Beauty and Grace

Penelope

Greek

"weaver"

As elegant and refined as it is sweet and energized., Penelope has been well and truly revived in the 21st-century. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading…

Chloe

Greek

"young green shoot"

Chloe is a pretty springtime name symbolizing new growth. Though slightly off its peak in the Top 10 in 2010, Chloe still ranks in the Top 20 and is solidly a modern classic. Along with the US, Chloe…

Zoe

Greek

"life"

Zoe is one of those surprising names that has been on the Top 1000 nearly every year since 1880, but it's only since the turn of this century that it's ranked in the Top 100. Despite its popularity…

Ivy

Botanical name

The quirky, offbeat and energetic botanical name Ivy is enjoying a deserved revival, propelled even higher by its choice by high-profile parents Beyonce and Jay-Z for daughter Blue Ivy. Ivy is also…

Josephine

French feminine variation of Joseph, Hebrew

"Jehovah increases"

Josephine, with its large measure of class and character and a gently offbeat quality, has been on a gentle uphill climb in the US for over 30 years, now ranking in the Top 100. With an intriguing…

Iris

Flower name; Greek

"rainbow"

Iris has so much going for it. It's a fashionable flower name. It's a mythological name, from the Greek goddess of the rainbow. And it's a classic name, always ranking in the girls' Top 1000 but now…

Claire

French form of Clara

"bright, clear"

Claire, luminous, simple, and strong, is one of those special names that is familiar yet distinctive, feminine but not frilly, combining historical depth with a modern edge. And though Claire is…

Liliana

Italian and Spanish variations of Lilian

"lily, a flower"

Frilly and fit for a princess, but with plenty of spark and flair, Liliana holds international appeal and a modern glamor. Joining Lily and Lillian in the US Top 100 for the first time in 2022,…

Natalie

French variation of Russian Natalia

"birthday of the Lord"

Natalie — a Franco-Russian name — became Americanized years ago and is one of those surprising names that's always ranked among the girls' Top 1000 names in the US. An Old Lady Name in the 1950s,…

Lydia

Greek

"woman from Lydia"

Lydia is one of the first place names, after an area of Asia Minor whose inhabitants are credited with strong musical talent great wealth. Always among the US Top 1000 girl names, Lydia is a quietly…

Anna

Variation of Hannah, Hebrew

"grace"

Anna has become the dominant form of the Ann family, offering a touch of the international to English speakers and a bit more style than the oversimplified Ann or Anne. Anna is the Latin form of…

Rose

Latin

"rose, a flower"

Rose is derived from the Latin rosa , which referred to the flower. There is also evidence to suggest it was a Norman variation of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis, meaning "famous type," and also Hros…

Rosalie

French variation of Rosalia, Latin

"rose"

Rosalie hit its apex in 1938 and then slid straight downhill until it fell off the U.S. Top 1000 completely in the 1980s, only to spring back to life in 2009 as the name of a character in the…

Isabel

Spanish variation of Elizabeth

"pledged to God"

Isabel derived from Elizabeth in southwest Europe during the Middle Ages. It was originally written as Elisabel, but the first syllable was dropped as it spread across the continent. In Spain and…

Zara

Hebrew and Arabic

"blooming flower; God remembers"

Zara has multiple origins, but most notably is a variation of Zahrah, a name derived from the Arabic zahrah , meaning "blooming flower." Zara can also be a diminutive of the Bulgarian name Zaharina,…

Elise

French variation of Elizabeth

"pledged to God"

Elise is one of those golden names that stylish but not TOO popular. Its appeal is due in large part to its French flair and to the love for El-names in general. Elise originated as French diminutive…

Ophelia

Greek

"help"

Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in…

Annabelle

Combination of Anna and Belle or French form of Amabel

"loving"

This is a charming name that rose steeply along with other-belle names, such as Isabelle, until the horror film Annabelle and its sequels knocked it out of favor. Made famous by the Edgar Allen Poe…

Veronica

Latin

"she who brings victory; true image"

The name Veronica projects a triple-threat image: at once saintly, sensuous, and strong. The name derives from Berenice, the Latin form of the Greek name Berenike "she who brings victory", with the…

Madeleine

French variation of Magdalen

"woman from Magdala or high tower"

Sophisticated and sweet, delicate but substantial, Madeleine is the classic French variation of Magdalene. Once a Top 10 option in France, its popularity waned in the 70s, though it is slowly on the…