Girl names

Magical and distinctive but grounded and familiar too, it's no surprise that Athena has become one of the most widely used ancient goddess names in the contemporary Western world. Derived from the city name Athens, it is current a Top 100 choice in the US.

Eliana is a lilting, rhythmic choice, which has caught on in the US and other English-speaking countries. Currently popular in the UK, The Netherlands, Canada, and Brazil, it also makes the US Top 50.

Hadley, most famous as the name of Ernest Hemingway's first wife, is more sophisticated, professional, and modern than cousins Harley, Haley, or Hayden. The hit book The Paris Wife, a novel by Paula McLain told from the point of view of Hadley Hemingway (born Elizabeth Hadley Richardson), has helped popularize the name, which also appears on the vampire show True Blood. Hadley could become this generation's Hailey. Adley, a mashup of Hadley and Addie, has also appeared on the scene.

Haven is a recently invented safe-harbor name that appeals to an increasing number of parents who don't want to voyage quite as far as Heaven.

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.

Deriving from "Lilian", as an elaborate form of the flower name, "Lily", Lilianna is a clean and polished spelling for those wanting the pronunciation Lily-Ann-uh.

Maisey is a charming feminine name that originated as a pet form of Margaret or Maisie. With Scottish and English roots, the name derives from the French word 'marguerite' meaning 'pearl' or 'daisy flower.' Maisey has a sweet, vintage quality that fits with the trend of reviving nickname-style names as formal given names. After remaining relatively obscure for decades, Maisey began rising in popularity during the early 2000s in the UK, Australia, and the US, part of the wave of vintage names making a comeback. The spelling variation with '-ey' rather than '-ie' gives it a slightly more contemporary feel while retaining its nostalgic charm. Parents are drawn to its friendly, approachable sound and cheerful associations.

Maisie, a charming name long popular as a nickname for Margaret or Mary, entered the Top 1000 as itself ten years ago and continues to rise. Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams helped propel the name back into the limelight, along with the that of her character, Arya.

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.