User-created list
By Felie · Updated July 2016
Across 5 pages
of 5
German variation of Carla
Both Karla and Carla are sliding down the ranks, though Karla remains far more popular in the USA than Carla.
French and German variation of Amelia
"work"
Amelia meets Emily, gets a Bohemian spin and a French accent when it becomes Amelie. This favorite among French girl names has been gaining notice here thanks to the charming 2001 French film Amelie…
Hebrew
"son of"
Ben, the diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict, can easily stand on its own as a simple, strong, nice-guy choice, though it's somewhat attenuated. Ben is this generation's Bob or Bill.
Greek
"from Magdala"
Magdalena is a pretty name forever associated with the fallen-yet-redeemed Mary Magdalen; often heard in the Hispanic community. But forward thinking parents are reviving Magdalena along with…
Diminutive of Olivia, English, Norse
"olive tree; life, protection"
Liv combines the succinct charm of a nickname—people might assume it's short for Olivia—with the solidity of being a classic stand-alone Scandinavian name with a life-force meaning. It was brought…
German, diminutive of Margarethe
"pearl"
Greta is an Old World name long tied to the iconic Garbo, but now synonymous with environmental activism. In the early 2000s, Greta was showing signs of a comeback, along with other Old Hollywood…
Italian and Dutch diminutive of Maria
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Lilting and nearly unknown here, with the currently popular ella ending, makes a good Marissa alternative. The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots…
Danish and Hungarian variation of Henry, German
"estate ruler"
The long history and solid usage of Henry has infiltrated other cultures, where a number of variations experience the same degree of popularity. In the US, Henrik first entered the Top 1000 in 2014.…
Italian
"light, clear"
Chiara is a lovely and romantic Italian name that's familiar but not widely used here: a real winner. You might consider Chiara instead of Claire, Clara, Cara, or even Keira. Santa Chiara, Aglicized…
German diminutive of Elisabeth
"pledged to God"
Lost in limbo for decades and decades, Elsa now stands a good chance of following along in the progression from Emma to Ella to Etta, thanks to the ice queen heroine who "Let It Go" in the wildly…
German variation of Charles
"free man"
This no-nonsense German variation of Charles is strong and sturdy. A top choice throughout the 20th century, Carl is now verging on falling off the charts.
German, Dutch, and Scandinavian, diminutive of Johannes
Though familiar to all via such childhood icons as Hans Brinker, Hans(el) and Gretel, and Hans Christian Andersen, few Americans have chosen this name for their sons because of its intractably Old…
German, Norwegian, and Slovenian variation of Jacob, Hebrew variation of James
"supplanter"
After cracking the US Top 200 in the early 2000s, fueled by Jacob's rise, this name has been losing steam in recent years. But Jakob is the top form of the name in many other countries, cultures, and…
German, Russian, and Scandinavian variation of Anthony, Latin
"from Antium"
Cultured and cultivated in an old-style, Old World way, Anton is popular across Europe. It may be associated with the classic Russian playwright Anton Chekhov and also with ballroom dancer Anton Du…
Dutch, Punjabi, Albanian
"from Hadria; gaining; golden life"
There's something particularly attractive about names with an interior " j " and Arjan is a prime example. The Punjabi version is pronounced with a conventional j as in jar; the Dutch Arjan, which is…
French variation of Maximus
"greatest"
Although often connected to the men's magazine title, Maxim is a chic and powerful name for a little boy. It's proving moderately popular too, having been in the Top 1000 in the US since the year…
Literary invention
Invented by author Stephenie Meyer for the Twilight series for the half-human, half-vampire daughter of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, it's an amalgamtion of the names of Bella's mother Renee and…
English form of the Spanish Teresa
"to harvest"
The popular appeal of the strong, intelligent Saint Teresa of Avila, combined with the selfless compassion of the more recent Mother Teresa, have fused to give this second-tier classic a somewhat…
Variation of Elaine, English, Hawaiian
"bright, shining; sky, heavens, royal, majesty"
Simple but substantial, Lani is surprisingly underused considering the popularity of Lainey, Leilani, Lana, and Kehlani. A multi-cultural choice with both Hawaiian and English origins, it is also…
German variation of Oscar
Oskar is to Oscar as Jakob is to Jacob: more distinctive and continental.
