High School Story (Students of White Wings High)

During its Top 10 heyday in the late 90s and early oughts, Andrew was one of the "cooler" classic boy names, an update on the old guard Roberts and Richards.

Ashley was a sensation in the 1980s and 1990s; it hit Number 1 in 1991. Ashley is still pretty but more and more parents are turning to newer names like Ashlyn and Aubrey, and spellings such as Ashleigh and Ashlea. If you hear the name Ashley in a playground today, it's more likely to be the mom than the little girl.

Austin is one of the most attractive city names for babies, with an appealing southwestern feel and place-name panache.

Crisp and colorful, Autumn is the most popular season name in the US — the only one in the Top 100 in recent years — though Summer and Winter don't rank too far behind. Cool and gentle at the same time, it also ranks highly in England and Wales.

Everything ella, from Ella to Bella to Arabella, is red hot right now. Bella is one of the most, well, beautiful girl names starting with B. It carried a hint of a nice Old World grandmotherly veneer, until it became attached to Twilight's Bella Swan.

Brandon, a forebear of the Braden-Caden pack, had a great run of popularity over several decades, being in the Top 10 from 1992 to 1998, one of its inspirations being hearthrob Brandon Walsh played by Jason Priestley on the original Beverly Hills 90210--and it was aso the name of several soap opera characters.

Brianna's popularity in the US came later than father name Brian's, peaking in the 1990s, two decades after Brian's Top 10 reign of the 1970s.

An Irish and Welsh form of Catherine, Caitlin was a boom name of the eighties, rocketing from obscurity (Americans first heard it via the wife of doomed poet Dylan Thomas) to the height of popularity in the space of a decade. The original name was gradually eclipsed by its myriad spelling variations -- Katelyn and Kaitlyn both soon topping it on the popularity lists.

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.

One of the most popular nicknames of the fifties and sixties -- and who could forget the romantic heroine of "Wuthering Heights"? -- now largely ignored in favor of Cate or Kate.

So far out it's almost ready to be let back in.

Cira is a feminine name with ancient roots and cross-cultural presence. In Greek, it relates to 'kyrios' meaning 'lord' or 'master,' while in Latin contexts it may connect to 'Circe,' the enchantress from Homer's Odyssey. The name also appears in Italian heritage, possibly as a short form of Cipriana. With just two syllables, Cira offers a concise yet melodic sound that works well internationally. The name combines classical origins with a contemporary feel, making it both timeless and modern. Though relatively uncommon in English-speaking countries, Cira remains an elegant choice for parents seeking a name with historical depth, cross-cultural appeal, and a distinctive but accessible quality.

Daniel is one of only a handful of male names that sounds both classic and modern, strong yet approachable, and popular but not cliched. It also has a solid Old Testament pedigree. The only real downside: There are about 10,000 Daniels named each year, making it a less than distinctive choice.

Daniella, Daniela, and Danielle were among the hottest names for twenty years, but now, though still popular, they can no longer be considered stylish options, lagging behind the newer Ella, Stella, Bella, Gabriella, and Isabella.

Demi appeared in the US as a baby name thanks to a single celebrity, actress Demi Moore, who put it on the Top 1000 throughout the 1990s. As her star faded, so did the visibility of the name, though now it is rising again on its own steam. It's popular in Europe, too, especially in The Netherlands. Demi may be that unusual name that's launched by a celebrity and then maintains its visibility all by itself.

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.

A simple one-syllable name that has been on the popularity list since the mid-1980s, Drake is most associated today with the single-named rapper (born Aubrey). The name peaked at Number 197 in 2010 and has since been on a slow decline, but it still can be counted among the stylish contemporary boy names starting with D.