My Favorite Girl Names

Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for the name of her second daughter.

Piper's rising popularity for girls makes it an unlikely masculine choice.

Maverick meets Merritt in this strong sounding choice, which has its origins in Welsh, German, and Scottish. Notably borne by dancer Merrick Hanna, comedian and presenter Merrick Watts, and by Merrick Tremayne, the central character of Natasha Pulley's novel, The Bedlam Stacks, it was briefly bumped into the US Top 1000 in 2016 following The Supreme Court saga of Justice Merrick Garland.

Estella is a pretty Latin name, most notably associated with the character in Dickens's Great Expectations, adopted and raised to reek Miss Haversham's revenge on men. With the popularity of Stella, Ella, Esther, and Esme, however, the elaborate Estella has also been making moves up the US charts in recent years.

A sweet and sophisticated nickname which feels fresh again after many years in style limbo. For literature lovers, it brings to mind Theodore "Laurie" Laurence from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Another famous bearer is English actor Hugh Laurie.