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  1. Aami

    • Description:

      Aami is a feminine name with multicultural origins. In Finnish, it may be related to 'aamu' meaning 'morning,' while in Indian languages it could be a variation of names like Ami or a term of endearment meaning 'mine.' The name also appears in some African cultures. With its simple two-syllable structure and melodic sound, Aami has a contemporary feel while remaining easy to pronounce across different languages. Though uncommon in Western countries, the name has gained some recognition for its accessible pronunciation and meaningful associations. Aami carries connotations of freshness, simplicity, and affection. The name appeals to parents seeking a short, distinctive name with cross-cultural appeal or those looking for a name that sounds modern while potentially honoring cultural heritage.
  2. Bea

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Beatrice

    • Meaning:

      "she who brings happiness"

    • Description:

      Bea is a former old lady name that's cute again as a short form -- and is now beginning to stand on its own. Bee is a variation that, like Bea, can work as a diminutive for any name that starts with the letter B, or in the middle. Bea actually stood alone on the popularity lists for four years at the beginning of the twentieth century--and it could happen again.
  3. Bean

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "an immature bean pod used as a vegetable"

    • Description:

      The unisex word name Bean, distant cousin of the infamous Apple, was used for the name of a child of mysterious gender in Louise Penny's novel "A Rule Against Murder." While we can imagine Bean as a cute nickname for a yet-unnamed and unborn baby, we don't recommend it for real life.
  4. Beatrice

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "she who brings happiness; blessed"

    • Description:

      Beatrice is back. Stored in the attic for almost a century, the lovely Beatrice with its long literary (Shakespeare, Dante) and royal history is being looked at with fresh eyes by parents seeking a classic name with character and lots of upbeat nicknames, like Bea and Bee.
  5. Bina

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Sabina and other -ina names, Yiddish or Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "bee or understanding"

    • Description:

      Sources say that Bina, which is close to the word for bee in Yiddish, was once used as a translation for the Hebrew Deborah, which means bee. On its own, it also means "understanding" in Hebrew. Simple and sweet in itself, it could also be short for (or a nod to) many names including Sabina, Robina, Columbina, and Jacobina.
  6. Cora

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "maiden"

    • Description:

      Cora is a lovely, old-fashioned girls' that has been recently rejuvenated by its contemporary-feeling simplicity. In fact, Cora seemed headed straight for the top of the popularity list when the coronavirus pandemic somewhat weakened its appeal.
  7. Desmond

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "one from south Munster"

    • Description:

      Desmond is a sophisticated and debonair name, with noble ties to 1984 Nobel Peace Prize-winning Bishop Desmond Tutu, and with some great nicknames: Des/Dez, Desi/Dezi.
  8. Dez

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Desmond

    • Description:

      More of an abbreviation than a short form that can stand on its own.
  9. Dezi

    • Origin:

      Short form of Desiderio, Spanish

    • Meaning:

      "desired one"

    • Description:

      A Desi variation that moves the name away from Lucy -- though it's just as dizzy. TV star Jaime Pressly used it for her son.
  10. Dea
    • Ellie

      • Origin:

        English, diminutive of Eleanor and Ellen

      • Meaning:

        "bright shining one"

      • Description:

        Ellie first took off in the UK—yes, in this nickname form—and this warm and friendly name has also become hugely popular here. In 2011, Ellie entered the US Top 100 girl names for the first time and has remained near the top of the charts ever since.
    • Ellis

      • Origin:

        English surname derived from Elijah or Elias or Welsh

      • Meaning:

        "benevolent"

      • Description:

        Ellis is a former Old Man Name turned gender-neutral choice for the 21st century. It's one of the less used names in the currently popular El-family.
    • Elodie

      • Origin:

        French, variation of Alodia, German

      • Meaning:

        "foreign riches"

      • Description:

        The lyrical and melodious Elodie, a Nameberry favorite, is starting to rise through the US popularity charts for the first time since the 1880s. It's a uncommon member of the trending El- family of names, which includes Ella, Eloise, and Eleanor.
    • Evie

      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Eve or Eva

      • Meaning:

        "life"

      • Description:

        Evie was derived from Eve, which in turn comes from Chawwah, a Hebrew name related to the concept of life. Evie can be used as a nickname for any name that starts with Ev-, including Eva, Evelyn, and Evangeline, but also for names such as Genevieve and Maeve. Evie is typically pronounced with a long E sound, but a short E is also valid.
    • Fia

      • Origin:

