Alice is a classic literary name that's both strong and sweet, ranking in the US Top 100 and popular throughout the western world. Alice is derived from the Old French name Aalis, a diminutive of Adelais that itself came from the Germanic name Adalhaidis, which is composed of the Proto-Germanic elements aþala, meaning "noble," and haidu, "kind, appearance, type." 
 Alice is quite distinct among traditional <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a>—more feminine and dainty than Mary and Helen, more substantive than Ann or Jane, yet with more lightness and innocent charm than Margaret or Katharine. 
 
Alice has been riding a fresh wave of popularity, not only in the US and other English-speaking countries but in places as diverse as Italy, France, Brazil, and Sweden. That makes Alice a remarkably international choice.
 Alice is a darling of literature, from the immortal heroine in Alice in Wonderland to an unusual number of fine modern writers like Alices Munro, Walker, Sebold, Hoffman, McDermott, Adams, and Elliott Dark. In other fields, there were First Daughter Alice Roosevelt, painter Alice Neel, food innovator Alice Waters, and literary figure Alice B. Toklas, to name a few.
 As a British royal, Alice was Queen Victoria's second daughter, the princess who shocked her Victorian mother by breastfeeding her baby. More recently, Tina Fey helped popularize the name when she chose it for her daughter.

Alice

Anderson shot up quite a bit on the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> list in the 2000's, no doubt in large part due to the prominence of white-haired cable newsman Anderson Cooper. Perhaps surprisingly though, Anderson was even higher on the list in 1880. Actress Edie Falco named her son Anderson in 2005. Though there haven't been many first-named Anderson namesakes, there have been countless notables bearing the surname, including Hans Christian, Marian, Maxwell, Sherwood, Gillian, Laurie, and Pamela.

Anderson

This Anglicized form of Bearach or short form of Finbarr was in the Top 200 in the USA for 50 years until the early 80s when it rapidly fell out of favor. Barry has not yet found popularity in the modern era - but that may well change as people rediscover their love of classic figures like musician Barry White, baseballer Barry Bonds or even Barack Obama, whose nickname as a young man was Barry. 

Barry

Most Bills today are dads...or grandpas. The younger Williams are usually nicknamed Will, or called by their full names. 

Bill

Cute kid with freckles, bouncing a Spalding ball. Cool couple Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton put the name Billy Burton on their son's birth certificate. While the classic William, name of the future king of England, may in fact be German, the nickname Billy along with such other classic short forms as Jim and Joe are authentically <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/502/english-names-for-boys">English names for boys</a>.

Billy

Kids love Bob the Builder, but do they want to be Bob the Builder? Bob and Bobby have been out of style since the 1960s, but as vintage nickname-names -- Fred, Archie -- come back into vogue, Bob may tag along.  Charlie Sheen used it for one of his twin sons.

Brad

Bridget is the Anglicized form of Brigid, an Irish-Gaelic name that was derived from the word brígh, which means "strength." 
Bridget is the name of the most famous female saint of Ireland, who became the patroness of her country, as well as patron saint of scholars, poets and healers. Because of her sanctity, the name did not come into common use in Ireland until the seventeenth century, after which it became wildly popular. Bridget eventually came to be used as a pejorative name for an Irishwoman; Irish maids in the early 20th century US were derogatorily called "the Bridgets."
 
One of the earliest <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/509/irish-names-for-girls">Irish names for girls</a> to immigrate to the USA, Bridget, the most familiar form of the name of the Celtic goddess of wisdom, is still used by traditionalists but also carries some modern spark and a great meaning. Bridget is one of the exclusive group of <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/96/girl-names-that-mean-brave-or-powerful">girl names that mean strong, brave, or powerful</a>.
 
According to Irish myth, there were three sister goddesses named Brigid: the goddess of poetry, the goddess of healing, and the goddess of agriculture.
Most prominent Bridgets today are actresses Fonda and Moynahan, op artist Bridget Riley, and the fictional hapless Bridget Jones—she and her diary the protagonist of four books, three movies, and even a musical.
 
