MACK-ATTACK CHOICES FOR 2016

These names in this list are centered on strong heroines. Classic names from books, doctor who, movies. And some are unique.
  1. Acadia
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "idyllic place"
    • Description:

      Acadia, the French name for Nova Scotia and the name of a gorgeous national park in Maine makes a fresh, rhythmic choice for your little girl. Acadia is an original yet accessible member of the stylish girl names starting with A.
  2. Alice
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "noble"
    • Description:

      Alice is a classic literary name that's both strong and sweet, ranking in the US Top 100 and popular throughout the western world. Alice is derived from the Old French name Aalis, a diminutive of Adelais that itself came from the Germanic name Adalhaidis, which is composed of the Proto-Germanic elements aþala, meaning "noble," and haidu, "kind, appearance, type."
  3. Amelia
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "work"
    • Description:

      Amelia is one of the hottest girls' names, a successor to the megapopular Emma and Emily. Amelia, which spent several years at Number 1 in England, is now comfortably ensconced in the US Top 10.
  4. America
    • Origin:

      Place-name
    • Description:

      Given to children of both sexes as far back as colonial times, this carries a lot of baggage. However, parents continue to take the risk. Actress America Ferrera may be have inspired some families to choose the name. Ferrera's Honduras-born mother shares her unusual name.
  5. Astrid
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "divinely beautiful"
    • Description:

      Astrid has been a Scandinavian royal name since the tenth century, and many people associated it with the Swedish author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, Astrid Lindgren. Astrid is derived from the name Ástríðr, which is made up of the Old Norse elements that mean "god" and "beautiful."
  6. Atlanta
    • Origin:

      Place name
    • Meaning:

      "Atlantic Ocean"
    • Description:

      The capital of Georgia is far from the ocean, but got its name from the Western and Atlantic Railroad which ran through the city. Best known as a hub of industry and transport, and for its roles in the Civil War and Civil Rights Movement, it has never been popular as a baby name despite sounding like one. Its peak popularity was in 1995, the year before Atlanta hosted the Olympic Games.

  7. Ashidr
    • Beckett
      • Origin:

        English and Irish
      • Meaning:

        "bee hive, little brook or bee cottage"
      • Description:

        Beckett is one of the big baby name hits of the decade.
    • Benoît
      • Origin:

        French
      • Meaning:

        "blessed"
      • Description:

        A French form of Benedict that makes a smooth and elegant choice, although the pronunciation may trip people up in an English speaking environment.
    • Calla
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "beautiful"
      • Description:

        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.
    • Clara
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "bright, clear"
      • Description:

        Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right around Number 100, making it a modern classic that's neither too popular nor unfamiliar.
    • Columbia
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "land of Columbus"
      • Description:

        Columbia is a rarely used name with many associations. From the eighteenth century it has been used as a female personification of the United States, often appearing as a flag-draped patriotic figure. And as such it's inspired a plethora of place and company names, from the District of Columbia to Columbia University to Columbia Records, and songs like "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean." A character called Columbia appears in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
    • Damien
      • Origin:

        French from Greek
      • Meaning:

        "to tame, subdue"
      • Description:

        Converting Damian to Damien – or Julian to Julien or Lucian to Lucien – adds a certain je ne sais quoi to names. But most people in English speaking areas will still pronounce this the same as the -an ending form. The French pronunciation is more like "dah-mee-u(n)".
    • Dante
      • Origin:

        Latin diminutive of Durant
      • Meaning:

        "enduring"
      • Description:

        Though closely associated with the great medieval Florentine poet Dante Alighieri -- who's so famous most people skip the last name -- it's not as much of a one-man name as you might think. Heck, it's not even a one-poet name, thanks to British pre-Rapahaelite Dante Gabriel Rosetti. Though especially well used in the Italian-American community, it would make a striking name for any little boy.
    • David
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "beloved"
      • Description:

        David is an enduring worldwide classic, used from ancient times to the present day.
    • Dream
      • Origin:

        Word name, English
      • Meaning:

        "cherished ambition or hope; thoughts and images experienced during sleep; ideal"
      • Description:

        A whimsical and serene feeling word name, bestowed to reflect the joy and perfection parents might find in their children and the ambitions they have for them. Once a fantastical and celebrity-only feeling option, Dream came into popular usage after Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna chose it for their daughter in 2016.
    • Elliot
      • Origin:

        Anglicization of Elijah or Elias
      • Meaning:

        "Jehovah is God"
      • Description:

        Elliot (which boasts several spellings depending upon how many 'l's or 't's you want to use) is a winner -- it has the ideal quality of being neither too common nor weirdly unique. Elliot had a style boost back in the early 1980s via the young hero of the movie E.T. , who was named Elliott. Since then there have been Elliots on Law & Order: SVU and Mad Men.
    • Emma
      • Origin:

        German
      • Meaning:

        "universal"
      • Description:

        Emma has now been among the top girl names in the United States for several years, claiming the Number 1 crown in 2008 and again from 2015 to 2018 before dropping back to second place.
    • Emmalee
      • Origin:

        Combination of Emma and Lee
      • Description:

        Is it a smoosh of Emma and Lee or a spelling variation of Emily? With Em- names so popular, it's no surprise to see Emmalee in use, but there are other Em- and -lee names that might feel less expected. This spelling has ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1999.
    • Emmett
      • Origin:

        English masculine variation of Emma, German
      • Meaning:

        "universal"
      • Description:

        Emmett, honest and sincere, laid-back and creative, is on the rise as a male cognate of the megapopular Emma and Emily, not to mention being a character in the popular Twilight series.