        Irish, Portuguese, Italian

      • Meaning:

        "wild, weaver"

      • Description:

        Fia may be most notable at this moment as the Anglicized version of the Irish Fiadh, one of the fastest-rising names in the Republic of Ireland. The meaning of Fia or Fiadh is sometimes given as "deer" but that's in the sense of a wild deer, as the name relates to the ancient word for wild.
    • Finn

      • Origin:

        Irish

      • Meaning:

        "fair or white"

      • Description:

        Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as well for his wisdom and generosity.
    • Harper

      • Origin:

        English

      • Meaning:

        "harp player"

      • Description:

        You might think of Harper as the hottest name of the last decade, jumping from obscurity to the Top 10, where it remained until last year.
    • Hazel

      • Origin:

        English

      • Meaning:

        "the hazelnut tree"

      • Description:

        Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is near the top of the charts.
    • Hendrix

      • Origin:

        Dutch and German, from first name Hendrik

      • Meaning:

        "estate ruler"

      • Description:

        Hendrix is one of those hip rock and roll names, like Lennon, Jagger and Presley, that have been used by fellow celebs and others, to honor the seminal guitarist/singer/songwriter Jimi. And this one has the trendy 'x' ending, as well, helping to propel it up the charts and into the spotlight.
    • Hudson

      • Origin:

        English place-name and surname

      • Meaning:

        "Hugh's son"

      • Description:

        Hudson has risen quickly up the charts over the past 30 years, getting a lot of its style value from New York's Hudson River. That makes it a nature name and a place name that's also got the fashion gloss of New York City.
    • Ila

      • Origin:

        Scottish, Hindi, Hungarian, Finnish

      • Meaning:

        "from the island; earth, sacred speech; shining light; joy"

      • Description:

        A simple name that's rising fast in the US, likely inspired by the popularity of Isla and Ayla. This streamlined form might appeal to those who like Ana, Ivy, and Ada, and it brings a multicultural element to the name.
    • Ilia

      • Origin:

        Variation of Iliana or Julia, Greek, Basque, Bulgarian "from Illium or Troy; youthful or sky father; Yahweh is God"

      • Meaning:

        "from Illium or Troy; youthful or sky father; Yahweh is God"

      • Description:

        Three syllables in only four letters is quite a feat, but that's exactly what you get with Ilia, a versatile, unisex option with various origins. It could derive from the Greek Iliana, which could denote someone from Illium, or it could be a feminine form of Ilian, a form of Elijah. Alternatively, it is a Basque form of Julia, or a Bulgarian feminine form of Ilya, with again links back to Elijah. Currently a gender neutral option in the US, it may be exclusively masculine elsewhere.
    • Ivy

      • Origin:

        Botanical name

      • Description:

        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 traditionally used at Christmas, make this one of the perfect names for December babies.
    • Lennon

      • Origin:

        Irish

      • Meaning:

        "lover"

      • Description:

        A growing number of high-profile (and other) parents are choosing to honor their musical idols, such as Hendrix, Presley, Jagger, and now Lennon.
    • Lennox

      • Origin:

        Scottish

      • Meaning:

        "elm grove"

      • Description:

        Lennox is an aristocratic and powerful Scottish surname name made truly special by that final x. The worldwide fame of British boxer--World and Olympic champion--Lennox Claudius Lewis brought the name into the spotlight as a first name, while as a last it's tied to Eurythmics singer Annie L.
    • Leonie

      • Origin:

        Latin

      • Meaning:

        "lion"

      • Description:

        Leonie is a chic French and German form of a name that exists in a range of variations from Leona to Leonia to Leon to Leo to Lionel, all newly fashionable after a couple of generations in style limbo.
    • Lilly

      • Origin:

        English flower name

      • Meaning:

        "lily"

      • Description:

        Lilly may contain one L too many for some people, though this secondary spelling of a name that's become wildly popular is still a popular choice. And the Lilly spelling does feel a bit less wispy, a bit more like a name as opposed to a mere flower, than the slender and delicate Lily. Lilly suggests the long-form Lillian, but it doesn't need to be an abbreviation for anything; Lilly can stand on its own.
    • Lou

      • Origin:

        Short form of Louise

      • Meaning:

        "renowned warrior"

      • Description:

        Lou is usually a short form of Louise, Louisa, or Lucy in English-speaking countries, when Lou is used for girls at all. But in France and Germany, it's a fashionable choice all on its own, sure to gain even more widespread style credibility since Heidi Klum and Seal chose it for their daughter.
    • Miles

