User-created list
By elle17 · Updated February 2016
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Spanish
"saw"
Sierra is a name borrowed from the western mountain range, with Latin rhythm and cowboy charm, that has led to many offshoots: Cierra, Cyara, and so on. It is now probably past its peak but retains…
Irish
"little dark one"
Keira is a sweet yet tough name that's gotten a huge boost from the meteoric rise of Keira Knightley. Original spelling Kiera, which relates more directly to the male Kieran, was the more popular…
Short form of Daniel, Hebrew
"God is my judge"
A diminutive of Daniel that's been immortalized in odes ranging from 'Danny Boy' to 'Danny's Song.'
Italian place name or Slavic
"the middle of the plain; gracious, dear; union"
In many Slavic and other European countries, Milan is purely a boys’ name , but in the US, it's also popular for girls – no doubt inspired by the fashionable Italian city. It entered the Top 1000 for…
Diminutive of Raymond, word name, English
"wise protector; beam of light"
Simple, short, and cool, Ray gives off retro vibes thanks to its 20th century popularity, and its links to jazzy Ray Charles and Ray-Ban sunglasses. A popular middle name for boys , it is well…
Spelling variation of Gemma
Jenna is overheated, but Jemma is still cool. Jemma and Gemma are most heard in Australia but are increasingly used in other countries.
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…
French from Latin
"youthful, sky father"
Wildly popular in the 1960s and '70s, Julie is no longer anywhere near as stylish as the name's longer forms. Try Juliet, Juliana, or even the more grownup Julia. Julia and Julie derive from Julius,…
Hebrew
"behold, a son"
Reuben is derived from the Hebrew words ra’a , meaning "to see, to understand," and ben , "son." As a phrase it translates to "behold, a son." In the Bible, Reuben is Jacob's first-born son by Leah…
Arabic
"handsome, beautifier"
Traditionally spelled as Zayyan, this concise spelling variant is more popular in the English speaking world. Similar in sound and in meaning to the popular, international-feeling Zayn, it ranks in…
Latin
"rhythm, beat"
The musical word name Cadence, seemed to come out of nowhere to zoom up the charts; it rose over 700 spots between 2002 and 2004, and showed up in the Top 200 in 2007. It's gone down in the popular…
English place-name
Devon, spelled like the lovely seaside county in Britain that inspired the name, has crashed since its heyday around the Top 100 in the 1990s. Despite its use as a female name, for example for Devon…
"beautiful, handsome"
Hasan is a significant Muslim historical figure — he was the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and the son of Ali and Fatimah. Shia Muslims consider Hasan a martyr — he died after being poisoned by…
French diminutive of Angela
"angelic"
Angelique was the fastest-rising girl name of 2021, influenced by French-Mexican actress Angelique Boyer, who starred in the telenovela Imperio de mentiras ( Empire of Lies ). After a long run of…
Combination of Anna and Lee
"grace; pasture"
A compound name with an old-fashioned ring. It only first appeared on the US Top 1000 in 2012. Annalie is a somewhat different name that is nevertheless pronounced the same.
Diminutive of Alessandra, Italian from Greek
"defending men"
2012's Hurricane Sandy blew away whatever style currency Sandra retained from its 1960s Sandra Dee heyday. While in recent years it's been associated with Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor,…
Original New Testament Greek variation of Andrew
"strong and manly"
Andreas is a beautiful name, with the patina of an Old Master painting, one that could make a dashing namesake for an Uncle Andrew. In Europe, Andreas is currently in the Top 20 in Norway and is also…
Diminutive of Cassandra, Greek
"prophetess"
Though not much in use, still retains a cozy Little House on the Prairie-type pioneer feel.
Diminutive of Benjamin
Benji is undeniably cute, much in the way of a — yes, an adorable movie mutt. Ben is the handsome traditional short form of Benjamin, but Benji makes a more unexpected nickname
Feminine form of Pius or diminutive of Olympia, Latin, Greek, Sanskrit
"pious; from Mount Olympus; beloved"
Soft, light, and international, Pia is familiar across Europe, South America, and Asia. Usually considered a feminine form of the Latin Pius — lending it a surprisingly serious and spiritual air — it…
