Star Wars Names

Luke is a cool-yet-strong Biblical name with a relaxed cowboy feel, which has been on the rise since the advent of Luke Skywalker.

Strong and modern, Cade shot up the popularity lists around the millennium—it was as high as Number 201 in 2001. Now, it has declined in popularity slightly, but nevertheless remains in the US Top 300, given to around 1200 babies each year. Combined with all the baby Kades, Cadens, Kaidens and Kaydens however, it might feel even more popular that it actually is.

Jace may sound like only half a name -- it's usually pronounced like the first half of Jason though some may consider it a spelling-out of the initials J. C. -- but it's a popular choice for baby boys. Jace has been heard on such TV shows as Teen Mom 2 and Duck Dynasty.

Gavin, a name with Scottish roots, has stepped into the spotlight, replacing the dated Kevin, thanks in part to pop-rock sensation Gavin DeGraw and Bush lead singer Gavin Rossdale.

This is an alternative to Laura or Lauren made romantic by Dr Zhivago, and badass by video-game heroine Lara Croft.

Brianna's popularity in the US came later than father name Brian's, peaking in the 1990s, two decades after Brian's Top 10 reign of the 1970s.

Lively nickname, but we'd prefer the more substantial Orlando.

Could Hal be the Jack, Max, or Gus of the future? It just might happen in the new nickname environment. Hank Azaria put it on his son's birth certificate.

Many will associate this name with Galen of Pergamon, the second-century physician considered to be the founding father of medicine. A more recent reference is Star Wars character Galen Erso. The name still projects a gentle, scholarly image, while sharing sounds with more popular names like Aiden and Nathan. Bonus: it's also an anagram of Angel.

Most familiar in the English speaking world as the Star Wars princess, Jedi, and leader, Leia can be considered a pop culture choice, created by George Lucas who in turn likely based it on the Biblical Leah. It has been in the US Top 1000 since the mid-2000s and is also a popular choice in the UK and Sweden.

Ben, the diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict, can easily stand on its own as a simple, strong, nice-guy choice, though it's somewhat attenuated. Ben is this generation's Bob or Bill.

Derek started out as a sophisticated Brit, but the name became so common over the last decades of the twentieth century that it lost much of its English accent, along with its stylish edge. Derek was a Top 100 name in the U.S. for 25 years, from 1970 to 1995, after which it began to decline.

Dash is a nickname that can stand on its own and sounds, well, dashing. Connected these days with Kardashian enterprises.

Short and cool with rugged charm, Wes is a rising star in the US, climbing the charts along side Wesley and Weston and joining other one syllable options such as Mack, Jett, Tate, and Brooks. Filmmakers Wes Anderson and Wes Craven lend the name a stylish and creative air, but it also has Old Western undertones thanks to its literal meaning, "west".

Sweet and sparky but maybe a little bit stuck in the 90s for some, Bria is a nickname-y style choice with various origins.

Despite its somewhat menacing meaning, this name has been widely used in recent years, probably due to the appeal of its trendy on ending.

A name with a number of variations including the Danish Tyge, the Swedish Tyko, and the Dutch Tygo, which are popular throughout modern Europe. Tycho was also the name of both a 5th century Greek saint and the Danish astronomer, Tycho Brahe.

Once rare, this streamlined form of Jessica has been boosted by two very different television figures: the Jemima Kirke character on HBO series Girls, and reality television daughter Jessa Duggar.

While Kieran is the class and most-used male form of this name, some people spell it Keiran in keeping with the female Keira, the version popularized by the gorgeous Ms. Knightley.

A sweet and simple multicultural choice which has several different meanings and origins.