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Varying Filbert does not improve the name: it still makes one think of a nut.

Devan is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins, making it an interesting cross-cultural choice. In Sanskrit, it derives from "deva" meaning "divine" or "god," while in Irish it …

An ancient city in modern-day Syria, which occasionally makes the roster of girl names. Its etymology is uncertain — locally it is called Tadmor, and Palmyra is the Greek version …

Noriko is most common among Gen X Japanese women, making it a dated choice in Japan.

An offbeat possible replacement for the overused Melissa and Marisa, Nerissa was used by Shakespeare for Portia's witty confidante in The Merchant of Venice. Queen Elizabeth has a cousin …

Mavies appears to be a rare feminine variant of Mavis, which derives from the Old French word for the songbird also known as the thrush. This uncommon spelling variation maintains …

Comic actress Garofalo pronounces her name ja-NEEN, which makes this one of the more confusing versions.

Parents of female Emerie's would argue the suffix -ie makes it more feminine. It may also add a feeling of French flair. Clearly, there are enough thinking this to …

Brooke variation – or is the other way around? – that makes it more a nature name, less an eighties-style androgynous name.

This noble title — the female equivalent of a knight — makes an inventive choice for a daughter. More subtle than Queen or Princess, Dame is a fresh way to get in …

Geraud, as with many French variations of familiar names, makes the somewhat old-fashioned Gerard sound fresh and dashing. It's pronounced as if it ended with o, another trendy …

Meylin is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins, making it beautifully multicultural. In Vietnamese, it can mean 'beautiful jade' or combine 'mey' (America) and 'lin' (forest), while in Chinese …

Nevis — as in the island in the West Indies making up the nation St. Kitts and Nevis — was derived from the Spanish name Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, meaning "Our …

This European version of Cyril (pronounced like French Cyrille) makes the Top 100 in Belgium.

Abbot is traditionally a masculine name with ecclesiastical origins, making its appearance as a feminine name quite unusual. Derived from the Aramaic 'abba' meaning 'father,' Abbot historically referred to the …

Some of my favorite word names that makes me think of a creative, spontaneous person that lives a simple and peaceful yet fun and meaningful life.

I'm being a little more fun making this list, so I hope this helps whatever the occasion. Yay!

Intended to be a private list that I'm making public temporarily to share with my partner. This is the required description in order to make it public. Wheee!

Lying awake making name lists in the middle of the night. Finding a name you love, only to have your neighbor use it for her dog. Dealing with a partner …

by Pamela Redmond Satran Atticus makes major baby name news by topping Nameberry’s count of Most Popular Names for the first half of 2015, on the publication day of …

By John Kelly March Madness makes for some of the most exciting weeks in all of sports, which got us here at Nameberry excited about…yep, their connection to baby …

By Eve Newman What actually makes a name female or male? Most names seem to have been assigned a strict gender based on previous usage, but recently more and more …

What makes you love a name? It might be that it has family significance, calls to mind to an inspiring person, or just sounds really cool. The names in the …

Taru is both the Finnish word for "epic" or "legend" making it a translation of the Swedish name Saga, and a pet form of Tarja, the Finnish form of Daria …

Concise and cool, Kota is a name with multiple origins, making it a versatile choice that travels well. As a Japanese name, Kota, also spelled Kōta and Kouta, is associated …

Even if you're not planning on having five kids, Enu makes a cute name for a son or daughter.

With the "oo" sound all the rage these days, Luvo makes a good choice if you are looking for a name that is unusual but sounds on-trend.

This name comes from a very rare species of butterfly, making it a nice choice for those seeking a name that suggests nature, rarity and fragility.

Baojin, sometime hyphenated to Bao-Jin, has a luxurious meaning making it a relatively common choice for Mandarin-speaking parents. Baojin can be used for girls and boys. But this …

Siddhartha Gautama was one of the real names of Buddha, making this an impressive and weighty name among the Buddhist community. Among Hindis, Siddharth is strongly associated with the Brahmin …

Kanan is multicultural name with a number of different origins, making it a versatile choice that travels well. A Top 50 choice in Azerbaijan, Kanan also made a brief appearance …

Parents of female Emersyns will say this Emerson variation's Y makes it more feminine -- and to some extent, it does. This, combined with the trendy Y, have flagged this …

The o ending and the positive meaning in many languages makes this a winner, and with the feminine Vera making a surprise return, and the new love for the letter …

Yahya is an Islamic name derived from the Hebrew Yochanan, making it both an honor for the prophet John the Baptist, and one of many international forms of John. In …

Energetic Willoughby is a familiar last name, but, as yet, makes for a unique choice in the first spot. An unexpected way to get to popular short forms Will and …

Williamson originated as an English surname meaning 'son of William,' making it a patronymic derived from the classic Germanic name William (composed of elements meaning 'will' or 'desire' and 'helmet …

True has become an accepted first and middle name; Truth makes an even stronger statement. And with nearly 150 baby boys named Truth in the US in the most recent …

This shimmery Age of Aquarius unisex flower child name is making a comeback, along with metal and gem names like Steel, Jade, and Ruby.

Usually adding an e to the end of a name makes it more feminine, but Locke is at most recent count used only for baby boys. Still, this stylishly strong …

Conjures up pleasant images of lakes, but the pronunciation challenge makes the Anglicized Loughlin preferable.

Jamaari is a contemporary masculine name with limited historical documentation, making its precise etymology challenging to establish with certainty. The name likely emerged in the late 20th or early 21st …

In Celtic lore, Fergus was the ideal of manly courage, making it a charming, slightly quirky Scottish and Irish favorite. As a name, Fergus forms a link between Ireland and …

Davison originated as an English surname meaning 'son of David,' making it a patronymic name with Hebrew roots since David means 'beloved' in Hebrew. As a first name, Davison represents …

Soft, gentle, and non-Germanic, but the final s almost makes it sound plural.

This variation of Aryan has a slightly less racist connotation, making it a bit more acceptable. Arian debuted on the Top 1000 in 2011, but didn't have a sustained …

This name of the capital of an ancient Egyptian dynasty makes Lois X-rated.

The Shawnee were an Eastern tribe that migrated westward; Shawnee makes an unusual name, if a little dated a la Shawn and Tawnee.

Although very rarely used for girls, its soft, gentle sound makes it a perfect candidate for crossing over to the female camp.

The popularity of Maya clarifies the pronunciation of Raya, which makes that the better spelling of this name.

An unusual, energetic surname choice that would make a good Madison alternative. Madigan was a typical police detective series of the 1970s, starring Richard Widmark.