For the future spawns

Rin

Japanese, Korean

"dignified, severe; jade, clear"

A very popular name for girls in Japan, though it is a unisex choice. It can mean "severe, cold", but also "dignified", "ethics" and "phosphorus", depending on the kanji used. It is notably used for…

Rise

English, Norwegia, Danish, Japanese

"move upward, ascend; mighty, distinguished; lapis lazuli + celestial"

A multicultural choice with a range of meanings, this name boomed in the 1940s and 50s thanks to the glamorous singer Risë (pronounced REE-sa) Stevens, who inherited her name from her Norwegian…

Ruri

Japanese

"lapis lazuli"

Naming babies after precious gems as a protection against evil spirits is an ancient Japanese tradition.

Sahara

Arabic

"deserts"

A beautiful and evocative place-name that deserves wider use, Sahara brings to mind deserts and heat. Derived from Arabic, it is the name of the world's largest hot desert, located across the North…

Sakura

Japanese

"cherry blossom"

Lovely Japanese name that would certainly be appreciated in Europe and the U.S. It was rarely used in Japan until the 1990s, and draws its current popularity from the fact that it is deeply connected…

Saori

Japanese

"sand; red-flowing silk"

Saori is a beautiful Japanese name that is rising, but still only given to around 50 baby girls in 2022.

Saskia

Dutch

"Saxon"

From the first time we saw the name Saskia attached to a portrait of Rembrandt's wife (her full name was Saakje van Uylenburgh, but she was always called Saskia), we have found it utterly charming…

Sena

Korean; Hindi; Turkish; Arabic; Ewe

"this world's beauty or grace; army; to praise; bringing heaven to earth"

Sena is one of those names that is as obscure in the Western World as it is simple and straightforward. Sena exists as a name in a range of languages and cultures and may be pronounced like Senna…

Setsuna

Japanese

"a moment, an instant"

Setsuna was derived from a Buddhist term meaning "split second," originally the Sanskrit word ksana . It is more popular among fictional characters than real babies.

Shiori

Japanese

"to weave a poem"

One of the most poetic of meanings to accompany a beautiful name.

Sonata

Music name

Undiscovered musical form melodious enough to be a hit on the name charts.

Sora

Japanese or Korean

"sky; conch shell"

A simple and pretty multicultural name: as a Japanese name, it's unisex and means "sky"; as a Korean name, it's feminine and means "conch shell".

Sumire

Japanese

"violet flower"

The Japanese equivalent of Violet, common among Millennial and Gen Z Japanese women.

Suzume

Japanese

"sparrow"

We love the idea of Zuzu as an adorable nickname for this gorgeous Japanese girl name.