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Names That Mean Freedom

  1. Darby
    • Origin:

      Irish, English, Norse
    • Meaning:

      "free from envy; from the deer estate"
    • Description:

      Once a common boy name in Ireland, the dynamic Darby now has a definite unisex feel. A bit like a mash up between Darcy and Ruby, it appeared in the US Top 1000 in the 90s, peaking in 1995 when it reached #499. It's likely this sudden interest in Darby was owing to the 90s book and film, The Pelican Brief, starring Julia Roberts as a law student called Darby.
  2. Francisco
    • Origin:

      Spanish, Portuguese
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      Francisco is one of the more popular Spanish names for boys in the US, which is unsurprising given its popularity back in Spain and Portugal as well as Latin America, coupled with its classic status. It also has a cool hipster vibe to it, given the reputation of the city of San Francisco.
  3. Carly
    • Origin:

      English feminization of Carl, German
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      Though a couple of its more "creative" spellings—Carli and Karlee, for example—are still on the rise, this feminine form of Carl, popularized by singer Carly Simon in the 1970s, could by no stretch be considered fashionable. Despite its decline, the name has still seen some use in the entertainment industry, from Nickelodeon's iCarly to Canadian pop singer Carly Rae Jepsen.
  4. Carol
    • Origin:

      English, feminine variation of Charles
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      A Caroline abbreviation that was wildly popular with Mom's generation...or Grandma's. At one time it was a name for baby girls born at Christmas. because of its association with Christmas carols.
  5. Franco
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Francis
    • Meaning:

      "Frenchman or free man"
    • Description:

      A classic Italian name still heard in the Italian-American community. Once tainted by the association with the Spanish dictator, it's now more likely to call up actor James Franco.
  6. Frost
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "freezing"
    • Description:

      Long heard as a last name, as in venerable poet Robert, U.K. talk show host David, British actress Sadie and old Jack Frost, Frost has suddenly entered the scene as a possible first, along with other seasonal weather names like Winter and Snow.
  7. Darby
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "from the deer estate"
    • Description:

      Spirited and bubbly, but handsome and preppy too, Darby is a surname style choice that fits in well with the likes of Alby and Lennox.
  8. Karla
    • Origin:

      German variation of Carla
    • Description:

      Both Karla and Carla are sliding down the ranks, though Karla remains far more popular in the USA than Carla.
  9. Carla
    • Origin:

      Feminization of Carl, German, Carlo, Italian, and Carlos, Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      While Charlotte and Caroline are considered stylish and classic members of the Charles family, this Germanic form peaked in the US at Number 76 in 1965. It fell out of favor in the 2010s, but recent years have seen it re-enter the Top 1000.
  10. Karl
    • Origin:

      German and Scandinavian variation of Charles
    • Description:

      Manly almost to the point of macho.
  11. Carlotta
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Charlotte, French diminutive of Charles
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      Carlotta has a large measure of finger-snapping charm and substance — despite being a not too pleasant character in The Little Mermaid. Carlotta is also the diva/prima donna in The Phantom of the Opera, and there was an Empress Carlotta of Mexico.
  12. Carolina
    • Origin:

      Variation of Caroline; also place-name
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      Romantic, and classy, this variation heats up Caroline and modernizes Carol, adding a southern accent. A popular choice in Portugal, Spain, Mexico, and Italy, it recently entered the US Top 500.
  13. Carrie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Carol, English, or Caroline, French"free man"
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      Carrie lives on mainly on the screen, as the new/old antiheroine of Stephen King's classic Carrie, as turn-of-the-21st-century diva Carrie Bradshaw of Sex & The City, and as Claire Danes' Emmy-winning character Carrie Mathison of Homeland.
  14. Carlo
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Charles, French
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      An energetic and friendly Italian classic, Carlo is popular in its native Italy, but also familiar across Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, France, and Brazil. A variation of the regal French and English classic Charles, it is ultimately derived from the Latin Carolus and the Germanic Karl, meaning "free man".
  15. Lysandra
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "liberator"
    • Description:

      This name is the feminization of mythological name Lysander, which is best known to English-speakers as a character in Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream.
  16. Carolyn
    • Origin:

      English variation of Caroline, French
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      The phonetic Carolyn spelling, which was very popular from the 1920s to the '60s, has been steadily on the wane while Caroline herself has stayed strong.
  17. Charlene
    • Origin:

      English feminization of Charles, German and French
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      Charlene is a Charlotte variation that, along with similar names like Arlene and Marlene, spiked in popularity in the 1940s and fifties, reaching a high of Number 100 in 1949. Most parents today would prefer one of the note classic versions -- or even nickname Charlie.
  18. Isra
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "nocturnal journey"
    • Description:

      An Arabic name with a powerful and alluring meaning, in Islamic tradition, Isra refers to one part of the Night Journey that the Prophet Muhammad, in which he led other prophets such as Ibrahim, Isa, and Musa in prayer. Popular in Belgium, the UK, and the Netherlands, it is climbing the US charts.
  19. Dermot
    • Origin:

      Irish, Anglicization of Diarmaid
    • Meaning:

      "free from envy"
    • Description:



      Dermot is an appealing, relatively undiscovered Irish mythological hero's name long popular in the Old Country, and imported into the American consciousness by actor Dermot Mulroney. We see it in the next Celtic wave following Connor and Liam.
  20. Charlize
    • Origin:

      Afrikaans feminization of Charles, French
    • Meaning:

      "free man"
    • Description:

      Charlize is a name that owes its very life to a star: elegant blond South African actress Charlize Theron. She was named after her father, whose name was Charles. Charlize jumped onto the popularity lists in 2004, the year the actress won the Oscar for lead actress in Monster.

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