Irish variants include Brighid, Brigid (as in the devious character in The Maltese Falcon), Bridie, Biddy, Brid and Bedelia.

Bridget

Burton

Callahan, the simpler spelling of Callaghan, is a rhythmic jig of a name whose history harks back to the ancient King of Munster. In the Dirty Harry movies, the Clint Eastwood character is Harry Callahan.

Callahan

Candace, an ancient title of a dynasty of Ethiopian queens mentioned in the New Testament, is associated both with actress Candice Bergen and Sex and the City writer Candace Bushnell. Both spellings were most popular in the 1980s, but are rarely used for babies today, perhaps due to the sticky sweetness of nickname Candy. 
 William Faulkner used the name Candace, shortened to Caddy, as a main character in his 1929 novel The Sound and the Fury.

Candace

This no-nonsense German variation of Charles is strong and sturdy. A top choice throughout the 20th century, Carl is now verging on falling off the charts.

Carl

Charlie derives, of course, from the classic name Charles which, in turn, comes from a German word meaning "free man." Charles became very popular in France during the Middle Ages due to the fame of Charles the Great, also known as Charlemagne. Charley is an alternate spelling.
 
Charlie is one of the friendliest names on the planet, and Good-time Charlie is back. More and more parents (of babies of both genders) these days are opting to put the friendly, genial Charlie on birth certificates. 
 
Charlie has dozens and dozens of pop cultural references, from Charlie Chaplin to Charlie McCarthy to "Charlie's Angels" to Charlie Parker to Charlie Sheen to Charlie Rose. 
 
Putting nicknames on the birth certificate is very much a growing trend. Current celebs who have chosen Charlie for their sons include Tiger Woods, Mimi Rogers, Soledad O'Brien and Sarah Chalke.

Charlie

Only if you're madly nostalgic for sixties TV. 

Chip

Chris is a long-running nickname used almost equally for boys and girls.  While past its prime, Chris stands out as sounding completely appropriate for both sexes, perhaps because of its widespread use as a short form of both the popular Christopher and Christine.  Chris manages to retain its crisp appeal even though its fashion moment is over.

Chris

Craig is a single-syllable baby-boomer name, still common in its native Scotland, but most modern Americans would prefer something like Kyle.

Craig

Dave is the ultimate good guy name, but where father name David is still holding onto a spot in the Top 20, Dave -- widely used as an independent name in the middle of the last century -- dropped off the Top 1000 a few decades ago and shows no signs of a comeback.  

Baby Davids today, often named for dad or grandpa, are more likely to be called David than Dave.

Dave

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.
 Derek was introduced into Britain during the Middle Ages by immigrant Flemish weavers.
Baseball star Derek Jeter spawned a whole new generation of namesakes.

Derek

Eric is derived from the Old Norse name Eiríkr, from the components ei, meaning "ever," and ríkr, "rule." It was adopted by English speakers in the mid-nineteenth century, who were already familiar with the exploits of the tenth century Viking navigator and discoverer of Greenland, Eric the Red. Erik is an alternate spelling and the preferred form of the name across much of Europe.
 
Eric—the all-time most popular Scandinavian <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a> in the U. S.—peaked in the Ricky Nelson/Rick Springfield period.
 From the mid-sixties to the late eighties, Eric was on the Top 25 list. Some of its best-known bearers: Eric Clapton, Eric Idle, Eric Dane and major characters in The Little Mermaid, True Blood and Friday Night Lights, not to mention Eric Cartman on South Park. Simon Cowell named his first son Eric after his father.
 Erik is the Old-World spelling of Eric, now mega popular in Germany and Sweden.

