Names I Like
- Reed
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"red-haired"Description:
A slim, elegant, silvery surname, Reed could be a banker or a sculptor, and therein lies the appeal of this simple yet distinctive name. The versatile Reed can be seen as a grass-like nature name and a musical name.
- Katalina
Origin:
Variation of Catalina, SpanishMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Spelling variant of Catalina, currently on the rise in the US.
- Wilder
Origin:
Surname or word nameMeaning:
"wild, untamed, uncontrolled"Description:
Rugged, outdoorsy, and full of energy, Wilder entered the US Top 1000 back in 2015. Part bad boy, part Western, part preppy, and part nature-loving, Wilder is given to nearly 800 babies each year.
- Frederick
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"peaceful ruler"Description:
Frederick, and friendlier nickname Fred, seemed almost to have disappeared, leaving just the memory of Freds past such as Astaire, Mr. Rogers and Flintstone. But today's parents are beginning to recognize it as a strong classic and one of the top royal baby boy names.
- Lyra
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"lyre"Description:
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. Simple yet starry, Lyra is familiar but not overused in the US, where it ranks in the Top 500.
- Alma
Origin:
Latin, Hebrew, KazakhMeaning:
"nurturing, soul; young woman; apple"Description:
Alma is a solemn, soulful, yet gentle sounding name that became fashionable in England following the Battle of Alma during the 19th century Crimean War. A name with multiple origins, Alma has subtle, international flair and plenty of vintage charm.
- Madeleine
Origin:
French variation of MagdalenMeaning:
"woman from Magdala or high tower"Description:
Sophisticated and sweet, delicate but substantial, Madeleine is the classic French variation of Magdalene.
- Monroe
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"mouth of the Roe river"Description:
Monroe is a presidential name which, thanks to the immortal beauty of Marilyn Monroe, is catching on fast for baby girls. Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon chose it for their twin daughter, honoring Marilyn Monroe. Their use of Monroe as a girls’ name did much to revive this Old Man name, a la Sydney, as a newly fashionable choice for girls.
- Meredith
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"great ruler"Description:
Meredith is a soft, gentle-sounding name with subtle Welsh roots. Although originally a boys’ name , Meredith is used mainly for girls now.
- Fiona
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"white, fair"Description:
Fiona entered the American consciousness with the opening of the 1954 Broadway musical Brigadoon, but didn't come onto the U.S. popularity list until 1990.
- Samson
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"sun"Description:
With the prevailing popularity of Samuel, some parents are considering this more (literally) powerful biblical name, which shares the desirable nickname of Sam.
- Ainsley
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"one's own meadow"Description:
While theoretically unisex, this surname name has been edging up the girls’ names list, perhaps originally as an Ashley substitute. One quality in Ainsley's favor: It's remained steadily popular -- but not TOO popular -- for more than 20 years now, ranking consistently around Number 400. That makes it stylish and familiar without showing up everywhere.
- Mae
Origin:
Diminutive of Mary or Margaret, Hebrew, LatinMeaning:
"beloved, bitter, drop of the sea; pearl"Description:
Mae, a sweet and springlike old-fashioned name, hadn't been on the national charts in forty years, but finally made it back in 2010. Mae is derived from May, the month name that was chosen for its connection to Maia, the Roman goddess of growth and motherhood.
- Beatrice
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"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.
- Kate
Origin:
English, diminutive of KatherineMeaning:
"pure"Description:
Kate, in the headlines via Catherine Middleton aka the Princess of Wales, has been as pervasive as Kathy was in the 1950s and 1960s, both as a nickname for Katherine and Kaitlyn and as a strong, classic stand-alone name.
- Roy
Origin:
French or CelticMeaning:
"king or red-haired"Description:
We've seen Ray regain his cool, but could this country/cowboy name epitomized by Roy Rogers (born Leonard Slye), Acuff, and Clark, do the same?
- April
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"to open"Description:
A favorite back in the 70s and 80s when it ranked in the US Top 30, April has since been overtaken by the likes of June, May, August, and Winter. Nevertheless, it still holds appeal as a pretty-but-no-frills option, associated with the coming of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and of the arrival of Autumn in the South.
- Devin
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"poet"Description:
Devilishly handsome, Devin arrived as Kevin was moving out. Not to be confused (though it often is) with the English place-name Devon. While both Devin and Devon are flagging somewhat for boys, the names have dropped out of the Top 1000 for girls, making it more a masculine and less a unisex name these days.
- Nadia
Origin:
Russian, ArabicMeaning:
"hope; tender, delicate"Description:
Nadia, an accessible Slavic favorite, has a strong run of popularity in the US in the early 2000s, partially thanks to the character on Lost called Nadia but actually named Noor, but it's since slumped down the rankings. An earlier inspiration was Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, who won the 1976 Olympics.
- Jamie
Origin:
Diminutive of JamesMeaning:
"supplanter"Description:
The cool form of James in the 1970s and '80s for both sexes. Still a more stylish short form than Jimmy, though many parents will want to call James by his entire, not-very-long name.
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