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Short & Sweet: Single-Syllable Names
Across 9 pages
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Rue
Nature name
"herb; regret"
Botanical choice that can work for either gender. Simple and straightforward. Caveats: rue means "regret" in English, and "street" in French. Now in the Top 1000 in England and Wales for girls and…
Rue
Botanical names or word name
"herb; regret"
Rue has gone from Golden Girls actress to Hunger Games heroine to a fresh alternative to beloved middle name Rose. This botanical name is also a coincidental double word name, meaning "regret" in…
Russ
Variation of Russell, French
"redhead, fox-colored"
Short but substantial, Russ does not need the full-form Russell to go on the birth certificate. Russ strikes a nice balance between familiar, friendly, and underused.
Rye
Diminutive of Ryder or Riley or word name, English
"cavalryman, messenger; rye"
Rye has the potential to become the masculine version of Rue—a short and sweet name for nature lovers (and whiskey fans too!). Rye might be short for Ryder or Riley or Rylan or any Ry-beginning name,…
Sade
Finnish, Nigerian and Yoruba, diminutive of Folashade
"rain; honor bestows a crown"
The one-named singer clarified the confusing pronunciation on this one (in her case, it's shah-DAY), but a number of parents have looked for more phonetic spellings. The Finnish version means "rain."
Shale
Word name
Slate, Stone and Steel are on the rise, so why not Shale?
Shae
Variation of Shay, Irish
"the stately, dauntless one"
The third-most-popular spelling of this name, after Shea and Shay, is notable mostly for its connection to Game of Thrones . Shae is a "camp follower" -- AKA prostitute -- who becomes the loyal…
Shay
Irish, Hebrew
"stately, gift"
A variant spelling of either Irish Shea or Hebrew Shai, Shay feels at once vintage and modern.
Smith
English occupational name
"blacksmith"
Even if it is the Number one surname in the U.S.--with more than 2.5 million bearers--we still think that Smith would make a cool first or middle name, whether or not it has family history. Though…
Todd
English
"fox"
A 1970s beach boy surfing buddy of Scott, Brad, and Chad, Todd is given to relatively few babies these days.
Vale
Geographical name
Vale is part place name, part nature name -- a poetic term for a type of valley. Today Show coanchor Savannah Guthrie put Vale on the baby name map when she chose it for her daughter, but there's no…
Vale
Geographical name
Today Show anchor Savannah Guthrie put this name of a geographical feature on the baby name map when she chose it for her newborn daughter, Vale Guthrie Feldman. Vale might be considered part nature…
Vaughn
Welsh
"small"
Vaughn, also commonly spelled Vaughan, has been used quietly over the years, reaching a peak of Number 349 in 1949. It is now in the process of rediscovery, being seen as a good Sean alternative or…
Verne
Latin
"springlike"
Verne is a masculine name of Latin origin, derived from the Latin word 'vernus,' meaning 'spring-like' or 'flourishing.' This name gained recognition largely through the famous French author Jules…
West
Word name
West is the most fashionable of what you might call the direction names, with North and East (or Easton and Easter) coming up behind, and South not yet on the map. Country singer Randy Houser named…
Wolfe
Anglo-Irish surname and variation of animal name
"wolf"
The Wolfe spelling shifts this name from animal name to surname-name, aggressive to aristocratic, much like Wilde does for Wild. Some sources suggests that the original bearers of the Wolfe family…
Wren
English
"small bird"
Wren may not be as time-honored a bird name choice as Robin or even Lark, but it's more fashionable and fresh, with a gentle and earthy vibe. Given to just a handful of children a decade ago, in 2024…
Wyn
Wyn is a feminine name with Welsh origins, though it can also be used for males in its original context. Derived from the Welsh word "gwyn" meaning "fair," "blessed," or "white," Wyn embodies…
Wynn
Welsh
"fair, blessed"
Wynn or Wyn is a Welsh male name deriving from the very productive gwyn element, which forms part of all Welsh names ending -wyn or -wen, as well as the Gwen names and the Irish Fin- names. Wynn is a…
Zeus
Greek mythology name
The supreme Olympian god represents a mighty image for a little fella to live up to, but more and more parents are beginning to consider it seriously. The Roman equivalent Jupiter has also come down…