them, and an interesting, undiscovered jewel name. It was regarded in ancient times as the symbol of the sun.
  10. Neon
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "New"
    • Description:

      Bright and energetic, Neon seems like it would be a modern coinage, borrowed from neon lights.
  11. Cyan
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "greenish blue color"
    • Description:

      Cyan is a highly unusual blue-green color name, a classmate of Celadon and Cerulean. It does come with the homey nickname Cy.
  12. Roxana
    • Origin:

      Persian
    • Meaning:

      "dawn; or, little star"
    • Description:

      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 novel Roxana, published in 1724. An underused and attractive possibility and perfect if you're searching for names that mean new beginnings.
  13. Oran
    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Irish, Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "light, song, little green one"
    • Description:

      A calm and gentle multicultural choice. Oran is popular in Ireland, where its Gaelic form is Odhrán, meaning "little green one". In Scottish Gaelic, the name means "song", and in Hebrew, it's a combination of Or "light" + Ran "singing".
  14. Horace
    • Origin:

      Latin clan name
    • Meaning:

      "timekeeper"
    • Description:

      The ancient name Horace sounds fustily fuddy-duddy, and yet, with the resurrection of Homer, and the new interest in old Roman names...who knows.
  15. Cerelia
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "relating to springtime"
    • Description:

      Cerelia is a melodic and unusual choice, perfect for a child born in April or May. Another version is Cerella.
  16. Elif
    • Origin:

      Turkish and Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "first letter in the alphabet; slender"
    • Description:

      Elif is the Turkish form of Alif, the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. Actor Natalie Portman gave another spelling to her son, Aleph.
  17. Dagny
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "new day"
    • Description:

      If you're looking for a name with Scandinavian roots, this would make a stronger and more appealing import than Dagmar. With its meaning of "new day," it could make an ideal choice for a girl born around New Year's.
  18. Asier
    • Origin:

      Basque
    • Meaning:

      "the beginning"
    • Description:

      This Basque name is quite popular in Spain, where it has long been in the Top 100 names. This is likely due to its pleasant meaning; the sound, dignified in Spanish and Basque, may not fare so well in English-speaking countries.
  19. Ayana
    • Origin:

      Arabic, African, Kazakh
    • Meaning:

      "large eyes; time; beautiful flower; clear, obvious, revealed; seeing, witnessing"
    • Description:

      With diverse roots and meanings, Ayana is a cross-cultural possibility with Arabic, African, and Kazakh origin. Both Ayana and Ayanna enjoyed a spike of popularity in the 1990s, but have faded since then, though 246 girls were given the name in the US in a recent year, placing it just outside the Top 1000. It appeared in the Kazakhstani top 15 multiple times in the 2010s and recently ranked in the UK Top 500.
  20. Nyssa
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "goal"
    • Description:

      A fairly common Greek name that would fit in well here.

The Nameberry App Is Live

Nameberry app screenshot
Find your perfect baby name together in our app, now available on the App Store and Google Play.
  • Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
  • Names you match on are saved to your shared list
  • Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
  • Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
  • Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
Nameberry app screenshot