User-created list
Definite favs
Across 13 pages
of 13
Mazie
Spelling variation of Maisie
"pearl or bitter"
In a wave of vintage nickname revivals, cutesy Maisie — traditionally a nickname for Margaret or Mary — has been rising fast in recent years. And along for the ride are spelling variations Maisy and…
Alec
Diminutive or Scottish form of Alexander, Greek
"defending men"
Alec, a clipped British short form of Alexander, is less fresh than Alex, but leans more off-beat classic than Xander. Used since at least the 19th-century, Alec became particularly popular in the…
Acacia
Greek
"thorny"
Acacia is an attractive, rarely used Greek flower name enhanced by its popular beginning-and-ending-with 'a'-construct, and is gradually beginning to catch on as a new member of the stylish girl…
Acadia
Greek
"idyllic place"
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…
Adair
Scottish and Irish, Brazilian
"oak tree ford; wealthy spearman; wealth and fame"
Adair has flair, the grace of a Fred Astaire, and a daring, spirited vibe. It's usually considered a Scottish surname, derived from the name Edgar, though other possibilities are that it derives from…
Adelaine
Variation of Adeline or Adelaide, a compound name blending Adele and Elaine
"noble; noble light"
With Adelyn, Adelaide, Adeline, Ada, Lainey, Delaney, and Elena all in the charts, Adelaine remains surprisingly underused. Given to just 40 girls in the US in 2024, it makes a distinctive but…
Adelie
Adelie comes from French origins and is often associated with nobility, deriving from the Germanic name Adelaide, meaning 'noble' or 'nobility.' The name gained recognition from the Adelie penguin,…
Alastair
Scottish
"defender of men"
To Americans, a quintessential British name, introduced to the U.S. public by suave journalist/PBS Masterpiece Theater host Alastair Cook. Sometimes used in the U.S. by parents with Scottish heritage.
Alastar
Alastar is a masculine name of Scottish and Irish Gaelic origin, a variant of Alistair or Alastair, which ultimately derives from the Greek name Alexander, meaning 'defender of the people.' This…
Aleksandra
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian version of Alexandra, Greek
"defending men"
Aleksandra is the preferred spelling in many Eastern European languages and cultures, but for English-speakers it's ironically more confusing if also perfectly phonetically clear.
Aleonore
Aleonore is a feminine name that serves as a variant of Eleanor, which has Germanic origins combining the elements "ali" (other, foreign) and "nor" (light). This elegant variation maintains the…
Anamaria
Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian combination of Ana and Maria
"grace + drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Variant of Annemarie
Annabella
Variation of Annabel or English compound name, Anna + Bella
"loving or grace + beautiful"
Annabella is one of a constellation of names that include Anabella, Annabelle, Annabel, Anabel, Annabelle, and Annabell -- all lovely names that have suffered from their association with the…
Antigone
Greek
"worthy of one's parents, in place of one's parents"
In Greek mytholgy, Antigone was the noble and courageous daughter of Oedipus, who acts as his guide after he blinds himself. Antigone is also the eponymous heroine of a play by Jean Anouilh. Despite…
Araminta
Literature, compound of Arabella and Aminta, Greek
"loveable; unyielding + defender; unfading"
Araminta is a poetic and enchanting eighteenth-century invention with plenty of elegance and a touch of old-fashioned clunkiness. It first appeared in William Congreve's 17th century comedy The Old…
Arlen
English surname
"hare land"
Arlen is a surname long used as a first name: It ranked on the US Top 1000 from the late 1920s until the late 1960s. Originally, Arlen was a variation of Harlan which came from Harland, a place-name…
Artemis
Greek mythology
"safe; butcher"
Artemis, one of the key figures of the female Greek pantheon, is the ancient virgin goddess of the hunt, wilderness, animals, childbirth, and a protector of young girls, later associated with the…
Aster
English; Amharic
"star"
This is a fresh new addition to the botanical list; comedian Gilbert Gottfried made it a real bouquet when he named his daughter Lily Aster. And the name of the little girl on television's Dexter…
Austyn
Spelling variation of Austin
Nearly 350 babies were named Austyn last year, about a quarter of them boys.
Averill
English
"boar battle"
Averill is an ancient name, most properly spelled Averil, that has a Boston Brahmin air – probably due to the image of statesman Averill Harriman. It's of the rare English surname names that…