Eric

Since female cousins Mitzi and Fritzi have entered the realm of possibilities, there's a chance that Cousin Fritz could as well. 
Fritz is the name of several notables, from early German-born film director Lang to early footballer Fritz (born Frederick) Pollard, the first African-American to play in the Rose Bowl in 1916. 
 Fritz has several other pop culture references, including the R. Crumb comic strip "Fritz the Cat" begun in 1965 and which became a popular animated feature seven years later, and as one of the children in both The Nutcracker and Swiss Family Robinson. Fritz was also the nickname of former vice president Walter Frederick Mondale.

Fritz

This flower name was one of the most popular in her class in the seventies and eighties (in the 1989 movie Heathers, every snobby girl in the high school clique bore that name). Now, though still pretty and evocative of the Scottish moors, it has faded in favor of other purplish blooms, having fallen out of the Top 1000 after having been as high as Number 3 in 1975, when it was given to close to 25,000 girls.

Heather

Helen is a name that has connoted beauty since ancient times – Helen of Troy was the the mythological "face that launched a thousand ships," over whom the ten-year Trojan War was fought. 
 

The name Helen has moved in and out of favor over the centuries, often alternating with Ellen. It was a Top 5 name for several decades of the early twentieth century, falling out of the Top 100 in the 50s. Now, after being unfashionable for decades, we see signs of a comeback for Helen—it's the kind of serious, unadorned classic many parents are returning to.
But if Helen still feels too plain for you, you might consider one of its many lovely variants: Helena, Elena, Eleni, Ella, Nellie or Nell, to name just a few.

 In Greek myth, Helen is the daughter of Leda and Zeus, who came to her mother in the form of a swan. Helen also has legions of real-life namesakes, including author and activist Helen Keller, politician Helen Gahaghan Douglas, newspaper reporter Helen Thomas, Cosmo force Helen Gurley Brown, Bridget Jones creator Helen Fielding, artist Helen Frankenthaler, and actresses Hayes, Mirren, and Hunt. Beatrix Potter's birth name was Helen.

Helen

Ian is Scottish form of John, derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan. It is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic Iain, which is also a viable spelling. Ian was introduced to Americans by Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond.
 
Ian was rather late making inroads on our shores—it was already the seventh most popular name in England in 1975. It’s been on a steady path in the Top 100 ever since the introduction of James Bond, thanks to its jaunty charm. Today, Ian flies in formation with fellow classic British RAF pilot names, like Derek and Miles and Colin, all now certified U.S. citizens, packing considerable punch and panache into its three short letters. So though it may not be the newest name on the block, it's still a recommended choice. 
 
Notable namesakes include actor Ian McKellan and novelist Ian McEwan. Actor Ian Ziering pronounces his name EYE-an, rather than the traditional EE-an.

Jack may have fallen from its Number 1 place in England, but in the US it's as popular as it was at its height in the 1920s and 1930s. A durable, cheery, everyman form of John, Jack ranks as one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/j">boy names starting with J</a>. 
Jack is a derivative of John that originated in medieval England. The name went from John to Johnkin to Jankin to Jackin to Jack. The name was so common in the Middle Ages that Jack became a generic term for a man. 
 
Jack is familiar to all from earliest childhood via Jack and Jill, Jack Sprat, Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Jack Horner et al. It is still a recent favorite for novel, TV and movie characters. 
 
Jack is at the top of the charts in Ireland and Scotland, and also ranks highly in Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
 
The jaunty Scottish version is Jock.

Jack

Janet started as a pet form of Jane but has long been used independently. Jane is a feminine form of John, which derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan. Janet can also be considered a variation of Jeannette, a derivative of Joan and another feminization of the name John.
 
Five hundred years ago Janet was a royal favorite in Scotland, where it remains a common name. Here in the US, however, Janet has been on a downhill slide since the 1960s, with Grandma Janet now knitting booties for baby Janae. Or even, increasingly, Jane.
 There have been several Janets recently involved in US government, Janet is a leading member of the Jackson family, and Janet Evanovich is a bestselling author; and in the past there have been first Best Actress Oscar winner Gaynor, Psycho actor Janet Leigh, and the mother of Jackie Kennedy.
 There are several attractive foreign versions that might prove appealing alternate namesakes for Gran Jan—Gianetta, Zaneta, Janneth, Sinead or Janica.