      • Origin:

        English form of Milo, Latin and Old German,"soldier or merciful"

      • Meaning:

        "soldier or merciful"

      • Description:

        Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting up the charts for the past half century and now ranks at its highest point ever, in the Top 50.
    • Mey
      • Nea

        • Description:

          Nea is a concise feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Finnish, it means 'the one who is irritated,' while in ancient Greek contexts, it relates to concepts of youth or newness, meaning 'new' or 'young.' The name also appears in Swahili where it means 'to speak,' and has connections to Greek mythology as one of Zeus's lovers. Nea's brevity gives it a modern feel despite its ancient roots, making it appealing to contemporary parents seeking short, distinctive names. While never widely common in English-speaking countries, Nea has maintained steady usage in Nordic countries, particularly Finland. Its simplicity, cross-cultural presence, and easy pronunciation contribute to its subtle charm.
      • Nemy

        • Origin:

          Mende

        • Meaning:

          "sweet"

        • Description:

          Friendly and energetic name from the Mende language of West Africa.
      • Oona

        • Origin:

          Irish, variation of Una

        • Meaning:

          "lamb"

        • Description:

          Oona is a name made famous by Eugene O'Neill's daughter, who became Charlie Chaplin's wife. One of the original Oona's granddaughters was named after her, and is now an actress famous in her own right for playing Talisa of Volantis in HBO's "Game of Thrones." The double-o beginning gives their name a lot of oomph.
      • Penelope

        • Origin:

          Greek

        • Meaning:

          "weaver"

        • Description:

          Penelope is an unlikely 21st century baby name success story. Off the Top 1000 for 25 years, Penelope jumped back on in 2001 and has been heading uphill ever since, propelled by the trend for mythological names, Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, and some high-profile celebrity babies.
      • Poe

        • Origin:

          English

        • Meaning:

          "peacock"

        • Description:

          An evocative unisex one-syllable name, Poe is most distinguished by its literary reference. Edgar Allan Poe was an influential American author and poet, credited with inventing the genres of detective and science fiction, which might provide inspiration for parents who are fans. And now its choice as the name of the hero played by Oscar Isaac in the new Star Wars movie is sure to catapult it from literary choice to major favorite.
      • Quincie

        • Description:

          Quincie is a feminine name that appears to be a creative variation of Quincy, which originated as an English surname derived from the Latin name Quintus, meaning 'fifth.' This feminized spelling adds a playful, delicate touch to the more traditional form. While Quincy has historically been used primarily for boys, this variant with the 'ie' ending decisively shifts it into feminine territory. The name has a spirited, somewhat preppy quality while remaining uncommon enough to be distinctive. Quincie combines the trend of surname-inspired first names with modern spelling adaptations. The name has a bright, energetic sound and offers the cute nickname option 'Quinn.' Though relatively rare in official records, Quincie represents the contemporary trend of adapting traditionally masculine names for girls.

      • Quinn

        • Origin:

          Irish

        • Meaning:

          "descendant of Conn, chief leader, intelligence"

        • Description:

          Quinn is an engaging Celtic surname that is still on the rise for girls but beginning to flag for boys. As a female name, Quinn is in the Top 100, used for over 3000 baby girls last year, but toward the bottom of the Top 500 for boys, given to 700 baby boys.
      • Ruby

        • Origin:

          Latin

        • Meaning:

          "deep red precious stone"

        • Description:

          Vibrant, sassy, and bubbly, Ruby is a vintage gem that hasn’t lost any of its sparkle. Currently popular in a number of English-speaking countries, Ruby is proof of the 100 Year Rule, trending again for the first time since its heyday in the 1910s.
      • Sawyer

        • Origin:

          English

        • Meaning:

          "woodcutter"

        • Description:

          Sawyer is a surname with a more relaxed and friendly feel than many others, and is one of the hottest occupational names right now, with the Nameberry seal of approval. Sawyer is becoming one of the top unisex names. Both Sara Gilbert and Diane Farr used Sawyer for their daughters, while it was given a boost as a boys' name by the character Sawyer on Lost, an alias for the character really named James Ford.
      • Zion

        • Origin:

          Hebrew

        • Meaning:

          "highest point"

        • Description:

          Zion has taken off in recent years, especially after singer Lauryn Hill used it for her son in 1997 and incorporated the name into a hit song. It combines a user-friendly Ryan-Brian sound with the gravitas of religious significance. The Hebrew pronunciation is 'tzeeyon'.