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Elaine
French and Scottish
"bright, shining light"
This old Scottish form of Helen has had quite a history, going from appearing as one of the shining heroines of the Arthurian legends, the princess who fell in love with Sir Lancelot and became the…
Harlow
English surname
"rock hill or army hill"
Jean Harlow (born Harlean Carpenter), the original platinum blonde bombshell, was a symbol of 1930s glamour, a factor that first Patricia Arquette and then Nicole Richie and Joel Madden probably had…
Banks
English surname
"one who lives on the hillside or riverbank"
Banks is a topographical surname that refers not to those places where people keep their money but to riverbanks or hillsides, and specifically the people who live and work on them. A name with two…
Morgan
Welsh
"sea-born, sea-song or sea-circle"
Morgan has long been a traditional Welsh male name, a variant of the Old Welsh name Morcant, from the Welsh elements mor , meaning "sea" and cant , "circle." The female Morgan is unrelated to the…
Sabrina
Celtic, Latin name for the River Severn
Sabrina, the bewitchingly radiant name of a legendary Celtic goddess, is best known as the heroine of the eponymous film, originally played by Audrey Hepburn, and later as a teenage TV witch; it…
Lorelai
Spelling variation of Lorelei, German
"alluring, temptress"
Lorelai is the spelling used for the character played by Lauren Graham on The Gilmore Girls , as well as her daughter, who preferred the nickname Rory. The television show reintroduced this name to a…
Colin
Diminutive of Nicholas or Irish and Scottish
"people of victory; pup"
Thanks to its dashing Anglo-Irish image — due partly to Colins Firth and Farrell — and its C-initialed two-syllable sound, Colin and its cousin Collin have enjoyed a long run of popularity, reaching…
Sydney
Variation of Sidney, English from French
"Saint Denis"
Sydney was a hot girls' name in the 1990s, but she's arguably still cool. One of the original old man names adopted for baby girls, Sydney's popularity may be down but she's not out. Cool girl…
Brynn
Spelling variation of Bryn, Welsh
"hill"
Brynn outshines the original Welsh Bryn in the popularity stakes. This simple, brisk name might be seen as a combination of Bree and Lynn, an androgynous-sounding choice that especially in this…
Lyra
Greek
"lyre"
Lyra is a name with ancient and celestial roots that's found new popularity thanks to its starring role in Philip Pullman's book series, His Dark Materials and its subsequent movie and TV adaptions.…
Reece
Spelling variation of Rhys, Welsh
"ardor"
This is the second most common boys' version of this attractive name, after the Welsh original Rhys. Reese takes the lead on the girls' side. thanks to the famous Ms. Witherspoon.
Lucian
Latin
"light"
Lucian is a sleeker, more sophisticated version of Lucius that is climbing in tandem with other Lu-starting names. Historically, the name was made famous by the ancient Greek satirist Lucian of…
Meredith
Welsh
"great ruler"
Meredith is a soft, gentle-sounding name with subtle Welsh roots. Although originally a boys’ name , Meredith is used mainly for girls now. Meredith's highest point of popularity for girls in the…
Maren
Latin
"sea"
Maren is one of the many twenty-first-century takes on Mary--but we find the more classic Marin spelling preferable. When spelled Maren, the pronunciation seems more clearly to resemble Mary, with…
Collin
Variation of Colin and Collins
Thanks to its dashing British image and c-initialed two-syllable sound, Colin/Collin has enjoyed a long run of popularity.
Cassius
Latin
"hollow"
Cassius, a Shakespearean name rooted in antiquity, is trending in a major way. It's one of a raft of Cas-starting names for both boys and girls, including Caspian, Cassian, and Cassia, that are…
Sierra
Spanish
"saw"
Sierra is a name borrowed from the western mountain range, with Latin rhythm and cowboy charm, that has led to many offshoots: Cierra, Cyara, and so on. It is now probably past its peak but retains…
Lillie
Spelling variation of Lily or short form of Lillian, flower name
This charming spelling of Lillie had its heyday in the late 1800s and ranked in the Top 100 until the end of the 1920s. It dropped off the Top 1000 completely in the 1980s and 1990s but is now back…
Celia
Latin
"heavenly"
Celia, splendidly sleek and feminine, is a name that was scattered throughout Shakespeare and other Elizabethan literature, but still manages to feel totally modern. Derived from the Latin Caelius,…
Vada
English, Sanskrit, German
"knowledge, rule"
Vada is a feisty retro choice that feels like a fresh spin on the likes of Ava and Ada. Its bold V initial is bang on trend, although Vada remains very uncommon in the US. It is perhaps best known as…