Janet

Probably due to its nursery rhyme association, Jill has the perpetual air of a rosy-cheeked tot -- even though it is one of the oldest names on the roster, a medieval variation on the Roman Julia. The pairing of Jack and Jill to connote a generic boy and girl goes back at least to the fifteenth century. But can knowing Jill's history keep it from sounding like a cute mid-twentieth century invention? There may be some possibility of Jill making it back up the hill. 
 Jill entered the Top 100 in 1957 and held that position until 1983, dropping off the list completely in the year 2000. A notable present bearer is Jill Biden.

Jill

Once the quintessential bouncy teenager name, Kelly helped launch the trend of unisex <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/168/irish-names">Irish names</a> . But it now takes a backseat to more substantial surname names like Kennedy.

Kelly

Ancient saint's name used for cowardly cartoon lion. 

Lambert

Leonard is the name of several saints, including one who is the patron saint of childhood, and another medieval saint who's the patron of prisoners--known for freeing prisoners he deemed worthy of God.  Popular from 1900 to 1930, Leonard is perhaps more notable for those who dropped the name when they entered show biz than those who kept it: former Leonards include Roy Rogers and Tony Randall. Two musical Leonards did keep their names though--composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein and poet-singer Leonard Cohen.  Leonard Woolf was the husband and publisher of great English novellist Virginia Woolf. These days, modern parents tend to prefer Leo or the romantic Italian Leonardo, especially since Leonard does not get pronounced with the trendy "Leo" sound.

Leonard

Lily is the most popular of the popular delicate century-old flower names now making a return, thanks to its many irresistible attributes: a cool elegance and a lovely sound, a symbol of purity and innocence, and a role in Christian imagery.
 Lily's use as a given name was a direct influence of the flower. The floral name was derived from the Latin lilium, itself derived from the Greek leirion. Lily later became an adjective to describe whiteness and purity.
 
 Lily is a favorite of celebrity parents, including Chris O'Donnell, Kate Beckinsale, Greg Kinnear, Fred Savage, and Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis (who made it a double bouquet, with Lily-Rose). The more proper Lillian is also rising in popularity, though Lily has long stood on its own. 
 Lily is an authors' favorite, some notable example being Lily Bart, the main character of Edith Wharton's House of Mirth, Lily Owens in The Secret Life of Bees and both mother and daughter of Harry Potter. Other current bearers are Lily Tomlin, singer Lily Allen, and actress Lily James. Two one-time starbaby Lilys are now celebrities on their own: Lily Collins, daughter of Phil, and Lily Rabe, daughter of Jill Clayburgh and David Rabe.
 Lily is currently quite popular throughout the English-speaking world as well as in France, Denmark, the Netherlands, and other European countries. Other possible spellings are Lilly, Lili, and Lillie.

Lily

Maggie is a cute, earthy short form that has been in style for several decades now, still sometimes used as an independent name by such parents as Jon Stewart. First used in Scotland, it got a large bump in popularity via the 1971 Rod Stewart hit song "Maggie May." Today's Maggie might just as well be short for a more adventurous name such as Magdalena or Magnolia as for the classic Margaret. 
Maggie Gyllenhaal was born Margaret.

Maggie

Mark has the rare appeal of a strong, sleek name with a minimalist modern feel and ancient roots. The name Mark is taken from the Roman god of war Mars, also the namesake of the planet.
 After centuries of lagging behind other apostle names Peter and Paul, Mark suddenly caught on in the early 1950s, reaching Number 6 by 1960. It was in the Top 10 from 1955 to 1970 and has been among the Top 1000 boys' names for the century and a half that the US has been keeping name records.
 Mark Twain was, of course, the pen name taken by Samuel Clemens. Prominent current bearers include actor Mark Ruffalo, Mark Wahlberg (the onetime Marky Mark), and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Businessman Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is one of the main Sharks on Shark Tank.
 Marc is another, equally acceptable but less popular spelling. There are seven baby boys named Mark for every one spelled Marc.

