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The names
Henry
German
"estate ruler"
Henry is well and truly back in style. The classic returned to the Top 10 in the US in 2021 for the first time in over a century, and as of 2024, sits at Number 6. Like James and Theodore, Henry is a…
Isla
Scottish place-name or Spanish
"island"
Isla is a hit name throughout the English-speaking world but hasn't found the same popularity in other western countries, perhaps because its spelling and pronunciation don't make sense for those…
Beckett
English and Irish
"bee hive, little brook or bee cottage"
Beckett is one of the big baby name hits of the decade. A handsome name with an attractively brisk sound, and rich in literary associations via major Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, it is especially…
Freya
Norse
"a noble woman"
Freya has long been popular in the U.K. but has only taken off in the US in the last decade, along with the entire category of mythological names. Derived from the Old Norse name Freyja, meaning…
Sutton
English
"from the southern homestead"
Sutton is a habitational surname propelled to popularity by Tony-winning Broadway actress Sutton Foster, who's also the star of Hulu's Younger -- based on a novel written by Nameberry co-creator…
Maisie
Scottish diminutive of Margaret, Mairead, or Mary, English, Latin, Hebrew
"pearl; bitter, beloved, drop of the seas"
Sweet and sparky, youthful yet long-established, this Scottish nickname for Margaret, Mairead, or Mary, entered the US Top 1000 back in 2014 and has been on the rise ever since, replacing the once…
Leighton
English
"meadow town"
One of those names that's suddenly on the map because of a celebrity's influence, Leighton Meester of the TV show Gossip Girl . She pronounces it LAY-ton but some will intuitively say LEE-ton.
Finnegan
Irish
"fair"
If you like the Finn names and love James Joyce, Finnegan is extremely winning. Will & Grace 's Eric McCormack chose the Finnigan spelling for his son. And of course Finnegan gains you access to the…
Amos
Hebrew
"carried by God, load, burden"
Amos is a robust biblical name that's being discovered by a new generation of parents in a major way. Similar to other popular choices like Amias, Asa, Moses, and Thomas, it has a contemporary air…
Edison
English
"son of Edith or Adam"
This rhythmic last-name-first-name projects the creativity and inventiveness of Thomas Edison. It's an English surname deriving from either Adam or Eda, a medieval diminutive of Edith. Q. Why is it…
Edmund
English
"fortunate protector"
The sophisticated Edmund and its nearly-identical French twin Edmond are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. In fact, it's already a fairly…
Atherton
Ianthe
Greek
"purple flower"
Like Violet, Lavender and Lilac, Ianthe is a purple flower name. Chosen by the poet Shelley for his daughter, Ianthe has a poetic, romantic, almost ethereal quality. In the ancient myth, she was the…
Isolde
Welsh, German
"ice ruler"
Sleek, sharp, and soulful, Isolde is the German form of Iseult, the fabled lover of Tristan in the Arthurian romances. First appearing in the 12th-century, the name was fairly popular in the form of…
Isotta
Isotta is a feminine Italian name, essentially the Italian form of Isolde or Iseult from Arthurian legend. The name derives from a Celtic origin, though its exact meaning remains disputed, with some…
Nell
English, diminutive of Helen, Eleanor, et al
"bright, shining one"
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…
Waverly
English
"meadow of quivering aspens"
Waverly, with its literary resonance and lilting three-syllable sound, could well become the next generation's successor to Kimberly. Its upper-crusty surname feel places it among the new stylish…
Yseult
French variation of Iseult, Celtic
"fair, light-skinned"
Variation of Isolde, the name of a great Celtic heroine. The mononymous French singer Yseult is the most notable bearer today.
Isolt
Isolt is a feminine name with Celtic and Arthurian origins, representing a variant spelling of Isolde (also written as Iseult). The name derives from ancient Celtic roots, though its precise…