A short form that is given on its own to a good number of baby girls each year — Cali has been on trend in recent years along with sister names Callie and Kali, as the popular 90s and early 2000s nickname Allie has felt less fresh.

Yesterday's sensation that rose with the popularity of Whitney Houston. Whitney may have lost some of its style value, but it still sounds like one of the quintessential English names for girls. Today, you might want to shorten it to cool nickname Whit.

Irvin is an Old Man name that has an uncertain future. Losing the final g in Irving makes the name slightly less dated -- but just slightly. There's something about the 'erv' sound that makes Irvin and brothers feel unappealing.

Albin is a modern form of the ancient Roman Albinus or Albus, meaning white or bright. There was a Saint Albinus who was also known as Aubin. In the contemporary world, Albin is popular in Sweden and ripe for export as a simple, unusual name with deep history.

Haitian-born rap superstar and humanitarian Wyclef ("Fugees") Jean has lent this name a powerful musical beat.

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

Popular in India and among Indo-Americans, this name of the hero of a famous Hindu epic has an extremely pleasing sound.

Takes the priss out of Priscilla.

Pretty and unusual, Livana may find a lot more fans as parents look for alternatives to Number 1 Olivia. Livana was used for only seven baby girls in the US last year.

One of the rarer names to come from the Bible, Cherith has a fresh and modern sound despite its ancient roots. Cherith was the name of the stream that kept Elijah alive during the three years' drought which he announced to King Ahab. In English, Cherith pleasingly reminds one of the word cherish which is another plus to this underused girls' name.

This feminine version of the Basque name Edur is quite well used in Spain, where it has often been in the Top 100. Plus it offers some great nickname options such as Eddie or Deedee. One of the names for winter babies that's off the snowy track.

Whitman, a namesake surname for poet Walt, would be much more suited to a boy, probably because of that "man" part. Whit or Witt makes an uplifting short form which can be used on its own.

In the Japanese culture, this name suggests a sense of independence and is one of the popular names for December babies.

Derived from the Scottish Gaelic bàn, meaning "white, fair". It's also a name in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Elvish language, in which it means "beautiful".

This presidential name is in style limbo today - or, some might say, in the the sweet spot of familiar but little-used.

The famous Battle of the Boyne, in Ireland, vanquished the Catholic king.

A male name in Wales, Gwyn has been mostly feminine in the US thanks to its resemblance to the more familiar Gwen. It derives from the same Celtic root as the popular Finn family of names.

A succinct and simple Japanese name with a variety of good meanings, Kei is a unisex choice that has been leaning feminine in recent years, thanks to the popularity of longer form Keiko. Pronounced as KEH (not to rhyme with Kai), it can relate to wisdom, jubilation, excellence, and gemstones, depending on which kanji is used.

Gunn is a masculine name with Norse and Scottish origins, derived from a surname that has several possible meanings. In Old Norse, it may come from 'gunnr' meaning 'war' or 'battle,' while in Scottish Gaelic contexts it could relate to 'gunna' meaning 'gown' or possibly a derivative of names like Gunnar. As a surname, it has historical presence throughout Scandinavia, Scotland, and northern England. When used as a first name, Gunn has a bold, concise quality—distinctive for its brevity and strength. The name remains quite rare as a given name in English-speaking countries, though it has more presence in Nordic regions. Its single-syllable punch and strong consonant ending give it a distinctively masculine character.