Mark

Michael was the Number 1 American boys' name for almost half a century. While Michael has moved out of the Top 10 <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">baby boy names</a>, it's still widely used. 
 
How has Michael racked up this phenomenal record? Credit its use by parents of diverse ethnic and religious groups, and Michael's all-around likability, strength, and sincerity. 
 
Michael was derived from the name Mikha’el, which comes from the rhetorical question mī kā’ēl, meaning "who is like God?" in Hebrew. In the Bible, Michael is the archangel who led the other angels to victory in a war against Satan, one of only two archangels (the other is Gabriel) recognized by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. 
 
Today, Michael may feel more like a dad name than a baby name. Substitutes you might consider include Micah, Malachi, Gabriel and Raphael.

Michael

Michelle is the feminine form of Michel, the French variation of Michael. Michael was derived from the Hebrew name Mihka’el, meaning "who is like God." The alternate spelling Michele, with one "L," was the original version of the name. Michelle appeared as a later Anglicization in the 20th century.
 
Onetime superstar name (Number 4 in the seventies) that's now in steep decline, having dropped out of the Top 100. Former First Lady Michelle Obama keeps it in the spotlight. Today's feminine form of Michael is more likely to be some form of Michaela...or Makayla.

Michelle

Unlike Jake or Sam, few parents put Mike on the birth certificate. 

Mike

Miller is an up-and-coming choice in the stylish occupational genre, among the fastest-rising names for both boys and girls in the US in 2023.
 
Miller is also among the <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/top-last-names-in-the-us">most common last names in the US</a>.
 Miller was chosen as a baby name by Stella McCartney, Melissa Etheridge, and by Tea Leoni and David Duchovny. There are innumerable Miller namesakes, including writers Arthur and Henry, and entertainers Dennis, Glenn, Jonny Lee, Larry, Mitch, Roger, Steve, and Sienna. And in fiction, there's Henry James's heroine, Daisy Miller.

Miller

Mary Elizabeth

Nancy originated as a contraction of "mine Ancy," with Ancy being a nickname for Annis, a Medieval English variation of Agnes. In the 18th century it began being used in its own right, as well as a nickname for Ann. Related names include Nan, Nance, Nanette, Nanny, and Nanou.
 
A name that has always been in the Top 1000, Nancy was in the Top 20 from 1931 to 1962, in the Top 10 for several of those years; in 1940, Nancy was given to about 20,000 baby girls. However, Nancy's star appears to be waning, as it has lost popularity in recent years. But the name itself is still lovely. Nancy has a pleasant sound and look and is easy to spell and pronounce. 
 
Nancy is a major character in Oliver Twist and is fondly remembered by some as Nancy Drew, girl detective, while contemporary kids are enjoying the Fancy Nancy series. Frank Sinatra paid tribute to his daughter with the song "Nancy with the Laughing Face." Nancy also has political ties, via the mother of Abraham Lincoln, the wife of Ronald Reagan (born Anne), and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Nancy

One of the first generation of surname names, along with Porter and Morgan, Parker's still one of the most appealing and remains firmly in the Top 100 for boys. About three times as many boys as girls get this occupational name. The association with Charlie Parker gives Parker itself a jazzy edge, and it also has a nature-related meaning. Rosie O'Donnell has a son named Parker.

