Top Baby Names 2021

  1. Ione
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "violet flower"
    • Description:

      This unusual Greek flower and color name has gained considerable recent attention via actress Ione Skye, who is the daughter of sixties folksinger Donovan.
  2. Primrose
    • Origin:

      English flower name
    • Meaning:

      "first rose"
    • Description:

      A quaint and quirky flower name, until recently considered a bit too prim for most American classrooms but brought back to life in recent years by the attractive character of Primrose "Prim" Everdeen in the Hunger Games series. In the Top 300 girl names in England and Wales and on Nameberry, Primrose remains rare in the US, but is made more accessible by a raft of sweet nickname options, including Rosie and Posy.
  3. Delia
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "born on the island of Delos"
    • Description:

      Delia is a somewhat neglected southern charmer that stands on its own but also might be short for Adelia or Cordelia.
  4. Ariel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "lion of God"
    • Description:

      Ariel is a male Biblical name, seen there as the messenger of Ezra, and also used as a symbolic name for the city of Jerusalem, while Shakespeare used it for a (male) sprite in The Tempest.
  5. Sally
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Sarah
    • Meaning:

      "princess"
    • Description:

      Sally is a cheerful, fresh-faced girl-next-door name that was originally a nickname for Sarah, but has long been used independently. Sally was popular in the eighteenth century and then again from the 1920s to the 1960s--it was just outside the Top 50 around 1940. Though it hasn't been heard as a baby name for decades, we can see Sally bouncing back, especially after her exposure as young Ms. Draper on Mad Men--the Nameberries rank it at Number 621, and it's a Top 100 name in Sweden.
  6. Teagan
    • Origin:

      Irish or Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "little poet or fair"
    • Description:

      As Meghan/Megan and Reagan/Regan show signs of wilting, along comes Teagan to take up the slack: definitely one to consider. The vast majority of American babies named Teagan are now girls. A variant spelling is Teaghan.
  7. Camila
    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Camilla
    • Meaning:

      "young ceremonial attendant"
    • Description:

      The Spanish Camila, pronounced ka-MEE-la, is the fastest rising version of this ancient Roman name, but recent royal Camilla may have helped promote the British brand.
  8. Jax
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name, English
    • Meaning:

      "God is Gracious"
    • Description:

      With its cool -X ending, Jax is an update on the classic nickname Jack, likely inspired by the rise of Jackson. It garnered attention in the US thanks to the game, Mortal Kombat II back in the '90s, and was pushed up the charts when it was used in the show Sons of Anarchy, in which Jackson "Jax" Teller is the central character.
  9. Eliora
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "the Lord is my light"
    • Description:

      A pretty and melodic name of Hebrew origin that combines the elements el referring to God, li meaning "for me", and or meaning "light". The name entered the UK Top 1000 for the first time in 2023, and it's easy to understand why. With its rich vowel sounds and playful elegance, Eliora shares the sounds of other popular choices like Eleanor, Eliana, Aurora, and Elodie, which also remaining distinctive.
  10. Allegra
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "joyous"
    • Description:

      In music, the term allegro means "quickly, lively tempo," which makes this quintessential Bohemian ballet dancer's name all the more appealing. Allegra is one of the most distinctive yet accessible girl names starting with A.
  11. Paisley
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "church, cemetery"
    • Description:

      For a name related to a Scottish town, a patterned Indian fabric, and a country singer named Brad, Paisley has seen remarkable success. After appearing, seemingly out of nowhere, it is now an American favorite.
  12. Lara
    • Origin:

      Russian, diminutive of Larissa or Larisa
    • Meaning:

      "citadel"
    • Description:

      This is an alternative to Laura or Lauren made romantic by Dr Zhivago, and badass by video-game heroine Lara Croft.
  13. Ellis
    • Origin:

      English surname derived from Elijah or Elias or Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "benevolent"
    • Description:

      Ellis, a surname used sparingly as a first in the Wallace/Morris period, sounds new now for girls, as a gender-neutral alternative to Ella or Alice. It debuted in the US Top 1000 for girls in 2015.-- Ellis has always been in the Top 1000 for boys -- and seems to be headed straight up. One of the most popular gender-neutral names, currently there are two baby boys named Ellis for every girl.
  14. Myla
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Mila or feminine variation of Milo
    • Meaning:

      "soldier or merciful"
    • Description:

      Myla can be seen as a female variation of Milo or a different spelling for popular Mila. Though frequently unnecessary in alternate spellings, the "y" here does connote a specific pronunciation.
  15. Shea
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "the stately, dauntless one"
    • Description:

      The short but solid Irish surname Shea works well for both genders thanks to its soft, succinct sound. The traditional Irish form is Séaghdha, though it could also be used as a short form of Séamus, connected to James.
  16. Diego
    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of James
    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"
    • Description:

      The energetic Diego is rising rapidly along with a lot of other authentically Spanish baby names that work perfectly well with surnames of any origin.
  17. Amina
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "trustworthy, faithful; feel safe"
    • Description:

      Light and beautiful, but equally solid and versatile, Amina is a name of Arabic origin that is used internationally. Popular in Russia, the UK, Azerbijan, Belgium and Sweden, the name has also climbed the US charts in recent years and is now in the Top 400.
  18. Adah
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "ornament"
    • Description:

      Adah is a biblical name twice over—one was the mother of Jabal and Jubal, the other was a wife of Esau. The latter Adah and Esau’s descendants settled in Edom and became the Edomites. Adah is unrelated to the visually similar name Ada, which is Germanic in origin.
  19. Alva
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "his highness"
    • Description:

      Edison's middle name is a fabulous option for parents looking for something with history and a soft sound. This could be the name you're looking for if you like Tesla's scientific pedigree but think that it has become too corporate with the advent of Elon Musk's company.