Magical Sounding Names

Absalom, because of its biblical and literary associations, just might appeal to the daring namegiver.

Ailsa is a traditional Scottish name for girls related to a rocky island in the Firth of Clyde called Ailsa Craig. It might make an interesting alternative to the outdated Ashley or overly popular Ella, and could also be thought of as a relative of Elizabeth or Elsa.

Strong, attractive, and stylish, Amara is a true multicultural choice enjoying some popularity in both the US and the UK. In the US Top 1000 since the turn of this century, Amara has been holding steady in the rankings between overly popular and obscure.

Arlette is a French form of the Germanic name Herleva, which was the name of the mother of William the Conqueror. It peaked in France in the mid-1930s, but you might be surprised to learn that in the US, it's only just beginning to catch on now. It entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2018, and has dipped in and out in the years since then.

Barrett is one of many surname names that are up and coming for boys in recent years. Barrett joints Bennett, Beckett, and others in the trend of "-tt" ending boy names taking over the charts. Barrett first experienced a small bout of popularity in the 60s and 70s, but never quite cracked the Top 500. However, since 2000 Barrett has been rising quickly, and is now officially in the Top 200. Barrett has a pleasing sound and literary association with poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and would be a fresh way to honor a grandpa Barry.

Emmeline is an Emma relative and Emily cousin that is destined for greater use in the wake of the megapopularity of those two names. A recommended Nameberry fave, Emmeline hopped onto the US Top 1000 in 2014 for the first time ever. While it is genuinely an old name, it was rarely used a century ago; only 17 baby girls were named Emmeline in 1915, the same number as were named Ernie!

Sweet and stylish, with a sporty, energetic undertone, Everly is a name that ticks lots of boxes.

Fiery sound and uplifting meaning, but it's also among the Top 100 dog names. Spelled Fiyero, it's the hero of the book and musical "Wicked."

Thanks to Mariah Carey, everyone now knows this name – and is aware that Mariah's pronounced with a long i – just as Maria was in the Jane Austen era. And though Mariah now sounds modern, it was heard as far back as 1550 in Great Britain.

New twist to the Maur- names, a bit cosmetic sounding.

Has a pure, clean aura, but is also evocative.