Parker

Patrick, long tied to a hyper-Irish image, is enjoying something of a renaissance as a stylish classic, as it has long been considered in England. Along with such choices as Charles and George, Patrick has escaped overuse in recent decades.
 Why has Patrick slipped from its high of Number 30 in the 1960s? Partly to blame might be its androgynous nicknames, Pat and Patsy. But with more and more parents calling their sons by their full names, this becomes less of an issue.
 An American hero name via Patrick ("Give me liberty or give me death") Henry, there are also a number of more recent noteworthy Patricks, including Ewing, Swayze, Dempsey, Buchanan, Stewart and Wilson. And Patrick is still a recent presence on such shows as The Mentalist and Desperate Housewives.
 You also may want to consider the name's native version, Padraig, which was used for his son by Patrick Ewing, or a European version such as Patrice (French), Patrizio (Italian) or Patricio (Spanish).
 Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, credited with converting his people to Christianity in the fifth century, which would give a son with this name a widely -- and raucously -- celebrated holiday.

Patrick

Peter is derived from the Greek Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone." One of the most important figures in the Christian hagiography is Saint Peter, keeper of the Gates of Heaven. Born Simon bar Jonah, he was given the nickname Peter by Jesus, to signify that he would be the rock on which Christ would build Christianity. Centuries later, there was Peter the Great, the czar who developed Russia as a major European power.
 
For generations, there have been pleasant childhood associations with this classic New Testament name, what with Peter Rabbit, Peter Pan, et al. But as user-friendly as this makes the name, it has a solid, traditional side as well.
 
Never as widely used as some of the more traditional Anglo-Saxon stalwarts, Peter retains an enduring appeal to parents seeking a less-used classic, with those nice childhood associations. Peter also has some interesting derivatives: The Brits like Piers; the Irish, Pierce and Pearse; the Italians, Piero and Pietro; the Spanish, Pedro; the French, Pierre; and the Dutch, Piet.
 
One potential problem: in some parts of the world, "peter" can be a slang term for "penis".

Peter

Phil

Rebecca is a name representing beauty in the Bible, an Old Testament classic that reached the heights of revived popularity in the seventies but is still a well-used choice. It derives from the Hebrew name Rivkah, from the verb ribbqah, meaning "noose." The biblical Rebecca was the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob. Rebekah was a common spelling of the name in the Bible. 
 The Becca short form is more stylish now than homespun Becky. Nickname Becky is a staple in such classics as A Little Princess, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Vanity Fair, while the full form features in the eponymous Daphne du Maurier novel, in Ivanhoe, and in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.
 
Rebecca remains one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/r">girls' names starting with R</a>.

Rebecca

Robert was the Number 1 boys' name in the US in both 1925 and 1950, and in fact was in the Top 25 for more than a century, giving it true classic status. Strong if not quite stylish, Robert remains in the Top 100 for baby boys as a family favorite.
 
Robert was derived from the ancient Germanic name Hrodebert, from the elements hrod, meaning "fame" and bertha, "bright." Robert was the name of three kings of Scotland, including Robert the Bruce, who freed Scotland from English rule. The name was brought to England by the Normans.
 Nicknames Bob and Bobby are stuck in the past, while Rob, Robb and Robby/Robbie have an ever so slightly more modern appeal. Antiquated pet forms Dob, Hob, Rab and Rabbie might be fresh nicknames, but the most fashionable form of Robert today is....Robert.
 There are countless literary and real-life namesakes, from poets Frost and Burns to actors Redford and De Niro to Shark Tank businessperson Robert Herjavec. Modern parents might consider honoring an ancestral Robert by choosing Robertson or Robinson, or even the derivative Robin, rising in popularity for boys.

Robert

Sam as a name standing on its own was given to only 18 girls in 2021, versus over 400 boys. But as a short form it's appealing and down-to-earth for both sexes, and heard far more often: There were over 2500 baby girls named Samantha in the US in one recent year and more than 8500 boys named Samuel, so you will hear the name Sam a lot more often than you might guess judging by the numbers for this short form. 

Like the wildly popular Charlie, Sam is a nickname that works equally well as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/girl-names">girls' name</a> as a boys'. All forms considered, Sam is still one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/baby-names-starting-with/s">names that start with S</a>.

