User-created list
Master List of Favorites A-Z
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Bright
English word name
"bright"
Bright is a rare yet intriguing word name used for a female character in Ann Patchett's novel The Dutch House.
Britt
Swedish, contracted form of Birgit
"high goddess"
Brisk but rather brittle. Britt Eklund was a Bond Girl in the 1974 The Man with the Golden Gun . Britt is a contracted form of Birgit, but be aware that it does come with the strong possibility of…
Bronson
English
"son of brown-haired one"
This surname has a modern yet old New England feel, perhaps because of the association with the transcendental teacher and reformer Bronson (born Amos Bronson) Alcott, father of Louisa May. (One-time…
Brook
English nature name
"small stream"
Brooke variation – or is the other way around? – that makes it more a nature name, less an eighties-style androgynous name.
Bryant
Variation of Brian, Irish
"strong, virtuous, and honorable"
Bryant has a longer history as a first name in the US than its father name Brian, ranking among the Top 1000 since the list began in 1880 while Brian only jumped on in 1925. That may be because the…
Brycin
Celtic, female variation of Brice
"bright strength"
Slightly awkward girl's version of a straightforward male name.
Bryn
Welsh
"hill"
Bryn is an up-and-coming gentle, yet substantial, Welsh name that would also be effective in the middle spot. In Wales it's a traditional boys' name, but it's far more popular for girls now in the…
Buck
English
"male deer or rabbit"
Comedian Roseanne Barr chose this macho nature name for her son. In the 18th century it was used to describe a dashing, fashionable dressed man. Buck fits in well alongside names like Beck, Jack and…
Burke
French
"from the fortress"
Simple, usable surname choice.
Bloodrayne
Video game name
BloodRayne is a series of action-adventure video games, but the heroine's name is actually Rayne, a much more usable appellation for a non-vampire, non-animated child. We hope no-one uses this for…
Cady
English, diminutive and surname
Cady is one of those names that sounds popular but is actually rare in this form, given to only a few dozen baby girls in the US last year. Its origins are unclear, and as many possible meanings and…
Caia
Latin, feminine variation of Caius
"to rejoice"
Caia Caecilia was the Roman Goddess of fire and women. The name Caia would make a truly fresh alternative to the flagging Maya, with which it rhymes.
Cala
Arabic
"castle, fortess"
Extremely simple and extremely distinctive -- a winning combination. Sound-alike Calla is a Greek (and botanical) name that means beautiful.
Calder
English
"rocky water"
A cool, rugged sounding name, Calder is connected to an ancient Scottish clan, an English village, and a Scottish River, along with the sculptor Alexander Calder, who invented the mobile (as in,…
Caledonia
Latin place-name for Scotland
"hard or rocky land"
Caledonia is a rhythmic and alluring place name used by singer Shawn Colvin for her daughter. It would make an interesting and apt choice for a girl with Scottish ancestry.
Calico
English word name
"cotton cloth imported from India; a blotched or spotted animal"
A word name with fashionable o -ending that has associations with both the homespun fabric and the mottled cat. Alice Cooper named his daughter Calico decades ago, while it was selected more recently…
California
Place name, Spanish from Arabic
"land of Califia, land of the caliph"
Has not caught on as much as other Golden State place-names — Sierra, Marin, West, or even Francisco — probably because of its length. The state of California got its name from the 16th-century…
Calla
Greek
"beautiful"
Calla is a botanical name that is much more distinctive than popular Lily or similar Callie. Rarely heard today, it did appear in the popularity lists in the last decades of the nineteenth century.…
Callista
Greek
"most beautiful"
Calista Flockhart spotlighted this lovely Greek name that has a long future in the English-speaking world. Kallista is another spelling; Calixta and Calixto are related.
Calix
Male variation of Calixta or Latin
"chalice"
Calix is once-obscure name that is starting to see some use in the US, where 62 baby boys were named Calix in 2024. An indirect influence is the actress Calista Flockhart, who introduced Americans to…