Favourites

This name will tick a lot of boxes for many parents: unisex; trendy sound; pretty instinctive to pronounce; and some great namesakes including British chef Ainsley Harriott and American footballer Ainsley Battles.

While Alivia may not have achieved the megapopularity of its mother name, it's still a widely used choice. Alivia combines the trendiness of A names with the trendiness of Olivia to create a choice that's slightly off the beaten track -- slightly being the operative word here. Is the distinction the initial A earns you worth a lifetime of explaining, "No, it's Alivia, with an A, not Olivia"? Your call, though ours would be no.

Eida is a concise feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Norse mythology, it relates to Eir, the goddess of healing and medicine, suggesting qualities of compassion and nurturing. In Arabic contexts, Eida can be connected to celebration, particularly referencing Eid festivals. The name also appears as a variant of Aida in some cultures, which has Egyptian roots meaning 'returning' or 'visitor.' With its simple two-syllable structure (AY-da), Eida is easily pronounced across many languages. Though uncommon in mainstream usage, the name offers multicultural versatility and a gentle sound. Its brevity combines with a feminine quality that feels both modern and timeless, appealing to parents seeking a simple yet distinctive name with cross-cultural resonance.

Floral, bright, and subtly powerful, Gaia is a name with two separate origins. In Greek mythology, it is the name of the earth goddess and the universal mother, who takes her epithet from the Ancient Greek word for land or ground. It was this ecological element that led actress Emma Thompson to choose it for her daughter back in 1999, and it could hold similar appeal to green minded parents today.

Hemingway readers will recognize this as the name of Papa's first wife (and, eventually, actress Mariel's grandmother). But in Victorian times, Hadley and Hedley were actually more popular for boys.

Lane is a unisex name equally accessible to boys and girls. Breezy, cool and contemporary, it might equally put in mind country lanes and banks of wildflowers.

Wren, a lilting songbird name, could be the next Robin. Wren entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2012 and is among the new wave of popular English names for girls.