Names from what I hear and read.

  1. Astrid
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "divinely beautiful"
    • Description:

      Astrid has been a Scandinavian royal name since the tenth century, and many people associated it with the Swedish author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, Astrid Lindgren. Astrid is derived from the name Ástríðr, which is made up of the Old Norse elements that mean "god" and "beautiful."
  2. Ashima
    • Dede
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of names starting with D
      • Description:

        Of all the names with repeating sounds, Dede isn't the first we'd use (Lulu or Coco, maybe), but it certainly isn't the last — we much prefer it to Dodo or Fifi.
    • Delia
      • Origin:

        Greek
      • Meaning:

        "born on the island of Delos"
      • Description:

        Delia is a somewhat neglected southern charmer that stands on its own but also might be short for Adelia or Cordelia.
    • Elijah
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "Yahweh is God"
      • Description:

        The Top 10 boys' name Elijah is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, composed of the elements ’el and yah, both of which refer to God. In the Old Testament, Elijah was the prophet who went to heaven in a chariot of fire, a story sure to inspire any young Elijah.
    • Georgia
      • Origin:

        English, feminine variation of George
      • Meaning:

        "farmer"
      • Description:

        Georgia is so rich, lush and luscious, it's almost irresistible. Georgia's now a rising star among the feminizations of George, helped by associations with the southern state (named for British King George II) and painter Georgia O'Keeffe, with the Ray Charles song "Georgia On My Mind" or maybe "Sweet Georgia Brown" playing in the background.
    • 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.
    • Layla
      • Origin:

        Variation of Leila, Arabic
      • Meaning:

        "night"
      • Description:

        A lovely musical name (remember the old Eric Clapton-Derek & the Dominos song?), Layla's seen a significant surge in popularity, partly partly all names with a double L are stylish, and partly because all the forms of the name push it into the Top 15 for girls.
    • Lee
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "pasture, meadow"
      • Description:

        The original brief, breezy name is somewhat out of favor now even as a middle name. The Leigh spelling has more substance and is more identifiable as female.
    • Miriam
      • Origin:

        Hebrew or Egyptian
      • Meaning:

        "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
      • Description:

        The oldest-known form of Mary, serious and solemn Miriam has been a particular favorite of observant Jewish parents. But we can see it extending beyond that sphere into the next wave of Old Testament names post-Rachel, Rebecca, Sarah, Hannah, and Leah. Miriam is currently the Number 1 girls' name in Israel.
    • Nolan
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "champion"
      • Description:

        The friendly and sporty feeling Nolan blends some of the best qualities of other popular boy names. With the gentle but energetic sounds of Noah, a hint of the classic Nicholas, and the cool, surname-style vibe of Greyson or Colton, it makes for a familiar and grounded choice.
    • Rosie
      • Origin:

        English
      • Meaning:

        "rose"
      • Description:

        Rosy-cheeked and cheery, Rosie (also spelled Rosy) has been standing on her own for many decades, back to the days of 1943 musical Sweet Rosie O'Grady. She's one of the perky nickname-names that are filling the popularity lists of other English-speaking countries. In the US, she came back to the Top 1000 in 2013, after a 30 year hiatus. In 2023, Rosie was one of the fastest rising girl names.
    • Sissy
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Cecilia; pet name for "sister"
      • Meaning:

        "sister"
      • Description:

        Old-fashioned nickname for a sister, almost never heard today.
    • Yvonne
      • Origin:

        French
      • Meaning:

        "yew wood"
      • Description:

        Peaking in the 1950s, Yvonne has now dropped out of the Top 1000 in 2003 and doesn't look set to return soon, although its rare Y initial might endear it to some. Yvaine, from Neil Gaiman's Stardust, has more modern appeal.
    • Zebediah
      • Origin:

        Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "gift of Jehovah"
      • Description:

        Biblical names are expanding (literally) as some parents move from Isaiah and Elijah to more elaborate choices with simple short forms, like Jedidiah and Zebediah.