User-created list
Names I like
Across 3 pages
of 3
The names
Lennon
Irish
"lover"
A growing number of high-profile (and other) parents are choosing to honor their musical idols, such as Hendrix, Presley, Jagger, and now Lennon, an Irish name for girls as well as boys with a…
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…
Otto
German
"wealthy"
Otto is cool again. Long a quintessential Old Man Name, Otto has been promoted to trending darling of adventurous baby namers. Like most German names , Otto fell out of favor during and after the two…
Marley
English
"pleasant seaside meadow"
Reggae master Bob's surname was one of the biggest risers on the popularity charts for girls in 2008, with spellings Marlee and Marely also leaping in favor. Also used for boys, Marley is one of the…
Vanessa
Literary invention; also a species of butterfly
Vanessa was invented by writer Jonathan Swift for a lover named Esther Vanhomrigh—he combined the first syllable of her last name with the initial syllable of her first. Swift used it in the poem…
Logan
Scottish surname
"little hollow"
Logan, with its appealing Scottish burr, is a very hot boys' name—it's in the national Top 10 and heading for Number 1 in some states—and can also make a rich and resonant choice for a girl. Jason…
Holly
English nature name
Holly ranks just in British Top 50, but it's been out of favor here since the 1970s Era of Nickname Names. Still, the name may be on her way back as a rejuvenated nature pick. Jolly Holly has always…
Harley
English
"the long field"
Once a macho biker name, Harley is now showing its softer side. In the UK, Harley is predominantly masculine, but it's currently more popular for girls than boys in the US. Along with Harper and…
Hayden
English place name
"hay hill; hay valley"
A newly successful name for girls, which, like Brayden and Caden, used to be strictly for the boys. Young Heroes and now Nashville star Hayden Panettiere planted it in the girls' camp.
Emmy
English diminutive of Emily and Emma
"work; universal"
Long a nickname for all the Em-names, as well as an annual award, Emmy is now being given on its own, as are soundalikes Emme and Emmi. Might be too identified with the TV awards--though that doesn't…
Kane
Celtic
"warrior"
A name of multiple identities: a somewhat soap-operatic single-syllable surname, a homonym for the biblical bad boy Cain, and, when found in Japan and Hawaii, it transforms into the two syllable…
Marlee
English
"pleasant seaside meadow"
The combined inspiration of reggae master Bob and the dog-loving romp "Marley and Me" catapulted this name up the chart in recent years. But what goes up....
Frankie
Diminutive of Frances, Latin
"from France; free man"
Frankie is a vintage nickname name for girls, with a down-to-earth country feel. It's one of the hottest boyish nicknames for girls, in the forefront of that trend. This renewed interest placed…
Margo
French, diminutive of Margaret
"pearl"
Margo and Margot sound exactly the same, so why has the Margot spelling hopped back onto the Top 1000, outpacing Margo in numbers more than two to one? (Over 350 baby girls were named Margot in the…
Andi
Diminutive of Andrea or Anderson, Greek or English from Scandinavian
"strong and manly, son of Anders"
Boyish nickname name that first heard in the Ricki/Terri era but finding new favor among parents who love names like Billie and Frankie, Scottie and Stevie. Sister spelling Andie has also been on the…
Otis
Variation of Otto, German
"wealthy"
Otis has real appeal for parents attracted to its catchy O initial and combination of strength and spunk. The appealing hero of the British TV show Sex Education has done much to propel Otis into the…
Emmie
English diminutive of Emily and Emma
"work; universal"
A variation of mega popular name Emma and all of her cousins, Emmie came back to the US Top 1000 for the first time in 80 years in 2016. It's phonetically the same as more popular Emmy, but this…
Mac
Scottish or Irish
"son of"
In Ireland and Scotland, Mac and Mc mean "son of"; here, Mac is a generic fella, or a short form cooler than either Matt or Max. Mac can be a nickname of any longer Mac or Mc starting name such as…
Macy
English surname, variation of Massey
"hill"
Singer Macy Gray has popularized this cute and upbeat choice—once solely associated with the department store. A modern replacement for Stacy and Tracy, Macy was most popular in the early 2000s when…
Maisy
Scottish diminutive of Margaret
"pearl"
The Maisie spelling may be more widely used, but Maisy is perfectly proper and also makes the British Top 100. And as Maisy, she feels like a closer relative to Daisy, another Margaret diminutive.

