This is hard.

  1. Kezia
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "cassia tree"
    • Description:

      This lively Old Testament nature name (belonging to one of the three beautiful daughters of Job) may be missing from the current US Top 1000 list, but it ranks highly here on Nameberry — making it one to watch!
  2. Kiah
    • Origin:

      Short form of Hezekiah, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God gives strength"
    • Description:

      Drawn from old record books, Kiah is an antiquated nickname that feels perfectly appropriate for modern times -- maybe more so than father name Hezekiah.
  3. Kian
    • Origin:

      Irish; Persian
    • Meaning:

      "ancient; king"
    • Description:

      A friendly Irish and Persian name chosen by Geena Davis for one of her twin boys, whose father is Iranian.
  4. Kieran
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "little black-haired one"
    • Description:

      Long popular in Ireland and England, Kieran, the name of Ireland's first-born saint and twenty-five other saints, has been building its U.S. fan base thanks to its strong and attractive sound, and its fashionable Irish brogue. While Ciaran is the more authentic Irish spelling, Kieran is more popular this side of the Atlantic.
  5. Kinley
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "fair hero"
    • Description:

      A Scottish surname name, more popular as the Presidential McKinley, meaning "son of the fair hero".
  6. Kinsey
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "king's victory"
    • Description:

      Kinsey enjoyed popularity blip thanks to similarity to Lindsay, and because of Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries heroine, Kinsey Millhone. Now, Kinsley has become more popular than Kinsey.
  7. Kiva
    • Origin:

      Hebrew, variant of Akiva
    • Meaning:

      "protect"
    • Description:

      The spiritual sounding Kiva has a number of other-worldly associations. Kiva is a "Stargate" character who becomes a commander in the Lucian Alliance, as well as a planet in "Star Wars." Kiva is also the name of a room used by the Hopi for spiritual ceremonies.
  8. Linden
    • Origin:

      Variation of Lyndon
    • Meaning:

      "linden tree hill"
    • Description:

      The graceful, natural image of the verdant shade tree transcends any connection with President Johnson.
  9. Maren
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "sea"
    • Description:

      Maren is one of the many twenty-first-century takes on Mary--but we find the more classic Marin spelling preferable. When spelled Maren, the pronunciation seems more clearly to resemble Mary, with the emphasis on the first syllable. Marin, the spelling also used for the beautiful coastal county north of San Francisco, is often pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable, as in Marie.
  10. Maude
    • Origin:

      English and French diminutive of Matilda, German
    • Meaning:

      "battle-mighty"
    • Description:

      Maude, also spelled Maud, is a lacy, mauve-tinted name that was wildly popular a hundred years ago, but has been rarely heard in the past fifty. Some stylish parents are starting to choose it again, especially as a middle.
  11. Millie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Mildred or Millicent
    • Meaning:

      "gentle strength; strong in work"
    • Description:

      Millie is back. It's a Top 100 name throughout much of the English-speaking world, though not yet in the US. Millicent would be an appealing long form, but many people are using Millie all by its cute self -- so many, in fact, that it returned to the Top 500 in 2015 for the first time since World War 2 and continues to climb.
  12. Miri
    • Mona
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "noble good"
      • Description:

        Mona had more than a moment in the sun, peaking in 1950 at Number 230 but falling off the Top 1000 completely in the late 1980s. Its similarity to the word "moaner" undercuts the appeal of its simplicity. In one recent year, fewer than 100 baby girls received the name, and we don't see it reviving any time soon.
    • Maven
      • Navi
        • Origin:

          Hebrew
        • Meaning:

          "to name"
        • Description:

          Nickname for the star Gamma Cassiopeiae given by the late astronaut Gus Grissom after his own middle name (Ivan) spelled backwards. Navi also relates to the prophets in the Hebrew Bible.
      • Neima
        • Origin:

          Hebrew
        • Meaning:

          "pleasant, agreeable, likeable"
        • Description:

          One of the less attractive Hebrew choices.
      • Nell
        • Origin:

          English, diminutive of Helen, Eleanor, et al
        • Meaning:

          "bright, shining one"
        • Description:

          Nell, once a nickname for Helen, Ellen, or Eleanor, is a sweet old-fashioned charmer that is fashionably used today in its own right. While Nell is perfectly in tune with contemporary vintage name style, it hasn't taken off the way some of its sisters have and so maintains an air of distinction. Use Nell or Nellie as a short for any name from Eleanor to Penelope or just name her Nell.
      • Nera
        • Origin:

          Hebrew
        • Meaning:

          "candle, light"
        • Description:

          Because of its meaning, this is a symbolic name given to girls born on Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights.
      • Nori
        • Origin:

          Japanese, Norse
        • Meaning:

          "doctrine or seaweed; north or small person"
        • Description:

          Attractive, simple Japanese choice that, while not strictly unisex, could work even better for a girl, especially now that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West use it as the nickname for their daughter North. Nori is also the name of an edible seaweed used in wrapping sushi.
      • Nova
        • Origin:

          Latin
        • Meaning:

          "new"
        • Description:

          Nova has the feel of both newness, from its meaning, and great energy as an astronomical term for a star that increases suddenly in brightness before fading.