Sean, after a long reign as one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/328/irish-baby-names-for-boys">Irish boys' names</a> in the US, has now slipped as parents look to fresher Irish choices such as Liam and Aidan. In Ireland, Sean is still highly popular, but variation Senan, an Anglicized spelling of diminutive Seanan, is also stylish in Ireland. While Sean is the Irish form of John, Seanan and Senan may be thought of either as Sean diminutives or relatives of the Latin word "senator".

Sean

Sheila peaked in popularity from the 1930s to the 1960s (she reached Number 49 in 1965), along with Maureen and Colleen; parents today would probably go back to the original Cecilia or forward to Shea. 

Sheila

Even if it is the Number one surname in the U.S.--with more than 2.5 million bearers--we still think that Smith would make a cool first or middle name, whether or not it has family history.
 Though Smith was in fairly regular use until the 1920s--reaching as high as Number 326 in 1885--it would make a totally distinctive, sophisticated choice today.

Smith

Stace

Although Susan had her heyday from the thirties to the sixties, and is now common among moms and new grandmas, and though most modern parents would prefer Susanna/Susannah, we have spotted some flickers of interest in a revival. It still retains a certain black-eyed-Susan freshness.
 
Susan has a substantial literary resume, including appearances in George Eliot's Mill on the Floss, Anthony Trollope's Barchester Towers, Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge and Jude the Obscure, and Charlotte Bronte's Shirley.
 
Susan's many nicknames include Sue, Susie, Suzy, Sukie, and Zuzu—many of which have been celebrated in song. Among Susan's notable namesakes are activist Susan B. Anthony, writer Sontag, and actress Sarandon.

Susan

One of the hot two-syllable T names of the nineties (along with Tyler, Trevor, and Taylor), and well represented on soap operas; Tanner is still widely used, but its popularity is declining. 

Tanner

Vaughn, also commonly spelled Vaughan, has been used quietly over the years, reaching a peak of Number 349 in 1949. It is now in the process of rediscovery, being seen as a good Sean alternative or an updated way to honor an ancestral Paul (which also means small).
 In the recent past, Vaughn Meader was a comedian famed for his JFK impressions, and Vaughn Monroe was a popular singer-bandleader.
 More frequently seen as a last name than a first, Vaughn has drawn particular attention in recent years via leading man Vince Vaughn, and before that was notable in the entertainment world by The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Robert Vaughn, singer Sarah Vaughan, and guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. Michael Vaughn is a fictional character on Alias, played by Michael Vartan.

Vaughn

Vincent is a name with a complex image. After being quietly used for centuries, it is suddenly seeming stylish, along wih other V names. Even the nickname Vince has been given a reprieve via actor Vince Vaughn and country singer Vince Gill. Vin Diesel was born with the more prosaic name Mark Vincent.
 Vincent was popular during the Middle Ages, especially among the French, who brought it to England. There are a number of St. Vincents, most famous of whom is St. Vincent de Paul, a seventeenth century French priest who organized societies of laymen to help the poor.
 Vincent has always been a favorite of Roman Catholic families, particularly in the Italian community. Its most notable bearer was Vincent van Gogh, but there also was philanthropist Vincent Astor, who gave it a patrician edge, and actors Vincent Price and Vincent D'Onofrio.
 Vincent/Vince/Vinny has appeared on screen as the central characters of My Cousin Vinny and Entourage. John Travolta had two key Vin-roles: Vinnie Barbarino in the TV series that launched him (Welcome Back, Kotter), and as Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction. Vincent was the gentle giant on TV's Beauty and the Beast, and Ethan Hawke played a Vincent in Gattaca.

Vincent

fullabeans's list "Perks of Being a Wallflower names" of 53 great name ideas: Alice - Vincent!

Perks of Being a Wallflower names

Names from author and director Stephen Chbosky's best-selling novel and film "Perks of Being a Wallflower".