Lovely Southern Belles and Gents

Southern names that I have seen on other lists and in my area that aren't the stereotypical Bettie Lou's and Mary Ann's.
  1. Atlanta
    • Origin:

      Place name
    • Meaning:

      "Atlantic Ocean"
    • Description:

      The capital of Georgia is far from the ocean, but got its name from the Western and Atlantic Railroad which ran through the city. Best known as a hub of industry and transport, and for its roles in the Civil War and Civil Rights Movement, it has never been popular as a baby name despite sounding like one. Its peak popularity was in 1995, the year before Atlanta hosted the Olympic Games.

  2. Atticus
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "from Attica"
    • Description:

      Atticus, with its trendy Roman feel combined with the upstanding, noble image of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, is a real winner among boy names. Atticus entered the US Top 1000 in 2004 and is a firm Nameberry favorite.
  3. Austin
    • Origin:

      English, shortened form of Augustine, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "great, magnificent"
    • Description:

      Austin is one of the most attractive city names for babies, with an appealing southwestern feel and place-name panache.
  4. Ada
    • Alabama
      • Beau
        • Origin:

          French
        • Meaning:

          "handsome"
        • Description:

          Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau has been on the Social Security list non-stop since 1969.
      • Brooks
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "of the brook"
        • Description:

          A nature name, a word name, and a surname name, Brooks has plenty of cool factor. It gives off cowboy vibes and a sporty feel, while also maintaining a smart, collected image.
      • Carolina
        • Origin:

          Variation of Caroline; also place-name
        • Meaning:

          "free man"
        • Description:

          Languid, romantic, and classy, this variation heats up Caroline and modernizes Carol, adding a southern accent.
      • Caroline
        • Origin:

          French, feminine variation of Charles
        • Meaning:

          "free man"
        • Description:

          Caroline is a perennial classic, one of the elite group of girls' names that's ALWAYS ranked among the Top 1000 and that's been in the Top 100 since 1994. Elegant yet strong, Caroline calls to mind the Kennedy Camelot years and Princess Caroline of Monaco.
      • Celia
        • Origin:

          Latin
        • Meaning:

          "heavenly"
        • Description:

          Celia, splendidly sleek and feminine, is a name that was scattered throughout Shakespeare and other Elizabethan literature, but still manages to feel totally modern.
      • Clementine
        • Origin:

          French feminine version of Clement, Latin
        • Meaning:

          "mild, merciful"
        • Description:

          Clementine is a Nameberry favorite that broke back into the US Top 1000 in 2014 after more than half a century off the list.
      • Columbia
        • Origin:

          Latin
        • Meaning:

          "land of Columbus"
        • Description:

          Columbia is a rarely used name with many associations. From the eighteenth century it has been used as a female personification of the United States, often appearing as a flag-draped patriotic figure. And as such it's inspired a plethora of place and company names, from the District of Columbia to Columbia University to Columbia Records, and songs like "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean." A character called Columbia appears in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
      • Crickett
        • Daisy
          • Origin:

            Diminutive of Margaret or flower name, English
          • Meaning:

            "day's eye"
          • Description:

            Daisy, fresh, wholesome, and energetic, is one of the flower names that burst back into bloom after a century's hibernation. Originally a nickname for Margaret (the French Marguerite is the word for the flower), Daisy comes from the phrase "day's eye," because it opens its petals at daybreak.
        • Dallas
          • Origin:

            Place-name in Scotland and Texas, and Irish
          • Meaning:

            "skilled"
          • Description:

            Relaxed, laid-back cowboy name with broad appeal and more staying power than you might guess: Dallas has ranked among the Top 1000 boy names in the US since records began in 1880.
        • Dixie
          • Origin:

            Latin, French
          • Meaning:

            "I have spoken; tenth"
          • Description:

            A sassy, spunky, punchy kind of name, Dixie can also be considered a place name, one that has become problematic because of its association with the antebellum South. The Dixie Chicks recently dropped Dixie from their band name because of its association with slavery and white privilege.
        • Elliot
          • Origin:

            Anglicization of Elijah or Elias
          • Meaning:

            "Jehovah is God"
          • Description:

            Elliot (which boasts several spellings depending upon how many 'l's or 't's you want to use) is a winner -- it has the ideal quality of being neither too common nor weirdly unique. Elliot had a style boost back in the early 1980s via the young hero of the movie E.T. , who was named Elliot. Since then there have been Elliots on Law & Order: SVU and Mad Men.
        • Elliot
          • Origin:

            Anglicization of Elijah or Elias
          • Meaning:

            "Jehovah is God"
          • Description:

            Elliot is another traditional boy name used for girls", a trend led by political commentator George Stephanopoulos and his actress wife Ali Wentworth.
        • Eloise
          • Origin:

            French and English variation of Heloise
          • Meaning:

            "healthy; wide"
          • Description:

            Eloise is newly chic, along with many other names with the El- beginning. Eloise reentered the US Top 1000 girl names in 2009 after a 50 year nap and broke into the Top 100 in 2022. And she shows no signs of slowing down.
        • Emmeline
          • Origin:

            Old French form of archaic German Amal
          • Meaning:

            "work"
          • Description:

            Emmeline is an Emma relative and Emily cousin that is destined for greater use in the wake of the megapopularity of those two names. A recommended Nameberry fave, Emmeline hopped onto the US Top 1000 in 2014 for the first time ever. While it is genuinely an old name, it was rarely used a century ago; only 17 baby girls were named Emmeline in 1915, the same number as were named Ernie!