A Names

  1. Adelaide
    • Origin:

      Variant of Adelheidis, German
    • Meaning:

      "noble, nobility"
    • Description:

      Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for the name of her second daughter.
  2. Aksel
    • Origin:

      Danish, version of Hebrew Absalom
    • Meaning:

      "the father is peace"
    • Description:

      Most American parents would choose to use the more commonly seen variant, Axel, but .this form is preferred in Denmark and Norway, and also ranks in the French Top 400.
  3. Alasdair
    • Origin:

      Scottish variation of Alexander
    • Meaning:

      "defending men"
    • Description:

      In this country, more recognizable with the Alistair spelling.
  4. Alastrina
    • America
      • Origin:

        Place-name
      • Description:

        Given to children of both sexes as far back as colonial times, this carries a lot of baggage. However, parents continue to take the risk. Actress America Ferrera may be have inspired some families to choose the name. Ferrera's Honduras-born mother shares her unusual name.
    • Amethyst
      • Origin:

        Gem and Color name
      • Description:

        As flower names become more unique, so can gem names move beyond Ruby and Pearl to names like Topaz, Sapphire, and Peridot. Amethyst, the purple birthstone for February, has never been in the Top 1000, but could have some appeal, joining similarly-hued Violet and Lilac, all of which make great names for Aquarius babies or names for February babies.
    • Andromeda
      • Origin:

        Greek mythology name
      • Meaning:

        "advising like a man"
      • Description:

        One of the stellar unique baby names from mythology, Andromeda was the beautiful daughter of Cassiopeia who, like her mother, literally became a star--the constellation that bears her name.The Bohemian Andromeda makes a dramatic and adventurous choice in a time when four-syllable mythological names are gradually making their way into the mainstream.
    • Archer
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "bowman"
      • Description:

        Archer is an Anglo-Saxon surname that feels more modern than most because of its on-target occupational and Hunger Games associations. And it's a nice way to bypass the clunky Archibald to get to the cool nickname Archie.
    • Argentina
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "silver"
      • Description:

        South America provides a continent of interesting, undiscovered names -- Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, and the tango-rhythmed Argentina.
    • Aria
      • Origin:

        Italian and Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "air; song or melody; lion"
      • Description:

        Aria is a multi-cultural name with two extremely popular versions: this more word-like one along with Arya, the spelling used for the feisty young heroine of Game of Thrones. There were about 6400 baby girls named Aria in the US last year alog with 2400 named Arya, which counted together places the name in the Top 10.
    • Artemis
      • Origin:

        Greek mythology name
      • Meaning:

        "safe or butcher"
      • Description:

        Artemis, one of the key figures of the female Greek pantheon, is the ancient virgin goddess of the hunt, wilderness, animals, childbirth, and a protector of young girls, later associated with the moon. Artemis is the equivalent to the Roman Diana, but a fresher and more distinctive, if offbeat, choice.
    • Arturo
      • Origin:

        Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Arthur, Celtic
      • Meaning:

        "bear"
      • Description:

        Italian, Portuguese and Spanish variation of Arthur that makes the original feel more romantic and dashing.
    • Arwen
      • Origin:

        Literature, Sindarin, Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "noble maiden; fair, blessed"
      • Description:

        Best known as the princess of the Elves in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Arwen is a fantasy-inspired choice that feels perfectly down to earth. In 2022, it entered the UK Top 400, making it one of the fastest rising names, more than doubling in use from the previous year.
    • Asta
      • Origin:

        Norwegian
      • Meaning:

        "divine strength"
      • Description:

        This Scandinavian name was made famous in English-speaking countries as the name of the dog in the "Thin Man" series. Danish actress Asta Nielsen was another famous bearer. Asta can be considered as a short form of Astrid or Augusta.
    • Astrid
      • Origin:

        Scandinavian
      • Meaning:

        "divinely beautiful"
      • Description:

        Astrid has been a Scandinavian royal name since the tenth century, and many people associated it with the Swedish author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, Astrid Lindgren. Astrid is derived from the name Ástríðr, which is made up of the Old Norse elements that mean "god" and "beautiful."
    • Atalanta
      • Origin:

        Greek mythology name
      • Meaning:

        "equal in weight"
      • Description:

        Atalanta was a beautiful mythological maiden who refused to marry any man who couldn't beat her in a footrace -- quite a role model. This myth is found in Ovid's Metamorphoses and later in Swinburne's Atalantis in Calydon.
    • Athena
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "from Athens"
      • Description:

        Magical and distinctive but grounded and familiar too, it's no surprise that Athena has become one of the most widely used ancient goddess names in the contemporary Western world. Derived from the city name Athens, it is current a Top 100 choice in the US.
    • Aurelia
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "the golden one"
      • Description:

        Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to climb.
    • Aurora
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "dawn"
      • Description:

        The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European and Latin American countries.
    • Aviana
      • Origin:

        Variation of Avis, Latin
      • Meaning:

        "bird"
      • Description:

        Aviana is a name that's kinda like the megapopular Ava, and kinda like the popular Ariana, and not quite as widely appealing as either of them. But it's on everyone's scope now as the choice of actress Amy Adams for her new daughter -- ironic as she was quoted as saying she wanted a "normal" name. Turns out that Adams was born in Aviano, Italy, explaining the mystery. The first syllable of the name can be pronounced ah, ay, or (most commonly) to rhyme with have.