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The names
Hayden
English place name
"hay valley"
Hayden – a formerly obscure name that's risen to huge popularity – has dipped in this year's ratings. Though Hayden is among the most distinctive of the bunch, it gets lost in the crowd of Jaidens,…
Miley
Modern invented name
One-time overnight success name, thanks to Hannah Montana actress and singer Miley Cyrus, Miley fell just as quickly from her peak of Number 127 in 2008 as the star entered her rebellious era. Now…
Zachariah
Hebrew, form of Zechariah
"the Lord has remembered"
This distinguished name still feels a bit ancient, but with the rise of such former graybeards as Jeremiah and Elijah, it also sounds child-friendly again, as does the Latin-Greek form Zacharias.…
Mingus
Scottish, variation of Menzies
"tenants of a manor"
Supermodel Helena Christensen named her son in honor of jazz great Charles Mingus, opening up a whole category of jazzy possibilities: Kenton, Calloway, Ellington, Gillespie, Mulligan, Tatum, and…
Fifi
French diminutive of Josephine, Hebrew
"Jehovah increases"
Fifi is a perfect name -- for a French poodle. But Fifi may seem more child-friendly as names like Coco and Lulu rise. Fifi in its fluffiness also balances the seriousness of such full names as…
Bartholomew
Aramaic
"son of the furrow"
Bartholomew is an apostle's name that's been out of favor for centuries but might appeal again to the parent in search of an old but rare choice. The challenge could be to avoid the Simpson-ish…
Beyonce
American invented name from Louisiana Creole
You know who Beyonce is. One of the most famous people in the world. When she was born, her name was truly unique; it was a riff on her mom's maiden name, Biyence, with an accent over the final E.…
Britney
Variation of Brittany, English
"from Briton"
This abbreviated spelling, which also relates to Whitney, quickly took on a life of its own, thanks to the megafame of Britney Spears, but it's already beginning to burn out.
Christ
English from Greek
"anointed, messiah"
Meaning "anointed one" in Greek, this was a title applied to Jesus by early Greek-speaking followers. It has been used as the English form of both Christos and Chrestos, which means "good".
Cecil
Latin
"blind"
Once a powerful Roman clan name, Cecil has lost much of its potency over the years, though it retains a strong presence in the sports and jazz worlds. Past bearers include film giant Cecil B.…
Zaccheus
Variation of Zachariah, Hebrew
"the lord has remembered"
A New Testament tax collector was called Zaccheus, the freshest spin on this biblical favorite. And it still gets you to Zac.
Leviticus
Greek
"belonging to the Levites"
Old Testament book way too heavy to carry.
Pat
Diminutive of Patricia
"noble, patrician"
An early and still quintessentially gender-neutral name, now supplanted by thousands of fresher options. Hasn't been recorded as a given name since 1991. Pat was the name of a gardener in Alice's…
METHUSELAH
Judas
Greek variation of Judah
"praised"
Though there were two apostles named Judas, everyone remembers the one who betrayed Jesus, and the name has been permanently shunned.
CARROT
Kanye
African place-name, Nigeria
"honor, tribute"
Kanye West propelled his name into the Top 900 in the early 2000s, at the height of his popularity, though now it has dropped off the baby-naming map. In addition to its African derivation, it is a…